MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGB Technical - Alternative to Spare Tire?

As an alternate to the carrying of a spare has anyone had experience with any of the long term tire sealants that are available and claim to seal leaks in holes up to 1/4 inch, as well as eliminating air loss due to porosity of the tire/rim, rim leaks, etc.? A search on Yahoo using "tire sealant" came up with (among others) Flat Free, Superseal, TireMilk, UltraSeal, and RideOn as sold by TireLabs.

Having recently fought a long term slow leak in my wife's BBC (as opposed to our LBC) which turned out to be due to flaking of the chrome on the alloy wheel at the bead seal surface, these sealers sound attractive. They also promise to eliminate flats and leaks due to nails, screws, and other such road hazards. In other words they appear to eliminate most (not all) of the potential causes for use of the spare.

Any comments?

Thanks

Larry
Lawrence Hallanger

I have tried the discount store variety in tractor, wheelbarrow and lawnmower tires without any success. Used them in a car tire twice with the same results. The bad thing was when I took the tires to have them patched the tire people would not even try to patch them because "they and all that other sh#t in there" I keep a good spare because it's less trouble in the long run. I have heard good tales about some of the preperations in Europe, though. Uniroyan made tires called "Royal Seal" that had something in them to seal leaks but there were only made in family sedan tread patterns last time I looked.
gerry masterman

Fix a Flat works, but as mentioned above, tire guys hate it. It makes a mess. Also if you get a side wall puncture or a gaping tear, your in a heap of trouble. There are several good patch kits available that will allow you to successfully patch a pretty large hole, but that is only a temporary fix. Right now I have a spare tire with no wheel in it. I know, doesn't make much sence, but I figure its better than nothing. If I have a blow out, at least I can get the road side guys to swap the new tire onto the rim. I think the saab space saver or a full size spare is the way to go.
Bill
Bill Mertz

Tires are the only contact your car has on the road to control all of it's motions as it's hurtling through
time and space. This is no place for low-buck half-measures. If you are experiencing problems with
your tires and/or flaky wheels (especially reoccurring problems) - get them properly fixed, or replace
them with new.

I would consider using one of those Fix-A-Flat things only if there weren't anything else around, and
then only as a temporary, emergency measure in order to limp a few miles home or to a nearby garage.

I would not ever replace my spare tire with one of those things.

Does anybody know how they affect tire balance? Just wondering.

There have been earlier threads about persons outfitting their cars with Space-Saver spares from
various other cars (Saabs, Nissans, etc.). These are OK only for limping a few miles to a garage
at low-moderate speeds (..the warning for this is printed right on the sidewalls of these things).

If I were to lose a tire during a misty night, while blasting along California Hwy 1, between Monterey
and San Luis Obispo...forget about those "spray can cures", or miniature tires... let me have a
full-sized spare, and a working jack and lug wrench.
Daniel Wong

I will second what Daniel has to say regarding spare tires (and living in the Pacific Northwest, misty nights are all we have up here). If someone is worried about space in the trunk, maks a small circular tray to fit under the spare and store your spares and tool there. I have done this for years in our MGB and we have ample room left for luggage for our annual two week trip to visit relatives in California.
Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

There is only one cure for a spare tyre, good diet and exercise!
philip may

After I used a fix-a-flat type sealant it almost made it impossible to balance the tire/wheel again. The tire shop had to put several large weights around the wheel to get it in balance.

Only use the sealant in an emergency and do not carry it in place of a good spare.
Steven Rechter

frankly, with the improvement of tires - steel and kevlar belts - and the like, frankly, I can't remember the last time i changed a flat..

Plan A I have a SAAB tire in the boot...
Plan B a AAA Plus card (free towing for up to 100 miles)

rn

RN Lipow

If you pack with soft sided luggage (like duffel bags and gym bags), you really can fit an amazing amount of stuff in the trunk of a "B." As others always seem to kid me at shows, I can fit an amazing amount of stuff in the trunk of my B, and that's without using the shelf behind the seats or the luggage rack. This is with a full-size spare. And yes, there is space both underneath the spare and in the dished area above it, as Dave points out.

I have used the "fix-a-flat" cans for very short distances, on daily drivers, especially in places where changing a tire is not safe. Make sure that you only get the kind that clearly states that the propellant is NON-flammable. The original ones used acetlyene-like compounds. The reason that repair shops don't like them is that there have been many injuries (including fatalaties!) when these things EXPLODED on the tire changing machines.

I did successfully fix a slow leak on an MGA wheel with one of these. It was a tubed tire, and I suspect that the valve was part of the problem. In general, I prefer a good full-sized spare. You can't get them on modern cars. This is an ADVANTAGE in a B.The metal in the spares kits on modern cars is much cheaper. The wrench on my '93 Volvo SNAPPED when trying to change to the space-saver sapre. Not so for the MGs.

Ira
Ira Spector

If you use fix-a-flat and then let the car sit stationary the sealant can all set up on one side of a tire. A very bad thing. Doesn't seal all that well either. And if you run Very Wide Tires a full size spare can be a real pain. Do as Daniel says and use high quality tires and even more importantly wheels, as many problems are traceable to the wheels rather than the tires. Then for me it's a space saver in the trunk. With any luck at all I'll never need it, but in the worst case scenario I do have a trailer made just for the B, and I *will* use it rather than be seen driving around on one of those things.
Jim Blackwood

My friend Bob Thompson uses a space saver from some American car. Don't know which one.
David Gable

Though not known for their handling qualities, aren't there any "run flat" tires to retrofit? I'm not sure, and am actually not interested in them, since enthusiast take them off their Corvettes for better handling. Last I knew, we were lighter weight than a 3300lb Vette, so the sidewall differences would be more pronounced. No one had brought this up so I thought I would ask.

Luke
Luke Staley

Is it possible to use midget wheels as TEMPORARY spares for wire wheel cars ?
.

Was watching My Classic Car the other day they showed a shot of a Dodge from the early 70's that had a spare in the trunk that was flat and you inflate the tire after it is mounted. The spare came with a small can it inflate the tire. I seem to remember that there were space saving spares like that in the late 60's and 70's. If you could find one in a 14 inch size and have it mounted on you spare it would save space.

Jim
jmlema

The new Z saloons come with an 'Instant Mobility System' - basically a can of sealent and tyre inflation device etc. A spacesaver spare is optional on some models with the IMS as standard, on others its the other way around so MG Rover must have some faith in this type of repair.

John
JLD

The tire guy told me the propellant in the can remains flameable inside the tire, and there's the chance of spark when they break the bead when they pull your tire off the rim. This all makes it a danger to them... fun fun fun
David Ryzuk

This thread was discussed between 21/12/2001 and 28/12/2001

MG MGB Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGB Technical BBS is active now.