Helpful Videos

DOWNLOADABLE INFO AND DATA

  • Please DO NOT install into aluminium Alcoa truck/lorry wheels due to a statement on their website issued by the company regarding tyre sealants, balancing polymers and tyre mounting pastes in general.

  • Alcoa do not supply wheel rims to any other market other than trucks and lorries.

What is PunctureSafe?

  • PunctureSafe is a special blend of polymers which coats and clings to the inner tyre. PunctureSafe is a "permanent" puncture prevention treatment and tyre life extender/conditioner. Previously available products (and most current ones) have simply "fallen apart" at speeds of 40 mph and over, because they were manufactured for the construction industries slow vehicles, but eventually made their way into the high-speed markets creating problems. PunctureSafe is not a get you home product, it is applied before the puncture occurs, and permanently seals punctures as they happen. Once installed, PunctureSafe not only seals punctures, it conditions the inner casing, preventing porosity leaks caused by tiny holes and cracks. In other words after installing Puncturesafe the tyres maintain correct air pressure and the need to regularly top up with air is virtually eliminated, and with correctly inflated tyres you get better fuel economy, your tyres also run cooler eliminating that problem of heat build-up. Tyres treated with PunctureSafe last considerably longer, and cooler tyres are also less susceptible to punctures. PunctureSafe is water based for easy clean out if ever you need to do this and is installed in minutes through the tyre valve with very little air loss and without removing any wheels.

  • Technology! Sealants have caused many problems that we at PunctureSafe have addressed. Using a highly evolved mixture of polymers, we have devised a product that is more than capable of working in harmony with today’s modern breed of vehicles. We use advanced chemistry in our process that bonds the molecules of the sealant together at speeds up to 150mph. Previously available products, and most current ones, have simply "fallen apart" at around 55-65mph.

  • PunctureSafe does not have any of the failings that previous and many present products have. Apart from drying and balling up in the tyre, the biggest failings of traditional tyre sealants in a high speed tyre, was the inability to seal small holes, but the ability to seal a large dangerous hole or cut, because they contained large chunks of chopped up rubber. Whereas PunctureSafe contains only tiny strands of coarse surface synthetic fibres that are stronger than steel when they interlock tightly together, but will only positively seal small holes caused by puncturing objects up to 6mm in diameter, but only in a hole that is in the tread area of the tyre, and that is shrinking in size because there is no cord damage (rubber recovery), which is 95% of today's punctures in high speed vehicles. Anything bigger, or in the sidewall, with or without cord damage, and the PunctureSafe fibres just slowly bleed through the hole, giving a controlled deflation, and usually with a halt or abrupt slow down in air pressure loss at the lower pressures of 10 to 15 psi (depending on cord damage) which prevents damaged rims, and helps the driver maintain control possibly enabling continuation of the journey to remove the vehicle from a possibly dangerous location.

    Through our extensive research and development, our proprietary formulation has evolved far beyond that which is commonly known as a tyre sealant - PunctureSafe is a tyre safety system outstanding at permanently sealing punctures and a true tyre life extender. PunctureSafe converts any pneumatic tyre into a self-sealing tyre that will maintain air pressure. Puncturesafe has the ability to coat more of the inner surface of a tyre and rim without succumbing to shear and stress associated with centrifugal force that is created within a high speed rotating tyre. PunctureSafe's attributes are unparalleled in the history of the pneumatic tyre.

    The PunctureSafe Research & Development Team developed an unrivalled proprietary process that has yet to be duplicated.

  • Once PunctureSafe has been installed, it lies dormant at the bottom of the tyre until the vehicle is first driven. Once driven a minimum of three to five miles, PunctureSafe disperses throughout the inner tyre and forms a coating on the inner surface of the tyre assembly. In order to get sidewall coverage it takes 1500+ miles to activate the FlexxaGel to adhere to more of the inner tyre. The flexing of the tyre and the normal heat build-up allows PunctureSafe to seek out and eliminate common air loss problems (referred to as porosity, air migration and bead leaks). Puncturesafe then transforms the tyre assembly into a sealed air chamber, capable of maintaining proper air pressure. Thereafter, PunctureSafe conditions the rubber in order to retard dry rot and aging (hardening) of the casing. One treatment will provide additional longevity and cooler running tyres for the legal tread life of the tyre.

    The advanced technological sealing capabilities of PunctureSafe stand on guard to seal punctures as they happen. When a tyre is punctured, PunctureSafe coats the surface of the penetrating object, thus preventing air loss.

    When the puncturing object is removed, the rubber recovers and the wound immediately closes, escaping air siphons PunctureSafe into the puncture. The fibres entwine to create a clot that prevents any additional air from escaping. As the rubber recovers, the puncture closes and the strength of the tyre holds the seal in place. The specialised polymers and fibres form the seal, thereby producing an airtight seal. The small amount of PunctureSafe that penetrates through the puncture, past the belts and out through the tread area is referred to as a seal. Once exposed to the atmosphere, the seal begins a systematic cure (another proprietary attribute from the PunctureSafe R&D Team). As the seal cures, it makes a positive secure seal that is impervious to water, which totally protects the belts and inner casing from outside contaminants and corrosion.

    PunctureSafe's proprietary formulation is one of our closely guarded secrets, which allows PunctureSafe to withstand heat and the shear forces created within a rotating tyre. The thixotropic polymers stretches and recovers under mild to severe exposure of the adverse forces and continuously clings to the inner tyre. The ability to coat the inner surface against adverse conditions and centrifugal force is the reason that PunctureSafe will not adversely affect a balanced tyre assembly and does not lose the ability to provide protection for the tread life of the tyre.

