FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Please click on the question below to see a more detailed answer.
A – No! Absolutely not…
It is virtually impossible for PunctureSafe to hide or mask a dangerous puncture. Worldwide usage and countless in-house tests which have been performed have shown that PunctureSafe will not seal a tyre that has received a puncture that would weaken the tyre’s inner structure to a point that could be dangerous.
PunctureSafe does not have any of the failings that previous and many present products have. Apart from drying and balling up in the tyre, the biggest failings of traditional tyre sealants in a high speed tyre, was the inability to seal small holes, but the ability to seal a large dangerous hole or cut, because they contained large chunks of chopped up rubber. Whereas Puncturesafe contains only tiny strands of coarse surface synthetic fibres that are stronger than steel when they interlock tightly together, but will only positively seal small holes caused by puncturing objects up to 6mm in diameter, but only in a hole that is in the tread area of the tyre, and that is shrinking in size because there is no cord damage (rubber recovery), which is 95% of today’s high speed punctures. Anything bigger, or in the sidewall, with or without cord damage, and the Puncturesafe fibres just slowly bleed through the hole, giving a controlled deflation, and usually with a halt or abrupt slow down in air pressure loss at the lower pressures of 10 to 15 psi (depending on cord damage) which prevents damaged rims, and helps the driver maintain control and possibly enabling continuation of the journey to remove the vehicle from a possibly dangerous location.
If a tyre receives a dangerous puncture, PunctureSafe allows air to bleed, providing additional time for the driver to bring the vehicle to a controlled stop. This safety factor can reduce potential blowouts from becoming a dangerous situation. Many security fleets utilise PunctureSafe for its ability to provide a high degree of safety and reliability rather than Puncturesafe’s cost savings and tyre life extension qualities.
A – Generally Yes!…
PunctureSafe has been utilised in virtually every conceivable pneumatic tyre, accumulating millions of miles, in major fleets around the world, without any premature failure or adverse effects to the tyres or rims. Special situations with low profile high performance tyres may require assistance and support from the PunctureSafe’s Technical Department prior to installation.
A – No!…
PunctureSafe’s advanced proprietary seal and curing attributes have proven that the specialised rust inhibiting system protects steel belts against rust and corrosion. The unique ability to cure within a puncture also protects the steel belts from outside contaminants. This proprietary attribute is available only with PunctureSafe.
A – Yes!…
PunctureSafe is compatible with all retreading methods. PunctureSafe will retard aging in tyres. PunctureSafe treated tyres exhibit greater rubber resilience when compared to untreated control tyres. Therefore, PunctureSafe increases the casings ability to achieve additional retreading. This increased retreadability provides a lower cost per mile. Your professional retread company certifies casing soundness and retreadability.
A – Yes!…
PunctureSafe will seal punctures in both tube and tubeless tyres as long as there is rubber recovery and it is not a dangerous puncture. A tube is very unreliable. The tube is basically made of rubber and synthetics. The wall thickness of a tube is not uniform and rubber content is very critical in terms of elasticity and rubber recovery. A tube that does not contain a sufficient amount of natural rubber cannot recover (close up) after sustaining a puncture. It is critical that there be rubber recovery to assure a positive secure seal. by installing PunctureSafe into a tube, the problem of punctures can be reduced. The seal in a tube is not permanent. Tubes squirm inside a tyre at high speed if the puncturing object is left in the tyre and tube, it may rip the tube. Then even PunctureSafe may not able to help. We recommend that nails be removed on a routine basis and the tyres air pressure be maintained at maximum PSI to reduce the squirming. When a tube is punctured, the size of the puncture in the tube may be much larger than the actual puncturing object; also tubes are very susceptible to ripping.
