# Run flat tyres and systems



## erneboy

Hello all, 

Leading on from the recent thread about the cost of tyres I wondered if anyone has used run flat tyres or a run flat system on their van. I think I would like to fit such a system if I can be sure that it is worthwhile. Any help, advice, pointers would be welcome, Regards, Alan.


----------



## blondy

*run flat tyres*

I would not have thought they were available for M/Homes as our tyres are of heavy construction and diferant size and wieght rating to car tyres,
An option is to have something like ultraseal fitted to tyres, then less likely to get punctures.

Cheers Don


----------



## premiermotorhomes

Please click here for details of the Gaslow Tyron range of products.

We are agents for Gaslow, but do not supply their Tyron range of products.

You can contact Gaslow on 0845 4000 600 and they will be able to advise you if the product is suitable for your application.

Regards,
Chris


----------



## 101405

*run flat tyres*

How many time do your tyres deflate ? run flat I dont think so . would you really run on a flat tyre and then reuse it, modern rims are made to keep the tyre stable on the rim in case of a flat . but the tyre must be checked for cord damage after , not a good Idea to mess with your small contact with the road surface.


----------



## grumpyman

Coincidence today I have been making enquiries about Tyron my Tyre fitter told me not to bother go for Ultruseal I have now just sent off for details for a Motorhome.


----------



## grumpyman

Ultraseal £78 for my Motorhome 9 5 tyres) from http://www.ultraseal.swiftlysorted.co.uk/_sgg/m3_1.htm

I have let the company know about this site might be along to look.


----------



## 109605

grumpyman said:


> Coincidence today I have been making enquiries about Tyron my Tyre fitter told me not to bother go for Ultruseal I have now just sent off for details for a Motorhome.


i have trusted ultraseal in my motorcycle tyres that have taken me around mainland europe.

why did i put in ultraseal? i spoke with another motorcyclist before my trip and he told me about his trip to the fjords where his ultrasealed tyre suffered a blowout.

this man was in potentially very deep doo-doo due to his remote location, but thankfully the ultrasealed tyre repaired itself and he was able to carry on his journey all the way back to the uk, where he found a number of holes in his tyre that he was unaware of.

that's why i use ultraseal  (and why its essential to inspect your tyres more often than usual to ensure a potentially lethal failure hasnt been sealed up by ultraseal, and awaits it's time to bite you back - a frequent checking regime is a potential lifesaver after u-s has been used).

hope that helps the decision process!


----------



## grumpyman

I have corresponded with terry the owner of http://www.ultraseal.swiftlysorted.co.uk/_sgg/f10000.htm
with regards to a discount for MHF members although he states his prices are very competitive anyway he has at this stage offered a bulk discount and even supplied our own link to this on his Home page. Nuke any comments as to what could be done around this.

sorry forgot to include Terry's reply,
Thanks very much David. We opperate a policy of lowest possible prices combined with best possible service so, much as we would love to offer a further discount, it simply isn't possible to reduce our prices any more.

You may have seen from the web shop that the more bottles purchased the lower the "price per bottle" gets so if your fellow members wish to club together they could get their kits at the lowest prices that way.

Having said that we can in the same way offer a 12 bottle kit for only £219 which equates to a price per bottle of only £18.25, We have now included an extra page for you on the website with this offer, the page is called MHF.

Perhaps you could mention our website address and this offer in a posting on your forum?


----------



## wobby

Ultra-seal on a motor cycle I can understand as its a major job to repair a tyre and you don't have a spare wheel. But on a heavy motor home I think a Tyron band is better as then you know you have a damaged tyre and can fit the spare. Tyron band stop the tyre dropping into the tyre well and rolling of leading to a loss of control which on a front tyre blow out could be a bit exciting to say the least. I intend fitting the bands to my front tyres.

Wobby


----------



## grumpyman

Q - Can Ultraseal hide or mask a dangerous puncture?

A - No! Absolutely not... 

It is virtually impossible for Ultraseal to hide or mask a dangerous wound. 36+ years of worldwide usage and countless tests which have been performed have proven that Ultraseal will not seal a tyre that has received a wound that would weaken the tyre's inner structure to a point that could be dangerous.

Ultraseal 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 Ultraseal 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 Ultraseal 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. 


What about the Motorhomes that now do not come with a spare.? Also you could consider using this product with your Tyron.


----------



## wobby

Are you saying Grumpyman that if a tyre is badly gashed, let say by a paint scraper, "as mine was", that Ultraseal won't seal nor will it allow a sudden deflation? Guaranteed.

