In the majority of punctures, Puncturesafe will just get on with it and seal them safely without you ever knowing you have had one. The following is a guide to help you understand what may have happened if you get a flat tyre which has been treated with Puncturesafe:
Puncturesafe needs rubber recovery in order to work effectively, and most importantly, safely. In other words, the puncture needs to shrink a little after the puncturing object has been expelled or removed from the tyre in order to trap the fibres which log jam in the shrinking puncture, the liquid gel seeps in and cures around the fibres.
When Puncturesafe appears not to have worked, it is usually because rubber recovery has not occurred, giving the tyre a slow and controlled deflation. This may be due to several reasons which may be:
- a split or tear
- a sidewall puncture
- a very old tyre which will be hard rather than supple
- a screw that has been pulled out, rather than screwed out may enlarge a puncture and rip the cords
- a jagged nail, screw or glass etc. which squirms about whilst the vehicle is in motion, tearing and ripping at the rubber and cords until the puncture is enlarged. The puncture may look small, but there will not be sufficient tightness in the rubber to grip the escaping fibres, however, Puncturesafe should allow the driver to experience a slow and controlled deflation
Cords are instrumental in rubber recovery and without cords a tyre will blow up like a balloon. When cords are severely cut, the puncture in the tyre will enlarge with increased air pressure, so in a moving vehicle Puncturesafe will assist in giving a controlled deflation as the puncture shrinks in size with air loss and reducing air pressure. With Puncturesafe and a controlled deflation, a tyre will deflate at a rate depending on the extent of the damage then, as the tyre reaches the lower pressures of 10 – 15 psi, a severe slow down or halt in the air loss will be experienced as Puncturesafe is now log jamming in a dangerous puncture that is now shrinking in size because of these much lower air pressures. You will now be running on a very soft tyre instead of the wheel rim, which could mean the difference between keeping control and losing control. When any of the above occurs, Puncturesafe will give the driver a controlled deflation and, with or without re-airing, possibly enable him/her to finish the journey or remove the vehicle from a potentially dangerous location.
A wheel arch that is covered with Puncturesafe is a good indication that the tyre has experienced a controlled deflation. Safe sealing with the product is possible because 5 different sizes of specially manufactured ‘coarse surface’ synthetic fibres are used which become extremely strong when they interlock tightly together in the shrinking puncture of a punctured tyre. Natural forces and the Puncturesafe lubrication will remove puncturing objects eventually. Large puncturing objects should be removed as soon as possible and, near to an air supply if available, in case the air loss in a stationary vehicle is excessive. A slight tap with a hammer to the area just above where the nail is present will shock Puncturesafe into the hole as the nail is removed. Centrifugal forces with the flexing of the tyre when the vehicle moves will do the rest. If the puncture is not excessive but you lose all the air in the tyre after removing a nail, just place the puncture at 6 O’clock and re-inflate to the correct pressure then quickly drive a couple of hundred yards to allow centrifugal forces and Puncturesafe to seal the hole. If you get a flat tyre after Puncturesafe has been installed, it may indicate that you had a controlled deflation or got the puncture whilst parking up, not giving Puncturesafe a chance to work. If a controlled deflation is not evident because Puncturesafe is not visible on the tyre guard, just re-inflate and drive the vehicle following the above guidelines.
Vibration
Tyres must be correctly balanced before Puncturesafe is installed as balancing will be difficult following installation.
Puncturesafe will not cause vibration but it can exaggerate an underlying issue except in the following situations:
- When the vehicle is driven for the first time after installation, there may be a wobble felt through the steering wheel for a small period whilst the fluid distributes evenly in the tyre.
- If the vehicle is stood for a period of time and then immediately driven at higher speeds, a very small wobble may occur for a few seconds whilst any fluid which has settled, is redistributed in the tyre.
Any vibration beyond the situations listed above, indicates an underlying issue with the vehicle and as broad guidance can be summarised as follows:
- At low speed (around 30mph) this indicates a potential issue with the steering, suspension or brakes which needs to be investigated.
- Any sustained vibration at higher speeds usually over 60 mph, potentially indicates a wheel that has been damaged and is not running true or an out of round tyre.
If you have this situation, please contact me.
Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS)
PunctureSafe is compatible with internal sensors and should not interfere with their operation. In the unlikely event of any issue following the installation of PunctureSafe, please contact me
Warranty
Puncturesafe is guaranteed to stop porosity leaks, air migration and punctures caused by puncturing objects up to 6mm in diameter within the tread area for the legal lifetime of the tyre, but if the casing becomes damaged or weakened to the point of being unsafe, the Puncturesafe formula has been designed to slowly bleed and give a controlled deflation regardless of how small the dangerous puncture may be.