Slime tire sealer.

[guy74]

Just wondering if anyone here runs Slime sealer in their motorcycle tires, specifically anyone using it in a streetbike? I use it in lots of tires on the farm, ATV's, and my dirtbikes, but haven't tried it in anything that goes over 40mph. I am wondering about the effects on balance.

 

[scipper77]

Re: Slime tire sealer.

Just wondering if anyone here runs Slime sealer in their motorcycle tires, specifically anyone using it in a streetbike? I use it in lots of tires on the farm, ATV's, and my dirtbikes, but haven't tried it in anything that goes over 40mph. I am wondering about the effects on balance.

I only have experience with fix-a-flat but I;m assuming it's the same type of product. When you park the stuff collects in the bottom of the tire and really messes up your balance. On a warm day it kind of spreads around when you drive but on a cold day think of it as an internal wheel weight that makes your whole car shake. I will never use the stuff again.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Slime tire sealer.

We use is extensively here in Montana and it works great in both cold and warm weather, never had any problems with it, I have in in my jeep, aerostar and ATV tires, I have never experienced any problems with it during the winter and our lowest temp last winter was 32 below zero...

Slime is a completely different product then the common fix a flat stuff, slime does not freeze or solidify, it stays in a liquid form way below zero..

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Slime tire sealer.

I too use it my ATV, Lawn Tractor, and wheel barrel however..... I am not so sure I would use it in a street bike.

 

[JB]

Re: Slime tire sealer.

Here in mesquite country it is considered mandatory in farm and other off road vehicles. Mesquite thorns can penetrate 6 ply tires. When I bought Big Orange in 1997 the Kubota dealer delivered her with Green Slime in all 4 tires.

I am under the impression that it is not supposed to be used in road vehicles, but that may be just local practice.

 

[guy74]

Re: Slime tire sealer.

Thanks for the replies! I have only had a flat on my streetbike once, so not a big deal and maybe I'm over thinking this. I guess I could put it in the tires on my enduro bike and see how it does there, then decide if I want it in the streetbike. I was just thinking it would be nice insurance on the streetbike, since I do get along way from home at odd hours on it.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Slime tire sealer.

We have been running it in our street vehicles for years around here, never have had any problems, if you do it properly, the stuff balances itself out within a couple of hundred yards, the installation instructions state, take the tire off the vehicle let the air out, pull the valve stem, insert the stuff and then spin the tire a few times, reinstall the tire and drive it at least a mile..

When you live on a 7 mile long gravel road, you find ways to make sure you don't get flats...

My wife recently drove our van on a 1200 mile trip, and when she arrived at her destination she called me and stated she heard a continuous clicking sound when driving, that got faster as she drove faster, I told her to take it to a tire sop and have it checked, turns out the tire had a quarter inch diameter sheet metal screw in it, when they pulled it out, they were surprised, no air escaping sound. The slime fully sealed the hole up.

This stuff is the same principal as many of the tire manufactures used to make, Cadillac was real famous for their self sealing tires in the early 80's, same type of stuff from the factory in them.

Be aware though, it will not seal a sidewall puncture, it will only work on the tread area of the tire. The last three flats I have had on a bike was in the sidewall area right at the transition between tread and sidewall, I picked something up while leaning over for a turn.

 

[stackz]

Re: Slime tire sealer.

worked for sams club for 2 years back in college in 97-98. we had to always ask people if they ran that crap in their tires before we busted them and made them sign a waiver as to the fact.

why?

because even after we popped the valve stems off to pop the wheels off, there was a risk of the tire exploding if a spark occured. whether it be from a wheel weight that was forgotten, or the steel wheel and the tire change machine clamp grinding for some whacko reason.

I will say, worst I saw was when a dude on the truck machine was changing a 6set on a dually and we all heard a loud pop and bright light. it blew out a bubble on the backside of the tire after causing a spark.

I dont trust the stuff after seeing that with my own eyes.

 

[ac0j]

Re: Slime tire sealer.

I would only use it in a tube. It makes a mess of the wheel if you should ever change tires or need a patch. If you get a big cut in the tire while going down the road, you will need a wiper on your faceshield to clear the green spray coming off of the tire at speed.

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: Slime tire sealer.

I would not use it in my Stratoliner.

 

[guy74]

Re: Slime tire sealer.

worked for sams club for 2 years back in college in 97-98. we had to always ask people if they ran that crap in their tires before we busted them and made them sign a waiver as to the fact.

why?

because even after we popped the valve stems off to pop the wheels off, there was a risk of the tire exploding if a spark occured. whether it be from a wheel weight that was forgotten, or the steel wheel and the tire change machine clamp grinding for some whacko reason.

