Repairing tubes

It is almost vertainly one of the cheap tubes that come from a box with tyres R us on it.
the rubber these things are made of just doesnt 'vulcanise" the patches or something and it isnt just you and me I watched an old bushey who had done xxx amount of repairs get driven to despair trying to get a patch to stick
you dont repair them you terf em
if you want to repair them get a name brand tube - michelin, bridgestone etc

Hi Shane,

The secret is to really rough up the surface of the tube. Your kit should have included a roughener like a rasp. One roughed up, clean the tube with solvent or at least water. When dry put the glue onto the inner tube, let it dry. Peel the lining off the patch at this stage, put the patch onto the tube and press it on very hard, your kit should have a roller in it for this. Finally dust some chalk onto the repair (fine dust will do) to stop the edges of the glue sticking to the inside of the tyre. This is my method and it usually works. Hope it helps.

I've been a cyclist for along time and used to have the same problem you seem to have on your mota - I picked up a great tip years back from an 'old hand' that turned it round for me. Lightly roughen the area concerned on the tube with sandpaper - get the puncture area level and apply a liberal glupe of the adhesve cement (about the same size as the patch) - let the cement soak into the rubber for about 10 minutes - do it again - for the third time, apply a thinner glupe of cement and the patch - clamp it with light pressure and leave for some hours to cure. We cyclists used to have a number of tubes with us - repairs were done home in the shed when required, so curing time was not a problem - done properly, the repair area is probably tougher than the original tube.

Rather than physically roughening the tube I use a Rema product
called "Liquid Buffer" which cleans the tube. I've also used acetone and unleaded petrol to achieve the same result.
As has been said chalk or fine bulldust over the repair to stop it sticking to the tyre.
The tubes branded Mr Tubes are rubbish as are ones with ablue line around them won't vulcanise and the Mr tubes ones get pinholes or split at the seams.
Stick to brand names like Michelin, dunlop etc.

Is it possible to buy the old style vulcaniser patches and clamp.

5 minutes, a bit of smoke and a real cool smell of saltpetre and it never leaked again.

I've never trusted glue, and I believe that is still true....

In the Kimberlies in the 60's, Roadtrak Majors, canvas top Series IIA landrovers, a Menzel pump, and a vulcaniser kit were life saving essentials

Hi Shane,

Sorry to leave the reply so late - had to work!!!

Leave the alfoil side on until you are ready to put the patch on. (This is just to keep it clean). Leave the plastic side on until you have rolled the patch on. The plastic has a split down the centre, just bend the tube to split it more and pull from the centre outwards.