    PunctureSafe's abilities & performance is not diminished with speed, distance or time.

  • If the tyre's integrity is weakened to a point where the tyre and casing are unsafe, PunctureSafe is designed to bleed and slowly release air pressure in a controlled way if the puncturing object has severely damaged the inner structure.

    PunctureSafe will not hide or mask a dangerous puncture regardless of how small the damage may be. If the integrity of the casing has been breached and safety becomes an issue PunctureSafe is designed to allow air to escape in a controlled manner.

  • PunctureSafe coats and clings to the inner tyre conditioning the inner surface, eliminating air migration caused by porosity and bead leaks.

    It is imperative that the proper amount of PunctureSafe be installed in a tyre (refer to application chart). In order for PunctureSafe to function, the vehicle should be driven approximately 3 to 5 miles (it is not required to immediately drive the vehicle). This initial driving allows the tyre to warm up and for PunctureSafe to distribute. Puncturesafe will cover the crown area in the first few miles but it will take another 1500+ miles for the FlexxaGel to activate giving more coverage of the sidewall. Unlike conventional tyre sealants, PunctureSafe has been developed to prevent migration from the sidewalls and the tread area at high speeds. Once the initial driving/usage period has been attained; Puncturesafe cover more of the inner surface of the tyre.

    PunctureSafe is a proprietary liquid coating that never deteriorates within the tyre and will continuously stand on guard to protect tyres against air loss for the legal tread life of the tyre.

  • People often ask, "If PunctureSafe cures from exposure to outside air, then why doesn't it cure by the air inside of the tyre?" PunctureSafe transforms the tyre and rim into a sealed air chamber. As the vehicle is driven and the temperature of the tyre increases, a portion of the liquid base vaporises within the tyre assembly's inner air cavity, as the tyre cools, the moisture condensates back into the formula. The inside air actually becomes part of the system. The sealed air chamber prevents outside air from entering or inside air from escaping. Constant air pressure maintenance is not required.

  • When a tyre is punctured, PunctureSafe is forced against and around the puncturing object by the inner air pressure, thereby preventing air from escaping. If the puncturing object is thrown out of the tyre by centrifugal force or is pulled out, the inside air forces PunctureSafe into the puncture and immediately stops air loss. Special fibres entwine, forming a seal, then as the rubber recovers, aided by the tyre flexing as it rotates, the inner air pressure forces the seal well into and through the puncture. Once PunctureSafe is exposed to the outside air, a curing process begins. The cured seal extends well into the puncture, thus providing a seal that is impervious to water (rain, snow, mud, etc.). As this seal cures, it is transposed into a permanent rubberised seal, protecting the inner casing and steel belts against contaminants entering the puncture.

  • The seal is permanent because of two very important attributes of PunctureSafe:-

    A/...there is no shrinkage of the drying polymer in the puncture because the gel is 80% polymer and only 20% liquid because we do not use cheap ingredients that bind huge amounts of water. It is common for similar products to be the other way round with 20% polymer and 80% liquid.

    B/...The gel dries and cures to a firm, flexible and rubber consistency which means the seal will flex with the puncture causing no air loss over time.

    It is a fact that any viscous wet compound containing fillers such as fibres and rubber particles will initially seal a puncture whilst in the wet state because wet compounds will flex with the tyre in the puncture, but the problems arise in many of these "so called" similar products when the liquid escapes out of the puncture into the atmosphere causing the compound in the puncture to dry back to the original ingredients. When dried out these "so called" similar products will vary in looks and texture because of the vast difference with ingredients used in these tyre sealants to such as:- Biscuit, Plasticine, Putty, Paper, Crystalline, Flour, Sticky pritstick, Bluetack, cement, clay etc. The descriptions and looks of many of these dried out products are neverending, but it is a fact that in the wet state these gloopy tyre sealants all look very similar, except in colour, but that is where the similarity ends. Many of these compounds that have usually been formulated by people without any knowledge of chemistry whatsoever, once dried out in the puncture will eventually fail, resulting in a flat tyre, sometimes within days or just weeks after the initial puncture.

    The eight images directly below are of PunctureSafe and six "so called" similar products that have been allowed to dry out in a laboratory oven at 50 degrees C for 24 hours. When fully dry PunctureSafe has very little shrinkage and is flexible and firm which is the attributes required of a dried out tyre sealant in the puncture to permanently seal the puncture, and especially in the low speed market were punctures can be caused by puncturing objects up to 30 mm in diameter. It is our trademarked secret ingredient "FlexxaGel™" that gives PunctureSafe so many of its quality attributes.

The Difference At a Glance

  • Will seal punctures permanently and for the life of the tyre.

  • Will give you a controlled deflation if the integrity of the tyre has been compromised.

  • Will cover more of the inner tyre “at high speeds” to prevent porosity in the tyre and stop bead leaks - Requires advanced chemistry.

  • Will not pile up in a narrow band down the centre of the crown area owing to centrifugal forces - This is a common problem with many sealants and the advanced chemistry required to prevent this is our closely guarded secret.

  • Will seal punctures over more of the crown area” owing to PunctureSafe’s “better inner tyre coverage.”

  • Will not seal punctures in the thin & flexing sidewall, but will give a tell-tale sign with a controlled and slow deflation.

  • Will help extend tyre life because of a much cooler inner tyre. Heat build-up is removed by conduction away from the inner tread area to the rim, because of better inner tyre coverage. Plus, cold tyres are less susceptible to punctures. (Rubber is a poor conductor of heat).