Wobby


----------



## Zebedee

wobby said:


> Are you saying Grumpyman that if a tyre is badly gashed, let say by a paint scraper, "as mine was", that Ultraseal won't seal nor will it allow a sudden deflation? Guaranteed.
> 
> Wobby


Hi Wobby

I don't think it matters either way. Ultraseal certainly won't make the situation any worse than it would be without it.

One of the main reasons I put my trust in it is to prevent catastrophic high speed blowouts. These are almost always caused by a relatively small puncture letting the tyre slowly deflate as you drive. It then heats up very quickly and the tyre can, and often does quite literally explode. In a motorhome, maybe doing 70mph on a motorway this is definitely not good news.

And no, there isn't a 100% guarantee of course - and it would be foolish to make any such claim (which Ultraseal does not). It certainly reduces the odds of a blowout enormously however, and is accepted without question by all the major insurers.

If you do notice a green splodge in the tread which indicates that you have had a puncture, the Ultraseal is easily washed out of the tyre with water so it can be repaired as normal. If you use one of the pressurised "get you home" canisters which injects a rubberised solution, the tyre is scrap, since it cannot afterwards be repaired - even if it was only a very small nail.

Cheers


----------



## grumpyman

Zebedee has really given an explanation. I am not guaranteeing anything as I have nothing to do with Ultraseal and only quoted what was on their question and answer page for your assistance. Perhaps if you have not already done so check through the questions and answers which may assist with your concerns also Terry appears very amenable to promptly answering questions.


----------



## wobby

Thanks Zebedee & Grumpyman;

That has answered most of my questions and has given me food for thought.
It is interesting to note that Ultraseal doesn't spoil the tyre and that a puncture can be professionally repaired afterwards. I think you have me converted.

Thanks again for the info as a front end blow out out on a heavy MH is one of my worries having experienced one before in a VW Transporter, thankfully at low speed.

Wobby


----------



## Zebedee

wobby said:


> Thanks Zebedee & Grumpyman;
> 
> That has answered most of my questions and has given me food for thought.
> It is interesting to note that Ultraseal doesn't spoil the tyre and that a puncture can be professionally repaired afterwards. I think you have me converted.
> 
> Thanks again for the info as a front end blow out out on a heavy MH is one of my worries having experienced one before in a VW Transporter, thankfully at low speed.
> 
> Wobby


No probs Wobby - pleased to help if I can.

I did a lot of research before finally deciding, and I couldn't find anything better. I do have a scientific background as well, if that makes any difference?

One further point. There was some bad press a while ago about users of Ultraseal getting wheel wobble. This was eventually traced to one supplier at the shows who didn't take much care about measuring how much he injected. Too much and it pools, and as you would expect it throws the wheel out of balance. _I've not heard of similar problems recently, but it put a few small-time installers out of business through no fault of their own, or of the product. _

With something as important as your, and your family's physical safety I would not be embarrassed to stand over the installer and watch his every move. You could mention the wheel wobble problem to focus his mind, then make sure he measures carefully and does NOT give it "_one for the pot_".

You don't want any wheel-wobby on the Wobble-Wagon do you!

Hmmmm. That doesn't look right somehow?? :?: :roll: :roll: :lol: :lol: :lol:


----------



## wobby

Tar ever so Zebedee, thats the only thing that "springs" to mind :roll: :wink: :lol: 
Wobby


----------



## erneboy

Thanks all, Alan.


----------



## ed786

*Ultraseal*

I had our Rapido Ultrasealed this week (4 tyres). Cost of £60, done on our drive at home in about an hour. Main problem with DIY is having to deflate the tyres and re-inflate if you only have a small compressor. I contacted Ultraseal (UK HQ) to find local suppler who travelled to Skipton from Harrogate to do the job. Previously had my wife's Smart done as it does not have a spare wheel.

Ed


----------



## carol

*Re: Ultraseal*



ed786 said:


> I had our Rapido Ultrasealed this week (4 tyres). Cost of £60, done on our drive at home in about an hour. Main problem with DIY is having to deflate the tyres and re-inflate if you only have a small compressor. I contacted Ultraseal (UK HQ) to find local suppler who travelled to Skipton from Harrogate to do the job. Previously had my wife's Smart done as it does not have a spare wheel.
> 
> Ed


Ed that sounds cheap, having just read this thread, and the mention of £219 - better go read the web site, clicked but not read yet...

We were considering this and I was concerned as I had read that if you had used Ultraseal, garages would not repair the tyre (if it was possible), but Dave has said that it washes out.

