TOURING ON PUNCTURED TYRES.
TOURING ON PUNCTURED TYRES.
A Test with ” Fibermetic ” Treated Inner Tubes.
THE mere mention of claims for puncture sealing compounds is usually sufficient to arouse all the latent scepticism in the minds of motorists, but whatever may have been the results of experiments in the past, there seems to be no real reason why such a sealing compound should fail to justify the claims made by the manufacturers.
Everyone is familiar with demonstrations consisting in piercing tyres with nails after certain preparations have been introduced into the inner tubes; but, after all, this does not constitute an adequate test. It is the road experience which counts, followed by observations on the condition of the tube after it has been filled for months, for it is obviously futile to stop small punctures if the treated tube suffers rapid deterioration in consequence. With the object of submitting the ” Fibermetic ” Puncture Seal to a thorough test, we have had a cycle tube, which was fitted with the preparation over 12 months ago, under observation. Callers at the office have punctured it in dozens of places, but on each occasion a small blob of ” Fibermetic ” has formed to prevent any escape of air. This appearing to be satisfactory, the manufacturers, the Fibrine Sales, Ltd., of 20, Carlisle Rd, Romford, Essex, undertook to treat two car tubes for a road test, and after having punctured one front and one rear tyre with six holes each varying in diameter from one-sixty-fourth to one-eighth inches,
the puncture seal was tested on the road during a holiday trip to Devonshire and back.
After running the car for a fortnight, the pressure was found to be the same as after the original inflation. The covers were removed for an examination of the tubes. Each of the intentional punctures was permanently sealed by the small quantity of ” Fibermetic ” which had percolated through the hole and the preparation had set in a semi-plastic condition. There appeared to be a slight tendency for the tyre valves to clog, but by giving one or two vigorous strokes of the pump the passage became quite clear for reinflation.
We may mention, that to introduce the ” Fibermetic ” preparation, it is necessary to remove the tube valve and insert the prescribed quantity into the tube with a grease pump, for it is argued any preparation capable of passing through the orifice of a Schrader valve cannot seal a moderate sized hole.
It is not necessary to fill the tubes completely, as the preparation is in a semi-liquid form and penetrates into any holes as the wheel revolves, which, of course, removes the objection of deadening the tyre.
In view of the fact that one may easily risk losing awards in competitons by untimely punctures, the ” Fibermetic ” Puncture Seal is worth trying, and from our own experience we are of the opinion that it is a satisfactory solution of the puncture bugbear.