Date: Wed, 12 Apr 95 21:42 PDT From: Bonnie Lee Kellogg To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: notes on changing a tire After posting my side of the road adventure with the tire repair kit, I was asked to share some of the notes I'd taken and put to use at the recent "seminar" at Cal BMWT: fixing a flat (tubeless tire only) based on visual and verbal instructions delivered by Bob Gorman and Kari Prager (Cal BMWT) and field tested (argh!) by Bonnie Kellogg on the side of Highway 680. tools: piece of chalk pliers or something like a "leatherman tool" "T" handle automotive-type tire hole enlarger ("reamer") "T" handle automotive-type tire patch installing tool tubeless tire patches (plugs) rubber cement tire pressure gauge bicycle pump and/or co2 inflator kit with valve extension as needed for your tire procedure: find the culprit and mark its location with chalk; remove (carefully) preserving location on tire; using "reaming" tool, enlarge hole to about the size of a thick drinking straw from a fast food restaurant; attach a patch to the repair tool and generously apply rubber cement, which will act as the lubricant for installation and the sealant when set; push the patch into the tire, leaving about an inch on the outside; withdraw the tool, leaving the patch in place; allow to set up; trim off excess to the tread; start pumping; Technical editors and advice welcomed! bonnie Bonnie Lee Kellogg KELLCO Services, Inc bonnie@kellco.com phone (510) 659-9751 44814 Osgood Road page (510) 702-5704 Fremont, CA 94539 fax (510) 659-0147 ------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 13 Apr 95 23:22 PDT From: spencer@hailwood.asd.sgi.com (Paul Spencer) To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: Re: notes on changing a tire Bonnie Lee Kellogg said: > > find the culprit and mark its location with chalk; remove > (carefully) preserving location on tire; Check the entire tire; it may have more than one `culprit'; > using "reaming" tool, enlarge hole to about the size of a thick > drinking straw from a fast food restaurant; Well, I'd say that's a bit of overkill. I enlarge the hole until I can push the tool straight in and out without twisting. > attach a patch to the repair tool and generously apply rubber > cement, which will act as the lubricant for installation and the > sealant when set; > > push the patch into the tire, leaving about an inch on the > outside; push the patch STRAIGHT into the tire. A patch like the BMW ones will `give' suddenly when the skinny mid-section is in the hole. You basically want half the patch inside, and half outside. After removing the tool, I pull on the patch with the pliers. Not gently, but not TOO strongly either. If the patch comes out easily, it wasn't in correctly. If the patch won't come out, it's OK. > allow to set up; trim off excess to the tread; > start pumping; I'd probably pump it up before trimming. It's important to leave it about 5 minutes minimum to set up; you need to reassemble stuff and clean up anyway, so this is a good time. >....paul -- Paul Spencer Silicon Graphics Advanced Graphics Division spencer@sgi.com Mountain View, California