First Puncture

Willem
With all that practice which repair kit do you like / recomend
Oh and good luck on the trip.
Jugs

Jugs

I am getting quite proficient using the plugs. Always try to have some psi in the punctured tyre before plugging.

In the old days I used to split the rims with tyre pliers but have not damaged a tubeless tyre where I need to fit a gater(inside patch) or tube. Time will tell if this is ever going to be necessary.

Most of my punctures happen at a very slow speeds.

Jugs,

We've used nothing but plugs foir the past 7 years - best thing since sliced bread.

The best plugs are made by "Tech", but they are hard to find and cost a bit more. Each plug comes with a plastic coating, so they last for years without drying out. Its best to use the Tech glue with them. Need to get them thru the Tech distributor - don't usually find them at the shops.

Theres a whole lot of other plugs out there, but most are either the thicker brown short ones, or the longer thin black ones. The thicker brown ones are the better ones to use, as most staked tyres are fixed with a single plug. Best place to buy them is probably Repco, who market them under the "Slime" brand. Can get a pack of 30 of these plugs and a decent tin of glue with brush for not a lot of money.

I prefer to fix them on the vehicle. First thing to do is put the pump on the tyre to get some pressure in it. If you can't find a hole, spray some mildly soapy water around the tyre using a 500ml spray bottle - and look for an expanding bubble. Then load up the plug onto the tool. Slip some glue into the hole with the other tool (feeling for the direction of the hole). Add a bit of glue on the plug, then slowly insert the plug in the correct direction until theres about 1cm of plug hanging out still. Sray soapy water over it again to see if its sealed. If its not, slip another plug or two in there.

Cheers
phil

"I seem to average about 5 punctures a year."
Hell, I've been known to get that many on a trip. LOL Admittedly, they were Grand Trek radials and barely kept the rims off the ground..

Yes Uncle Donut....isnt it about time you bought some decent tyres....lol

Did that a year or so ago. Problem solvered

rear or front? either way i think it is illegal but your running gear not to mention your tyres I believe would be placed under unnecessary and potentially dangerous stress. reckon your tyres would not track properly either esp if it is a front tyre when they need to "arc" together.

what i reckon anyway...

but, as Quickdraw used to say (nothin like a spare spare!) or was that MacGilla?

Nick,
Nobody's going to tell you it doesn't matter.

But a 275/70 is just over 790mm diameter, new, while a 265/75 is about 805-810mm.

So not much difference. Your fulltime 4wd should be able to cope with that, provided you don't lock the centre diff on a hard surface. I assume its only there until you get the tyres replaced or fixed.

Yeah mate,new tyres will be on by thisweekend hopefully.

Yeah spose your right,the hole was in the middle of the tread.When we got back ,I ripped the tyre off the rim,dont look to bad from the inside but I can stick the plier end of my Leathermans in the hole.Oh well the plugs got me home,about 60kms.

Puncture may not be the right word. Most "flats" with splits I've seen in recent years have been tube fatigue or split seams or just little pinholes on crappy replacement Korean tubes.

New jap vehicles tend to have good tubes.

Yep Phil is on the money.

That was back when journeys were long and money was short....lol

Used to run Telecom Tyres and tubes and mostly second hand stuff. Was towing a big fella caravan around and had tyres pumped a tad. Poor quality tubes overheat or get a bit of dirt inside the tyre and you have a flat.

Life has progressed a bit since then. Much to my surprise I have changed my views on splits and run tubeless all the time now. As mentioned before, these days my flats are mostly stakes when going in to unchartered territory( or a wayward nail in my back yard...lol)

But hard core cheesecutter tyres are the go for mega offroad driving at slow speeds. Biut I will probably not be doing too many of them from now on.