I heard some of those fix a flat tire type products damage your chrome. I was wondering if there was one that is safe to use with chrome wheels.

Mike

Mike:

You ought to be aware that Fix-a-flat is nothing more than liquid latex, under pressure. It work by having this liquid inside the tire cavity, and as it "rolls" around in there, it will migrate to the "hole" that you are trying to fix, and then congeal by drying out. It theoretically "plugs" the hole from the inside.

However, once the hole is plugged, you will have the remaining residue still rolling around in the cavity; this could affect your wheel/tire balance, and could also affect the inside surfaces of the wheel. At the best you will have congealed "crud" on the wheel, at the worst it could actually "corrode" the wheel.

THIS IS NOT A GOOD FIX FOR A LEAK; IT IS JUST AN EXPEDIANT ONE. It is far better to take the wheel/tire to a tire store, have them find the actual leak, and plug it correctly. This does not cost very much, and will give you thousands of miles of comfort. Fix-a-flat is not good !!!!!!......Andras

Of course I get the leak fixed as soon as I can... I was not talking about fix a flat as a permanent solution. In the hour or two that I am using fix a flat, can the chrome get damaged? I used it once and I went to the shop within 15 min. Let me rephrase my question: Is there any fix a flat type product that will not damage the chrome on wheels in less than two hours? Thanks.

Mike

I believe that the new C-Class has no spare, just a tire repair kit, which I assume must be like fix-a-flat. Interesting.

Mike:

Sorry I misunderstood the question.

You do not have to worry if you are using this for only a few hours prior to cleaning things up. Even in that short time-frame some of the latex may have dried, but it should cause no harm to the chrome in that short period of time. It can easily be cleaned up with Goop or even rubber cement solvent.

The reason that chrome is so compelling a material, is that the nickel in chrome has a very high density, and therefore very few things can "penetrate" its surface. Latex is not one of them.

So the issue is not really if latex bad for the chrome, but rather that latex is an impermanent fix for a damaged tire. Hope this clarifies things......Andras

My 2-cents:

[1] After using Fix-A-Flat one "assumes" the tire repair facility will clean out all the gunk -- is this truly the case? I'm sure they'd never do as good a cleanup job as one of us would. That being said, would the "stuff" they leave behind be harmful to the wheels?
[2] I wouldn't ever have a tire plugged as a permanent solution (only in the case of a dire emergency AND if I knew I would replace that tire at the first opportunity). The ONLY way to go is by patching the tire and re-balancing the wheel.

Brian

My 2 cents:

Don't know if fix a flat products hurt rims, but they can hurt tires to the tune of causing tire failure AND voiding tire warranties if you use them, according to an article I read today quoting Bill Egan, Goodyear's chief engineer for advanced product design. He maintains that the products only work about 10% of the time anyway.

The article was about the increasingly popular run flat tires that do away with the spare and jack -- Corvette has had run flats optional since 93 and std since 97. Michelin has new PAX run flats....Could they be on some of the newest MB models such as the C Class?


Roger

240D barely with tires,
560SL with unsightly wheels

[This message has been edited by Roger (edited 05-07-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Roger (edited 05-07-2000).]

Roger, where did you read this article?

Mike

Mike,
The article was in the San Antonio Express-news sunday, May 7 edition, Auto section. Article about run flat tires with info mostly from the Goodyear source. Didn't notice if It was a local byline or syndicated.

Roger

[This message has been edited by Roger (edited 05-09-2000).]

Does Fix-A-Flat repair side wall too - for example side wall damage caused by hittine shape curb when parking -?
(I mean just temporary repair so that I can drive to tire shop).

Is it safe to carry it in the car in hot summer?

__________________
1992 300D 2.5 turbo diesel. 319 k miles.
124.128 chassis, 602.962 engine, 722.418 tranny.

Guys, I'm having a hard time grasping this Fix a Flat thing. My 560SEL came with a spare tire in the trunk. Actually all of my other MBs did too. If I were to have a flat and I have, I either call road service with my cel phone or just change it myself if I don't want to wait. I then deal with the flat in a timely fashion. About 20 years ago I got a flat and about 3 days later, before I had a chance to deal with it I got another one, but that was once in over 40 years of driving. I would never consider puttin that junk in my tires. Also as someone has already pointed out, the proper way to repair a puncture is to dismount the tire and patch it from the inside. You do this for two reasons. First it gives you a chance to check for hidden damage and secondly the patch keeps the air from escaping into the layers of the tire and possibly causing a blow out. Plugs installed from the outside fall under the same category as battery terminals that are clamped to the battery cable with 2 bolts. They are both temporary emergency repairs.