  • Will help extend tyre life as better coverage over the “inner tyre” eliminates porosity giving optimised tyre pressures,with the added benefit of improved fuel economy and safer vehicle handling.

  • Will be manufactured using heat” in an intricate process with over 15 polymers to give a solids content of 80% but only 20% liquid, rather than 80% liquid and only 20% solids which is common with sealants mixed cold with as little as one or two polymers - You cannot achieve the attributes you find in PunctureSafe with only one or two polymers or without applying heat and the principles of chemistry during the manufacturing process.

  • Will cure in the puncture to a firm and flexible rubbery plug, as opposed to something resembling sticky modeling clay or hard and common with tyre sealants formulated with just one or two polymers. These simple sealants initially seal punctures, but then fail as the plug dries and shrinks because of heat. This is because simple tyre sealants with a high water content that can bind fibre and rubber particles whilst still in their liquid state, initially seals a puncture in a tyre but fail as the tyre sealant plug dries and shrinks.

  • Will be water based for quick and easy clean out from the tyre.

  • Will definitely not vapourise or steam in a warm tyre causing the tyre pressure to increase to a dangerous level - Requires advanced chemistry to achieve a complex azeotropic liquid base that increases the boiling point of liquids to prevent steaming. Similarly, when water binds the polymer chains via hydrogen bonding it increases the surface area, which causes the water to evaporate out of a polymer at the slightest increase in temperature. Our unique chemistry prevents this from happening.

  • Will not over any length of time, break down or dry up inside a high speed tyre - Requires advanced chemistry applied with heat to achieve this.

  • Will not over time lose any viscosity in the tyre.

  • When heat and stress is applied to water based polymers inside a high speed tyre, the polymers rapidly thin within a few thousand miles in a process called hydrolysis (decomposition of the polymer chains owing to a chemical reaction with water, during which molecules of water are split into hydrogen cations) Our unique chemistry prevents this from happening.

  • Will not ball up inside the tyre. Owing to the large difference in specific density between the heavy liquid polymer and the significantly lighter fibre and rubber particle solids, centrifugal force normally cause these lighter particles to be forced in a reverse direction and collect on the inner surface of the polymer in clumps. Our unique chemistry prevents this from happening.

  • Will not run to the bottom of the tyre in a stationary vehicle.

  • Will be thermally stable at speeds of up to 250kph - Very rare.

  • Will not rust or corrode rims.

  • Will condition the inner tyre.

  • Will not void tyre manufacturers’ warranties.

  • Will not contain Ethylene Glycol, an extremely toxic anti-freeze.

  • Will be non toxic - A result of years of Research & Development.

  • Will always comply with Health and Safety regulations in Europe and the UK.

Why Doesn’t PunctureSafe Cause a Balance Problem?

The law of physics are quite precise, especially when it comes to liquids in a centrifuge, they will be forced in the direction of the forces, which in a moving tyre is in the opposite direction from the wheel rim. A tyre on a moving vehicle is a centrifuge and tyre sealants inside a tyre will obey these laws and be forced outwards to the highest point which is the centre of the crown area as shown in diagram A below. As a vehicle gathers speed, tyre sealants form a narrow band in the centre of the crown area of the tyre and the width of this band is dependant on the vehicles speed. At only 2 miles per hour that band will be narrow covering approximately only 70% of the crown area, but as the vehicles speed increases to normal driving speeds of 20 to 60 mph that band narrows significantly as the centrifugal forces increase. With these higher speeds a tyre sealant will begin to pile up in a bulky mass as extreme forces come into effect as shown by the arrows in diagram A. At these high speeds and with these conditions balance problems are prevalent. Sideways movement of the vehicle will temporarily cause a little sealant to creep across the shoulder area, but forward movement will immediately bring it back again. Also because of the low crown coverage, even at speeds of only 2 mph, there is no protection against punctures in the shoulder region of the tyre as shown in the grey shaded area marked S in diagram A.

PunctureSafe covers more of the the inner tyre "at all speeds", yes from 2 kph to 250 kph - better coverage, as shown in diagram B below and that gets better the more miles the vehicle covers. As the vehicles speed increases, PunctureSafe's thixotropic polymer gel stretches over the inner tyre giving good coverage with a very thin layer no thicker than 2 or 3mm, and that is the reason balance problems do not occur with PunctureSafe. (The PunctureSafe gel will relax in a stationary vehicle covering less of the inner tyre) We at PunctureSafe UK have managed to achieve this in a process using very advanced chemistry not normally found in any other tyre sealant. Our proprietary process which gives PunctureSafe these attributes and other beneficial properties is our most closely guarded secret which no other manufacturer has yet managed to duplicate. You need very sophisticated equipment to achieve this level of chemistry which we have had built entirely to our specification. Large rubber particles of 1 mm in size normally found in tyre sealants are also a big cause of balance problems. We granulate our own rubber particles right down to between .2mm and .4mm for inclusion in our high speed grades .

Safety Features

The Main Safety Features of PunctureSafe HighPerformance, High Speed Grade

  • PunctureSafe’s makeup is 80% polymer and 20% liquid which means it is a very high solids content and dries to a flexible rubbery plug in the puncture without any shrinkage. The polymer gel suspends a special mix of highly fibrillated fibres and granulated rubber fillers which contribute to Puncturesafe’s sealing abilities, so once the seal is in place it is permanent and will not fail at a later date.

