troymir350

Sorry another thread, forgot about this. When changing from runflats to non-, are others getting the MB OEM kit from eBay or a dealer? Or is there another option? I seem to recall others talking about a generic 12V air compressor and a simple can of fix-a-flat?

Appreciate the ideas. Also, how does fix-a-flat work on winter tires if anyone has had to try?

ImInPA

When I decided to abandon the RunFlat tireson my Bluetec, I purchase a Slime 12 vol compresor kit. It is essentially the same thing as the MB kit. Continental tire makes a nice one too. The cost of mine at pep boys was about $50. The MB kit was almost $300. The Slime compressor is fater and morepowerful than the MB s well. Canadian Bluetecs ship with standard tires and the MB kit. I wish MB would have done that in the states a well. Th RunFlats simply have no advantages over regular tires in practical use.

aeggroup

I bought this one from Ebay for my GL when I switched tires and have no complains. Compressor is very quickly pumping air and not noisy at all.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Slime-50063-...ht_2655wt_1397

Mbenz260e

I like these discussions as I will be switching tires on at least one vehicle soon and considering going to conventional tires.

Anyone had any experience using the slime with a compressor? Also, do the kits actually inject the slime through the pump, or is it the same as if you bought it separately and just fill the tire independently with slime and air?

I know there were concerns in the past with TMPS, but I noticed most bottles now claim to be safe?

troymir350

All good information. But, my question is also regarding the slime then air, or does the slime go in the air line like the MB system?

ImInPA

I have not had to use mine yet. So I cannot comment on it. The specs look better than MBs. Hey...it is supposed to get you to a tire repair place. Let me tell you the two biggest failings of RunFlat tires. 1) Some shops in my area refuse to patch them for liability reasons, and, 2) on the two separate instances where I had picked up a a small screw in the tread, which would be a simple repair on a standard tire, the tire store refuse to patch and in both cases did not have my tire in stock. Most tire stores will not stock Run Flats. I really do not understand the purpose of this technology.

El Cid

If you use fix-a-flat type product in a tire, you have to have the tire removed and repaired ASAP. The fix-a-flat material has to be totally removed from inside the tire or it can never be properly balanced. don't forget to make sure none is left in valve stem either.
Also, it used to have an adverse effect on TPMS sensors, but cans now say it does not.

Green E-300 DT

The 'purpose of this technology' is so that the various manufactures
who use them can do away with a spare wheel and a jack?
Saves weight and gives more space in the trunk.

And in your case, MBZ used the space for the spare to mount the now required Blue fluid reservior.
One of the reasons I will NEVER own a Benz W-211 later than a MY 2009.
Another is those 17 or 18 inch wheels!

The tires do not last nearly as long, and those lower profiles tires do not give nearly as nice a ride.

That's progress I guess, but not for this old boy!
My 225 X 55-16s are just fine for now until and if they ever wear out.
Then I have a set of 215 X 65 Continental Econoplus tires waiting to take the Michelin tires places!
Those will gear it up a little and give me better fuel economy to boot.



DHG

raja777m

Resurrecting an old thread.
Will Fix-A-Flat causes a mess inside the tires that shops ever refused to work on, as they have to clean them or something?
Just got a tire inflator and sealant kit from 2020 chevy camaro. I'm planning to leave the spare donut at home and put this kit in the vehicle. But ChrisFix says, shops won't want to work on the tires that have this mess in them. Is that true?
What are your experiences?

El Cid

Many years ago I used Fix-A-Flat to fix a slow leak. Then discovered it completely throws off the balance of the tire. Also, because of its chemical composition, it breaks down even if you tried to balance it.
The tire shop did fix the leak, but also charged for cleaning the gunk out of the tire.
I can imagine tire shops refusing to work on tires with FAF or similar in them as it is very hard to get them balanced.
So, if you have a spare, why not use it? Also, if sidewall is blown or hole is too big to FAF, you have to call a wrecker to move the car. A year after I got my car, I hit a curb at speed and put a big and long gash in the tire. Went flat instantly. FAT would be of no use. Changed the tire myself in about 15 minutes.

VegasE

My experience is that most tire stores will not repair a tire where gunk has been injected. I totally agree with El Cid, particularly for those of us who drive in the rural west. Fix a flat is worthless for larger holes or bent rim. I owned a car that had no spare, just a pump and goo, and the first thing I did was put a spare and jack in the trunk. If all of your driving is in metro areas, you can probably afford to wait for a tow but on rural west interstates (even between Vegas and LA) a tow can take half a day and the likelihood that they have a replacement tire or rim in Nowhere Utah is nil.

DFWdude

I don't use the slime junk at all.

Instead, I use an old-school rubber plug tool kit (Walmart) for leaks in the tread, with a generic air compressor (I don't remember where I got it).

20 years ago, my community was under construction, so roofing nails and such were common road debris. I became very proficient at plugging tires in about the same time it takes to slime a tire. And the plugs ALWAYS held, so no trips to tire repair.

Tom in Austin

Run flats are non-repairable? So one-and-done, anything happens to them and you're buying a new tire, what a deal.

Irony is mfgs have adopted these things just to save a few pounds of weight for a .001% reduction in carbon to respond to regulatory pressures ... is that what consumers want, I think not

kajtek1

Run flats can also cost vehicle damage when run for several miles.
Fluids are actually making tire balancing and you can have wheels balanced with pellets. I did it on 1 car, but got annoyed with the noise at low speeds and hassle of making shops putting the balancers inside.
Coming to fixing the tires on the road, I used to work in construction, so pulling nails and fixing holes was part of the job. Still carry the kit below in my truck.
But since I drive in areas where closest towing might be 100 miles away, the spare donut is a must in my car trunk. It doubles as bottle holder when I go grocery shopping.

DFWdude

Yup. That's the kit I have. You can buy refill plugs too (strips lower right)...

kajtek1

Over the years the plugs evolved as well.
When the picture I found shows a kit with glue, lately I found at NAPA "strings" who are longer and can be inserted without the glue.
New string makes it much easier. You clean the hole with the included file, Stick the string into the "needle" bend in half, insert into the hole, give it couple of twists making sure the ends still stick out, pull the needle back and cut off the string from it.
No need to cut off long ends. Just inflate and drive.