Now that I own my XK, I have been thinking about boot space (particularly with the top down).

The car is equipped with a spacesaver wheel, which seems ideal to begin with. However there is a bit of a design challenge here - What do you do with the damaged type if you have to fit the spacesaver (especially if it is a rear tyre that is too big for the space under the floor). Yes, you could wrap it in polythene and put it on the back seats, but that might not be a practical thing to do at times.

So, I thought about alternatives, and have been reading about PunctureSafe.

According to the website (www.puncturesafe.com), this is a permanent polymer-based preventative gel with fibres in it that not only seals punctures, but seems to prevent them happening in the first place. I have to say, that I have always been suspicious of the rubber-solution-in-a-can stuff, as it damages the tyre. However this stuff looks different and washes out if you need to do so without damaging the tyre. They make versions for performance vehicles as well as the military and construction industry.

The added benefit is that I get more boot space by removing the space saver.

However before going down this route, I wondered if anyone had and experience of the product.

Cheers

Geoff

 

As a 20 year owner of vaious ferraris, we dont carry spare wheels. We carry a can of punture repair that is used ONLY AFTER we have had a puncture.
My advice is to not to put the product "puncturesafe"into your tyres for the following reason. You really want to know when there is a problem with your tyre when it happens. With the stuff in the link you provided, you will never know if the integrity of your tyre has been compromised. So in efect you will be driving your high performance car at 100mph with a punture and you not knowing, only with a little rubbery liquid stopping your tyre from blowing out......think about it.
The after puncture repair i use is put in after your puncture so you are fully awear that your tyre has a hole in it, in fact you are recommended that you drive at a reduced speed after aplication so you can take it into a repair shop.
The good news is that in my 20+ years of ferrari ownership and many thousands of miles, i have never had to use my punture can Neither have many of my mates that own them.

 

Hmm? Will try it in my lawn tractor first, then my wheelbarrow, if it still works, next my bicycle. If all of these pass muster, then my various classic 2 wheelers, followed by the vintage mustang, E-Type, then the XK-R......
Happy Labor Day.....

 

I have no input on the puncture sealant, however the Tire Tote is a real nice way to store and move your tire. It is easy to keep in with the spare so that if you do have to put a tire in the back seat it is possible. The handle makes it much easier to maneuver, tires ain't light and are awkward. Amazon has them for $17.00, you end up with a pair. Maybe ebay would have some folks selling an individual for cheaper.

 

I wonder how that would be secured to the rear seat, if at all.
The forces that would generate in a head on crash which would see the spare wheel accelerated at high speed would be terrifying

 

Good point, but if someone has a flat and puts on the spare and then does a lot of driving at high speeds I say that Darwinism comes into affect.

I didn't think this needs to be said since I figure most people have some common sense! Typically if you have a flat and use the donut you should proceed directly home or to a shop carefully. Like you say, it is not recommended that you permanently or long term store a tire in your back seat. If someone chooses this path then natural selection will eventually take care of the stupid like it always does.

 

Agreed......apart from the common sense bit

 

Makes sense - thanks

 

My Lotus had the same can as Fspider mentions. I've never used it, so I can't comment on whether it works or not.

Basically, it's game over if you get flat and hope your cell phone has a signal...

 

BMW has a mobility kit that is a rebranded can of Slime and a small compressor. Remember, if you have lost air and us a puncture sealant you still need to get air back in so you need to match it up with a 12v compressor.

As far as what the OP has postulated, a pre-puncture sealant, Fspider's advice is sound. Keep in mind that these types of products can sometimes have an adverse affect on the TPMS electronics in the tire.

 

It's called "Seat Belt".

 

Let's separate fear (fake events appearing real) from reality. I've been driving a lot over the last 36 years both in cars and motorcycles. This includes a significant bit of high speed racing where that play a rather critical factor. In all those years I've experienced all of 2 or 3 blowouts so that extrapolates an average of 1 every 12-18 years.

So now let's also look at the fact that I always have my cell phone with me, carrier is Verizon. With that said on the roads which I drive I can comfortably say that even considering done of my back road adventures that I probably average coverage on about 99+% of the roads I've driven.

If you take the occurrence of "at least every 12 years" then figure the likelihood of where I'm not likely going to have coverage there's not a lot of concern there. My car has a spare and unlike probably most anyone here on this site I check that air pressure about every 3-6 months so so this being said I cannot fathom why there's any worry here

 

Excellent points, the OP was thinking about removing his spare for extra space, probably not an issue like you say. It is a valid thought, after all other manufacturers have moved away from spares in lieu of either runflats or a mobility kit that has tire slime and a compressor.

The chances of it being needed are remote I agree.

 

My odds appear to be a bit lower, having had just one flat while driving in 46 years (changing my Lexus tire alongside the road at midnight).

Now that being said, after owning my XK for a few months, took a 400 mile drive, in one day, on one tank of gas, and managed to pick up a nail in a rear tire. Didn't notice it for a couple of weeks, as the leak was slow enough that it only triggered the TPMS once a week. So these wide tires are bigger targets for road debris, and shame on me for not checking my spare's pressure... ever, as I may need it some day... soon?

 

Not so smart ****.

 

As KJ and Tampa point out the likelihood of an incident is EXTREMELY rare. Back to the OP not using a spare, many car companies now don't include one in their car, both of mine, and all previous, did have spares. I tried that puncture goop years ago in a bicycle tire but would I ever use it in a car tire no, even more so the case with TPMS. If/when I pick up a nail would I use a quick plug to fix it, yup (against what many think is good judgment, even used them on my sport bikes with nothing but great results). Would I then take it to my tire guy and have an internal patch put in and rebalanced, yup. If odds continue I'm probably due for a flat tire in the next year or so and that will be of very little concern when it happens... AAA is excellent at assisting me if it is beyond what I have on my car. I worry about this as much as I do getting struck by lightning, getting eaten by a great white, or seeing Bigfoot

 

That is funny!

I have had tires plugged my whole life with no issue and never go back for a patch.

 

Worth considering is that any large diameter wheel with a puncture in the low profile (30 or 35), could well **** up the inside of the tyre anyway, thus needing a new tyre even for a small puncture.
As it becomes flat and the driver does not realise almost straight away, as the rim is running inside the tyre, its chewing the rubber up between it and the road with no cushion of air seperating them.

 

I don't have a spare and like many others here, so I resorted to some method of a backup tire repair kit. If this fails, I have AAA.
I came up with an emergency kit consisting of a small trolly jack, a complete tire repair kit, a section of plywood for uneven soft surfaces, gloves, and the factory inflator kit. All of in a small carry bag that stores in the tire well. This is my a fighting chance at when getting a puncture. The only thing I didn't include is my mechanic's overalls, when I'm out in my TUX. LOL!