  • PunctureSafe does not have any of the failings that are inherent in many previous and most of the current products available on the market today. Traditional tyre sealants contain large chunks of rubber particles that are incapable of sealing small holes in a tyre, yet they will readily seal a large and dangerous hole or gash. Conversely, Puncturesafe contains only small rubber granules and synthetic fibres that when interlocked in a puncture are extremely strong. PunctureSafe will only seal punctures in the tread area that are safe to seal and which have been caused by puncturing objects no larger than 6mm in diameter and only if the hole is shrinking in size because neither excessive tyre rubber has been lost or cord damage has occurred. These small punctures account for 95% of today’s punctures in high speed vehicles. Any larger puncture, either with or without cord damage and PunctureSafe will just slowly bleed through the hole giving a controlled deflation. In these circumstances air pressure loss in the tyre will either stop or slow down at the lower pressures of 10 to 15 PSI, dependent on the severity of the puncture. This slower loss of air pressure prevents damaged rims and enables the driver/rider to maintain control and possible continuation of the journey, thereby removing the vehicle from a potentially dangerous location. PunctureSafe will not seal a puncture in the sidewall because the sidewall is much thinner and more flexible, therefore in the event of sidewall punctures a controlled deflation will usually occur.

  • Traditional tyre sealants do not cover 100% of the crown area in a high-speed tyre - at best they usually only cover 60% which becomes less as the vehicle increases in speed, because more of the tyre sealant is driven to the centre area creating a mound that can cause vibration at the higher speeds. One of the components of PunctureSafe is a polymer gel (FlexxaGel™) which has an affinity to adhere to rubber even in a vehicle moving at very high speed. Although "FlexxaGel™" behaves like a glue and has properties similar to glue, it is not a glue. When the lateral movement of a vehicle throws the excess PunctureSafe over the crown area and sideways up the inner sidewalls of the tyre, the adhesive properties of "FlexxaGel™" allows PunctureSafe to cling evenly over more of the inner tyre surface at all speeds. Although the gel will immediately cover the whole of the crown and shoulder areas, a settling in period of 1500+ miles is required to activate the FlexxaGel™ for sidewall coverage. This maintained inner tyre coverage at speed gives added heat dispersion to the rim via sidewall coverage due to conduction. Heat dispersion to the rim allows a cooler inner tyre and cool tyres are less susceptible to punctures. The gel’s ability to seal porosity leaks over the inner tyre helps maintain tyre pressure, the tyre becomes safer with the added bonus of extended tyre life. Incorporation of "FlexxaGel™" into the process also gave the finished sealant incredible elastic properties enabling it to stretch and flex, covering more of the inner tyre with increasing speed. (The PunctureSafe gel will relax in a stationary vehicle covering less of the inner tyre) "FlexxaGel™" is exclusively manufactured at our Devon facility and is one of our most closely guarded trade secrets.

  • Unlike traditional tyre sealants, PunctureSafe's concentrated polymer gel formulation containing over a dozen technically advanced polymers, rubber and fibre fillers, will not separate, ball up, or dry up - thereby withstanding the extreme heat and centrifugal forces that can be created in the hostile environment of a very high speed tyre. In a closely guarded proprietary process, PunctureSafe is manufactured to stay liquid in a high speed tyre for the entire lifetime of the tyre, irrespective of its use. Compared with traditional tyre sealants, the Thixotropic qualities of the PunctureSafe polymers allows change from a very viscous gel to a thin liquid when the vehicle is at speed, yet returning immediately to a viscous gel when the vehicle comes to rest, and it is this feature that helps stabilise the polymers from eventual breakdown. Many traditional tyre sealants pool on the bottom of a tyre in a stationary vehicle causing vibration with each forward movement, but PunctureSafe stays firmly coated over the inner tyre. PunctureSafe's ability and performance is not diminished with speed, distance or time.

These qualities alone put PunctureSafe in a league of its own

Why Does PunctureSafe Outperform Other Sealants?

PunctureSafe is not like a tyre sealant, it is a "revolutionary new product"

Why PunctureSafe performs, whilst others fail

Traditional tyre sealants are simple inexpensive products, formulated with as little as 4 ingredients, very similar to wallpaper paste, and containing particles of shredded tyres, that "temporarily" clog up a hole in a tyre. When they are applied in a high speed tyre, because of heat, and centrifugal forces, they break down, and dry up, thus rendering them ineffective. This may be detrimental to the tyre in the long term, and they may also rust or corrode rims, and steel belts. Whereas, PunctureSafe, is a "concentrated viscous gel", consisting of many polymer gel ingredients in a comprehensive and secret formulation, plus our specially manufactured “coarse surface” synthetic fibres, interlock together in the puncture, that cures, and "permanently" seals punctures in a tyre, with the help of the heat that is generated through contact with the road. PunctureSafe is a proprietary formulation having unique properties which means it goes from a gel to a liquid with centrifugal forces, and then immediately snaps back to a gel, just before coming to rest. That's why PunctureSafe always stays dispersed on the inner tyre instead of pooling on the bottom, which is one of the many reasons it works at high speed. Once PunctureSafe has been installed, it conditions the tyre making the rubber supple, thereby reducing cracking, deterioration, and porosity, and any hole caused by puncturing objects up to 6 mm - high speed grade, 15 mm medium speed grade and 20 mm low speed grade, will be permanently sealed by Puncturesafe.

