Here’s a quick guide to fixing a puncture yourself using a repair kit, with step-by-step instructions on doing it the right way.
If you drive frequently, there is a high probability that you have experienced a puncture at least once. And this is despite taking all the required measures to avoid facing a puncture, as road conditions in our country aren’t particularly good.
The most common way of fixing a puncture is to get it repaired from a roadside mechanic or at a tyre shop. And while that may be convenient, it is very useful to know how to fix a puncture yourself. It does require a certain level of skill, but nothing that you can’t learn.
Firstly, you will need a puncture repair kit and a tyre inflator, which can be bought at a tyre shop or online. A typical puncture repair kit contains a reamer tool, strip-insertion tool, puncture-repair strips and cutter.
Remember, only repair puncture if the damage is on the tread surface; the tyre must be replaced if the sidewalls are punctured. First, examine the tyre completely to identify the object, you can use some soapy water to spot anair leak, which will show up with the water bubbling.
Once you have identified the object, use a plier to get it out. Do not try pulling it out with your hands. You need to then take the reamer tool and use it to enlarge the cavity. Take the puncture-repair strip and slide it into the eye of the insertion tool, dividing it in half. Then push it into the cavity leaving about 3/4th outside, and yank out the strip insertion tool. Cut off the excess strip using a blade before filling air to the recommended pressure and spray soapy water around the repair strip. If you don’t see bubbles, you no longer have a leak and you have successfully repaired the puncture.
FOR CARS WITH AIR SUSPENSION
Changing a tyre on a car equipped with air suspension is not as simple as any other car. Before you decide to put the car on the jack and remove the wheel, you need to turn on the air suspension wheel-change setting (as displayed in the image on the right), or switch to workshop mode as it’s called in some cars, via the central screen. This is done to avoid damaging the air suspension, preventing the air bellows from extending fully or the suspension from trying to self-level, which can throw up a suspension fault error, or even render the car undriveable. Once damaged, this can only be rectified at a workshop.
To change a tyre on a car equipped with air suspension, you need to put it in wheel-change/workshop mode.
USING A PUNCTURE REPAIR KIT
Step 1: First, examine the tyre completely to identify the object.
Step 2: Once identified, use pliers to get it out and not your hands.
Step 3: Take the reamer tool and use it to enlarge the cavity.
Step 4: Slot the puncture repair strip through the strip insertion tool, dividing it in half.
Step 5: Push it in the cavity leaving about 3/4th outside.
Step 6: Yank out the strip insertion tool and cut off the excess using a blade or a cutter.
Step 7: Fill air to recommended pressure and spray soapy water. If you don’t see bubbles, you no longer have a leak.
Also see:
Tech Talk: No more loose wheel nuts
Monsoon car care, driving tips you need to know
Feature: Testing Vredestein’s new tyres on a BMW X5 and Isuzu D-Max
