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Originally Posted by iraghava About the Slime etc., I've never been convinced of their functionality (even more so ever since the introduction of tubeless tyres) and so have never used them. Have you used them? What's the experience been like? |
In fact these preventatives are at their best with tubless tyres and not with tubed ones. From tubed tyres a puncturing object HAS to be removed at the earliest, else the tube might get shredded! This problem is NOT there with tubeless.
I too am 'new' to these, but I have had Slime in my Scorpio's tyres about 15 months now.
One day, I saw a biggish nail in the right front tyre. I did nothing about it for nearly 2 months. Regular check of air pressure showed zero loss.
Then one day I jacked up the car, pulled out the nail and manually gave the wheel a spin. This is very important as these preventatives ONLY work in dynamic condition and will often FAIL in static condition.
On pulling out the nail a sssshhhhh sound began, and after the wheel had made about 6 or 8 revolutions, the sound abruptly stopped. The Slime had done its job! Total pressure drop was about 1 psi, measured, as always, with the 'pen' type gauge I carry.
Most interestingly, the air loss from the tyres has been unbelievably low over these 15 months or so, after adding Slime. As I had done the procedure during summer (June), I had to add about 2 to 3 psi when winter had set in (Mid-November). From 32 psi (which is what I maintain) the pressure in all tyres had come down to 29~30 psi.
Recently (in Sept) I had to add about 2 psi to each tyre. That is the sum total of air filling that has had to be done in 15 months.
Currently, I can say I am more than satisfied with the Slime treatment. I consider the Rs.5000/- as well spent, for sliming the tyres.
Other claimed benefits are that it keeps wheels running much cooler as these preventatives are esentially ethylene glycol based, ie. they are very good thermal conductors. It is claimed that correctly inflated (as opposed to under inflated) and cool running wheels are likely to last 25% more than 'untreated' wheels.
I am in no position to comment on this aspect yet, and will probably never be as my annual running is about 8000 kms, mostly highway (about 40%) and (bad) mountain roads (about 60%). The tyres will probably be due for renewal on account of ageing rather than wear!
More info can be googled, and some sites are given here:
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