PunctureSafe does not have any of the failings that previous and many present day products have. Apart from drying and balling up in the tyre, the biggest failings of traditional tyre sealants in a high speed tyre, is the inability to seal small holes, but the ability to seal a large dangerous hole or cut, because they contain large chunks of chopped up old rubber tyres. The sealing capabilities of PunctureSafe are unparalleled by any tyre sealant worldwide. PunctureSafe seals are positive and secure, thereby transforming any tyre into a self-sealing tyre. PunctureSafe is capable of sealing punctures as long as the puncturing object has not severely damaged and/or weakened the tyre's structural integrity. PunctureSafe cannot create a secure seal in any tyre that has major internal damage, regardless of the puncturing object's diameter. If the casing becomes damaged or weakened to the point of being unsafe, the PunctureSafe formulation has been designed to slowly bleed regardless of how small the wound may be, giving a controlled deflation. Cords are instrumental in rubber recovery, and without cords a tyre will inflate like a balloon. When cords are severely cut, the hole in the tyre will enlarge with increased air pressure, so in a moving vehicle, Puncturesafe will assist to give this controlled deflation as the hole shrinks with increasing air loss and reducing air pressure.

Understanding PunctureSafe

Understanding PunctureSafe, and a basic guide to tyre sealants by the PunctureSafe UK Technical officer

(This article was published in the BMW Club Magazine after a request from the editor)

With the recent popularity of PunctureSafe, and with so much lack of knowledge about our product, I have been asked to write an article about how PunctureSafe functions inside a high speed tyre. I will also give a little guidance as to what to look for when choosing a puncture prevention treatment, whether for high or low speed use. Sealants in general have been around since the early sixties. Whilst they were primarily manufactured for the low speed markets such as construction, and agricultural use, many people attempted to inject them into their car and motorcycle tyres resulting in problems that were costly and sometimes dangerous. This was fueled by unscrupulous manufacturers who saw a quick profit. You can still see these companies today advertising their products suitable for high speed. Inexpensive sealants manufactured for low speed use have a very basic carrier liquid, very similar to wallpaper paste that contain large chunks of rubber that will bridge a large punctured hole. They are intended to create a temporary plug in an off road tyre, to enable the operator to continue with the use of the vehicle/machine until a tyre fitter is able to make a repair at the end of the day. They cost pennies to manufacture and are sold to farmers and builders, who put them into their tractor and JCB tyres in huge quantities. These sealants contain a high amount of water and slop around at the bottom of the tyre, so when they are installed in a high speed tyre (over 20mph) they are extremely hazardous, and many rust wheel rims and corrode alloys. The worst that can happen is that large rubber chunks can log jam in a large punctured hole that has secondary damage, and because rubber will stay slippery when wet, the seal can fail with high speed. Even the many sealants that also contain fibres are useless because they usually contain the wrong type of fibre that ball up in a high speed tyre. The inexpensive and inferior polymers in these products will also separate and dry up due to heat after 500 to 2,000 miles. With these sealants, once separation begins, there is no recovery. Another problem that is inherent in many sealants is their inability to disperse throughout the inner tyre. They readily flow to the bottom of the tyre, almost like water. The fast rotating tyre forces the sealant into a narrow band against the outermost portion of the tyre's inner surface, causing the sealant to remain in the centre portion of the tread area, allowing no protection elsewhere. Consequently, porosity and bead leaks continue to exist giving rise to under-inflation. Because under inflation makes tyres run hotter and wear faster, they become subject to punctures and road hazard damage. Hot rubber simply has less resistance to cuts and punctures. Although an uneven road surface will cause this type of sealant to splash around, the outwards centrifugal forces will always pull the product back to the centre of the tread area. Any punctures that these products seal in a high speed tyre is usually short lived with failure of the seal inevitable within a month or two due to extreme heat and polymer shrinkage in the puncture.

So, what type of product do you need that will work effectively in a high speed tyre, and will be 100% safe? We at PunctureSafe endeavoured to formulate a polymer gel that would stay liquid up to speeds of 150 mph, and that would only seal a hole that was safe to seal because it was recovering in size from a puncture because secondary damage had not occurred to the cords, or rubber had not been lost as a result of that puncturing object, which is usual with objects like glass and screws. We managed to formulate a thixotropic liquid gel of over 12 polymers, all working together to withstand extremes of heat and stress forces. Most importantly we developed a combination of special fibres and very small, low density rubber particles that work with the polymer gel to create a safety product of outstanding abilities. An effective sealant for high speed will be thixotropic and in a gel form. Thixotropic describes a compound of a framework of one kind of particle, which supports other particles within the substance, and is semi solid or gel like. When a force is applied, the bonds between the particles in the suspension become weaker, and the substance loses some of its structure. It then behaves more like a liquid and the viscosity decreases as the sheer force increases, returning to the gel state upon standing. PunctureSafe's thixotropic sealant gel is manufactured by a secret proprietary process, not mixed like a cake recipe. Good sealants should not be ethylene glycol based and contain a combination of fibres, particulates, pigments, adhesion agents, rust/corrosion inhibitors, thixotropes, viscosity control agents and PH retainers, which all come together to form an air-impervious plug in the event of a puncture. The plug should maintain flexibility because of plasticising additives, so it flexes with the tyre and positively remains in place sealing the puncture. Though thixotropic, such formulas regain their fluidity due to kinetic energy from tyre revolution. Adhesion agents should be added to hold the sealant in place after the vehicle has stopped. An effective sealing compound remains in a thixotropic gel state and will resist flowing to the bottom of the tyre by actually clinging to the entire inner surface, stretching as the centrifugal forces increase, acting as a thermal conductor, transferring heat from areas of higher temperature, to areas of lower temperature. This thixotropic state allows the compound to stretch as sheer forces increase and revert back to its original viscosity as the sheer forces diminish, and also prevents the centrifugal force from separating the various polymers. Also this thixotropic state is what protects the polymer gel, allowing the sealant to last beyond the life of the tyre. In the event of a puncture the sealant is squeezed into the hole assisted by air pressure and capillary action, and as the puncture rolls off the load point, leaves the fibres, particulates and polymers in the hole to cure. Repeated rotation of the tyre under normal load deposits more fibres etc, until the seal becomes extremely tight. Fibres, unlike rubber are very coarse surface, and once they have keyed and intertwined together in a hole that is shrinking and has recovered in size, they become very strong and are permanent. Our combination blend of small rubber particles and special fibre is extremely safe, compared with chunky rubber when they seal a hole, as they will not bridge a large gap. If cords are cut or rubber has been lost in a puncture, then fibres will slowly bleed out of the hole giving a controlled deflation. Our fibre blend will only stay in place where there is a good thickness of rubber, which is why you will get a controlled deflation with a puncture to the much thinner sidewall. It is the ability of our special blend of fibres, to distinguish what is safe to seal, and what is not, that gave rise to our marketing slogan “PunctureSafe is a clever thinking product”. Any legitimate sealant manufacturer shouldn't make the claim that a high speed tyre will never go flat with its sealant installed, otherwise this raises the question of safety.