A – No!…
PunctureSafe is a preventative maintenance tyre additive and was designed primarily to be utilised prior to a tyre receiving damage from puncturing objects and/or interior damage caused from operating tyres under inflated. After installing the vehicle is driven a minimum of 3 to 5 miles (5 to 8 km), however it is not imperative to drive the vehicle immediately. For PunctureSafe to perform its preliminary functions, the tyre and PunctureSafe must go through an initial conditioning period, at which time PunctureSafe will have coated a good percentage of the inner surfaces of the tyre. When a puncture occurs, the PunctureSafe coating encapsulates the puncturing object. When the puncturing object is removed or ejected, PunctureSafe is drawn into the puncture by the capillary action of the escaping air, the puncture closes up (rubber recovery) thereby trapping the PunctureSafe seal. The seal cures and becomes non water-soluble to protect the inner structure from outside contaminants. The PunctureSafe seal is only as strong as the tyre and can not hide or mask a dangerous puncture.
A – Yes!…
In-house testing has proven without a doubt that PunctureSafe has the ability to eliminate porosity and air migration. Although PunctureSafe will maintain correct air pressure, we recommend that visual inspection be performed on a per trip basis and complete tyre examinations and air pressure inspections be performed at scheduled services.
A – Yes!…
In-house tests have shown that PunctureSafe will retard aging within the inner structure of a tyre. Testing has also proven that PunctureSafe will reduce heat and eliminate migrating air which is directly related to increased tyre and casing life.
A – Yes & No!…
However, it is important to realise that PunctureSafe cannot hide or mask a dangerous puncture. Sidewalls are much thinner than the rest of the tyre so even though there is some rubber recovery because of the flexing the tyre will lose air to some degree. If there is no damage then it could be possible to seal permanently but it could also be the case that even with severe damage to the sidewall a controlled deflation will take place allowing the driver to remove the vehicle from a dangerous location. PunctureSafe is used in many countries to allow the vehicle to travel many miles after the tyres have sustained many bullet holes to the sidewall.
A – Yes!…
PunctureSafe UK warranties PunctureSafe Tyre Life Extender/sealer for the legal tread life of the tyre. PunctureSafe has never failed to provide tyre protection. PunctureSafe’s proprietary formulation enables the sealant to withstand heat, sheer and stress resulting from centrifugal force emanating from a rotating tyre/rim. PunctureSafe’s abilities and performance is not diminished with speed, distance or time
A – No!…
PunctureSafe is thixotropic and does not separate. In fact in-depth in-house testing has proven that it continues to remain in a thixotropic state and does not separate or ball up. Some tyre sealant marketers state that their sealant needs to be stirred or mixed prior to installing into a tyre. Their statement does not substantiate reliability; Once the sealant is installed into a tyre, the tyre/rim assembly acts as a mixing machine and will keep their product properly mixed. False! A spinning tyre/rim assembly creates centrifugal forces and will readily and permanently separate the solids from the liquids. Therefore this type of tyre sealant will become ineffective, in a short period of time.
A – No!…
Because of our specialist equipment, only a little air will be lost during installation, usually a couple of pounds, which can be corrected upon completion. The only exception to this, is the DIY bottle, were it will be necessary to deflate the tyre fully.
A – Yes!…
PunctureSafe UK certifies that when stored in factory sealed original containers, out of direct sunlight PunctureSafe may be stored for at least 5 years.
A – No!…
PunctureSafe cannot create an out of balance situation. If the tyre and rim are properly balanced prior to installing PunctureSafe and neither is out of round, then there will not be a change in performance. PunctureSafe does not balance tyres or rims. If a problem exists then PunctureSafe may aggravate the situation, which acts as a safety warning alerting the driver that there is definitely a tyre, rim and/or suspension problem.
A – Yes!…
PunctureSafe’s formulation is fully compatible with all components in any tyre.
A – No!…
PunctureSafe’s rust and corrosion inhibiting system continuously works to prevent rust or corrosion. PunctureSafe cannot eliminate existing rust or corrosion, but will neutralise it and prevent any additional damage.
A – Yes!…
PunctureSafe does not contain any adhesive or chemicals that would alter the tyre’s integrity. PunctureSafe is totally water-soluble in its liquid state and even when cured it can easily be removed from the interior of any tyre. All major repairs are performed by simply wiping the puncture area with a damp cloth, then wipe dry and repair.
