As buyers of recent vehicles know, the good old spare tire is on its way out. Rather than cluttering up the car's load space, drivers are now provided with an anti-puncture kit. Not only is it much lighter, but we're told it's almost as effective. But is this really the case? The answer is surprisingly hard to find, but if you know those few practical things, you too can find out!
What's an anti-puncture kit?
First, let's inspect the contents of the tire repair kit typically offered by tire manufacturers. Inside, you'll find two elements crucial to the operation: a sealant and an air compressor. The sealant can come in many forms, but is often a foam that expands when sprayed. The air compressor, on the other hand, almost always comes with an adapter so that it can be plugged into the vehicle's cigarette lighter.
The good news...
The good news is that if you follow these few steps, your tire should be in good enough condition to take you to the nearest mechanic's shop. After inserting or connecting your sealant to the compressor, screw the compressor onto the tire valve. Once activated, it should fill your tire's inner tube with air and sealant. The desired pressure may vary according to tire model and compressor, so check before you start! Afterwards, a few minutes' ride under the 80km/h mark should even out the sealant distribution.
...and the not-so-good!
As you can see, however, not everything is rosy. No matter how hard you try, a punctured tire will never return to normal, and may cause problems as soon as you use it a little too hard. The product also won't work at all if the puncture comes from a crack or a damaged rim. Whatever the cause of the puncture, however, it's virtually guaranteed that you'll have to replace the damaged tire. Your mechanic may also suggest replacing the second tire on the axle, to ensure even wear on both sides of the vehicle.
In short, is a puncture-proof kit really a useful thing? I think the answer is yes. It allows anyone to quickly repair a puncture without having to know how to operate a jack or other tools. However, it's also extremely important to bear in mind the temporary nature of such repairs, whether it's a spare tire, a sealant or a good old-fashioned patch.