95% of punctures are straightforward with nails cleanly penetrating between the cords causing little damage. If a good sealant is present, then the lubrication from the sealant will usually help expel the nail sooner rather than later, helping to avoid secondary damage. When the nail is expelled; the puncture recovers to a tiny hole, and if a good sealant is present within the tyre, it will positively seal the hole safely. If the puncturing object is at a bad angle and left in for any length of time, secondary damage may occur, so when the object is removed you should get a controlled and slow deflation. Glass and screws are notorious for causing this type of damage by cutting the cords and gouging tyre rubber away leaving a cavity, which is not usually seen by the naked eye. In this instance a good reputable sealant will slowly and safely let the tyre down in a controlled manner, and sometimes halt the air loss at about 10 to 15psi, which could allow the driver/rider remove the vehicle from a possible dangerous location. With the correct amount of sealant installed, tyre balance will not be upset in a well balanced wheel. With a bad sealant fitted to an unbalanced or out of round tyre you will get an effect of hydronomics (motion of fluids). An out of balance wheel rotates eccentrically, causing a dislocation of mass toward the centre of gravity, but away from the geometric centre of the wheel, producing vibration. In a well balanced tyre, thixotropic sealant gels containing adhesion agents can dampen the occasional shudder or vibration because they are distributed by centrifugal force to the centre of gravity, causing the geometric centre and the centre of gravity to become aligned.

Why Is PunctureSafe Beneficial in a Tyre?

The majority of flats and blow-outs are a result of driver negligence. The number one cause being excessive heat generated from under inflation. The overheated, under inflated tyre becomes soft and can be penetrated very easily. However, under inflation creates additional problems such as tread and ply separation, all of which is primarily caused by porosity (natural air migration) which exists in all tyres to some degree. PunctureSafe eliminates air migration and prevents the majority of damage created by under inflation, thereby preventing most related blow-outs. Once Puncturesafe has been installed, it conditions the tyre making the rubber supple, thereby helping to reduce sidewall cracking, deterioration, and porosity.

Heat in a tyre is critical, because it helps with traction (helps the tyre stick to the road) but excessive heat is a major problem. Heat on the outside of the tyre caused by contact with the road eventually makes its way to the inside causing hotspots, but because rubber is a poor conductor, very little of this heat makes its way to the rim, which is a wheels natural heat sink. Eventually, this heat inside, builds up, causing punctures, blowouts, excessive tyre wear, and eventual failure. This is where PunctureSafe can help. The PunctureSafe treatment deals with this heat in two ways, it disperses then conducts the heat to the rim, via Puncturesafe's liquid inner tyre coverage, and also due to the fact a little of the secret liquid polymer formulation within the product vapourises whilst the vehicle is in motion, and the heat from this vapour is transferred by condensation to the rim with contact, where it is then passed to the outside environment. What you have now, is a perfectly performing tyre, which has the correct temperature on the outside to maintain traction, and cool on the inside, which will help stop tyre failure and help extend tyre life considerably.

Puncturesafe's proprietary process does not use any glue to make a seal, so PunctureSafe is the answer to the problem of the patch that fails due to excessive heat. On the contrary heat is very beneficial to this process, therefore the seal cannot fail due to heat. If the casing becomes damaged or weakened to the point of being unsafe, the PunctureSafe formulation has been designed to slowly bleed regardless of how small the puncture may be, giving a controlled deflation. Cords are instrumental in rubber recovery, and without cords a tyre will blow up like a balloon. When cords are severely cut, the hole in the tyre will enlarge with increased air pressure, so in a moving vehicle, PunctureSafe will assist to give this controlled deflation as the hole shrinks with increasing air loss and reducing air pressure. With Puncturesafe, and a controlled deflation, a tyre will deflate at a rate depending on the extent of the damage, then as the tyre reaches the lower pressures of 10 to 15 psi, a severe slow down or halt in air loss will be experienced as PunctureSafe's unique formulation and synthetic fibres are now log jamming in a puncture that is now shrinking in size because of these much lower air pressures. You could now be running on a soft tyre instead of the wheel rim, which could mean the difference between keeping control or losing control. This is possible because we do not use chopped up rubber tyres in our formulation, we use small particle size soft rubber and 5 different sizes of specially manufactured “course surface” synthetic fibres which interlock tightly together in the puncture.

PunctureSafe's abilities and performance is not diminished by speed, distance or time

No excessive heat, no punctures,no excessive tyre wear.