A – No!…
PunctureSafe is a viscous gel-like liquid that does not flow like water. Approximately 85% of the minimum required application amount coats the inner surface of the tyre. The remaining 15% is considered the reserve, which does settle to the bottom only when a tyre is stationary. When dismounting a tyre containing PunctureSafe, there is not enough product collected at the bottom that would allow it to splash out. If the mechanic breaks the bead prior to releasing all the air from the tyre, the PunctureSafe around the bead/rim attempts to prevent the air from escaping, resulting in a small amount of PunctureSafe blowing out, as the bead breaks away from the rim. To prevent this from happening, release all of the air pressure prior to breaking the bead. Once a mechanic understands the simple basics on handling PunctureSafe there is never a problem.
A – Yes & No!…
PunctureSafe seals punctures measured by the size of the puncturing object, not the size of the puncture. Regardless of how small a puncture may be, if the puncturing object has extensively damaged the tyres integrity, the puncture will continue to bleed air and PunctureSafe. This is a safety factor designed into the proprietary PunctureSafe formulation. PunctureSafe’s High Speed Grade will seal punctures caused by puncturing objects up to and including 6mm in diameter and our Medium Speed Grade will seal punctures caused by objects up to 15mm. PunctureSafe’s Extra Heavy Duty Slow Speed Grade for slow moving off road vehicles will seal punctures caused by puncturing objects from 10mm in diameter in small tyres like you would find on golf buggies, 20mm in size on farm tractors and can be up to to 30mm on giant tyres, it all depends on the size and quality of the tyre.
A – Yes & No!…
The Tyre Industry claims that “permanent repair” refers to a tyre repair that is permanently attached to the puncture area by means of adhesives and/or vulcanisation. Although PunctureSafe’s seals are positive secure seals that remain airtight for the life of the tyre, PunctureSafe is not a glue or adhesive. The proprietary formulation is designed to bleed air and PunctureSafe if a tyre has received major structural damage, therefore for safety reasons the permanency of a PunctureSafe seal is contingent on the integrity of the tyre.
A – Yes!…
One of PunctureSafe’s proprietary attributes is the ability to cure in a puncture and become non water-soluble. This phenomenon is how PunctureSafe permanently prevents corrosion on steel belts as it protects against outside moisture and contaminants from leaching into the puncture as the vehicle is driven.
A – Yes!…
In most cases, PunctureSafe is better than a patch, the reason being is that PunctureSafe is a preventative. A patch is a repair that is performed after the tyre has gone flat and in most cases has been driven flat for some distance. Driving on a flat radial tyre even for a short distance will create extensive internal damage that is irreversible and normally goes unnoticed by the repair person. Preventative maintenance is always better and safer than an after the fact repair. This enormous safety enhancement is a major factor in utilising PunctureSafe Tyre Life Extender/sealer as preventative maintenance. A punctureSafe seal is better than a patch because a patch can fail due to heat but a PunctureSafe seal benefits from heat
A – No!…
PunctureSafe chemistry transforms the formulation into a unique gel state that seems to defy gravity, allowing it to cling to more of the inner surface of the tyre/rim. There are no adhesives in the formula and PunctureSafe will not cause chemical changes to the tyre. This ability to coat more of the inner surface of the tyre is one of PunctureSafe UK’s closely guarded proprietary secrets.
A – No!…
PunctureSafe will not freeze when operating a vehicle in cold climates.
A – No!…
A – Yes!…
In order for PunctureSafe to establish a good coating throughout the inner surface of the tyre and have a 15% reserve, it required that PunctureSafe’s technical calculate the total inner surface of all tyre/rim combinations and the amount of PunctureSafe required per tyre/rim assembly.
A – Yes!…
Modern systems are a sealed unit so will not be effected by liquids.
A – Yes!…
Run flat tyres are expensive and have to be discarded after running flat, so it makes sense to protect them from Punctures.