Friday, April 30, 2010

Buying Slime Powerspair - 48 Piece Kit Tire Repair Kit


I've not yet popped a tire, but I feel well prepared to do so.

My notes:
This kit comes wit, instructions, often illustrated, on how to use most of the items here.
There are spare valve caps and those little doohickeys that go in the valve stem (I've always been afraid to lose valve caps).
That big jug of green stuff seems to be enough for only one car tire but did not seem to be intended for cars. I had to use most of it for my bicycle anyway.
The air compressor (probably 80-90% of the total cost) works great. The ten minute window they recommend you use it in is probably more than enough to fill one tire, but not quite enough to take all four of my tires from 12 to 32 psi. The air compressor's cigarette lighter charger kept popping out of my cigarette lighter but worked fine. I did not try to hook it directly to my battery, but it comes with an attachment to do so.Get more detail about Slime Powerspair - 48 Piece Kit Tire Repair Kit.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Buy Master Flow MF-1050 Tsunami High Volume Portable Air Compressor


I was immediately impressed by this unit as soon as I opened it.
The fit and finish is top quality. I am going to test it once to make sure it works, but out of the box it comes with everything you need for those emergency situations.

I'm rating it 5 stars because I was impressed that it comes in its own protective carry bag with a top handle. The case has pockets for the main compressor as well as a side pocket for the coil hose.

I'm very happy to have this unit in my trunk now.Get more detail about Master Flow MF-1050 Tsunami High Volume Portable Air Compressor.

Friday, April 23, 2010

Where To Buy Schrader AirAware 20256 TPMS Wireless Retrofit Kit


I was looking for a system to monitor tires on my truck and RV trailer both. This one does not do that! First one I bought used external sensors and had capability to monitor up 22 tires, though it only came with 6, which was enough to monitor the 6 tires on my trailer. I didn't like the look of the external sensors; particularly on the truck, so for about what it was going to cost me to buy the additional 4 sensors to monitor my truck as well, I found this system Schrader AirAware 20256 TPMS Wireless Retrofit Kit, which used internal sensors and decided to try it in addition to what I'd already bought.

Pros:
Sensors are internally mounted; no big ugly external sensor screwed on the end of the valve stem in place of a valve cap like other kits offer.
You can adjust tire pressures without having to remove sensors like the screw on type sensors require.
Monitors both pressure and temperature of the tires.
Pretty easy to set up (sensor learning process) plus built in functionality to handle tire rotation later on without having to relearn.
Power management; both the sensors and recievers power down after periods of inactivity and resume when they sense motion (vibration).
Reasonably priced.

Cons:
Only monitors 5 tires max.
Not recommended for trailer use (range issues?).
Though the unit is constantly monitoring each wheel, the display does not automatically rotate and display status of each tire. You can manually scroll and view a specific tire though, and when (if) it does sense a problem, it does automatically switch to and display the status of the tire of concern.
The alarm is not very loud, hard for me to hear over my diesel rattle. It does flash a visual indication when there is an alert.
Tires have to be broken down to access sensors (as is the case with any internal type).

So far I've been real pleased with the unit and peace of mind it provides me when traveling, and having separate system for truck and trailer has been alright too, when I disconnect trailer, I can just turn off or leave at home the monitor for the trailer; a single unit would require me to reprogram if trailer was there or not (as they also alert if theres no communication from a programmed wheel). Get more detail about Schrader AirAware 20256 TPMS Wireless Retrofit Kit.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Mr. Gasket 1428 Wheel Weights Self-Adhesive


Wheel weights. Pretty simple.
I actually didn't use them on wheels, but for another project I needed small, adhesive weights for.

However, these work just fine on your wheels. But if you're balancing your own wheels, you know that already.Get more detail about Mr. Gasket 1428 Wheel Weights Self-Adhesive.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

McGard 64010 Chrome Bulge Cone Seat Style Lug Nuts (1/2" - 20 Thread Size) - Set of 4 Review


The quality of the finish is superior to the generic part store nuts, and the finish holds up better as well. These being made in USA is actual economic stimulus to buy some, too. I look forward to seeing how well these hold up to the wrath of the salt belt.Get more detail about McGard 64010 Chrome Bulge Cone Seat Style Lug Nuts (1/2" - 20 Thread Size) - Set of 4.

Friday, April 16, 2010

Fix-A-Flat - Tire Inflator with Hose, 16 oz. (S420-6) Top Quality


I have had to use Fix-A-Flat twice. Thankfully, both incidents happened in a parking lot that was close to a store that sold Fix-A-Flat.

The product worked well enough in both incidents to help bring me safely home. However, be aware that 1 can of Fix-A-Flat may not sufficiently inflate the tire - it depends on how bad the leak is. The problem arises when a significant volume of the air you put in using Fix-A-Flat escapes through the leak.

In the first incident, I had to hook up a bike pump to the tire, and after working up a sweat and enduring the sniggers from a few passersby, I managed to get the tire fully inflated. In the second incident, I didn't have a bike pump. I had to empty 2 20-ounce cans of Fix-A-Flat just to get the tire merely partially inflated.

Pros
----
- Fast Sealing
The compound works fast - in a matter of minutes! The car has to be driven for a few minutes to ensure that the rubber compound evenly coats the inner wall of the tire to plug up any leaks.