Key Attributes

  • PunctureSafe maintains air pressure, retards aging within the casing, reduces heat build-up and increase tyre life.

  • PunctureSafe has the ability to eliminate porosity, air migration and seepage, thereby allowing the tyre to maintain proper air pressure, which in turn will prevent rolling resistance and heat build-up, the biggest cause of high fuel consumption and tyre failure. For retreaders this also prevents the inception of most tread separations & ruptures.

  • PunctureSafe assists in protecting tyres from devastating heat build-up, which is associated with friction caused by under inflation, and/or overloading. PunctureSafe contains specific ingredients that aid in conducting heat away from the tyre, by transmitting additional heat to the rim (which is the tyre's natural heat sink), resulting in a cooler running tyre for any type of equipment or vehicle, regardless of use.

  • PunctureSafe provides safety factors that are not found in any tyre. PunctureSafe will not mask or hide damage that has breached the integrity of the tyre. PunctureSafe is specially formulated to allow any serious puncture (potentially dangerous) to slowly deflate in a controlled manner. This attribute provides safety and aids in alleviating the hazards associated with blowouts. PunctureSafe cannot create a secure seal in any tyre that has major internal damage, regardless of the puncturing object's diameter. This is because PunctureSafe needs rubber recovery in order to work effectively. Cords play a vital part in rubber recovery, but in a puncture that has damaged cords puncturesafe and air will slowly bleed out of the tyre giving the driver a controlled deflation.

  • PunctureSafe's proprietary process protects the sealant against heat and provides the ability to overcome the centrifugal force of a rotating tyre. PunctureSafe's abilities & performance does not diminish with speed, distance or time.

  • PunctureSafe provides a coating that clings to more of the inner tyre, thereby providing protection for the tyre at all times.

  • PunctureSafe seals are positive and secure, thereby transforming any tyre into a self-sealing tyre. PunctureSafe is capable of sealing tread area punctures caused by puncturing objects up to 6 mm in diameter, as long as the puncturing object has not severely damaged and/or weakened the tyre's structural integrity. PunctureSafe cannot create a secure seal in any tyre that has major internal damage, regardless of the puncturing object's diameter.

  • PunctureSafe is completely water-soluble in its liquid state, and leaves no residue when rinsed with plain water. Yet it will not dissolve within a puncture after it has cured. Standard repairing procedures can be utilised without additional effort.

  • PunctureSafe contains a complete rust and corrosion inhibiting system that not only protects steel and alloy wheels, but in a puncture, PunctureSafe's proprietary process will also protect steel belts. Outside contaminants are prevented from leaching back into the puncture, which would cause the steel belts to rust and the ply’s to separate. Without PunctureSafe's protection, the contaminants would quickly destroy valuable casings.

  • Treating a tyre with the recommended amount of PunctureSafe does not provide for an excessive amount of product to accumulate in the tread area, therefore the tyre is not subjected to a mass of substance (common with many tyre sealants) that would create an imbalance. PunctureSafe cannot create an imbalance due to the ability to evenly coat the inner surfaces of the tyre subjected to normal centrifugal force.

    If the suspension is worn beyond specified tolerance, or a tyre/rim assembly is not balanced and/or trued, the abnormal centrifugal force generated will have enough gravitational force to pull PunctureSafe off the vertical surfaces and collect in the problem area thereby increasing the "existing" imbalance problem. If the problem is severe enough the driver will feel a vibration. The vibration indicates that a problem pre-existed in the tyre assembly or suspension prior to installing Puncturesafe.

  • The majority of flats and blowouts are a result of driver negligence. The number one cause being excessive heat generated from under inflation. The overheated, under inflated tyre becomes soft and can be penetrated very easily. However, under inflation creates additional problems such as tread separations, ply separations and tread ruptures. All of the above is primarily caused by porosity (natural air migration) which exists in all tyres to some degree.

    PunctureSafe eliminates air migration and prevents the majority of damage created by under inflation, thereby preventing most related blowouts. The sealing capabilities of PunctureSafe are unparalleled by any tyre sealant, worldwide.

  • Tyre manufacturers state that tyre sealants do not void their warranties unless it can be proved that the additive caused a problem to the tyre structure. PunctureSafe's polymer composition is completely compatible with all tyre components.

  • PunctureSafe conditions the casing and retards aging. Plus, the ability to be thoroughly cleaned out of the tyre assures no hindrance for inspection. The product is non-toxic, non-hazardous, non-flammable, does not present a disposal problem and has no compatibility problems.

How Does PunctureSafe Function Inside a Tyre?

It is very important that you understand two aspects regarding the performance characteristics of a tyre, in order to fully comprehend how PunctureSafe Tyre Life Extender/Conditioner actually functions, along with and as part of the tyre

  • Rubber recovery within a tyre, is very important in conjunction with PunctureSafe. When a tyre is punctured, the rubber is forced open by the penetrating object. The puncture is actually much smaller than the puncturing object.

    Rubber has memory and it will recover to its original shape after being subjected to adverse conditions or stress factors. When the penetrating object is removed, the rubber recovers and the puncture closes (a tyre that is old, worn out and/or dry rotted will have little or no rubber recovery).

    A penetrating object left in a tyre for any extended period of time causes the rubber to temporarily lose its ability to recover. After removing the puncturing object, it is recommended to immediately flex the tyre to reactivate the rubber's memory. As the puncture closes, PunctureSafe is held in place by the strength and integrity of the tyre and will then create a positive secure seal.