So thanks to all for the lesson today - well it is Sunday...

Carol


----------



## Zebedee

*Re: Ultraseal*



carol said:


> Ed that sounds cheap, having just read this thread, and the mention of £219 - better go read the web site, clicked but not read yet...
> 
> We were considering this and I was concerned as I had read that if you had used Ultraseal, garages would not repair the tyre (if it was possible), but Dave has said that it washes out.
> 
> So thanks to all for the lesson today - well it is Sunday...
> 
> Carol


Hi Carol

£219 is a joke. £60 is very reasonable - especially for a "home" service, and Ed is quite right about the re-inflating. I have a big compressor in my workshop, but without it I would have struggled - for a long time!! If you do decide on DIY, take care to chock up the axles so the weight of the truck does not rest on the deflated tyre!

The washing out with water is definitely accurate - being a cynical old sod I tried it just to make sure. Those who say otherwise haven't bothered to research properly and are confusing Ultraseal with the rubberised solutions mentioned earlier. These are a disaster if you need a proper repair on your tyre, as it can't be done and the tyre has to be scrapped.

I had a nail in my three month old tyre, just at the edge of the tread where it is difficult to repair (though not impossible) I removed it and found that it was leaking very slowly. Did the research, installed the Ultraseal and seven months later the pressure in the tyre hasn't altered at all.

Regards

P.S. I have no connection etc. etc..


----------



## blondy

*ultraseal*

I have ultraseal fitted to my tyres. While travelling down to spain recently
the wheels hit a bad joint or a pothole in the road, we were cruising at about 70 mph at the time. A shake developed in the steering just like the old cortinas, etc used to when out of balance, over 100 odd miles it gradually dissapaired. I wondered if the jolt sent the ultraseal to one place then gradually evened out, its fine now 1000s miles later. wouldn't be without it with no spare.

cheers Don


----------



## Guest

This topic came up at the first Swift rally. Swift, along with others had stopped supplying a spare wheel with their new MHs. I don't think I misread the feeling of those gathered, when I say that on the whole they preferred the security of a spare wheel. The suggestion that the products discussed above would suffice did not convince us (or me in particular). 

Having once caught a car front tyre on a particularly vicious kerb (at almost 0 MPH) which ruined the tyre, I would have been really stuck if I had not had a spare with me.

I would be permanently concerned knowing that a spare was not available. Throw away the gas barbeque and carry a spare wheel instead.

Tony (Luddite)


----------



## grumpyman

The £219 is for 12 bottles which is the offer the company is making so if 3 of you bought together you would save around a fiver a bottle in other words £18.25 per bottle instead of i think around £23


----------



## Zebedee

grumpyman said:


> The £219 is for 12 bottles which is the offer the company is making so if 3 of you bought together you would save around a fiver a bottle in other words £18.25 per bottle instead of i think around £23


Didn't read far enough back did I.  

Thanks for clarifying this Grumpy - that's a very reasonable price.

Cheers


----------



## 109481

*Ultraseal or Puncturesave*

We've just had our Rapido 7065+ treated with Puncturesave
It took about 40 minutes and cost £62 (we took the MH to the agents house this morning)
I didn't know this but Ultraseal is a USA product; it is rubbery and tacky and can harden with age. Tyre fitters are said not to like it
Puncturesave is UK based (contact Puncturesave Uk, Queens House, 48 Queens Street, Exeter, EX4 3SR for brochures and lists of applicators) and it can be removed with a wet sponge and stays fluid all of the life of the tyre
The process is simple. Remove the Schraeder valve and drop the tyre pressure to about 30 psi (half flat) using your finger to block the open valve. Attach the Puncturesave applicator nozzle (see photo) and hand pump a specified quantity of gunge using the hand pressure pump. Screw back in the Shraeder valve and let a bit of air blow out to clear any gunge from the valve. Wipe with a damp cloth and reinflate to 65psi
I also bought some 65psi tyre pressure monitor caps which have a green colour top which changes to yellow and then red if your tyre loses 3-6psi or 10psi respectively
This is the early warning should you have a problem
I was told that if you picked up a nail in the tread then the Puncturesave will prevent air escaping but that you must remove the nail as soon as you can before the tyre rubber loses its elasticity and cannot return to its original form to close the hole
Screws have to be unscrewed
The tell sign for a plugged leak is the appearance of the blue coloured sealants as it plugs the hole
I have had no wobbles or vibrations on the drive home and I consider this to be the best value for money choice when you are not supplied with a spare wheel
I will keep you posted on how it performs over the next few months
Happy wheels 
Skimbo


----------



## grumpyman

Can't find Puncture save on Google any address so I can look.