I will say, worst I saw was when a dude on the truck machine was changing a 6set on a dually and we all heard a loud pop and bright light. it blew out a bubble on the backside of the tire after causing a spark.

I dont trust the stuff after seeing that with my own eyes.

Your thinking of "fix a flat", slime is non-flamable.

 

[skargo]

Re: Slime tire sealer.

I use it in my New Holland tractor, and used it in the tow-slut(dodge ram 2500 diesel) with no ill effects. I'd be afraid to put it in a bikes tires though.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Slime tire sealer.

Slime is not flammable, and will not catch fire even if you use a blow torch on it.

As I said, we swear by it here in NW Montana, but your mileage may and probably will vary, fix a flat and its competitors was flammable which is why they started including stickers with the cans to put on the wheel so the tire technician knew what was in the tire before he broke the bead..but we are talking about two different products, fix a flat, dangerous, slime, not dangerous, but it is messy..

 

[guy74]

Re: Slime tire sealer.

Well, I think I will go with the plan to run it in the enduro and see how it does there. That should give me an idea of how it affects the balance and such at speed. I will report back as to what my experiences are with this, might help someone else out with deciding something like this.
Thanks for all the replies!

 

[CalAmy]

Re: Slime tire sealer.

In my experience, Slime should be used only as a repair in street bikes. I think for what you're looking for, the (#50001) Moto Spair would be your best bet.

 

[dockwrecker]

Re: Slime tire sealer.

Ain't NO way I'd use that in a street cycle tire, that stuff works great in ATV tires at low pressures. It also renders the tire virtually unrepairable when you want to do a proper fix. Balance issues in low profile street tires are also a big problem especially for bikes like mine.

 

[xxxflhrci]

Re: Slime tire sealer.

I tried it in a street bike with an old tire I was planning on changing. It was a tubed tire. I drove a couple of nails in and pulled them out. I rode the bike about 10 miles to slosh the Slime around. It sealed the holes and held air until I changed the tire...Of course if I had ridden on the tire with it nearly flat and with nails in it, the tube would have shredded.

I now have a tubeless rear wheel and carry plugs and the guts out of a 5 buck pump.

 

[guy74]

Re: Slime tire sealer.

I tried it in a street bike with an old tire I was planning on changing. It was a tubed tire. I drove a couple of nails in and pulled them out. I rode the bike about 10 miles to slosh the Slime around. It sealed the holes and held air until I changed the tire...Of course if I had ridden on the tire with it nearly flat and with nails in it, the tube would have shredded.

I now have a tubeless rear wheel and carry plugs and the guts out of a 5 buck pump.

Yeah, I wish I had tubeless wheels on all my bikes, but I now have tube (spoke) wheels on them all. If I had tubeless on the streetbike, I wouldn't even think of putting slime in it, just wouldn't need it with a pump and plugs. I put slime in the enduro, 1987 XT350 yamaha, and so far no issues with balance or anything like that. I normally go 70mph tops on it, which is only 10mph less than I ride the shadow, so not a big difference there.
I'm gonna wait till next spring before I decide to put it in the shadow or not, see how it does in freezing temps and such.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Slime tire sealer.

Yeah, I wish I had tubeless wheels on all my bikes, but I now have tube (spoke) wheels on them all. If I had tubeless on the streetbike, I wouldn't even think of putting slime in it, just wouldn't need it with a pump and plugs. I put slime in the enduro, 1987 XT350 yamaha, and so far no issues with balance or anything like that. I normally go 70mph tops on it, which is only 10mph less than I ride the shadow, so not a big difference there.
I'm gonna wait till next spring before I decide to put it in the shadow or not, see how it does in freezing temps and such.

The lowest recorded temp at my house this last winter was -34 degrees below zero, the slime was not affected at all, in either the car or the ATV which I plow with virtually every day during the winter...

 

[Daddypleo]

Re: Slime tire sealer.

I have a buddy that has a 28' pontoon with a double axle trailer. He put that slime stuff in one of his flat trailer tires and I told him that I'd never heard of the stuff. He laughingly told me that at $20 a can it was no wonder! But at that price it'd better work. After he put it in we made our trek of 10 miles to the lake and back on it and it stayed hard as a rock. That was 2 weeks ago and he says it's still holding. I guess I'm sold on it!