  • Tyres are constantly flexing when a vehicle is driven. The weight of the vehicle, the irregular surface of the road, and the turning of the tyres create a substantial amount of flexing.

    Once the puncturing object is removed, it is important for the PunctureSafe seal to be forced into and through a puncture. Once this is accomplished the seal cures and becomes a positive secure seal.

    Manual tyre flexing (off the vehicle) can be accomplished by removing the puncturing object and then striking the tyre several times with a mallet around the puncture area and/or bouncing the tyre against the ground. This method creates a temporary seal that will become positive once the tyre is installed onto the vehicle and driven approximately 3 to 5 miles.

  • NO! There are many variables in tyre construction. In order for a tyre sealant to function properly the tyre sealant manufacturer must have knowledge of the sealant and tyre compatibility, plus have the knowledge and ability to perform exhaustive testing that will assure that the sealant new or used is compatible.

    Compatibility and chemical composition is important when a sealant is new in order to meet Health and Safety requirements, but most importantly is what happens to the tyre sealant formulation after it has been run a few thousand miles, and exposed to the normal heat in a tyre and the shear and stress that results from the centrifugal force generated in a rolling tyre.

    Most generic tyre sealants can become toxic and/or an environmental hazard. Heat build-up is an important factor and the primary reason average generic tyre sealants fail to perform as claimed.

  • Once the initial driving/usage period has been attained (3 to 5 miles), Puncturesafe will be distributed over the crown area and after 1500+ miles throughout more of the inner surface of the tyre. PunctureSafe makes a very thin coating which has the ability to remain suspended on to the tyre.

    It's PunctureSafe's proprietary process that prevents the formulation from separating and/or migrating to the tread area.

    PunctureSafe is a liquid coating that conditions the inner surface and eliminates porosity and bead leaks as minute amounts of air attempt to escape. PunctureSafe continuously stands on guard to protect tyres against air loss from punctures for the tyre's legal tread life.

    When a tyre is punctured, PunctureSafe is forced against and around the puncturing object by the inner air pressure, thereby preventing air from escaping.

    If the puncturing object is thrown out of the tyre by centrifugal force or is pulled out, the inside air forces PunctureSafe into the puncture and immediately stops air loss. Special fibres entwine, forming a seal, then as the rubber recovers (see rubber recovery), aided by the flexing of the rotating tyre, the inner air pressure forces the seal well into and through the puncture.

    Once PunctureSafe is exposed to outside air, a unique curing process begins. The seal extends well into and through the puncture and once cured provides a seal that is impervious to water.

    The cured seal, is then transposed into a positive rubberised seal, thereby protecting the inner casing and steel belts by preventing outside contaminants from leaching into the wound.

  • People often ask "If PunctureSafe cures from exposure to outside air, then why does it not cure by the air inside of the tyre?"

    As the vehicle is driven and the temperature of the tyre increases, a portion of PunctureSafe's liquid base evaporates within the tyre's inner air cavity, as the tyre cools, the vaporised liquid condensates back into the formula. The inside air actually becomes part of the PunctureSafe system. The sealed air chamber prevents outside air from entering or inside air from escaping. Constant air pressure resetting is not required. Tyres and air pressure should be inspected during routine maintenance.

  • It is extremely important to understand how PunctureSafe's proprietary process, not found in any other tyre sealant, prevents any balance issues prevalent in the majority of other sealants.

    PunctureSafe clings to the inner surface of a properly balanced and true (round) tyre. The centrifugal force that is created within a high-speed tyre actually stretches PunctureSafe much like a rubber band; however, it will not pull PunctureSafe off the inner surface of a properly balanced tyre.

    A sufficiently out of round and/or out of balance tyre can create enough adverse force that could pull the coating of PunctureSafe from the tyre's inner sidewalls. If a tyre requires an excessive amount of weights to be installed to achieve a good reading on the balancer, the tyre should be inspected for defects and corrected prior to installing PunctureSafe. PunctureSafe cannot correct an existing problem and may aggravate an adverse situation.

    The proper amount of PunctureSafe for high speed vehicles has been scientifically calculated to provide the proper coating to the inner surface of the tyre, allowing for absorption into the casing, yet still maintain a reserve.

    The reserve (approximately 20% of the installed amount) is extra PunctureSafe that will shift/move. Only the reserve will settle to the bottom of the tyre when the vehicle stops. The reserve constantly redistributes as the tyre rotates, thereby continually providing an even coating. Each time a puncture occurs, a small amount of reserve is used.

Tyre pressure monitoring systems

Caution - when fitting Puncturesafe you may cause the sensor to be coated and thus affect its performance. We recommend that once the installation is complete you inflate the tyre to the correct pressure (with the valve core not in situ) then remove the airline to get a powerful blast of air that will clean any sealant left in the valve.

We supply a tyre sealant for sealing punctures in the tyre of a vehicle, and because Tyre pressure monitoring systems can be fickle and prone to failure with or without a sealant present, we advise that you take a cautious approach when fitting our puncture prevention treatment, we advise that the installation is done with the utmost of knowledge. Problems with tyre pressure monitoring systems in conjunction with the installation of a tyre sealant/puncture prevention treatment is extremely small compared with the millions of tyre sealant installations carried out all over the world yearly.

Some ‘Direct’ TPMS have small-bore valves that will not allow regular sealant to enter. Puncturesafe UK recommends that you consult your vehicle manufacturer to check whether their internal TPMS system is sealant-friendly before fitting a puncture prevention treatment.

External ‘Indirect’ TPMS, that measure the speed of each wheel/tyre and use regular valves, are of course always puncture prevention treatment compatible.