Tire Sealant

[Kent]

I have questions regarding tire sealant and its use. Most people I talk to do not recommend using tire sealant. They say "do not use it". Being as I had 3 flat tires this weekend (wheelbarrow, RF on my B-1, and RF on my Sovereign) sealant started looking attractive. My questions are: 1. Does sealant foul up the Schrader valve in the valve stem? 2. What does sealant do to tire pressure gages. 3. I understand it stinks and is messy when a tire is removed but it supposedly can be washed off with water. If sealant does not foul the valve or pressure gage why not use it? 4. Does sealant hurt the paint on the inside of the rim? 5. Does sealant cause harm to the tire? 6. Are there other disadvantages to using sealant? 7. What are the advantages to using sealant? Oh, I put a tube in the wheebarrow tire, found a leaky valve stem on the B-1, and put sealant in the Sovereign to stop a minuscule leak in the tread. Just curious to see what experience and thoughts the club members may have. Thanks, Roy

[Guest]

Sealant usually does not work - I will recommend it only for extreme cases where thorns are prevalent. It can clog the valve and your tire gauge if you are not careful. Yes it is messy to clean out and I charge more for it - not all are water soluble. It will not harm the tire although it may help rust the rim if the paint has come off. It will not seal the bead area which is prone to leakage. Remember air naturally leaks a pound or two each month so it is a good idea to over-inflate for storage periods.

[dlcentral]

Jeff, You are probably right but with a back yard full of Locust trees (read thorns!) I thought I would try the sealant. I'll provide feedback on how it is working as time marches on. Thanks, Roy

[FiremanRon]

After I had my house re-roofed, I picked up a few nails, so I used some sealant. It did not seal holes very well if the nail had come out, but if something was plugging the hole, it worked okay. It will gum up the valve if you use the whole bottle, which is sized for a car tire. I used half in each rear tire.