Although the tires of today are much tougher and durable than tires couple of decades back, but considering the condition of roads we have now a days, it is not uncommon to get a puncture every now and then. There are people who either don’t have a clue about even how to change a tire or they just don’t want to get their hands dirty.
But what if you are stuck at a place where there is no one around you to change your tire and repair it for you? No tire shop around and even if you have changed your tire to a spare, you are without a backup now. People who go exploring far flung areas of Pakistan, know this all too well. For those folks, they must keep a puncture repair kit all the time in their vehicles.
The kit has the tools to help you repair the puncture at the spot. Park the car safely at the side of the road, loose the lug nuts slightly, and with the help of a jack, lift the car up and remove the deflated tire. You must have an air compressor/pump with you as well. Plug it in and fill the punctured tire with air. After it’s sufficiently inflated, there is a high chance you will spot the puncture immediately. Look for a nail or a metal shard on the surface of the tire. In some cases, you can even hear the air escaping from the puncture. So locate the point of puncture, and remove the nail etc. with a pair of pliers. Mark the area of the leak, you don’t want to lose it after removing the nail. Most kits come with a reaming tool. Use it in the puncture to make easy for you to fix the leak. In the kit, you will find strains of very sticky and soft rubber. They are also known as plugs, considering they ‘plug’ the leak. Put the strain of rubber halfway through the loop of the plug or insertion tool.
In the kit, you will also find a rubber sealant, which you are supposed to put on the tip of the plug tool and the plug but its fine if you don’t have it with you at that moment. Now jam the plug in the hole in the tire. Make sure the rubber plug is in the tire at least couple of inches. Now pull the plug tool out with a jerk. The rubber plug that went inside the tire will remain there, sealing the leak. Cut the remains of the plug from the surface of the tire with your pliers or cutter. Fill the tire again with your air compressor, put it back on, tight the nuts and your good to go. It is be a bit physical to do all this, but it’s easy.
Related: PakWheels Infographic: The Correct Way To Fix A Tyre Puncture
So if you are stranded somewhere unpopulated with a puncture, with the help of a kit you can help yourself and drive to a workshop or a petrol station. This small investment in a puncture kit can help you save a lot. Keep in mind that this will only work if you have a puncture on the surface of the tire, and not the sidewall. And also if you have tire tube, this method will not work for you. Its only for those who run tubeless tires on their cars. Happy motoring.