----------



## 109481

*Puncturesafe not Puncturesave*

Sorry about this but I have had a senior moment with rhe name
It is PUNCTURESAFE that I have been supplied with
There are links if you google it
Happy wheels
Skimbo


----------



## grumpyman

I think you will find they are both the same products Ultraseal and Puncturesafe as one advert i found stated, Puncture Safe (Formally Ultra Seal).
Can only say my Tyre fitter does recommend Ultraseal and when installing you should take the weight off the wheel and inject the exact amount.If it is the same product then everybody is a winner. :wink:


----------



## Chausson

Hi
I have just purchased 3 bottles of the stuff, apparently enough for my tyres on the m/h, they duly arrived looked at the instructions which are out of date also does not give my size tyres so I dont know really what volume to put into each tyre. *Me impressed not really*.

8O


----------



## grumpyman

Chausson said:


> Hi
> I have just purchased 3 bottles of the stuff, apparently enough for my tyres on the m/h, they duly arrived looked at the instructions which are out of date also does not give my size tyres so I dont know really what volume to put into each tyre. *Me impressed not really*.
> 
> 8O


which stuff? :wink:


----------



## waspes

Where can I go to have ultraseal put into my tyres. I am going to be in Bristol and Taunton next week, Any body no who does it ?? I am going to France at the end of April and would feel much happier with this in my tyres. 


Peter.


----------



## Zebedee

waspes said:


> Where can I go to have ultraseal put into my tyres. I am going to be in Bristol and Taunton next week, Any body no who does it ?? I am going to France at the end of April and would feel much happier with this in my tyres.
> Peter.


Do it yourself Peter, and save enough to take the boss out for a slap-up meal.

Check to be sure, but I think you will need only two bottles, and there are reputable dealers on Fleabay which is where I got mine from. *Do not* put too much in, as this is how the occasional wheel wobble problems are caused. If your tyres are 215/70/15 you need exactly half a bottle per tyre. _Better to put in a drop too little as it isn't all that critical anyway_.

To install it, first get the valve at or near the bottom and chock up the wheel by putting blocks of wood under the axle. The weight of the van *must not* rest on a flat tyre.

Remove the valve core and squeeze in half a bottle of jollop using the tube provided. _(Take it easy or the tube might come off the bottle.)_

Clean out the inside of the valve stem with a cotton bud - this is not essential but I did just to be sure. Replace the valve core.

Blow up the tyre - and I'd strongly advise you to beg, borrow or steal a compressor unless you have more patience than me.

When all the tyres are done take the truck for a 10 mile run to spread the stuff around, and relax in the knowledge that you are as safe from punctures as it's reasonably possible to be.

Don't worry if the Ultraseal comes in a bottle with a motorbike on the label. It's all the same stuff, but the Fleabayers got hold of a big consignment in motorbike packaging.

Cheers


----------



## 110797

I am involved in the tyre business in Ireland and we have tried various other brands of tyre sealant. they have all given us trouble either not working or wheel wobble. After researching much further we spoke to ultraseal and it appears that they are the market leaders in this type of product which the cowboys that we unfortunately came accross are selling on the back of!! It is a very sensitive type of product to use, ie the type of vehicle, its use, and weight on board which none of the fitting guides take into account they simply indicate that if a tyre is "X" size on "y" type of vehicle and more likely to be used on either A or B roads then pump in a given amount of product? problem is in order to work the product must remain in a liquid state and in doing so it will settle at the bottom when the vehicle has stopped. Or at least the 5-6 products we have tried have done so!! when this happens it causes the imbalance which gives the wheel wobble? Tyron sounds like an interesting alternative


----------



## Zebedee

andyirish said:


> . . . problem is in order to work the product must remain in a liquid state and in doing so it will settle at the bottom when the vehicle has stopped. . . . when this happens it causes the imbalance which gives the wheel wobble? Tyron sounds like an interesting alternative


Excellent point Andy, and precisely why I advised against putting in too much - as the cowboys you mention almost certainly did, or still do exactly that!!!!



andyirish said:


> Tyron sounds like an interesting alternative


A very safe alternative I agree, but by definition, if you get a puncture severe enough to need a Tyron band your tyre will be completely wrecked.

Ultraseal will seal a slow puncture long before the tyre deflates to that stage, and is a good protection against the sort of catastrophic blowout which is usually caused by a slowly deflating tyre heating up as it goes soft.