Peter

__________________
Auto Zentral Ltd.

I would think that the spray can could well explode if left in a car in direct sunlight (140 deg F inside the car). If the label says do not store above 120 deg F or near a heat source it could well pop in a hot car. talk about a mess .... yikes!
Actually you do see these things included inside cheapie car care kits, but at least they're in a bag or tool box....

I could check one of the cans I have in the garage, but they're probably buried

I used the stuff in my one wheelbarrow tire but it only holds air for an hour or two, if that. I ended up buying a new wheelbarrow on sale for a couple $$ more than a new wheel for the old wheelbarrow....

Fix a flat is a nice idea but I figure if it can't seal my wheelbarrow tire permanently, how much pressure can it really restore to a car tire?
I think that 10% figure (fix a flat success rate) may well be correct.

__________________
Bob Roe
Lehigh Valley PA USA
1973 Olds 88, 1972 MB 280SE, 1978 Datsun 280Z, 1971 Ford T-Bird, 1972 Olds 88, 1983 Nissan Sentra, 1985 Sentra, 1973 230.6, 1990 Acura Integra, 1991 Volvo 940GLE wagon, 1983 300SD, 1984 300SD, 1995 Subaru Legacy L wagon, 2002 Mountaineer, 1991 300TE wagon, 2008 Murano, 2007 R320CDI 4Matic 52K, some Hyundai, 2008 BMW 535xi wagon, all gone... currently
2007 Honda Odyssey Touring, 2014 E350 4matic

Our wonderfully anal-retentive auto shop teacher taught us to only use fix-a-flat in an emergency. He also noted that the tech who eventually repairs the tire properly should be informed that the tire contains the substance, because fix-a-flat is HIGHLY FLAMMABLE. Apparently, he knew of several instances where sparks caused by a bead breaker against the rim actually ignited the flammable mixture, turning the tire into a mini bomb. He advised telling the tech about the fix-a-flat to avoid liability for any injury or damage.

__________________
08 W251 R350
97 W210 E320
91 W124 300E
86 W126 560SEL
85 W126 380SE Silver
85 W126 380SE Cranberry
79 W123 250
78 W123 280E
75 W114 280

I have used fix a flat in my lifetime, but know that a properly changed tire is the best solution. This product is intended as a temporary solution and can come in handy .... have you ever read about the guy on the side of the road changing a tire and hit by an oncoming car?? In some situation a can of the stuff can reduce the chance of a bad accident. You can cry and whine about how improper a method it is to repair a flat but the kid that was hit changing a tire was a friend of mine and if he had used some fix a flat quickly it may have made a difference .... keep in mind the shoulder of the road was very tight but where he was he had no choice. Sometimes the silliest/laziest products have a purpose. Making a blanket statement is just highlighting your ignorance. (no offence intended)

__________________
Jeff SE PA
1981 300 CD 85K miles "Heidi"
84 El Camino (what an SS should have been in 84)
01 Jeep Cherokee lifted 3", goes anywhere

Sorry to hear about your friend.
Sometimes it really is best to call AAA on the cell phone and stay inside the car.
Several years ago I remember hearing on the news about someone who had stopped along I-95 to change a tire being hit by a (large) wheel that detached itself from a tractor trailer.
Poor guy was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

__________________
Bob Roe
Lehigh Valley PA USA
1973 Olds 88, 1972 MB 280SE, 1978 Datsun 280Z, 1971 Ford T-Bird, 1972 Olds 88, 1983 Nissan Sentra, 1985 Sentra, 1973 230.6, 1990 Acura Integra, 1991 Volvo 940GLE wagon, 1983 300SD, 1984 300SD, 1995 Subaru Legacy L wagon, 2002 Mountaineer, 1991 300TE wagon, 2008 Murano, 2007 R320CDI 4Matic 52K, some Hyundai, 2008 BMW 535xi wagon, all gone... currently
2007 Honda Odyssey Touring, 2014 E350 4matic