Patching Up A Flat Tyre After New Year's Day

Waking up on the second day of 2014, to a sight which made me feel like I did something wrong last year and this was a punishment to me. I saw my car slumped to the left side, as the front left tyre was left without any air inside, being flat and all. Instantly, my thoughts were to dig out my tyre changing tools and my spare tyre from the boot of my car, to change to a spare tyre and drive to the nearest tyre shop to repair my flat one. 


Seeing this sight always makes me sad
Seeing this sight always makes me sad

I was already preparing the tools and psyched up myself to change the tyre, when a quick reminder by my father in law that those tyre guys may have another method to repair this flat of mine without even needing to remove the affected tyre. 


All ready to replace the flat tyre with this spare tyre in my boot
All ready to replace the flat tyre with this spare tyre in my boot

Oh, a quick note, I have always wondered why in some places they spell it as 'tyre' while other spell it as 'tire'. A quick check online, told me the difference, an interesting finding, at least to me. 

Tire and tyre both mean a covering for a wheel, usually made of rubber. Tire is the preferred spelling in the U.S. and Canada. Tyre is preferred in most varieties of English outside North America. Of course, all English speakers use tire in the sense to grow weary.


A flat is a flat, and will remain a flat until something is done to 'unflatten' it
A flat is a flat, and will remain a flat until something is done to 'unflatten' it

A quick call to my father in law's friend who works at the neighborhood tyre shop, and within 15 minutes or so, they arrived, without any tyre changing tools. This caught me by surprise, as I thought they would bring something to actually replace the tyre, or at least take it out to find out what caused the flat. Well, they always say, everyday there's always a new learning experience.


My flat tyre, repaired, 'unflattened' and patched, all good to run again
My flat tyre, repaired, 'unflattened' and patched, all good to run again


It was indeed a quick fix, as the guys from the neighborhood tyre shop found the source of the flat, a puncture caused by a sharp screw, removed it, took a piece of worm-like rubbery substance and pressed it all the way in, ensuring no gaps and patching the hole up for good. How easy was that? Now I wasn't too convinced that this quick fix will last for very long, but a quick check with a couple of friends educated me that it was indeed a good way to fix these type of flats, especially those punctured by screws, aka a "clean hole". 


The black rubbery worm like substance being forced into the hole filling up the gap
The black rubbery worm like substance being forced into the hole filling up the gap


15 minutes later, my car is good to run again, the flat tyre has been patched up, all ready to face the tar road in this new year. 2014, I hope you'll be good to me, and here's hoping lady luck shines on me when I buy my car's 4D number this weekend. 

Patching up a flat tyre, I did not think it was this quick, nor easy. It cost me RM10 for the labour and the fact the guys came all the way to my car to fix this, something I could live with. Oh, and Happy New Year 2014 people, may the new year bring an abundance of success, wealth and healthy to all. 


Comments

  1. Happy New Year! You should buy flowers and bathe yourself & the car for Mandi Bunga Rituals!

    Next time, we can call your father in law's friend for help too. No?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous1:51 PM

    Not that good to stuff the hole, best to get a new tyre...or put a tube in it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. haha hope you kena 4d!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Haha, learned something new about "Tire" and "Tyre":)

    Simon Lee

    ReplyDelete
  5. There was once, one of my tires have THREE screws puncturing into the rubber.. but it was a slow killer - so I noticed the tire gets plump quite quick, that's where I discovered the screws.

    Screw it. LOL :P

    ReplyDelete

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