----------



## 110797

sure thats the whole point, and we have had some great success with some products in relation to stopping punctures or "self-fixing" its just it seems almost impossible to prevent wheel wobble and there are loads of other issues like temp of tyres when you travel to warmer or colder climates cause expansion etc. the lads I spoke to at ultraseal I have to say appear to be on the ball and most importantly dont promise miracles! I would probably try ultraseal if I was going to try any? any amount of uneven weight will cause imbalance even excess muck!! too little tyre sealant can be just as bad as too much, it has to be spread evenly around the inside of the tyre and all of which are different. Some tyres have ridges on the inside of the wall which cause the sealant to spread to the sides and cause the prob. Main issue is the tyre manuf dont support because if it did work it would prolong the life of the tyre and not make them too happy! You can get some simple tyre pressure monitor which sit on the vales and have a colour to represent good or bad so at a glance during a stopover you can see if you are loosing pressure. If you hit a object on the road that gives you bad damage no tyre sealant will save the tyre? Last point all tyre sealants are progressions of a product that was designed for vehicles which travel a such slow speeds off road the wobble is not an issue!! draw your own conclusions? Cheers


----------



## grumpyman

Take it to your local Tyre fitter 10 minutes £10 he has the Jack and compressor. :wink:


----------



## Zebedee

grumpyman said:


> Take it to your local Tyre fitter 10 minutes £10 he has the Jack and compressor. :wink:


Good thinking Grumpy.   

He will also be aware that you have used genuine Ultraseal, so there won't be a problem if you do get a puncture that needs his services to be mended.


----------



## ed786

*ULTRASEAL*

Peter

If you want the Ultraseal job doing while in Bristol next week, contact Ultraseal UK in Exeter (01395-443279) and ask for Adam. He should be able to get a local agent who will do it for you. We had our M/H done a few weeks ago for £62.

Ed


----------



## Pusser

*Re: ULTRASEAL*



ed786 said:


> Peter
> 
> If you want the Ultraseal job doing while in Bristol next week, contact Ultraseal UK in Exeter (01395-443279) and ask for Adam. He should be able to get a local agent who will do it for you. We had our M/H done a few weeks ago for £62.
> 
> Ed


He can do me too. I will get this done while at me Mums.


----------



## waspes

Hi all and thanks for your help, I will give them a ring tommorow to try and arrange it for next week.


Peter.


----------



## 117661

*Puncturesafe Tyre Sealant*

We are now selling Puncturesafe online at www.safetyre.co.uk for great prices including P&P.
Puncturesafe is now the most advanced tyre sealant available and is manuactured in the UK.
If any more information is required visit our site we will help with any enquires you may have.

SAFE TYRE


----------



## johndeville

I know its an old thread but being a newbie here I cant find the search facility or I would search for other threads about ultra seal.

Any pointers would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks. John


----------



## grumpyman

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopicp-390332.html#390332


----------



## erneboy

As Op on this thread I ended up using Ultraseal. It seems to work in so far as while I have had a couple of slow punctures due to picking up a nail and a bolt the tyres have stayed up with a little topping up till I got them fixed.

Of course I have no way of knowing what would have happened without the Ultraseal having been in the tyres. 

I had the Ultraseal topped up in the tyres where I had the punctures. That was a guessing game where I had a little more than I thought might have been needed put in. It has not caused any vibrations or other problems.

There is no way to know how well it works. I just know I have had no flat tyres.

I will keep using it as I think every precaution helps and at a total cost of around £120 over three years for six wheels I reckon it's good value, that includes having it added to two new tyres, Alan.


----------



## johndeville

Many thanks Alan


----------



## grumpyman

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopicp-380127.html#380127 Can I suggest you read this one gives considerable detail of enquires made.


----------



## grumpyman

I think it helps when after 5 years or so you come back and provide information as to how a product worked.
I had my tyres replaced today having had Ultra Seal fitted around 2008. The Michelin tyres had covered 31500 miles but due to the 7 years age decided on replacing even though the tread was still well within the limit.
Since having Ultra seal fitted |I have not had to replace any loss of tyre pressure once. On removing the one of the rear tyres we found a nail which had rusted and penetrated all the way. According to my Tyre Fitter one tyre only was showing signs of the Wall weakening.
On fitting my new tyres the Fitter simply tipped half a bottle each into each tyre before fitting it onto the rim ( No charge). 
I have then driven the Van around 10 miles at 30mph it showed no problems.


----------

