How to Fix a Flat Tire with Tire Sealant

In a mechanical emergency on the highway anything that can help get a driver to a repair shop is a big help, and to fix a tire with tire sealant can allow a driver the temporary aid necessary to drive a few miles to a service station. Most commercial tire sealant comes in a convenient 16 ounce aerosol can that can be placed in a car trunk as part of an emergency kit that can be quickly and easily utilized to re-inflate a tire that has gone flat. The chemical component of tire sealant is designed to expand and seal a leak in a car tire, thereby allowing a driver a short window of opportunity to drive to a location at which they can have the damaged tire professionally repaired. The ease with which a driver can fix a flat tire with tire sealant makes it's use practical for everyone, and the best part is that no tools are required.

To fix a flat tire with tire sealant the can in which the sealant comes should be about 70 degrees Fahrenheit or better. In winter months when the container may be cold from sitting in a car trunk it can be briefly heated with the air from the car's heater within a few minutes. After doing this, the tire valve on the affected tire should be positioned at the 4 o'clock position in order to help distribute the chemical inside of the tire properly.

To fix a car tire with tire sealant, shake the sealant can vigorously for about 45 seconds and remove the tire valve cover. Screw the tire sealant valve onto the car's tire valve tightly and press the button on the tire sealant can to release the chemical into the car tire. When the sealant stops flowing through the hose on the tire sealant can release the button, unscrew the tire sealant valve from the car tire valve and replace the tire valve cover. If the tire rim is raised from the ground surface the car can be driven a short distance of 2 to 4 miles. Within this distance a driver should be able to either find professional assistance or at least be able to find a service station where air can be added to full inflate the repaired tire.

It is important to realize that when you fix a flat tire with tire sealant that the repair is only a temporary one, and that the tire in question will either need repaired or replaced within a short period of time after using the tire sealant.