Cons
----
- Insufficient Air
Depending on how much the escaping air is antagonizing your efforts to inflate the tire, 1 can of Fix-A-Flat may not be enough.

Get more detail about Fix-A-Flat - Tire Inflator with Hose, 16 oz. (S420-6).

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Milton Dual Chuck Tire Inflator With Gauge This instant


I'm an old dude. I remember when I was a kid and most gas stations had free air. The better places had these great tire inflators. I always figured they went the way of many great American products. I recently purchased a new air compressor for home and stumbled upon this product on Amazon. I can't say enough good things about it. It is a great American made tool! If you have a compressor and fill your cars, truck, or cycle's tires you need one of these great inflator/gauges. Get more detail about Milton Dual Chuck Tire Inflator With Gauge.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Accutire MS-4004B Digital Tire Gauge with Back Lit Display and LED Lighted Tip Immediately


I've owned one of these since 2004. It sits in the glove box of our Sienna, which needs its tire pressure checked weekly otherwise the tires wear really fast (another story). The gauge takes a little getting use to in order to get a good seal over the stem, but once you get to know how to do it properly, it works everytime. I like the fact that mine came in a case, so it is nicely packed away in the glove box.

The backlight readout is great. You can check in low light places (like my driveway) and still see the numbers clearly.

Too bad this is more expensive than the Accutire MS-4201B, otherwise I would buy a 2nd one of these.
Get more detail about Accutire MS-4004B Digital Tire Gauge with Back Lit Display and LED Lighted Tip.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Thule 9mm CG9 Premium Passenger Car Snow Chain, Size 080 (Sold in pairs) Best Quality


These chains work great in the snow. I drove about 20 miles in a Northern Vermont snow squall using these chains. Unfortunately, I noticed, when I was taking them off, that the cable that holds the chains on the side of the tire was broken after using them this one time. I will be contacting Thule ASAP to discuss warranty coverage. They run about 165 - 170 bucks a pair.Get more detail about Thule 9mm CG9 Premium Passenger Car Snow Chain, Size 080 (Sold in pairs).

Saturday, April 10, 2010

AccuGage Tire Pressure Dial Gauge (160psi, Presta Valve) Order Now


I have presta valves on my Trek 7.5 FX and in constant fear of over inflating the tubes. I hoped this gauge would relieve my anxiety. Well, it didn't. After numerous attempts I managed to get ONE reading on the front tire. My attempts to use it on the rear tire proved equally frustrating and ultimately unsuccessful. It may have been defective or a design fault. I returned it and will look for another gauge.Get more detail about AccuGage Tire Pressure Dial Gauge (160psi, Presta Valve).

Friday, April 9, 2010

2 in 1 High Performance Digital Tire Pressure Gauge Decide Now


This product consistently reads 5psi lower than my other two gauges which I was hoping to replace due to difficulty in getting a good seal on the tire valve stem.

And it didn't seal any better. It's easier to get a grip on and hold to the stem, but the lack of accuracy makes it useless to me.Get more detail about 2 in 1 High Performance Digital Tire Pressure Gauge.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Lowest Price Wagan EL2050 Heavy Duty Air Compressor


I purchased this Wagan EL2050 air compressor to replace an old Sears air compressor I use mainly for adjusting pressure in race tires on my car. The Wagan compressor performs very well - quieter and adds pressure a lot quicker than my old compressor. My only complaint is the connector that threads onto the valve stem - it seems the threaded section of the connector is too short - only the first 1-2 threads engage, so it doesn't hold onto the valve stem very well. Get more detail about Wagan EL2050 Heavy Duty Air Compressor.

Friday, April 2, 2010

Cheap Gorilla Automotive 61641 Acorn Guard Locks (14mm x 1.50 Thread Size) - Set of 4


Just bought 2010 Camaro that has nice 20" wheels. I Knew I would need to get wheel locks. I saw a post on Camaro5 fourm that had a link to these Gorilla Wheel Locks.
They are a very nice and unique design. They were easy to install and I feel confident they will keep my wheels safe. Lastly the price was great for the product. I highly recommend this product.Get more detail about Gorilla Automotive 61641 Acorn Guard Locks (14mm x 1.50 Thread Size) - Set of 4.

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Buying Slime SDS-1G Super Duty Slime Tire Sealant with Pump Gallon SDSB-1G


Like the other people said, I find this works great. However, I bought mine at the store, and the label definitely says for all tubeless tires. Well all my tires are tubes but I never air them up anymore. Except I got a small sharp rock in my bike tire that took one re-inflation and its already fixed. I think the air leaked out before slime was able to completely seal it and the rock probably was causing constant change until I removed it. I think small leaks from thorns, etc seal instantly. It's hard to notice how well it's working when there are no more problems but I know I was having trouble before I used this. I never had much luck with rubber cement/patches either. Patches with the stickiness already on them work okay. I heard that some people used to put paint in tires to stop small leaks. I guess that might work too but slime is labeled as nontoxic.
Also, I have two 'solid' no air wheelbarrow tires. Those are nice too and are so much better than air tires without slime. But slime makes air tires equal to $40-50 solid tires.
I also have made wooden wheels that work well too. Get more detail about Slime SDS-1G Super Duty Slime Tire Sealant with Pump Gallon SDSB-1G.