Ferrari Tyre repair kit

Ray, Aerosol puncture repair kits are most definately get-you-home, or get you to the tyre centre. There are a number of significant disadvantages with the aerosol solutions, eg. you have no idea of your tyre pressure or if you still have a slow puncture. If the hole is too big then the foam can't fix it & if you don't set off quickly enough then all the gas escapes before the foam sloshes around to plug the hole.

There are only 3 reasons manufacturers give you an aerosol; it's cheaper than a spare, takes up less space and saves weight (can be critical when homologating a new car and trying to get into a lower weight class for emission testing).

The best way to use the aerosol is to use half of it, drive immediately for few mins. Stop. Put the other half in, then drive straight to a petrol station & inflate and check for leaks. If the pressure is holding the tyre will be OK for a while, but you must get it checked out because during the course of slowing down on the deflated tyre you will probably have knackered it anyway.

If it subsequently goes bang at high speed then you'll need new underwear.

Most manufacturers say you can do 50MPH on a foam repaired tyre, but personally I'd stick to 30MPH.

 

The other thing i noticed on this as well is they have an expiry date. Mine expired in 2001. I suppose that means its useless now?

Is it true that once you have used this you cant repair the tyre?

 

Don't worry too much about the expiry date. The main reason for the expiry date is the seepage of propellant gas from the cannister over a prolonged period means there may not be enough pressure to fully inflate the tyre. As long as there is sufficient pressure to get the foam into the tyre and get the pressure up enough to get you (slowly) to a petrol station the repair should be OK. The Ferrari aerosol is particularly large so should be good for a while yet.

It is a myth that tyres which have been repaired with temporary aerosols cannot be repaired, they can -- in theory. However there are a couple of major difficulties, the main one being that it may be impossible for the tyre fitter to find the original puncture. This could be lethal later on when you're doing 250KMH down the autostrada.

Personally I carry 2 HOLTS tyre weld aerosols and a very compact 12volt compressor that plugs into the cigarette lighter. I am saving the F. aerosol to leave in the tool kit so that the kit is complete for when I sell the car on. If I ever get a puncture and need to use the foam I'll junk the tyre afterwards, simply because there'll be a nagging doubt in my mind every time I press fast-forward. And yes, I am an anorak...

 

Dear Ray 360M,

I can bear testament to the efficacy of the aerosol repair kits. They do definitely work. I repaired the rear off-side tyre on my P100 with such a compound on Christmas Eve 2002. I also used it on the front and rear tyres on my garden tractor where they had become punctured due to blackberry thorns. All tyres on both the P100 and the garden tractor are absolutely fine and have contained air perfectly ever since the application. The P100 often travels at sustained speed of 90-110. The garden tractor is naturally a little slower.

 

You're a brave man, given that the tyres for a P100 can be sourced for around £40 each I'm surprised you haven't changed them. More especially since you travel frequently at a sustained high (indicated) speed. There's no point still having £80 in your bank account when you're in a box after a motorway blow-out. Don't trust the latex foam for prolonged periods, it's madness.