If you’ve been driving for any length of time, you’ve no doubt had your fair share of “car tyre incidents.” We, the team here at PetrolPrices.com certainly have! As such, we’ve put together this list of handy car tyre gadgets that can help get you out of trouble if you experience a puncture, and keep your tyres well looked after at other times.
Keeping car tyres in good condition (specifically inflated correctly) isn’t just about safety, although this is obviously a crucial consideration. Conventional wisdom suggests that fuel economy can vary by as much as 20% based on how your tyres are inflated, so ensuring the correct pressure saves you money as well as keeping you and your family safe.
Furthermore, failure to look after car tyres properly can result in uneven wear – meaning your tyres will need replacing more often. So that’s yet another reason to keep up with the maintenance.
In order to compile this list we’ve identified a range of products to take care of your car tyres, whether or not the worst happens and you end up having to make an unexpected repair.
1. One to get you out of trouble
Slime Tyre Repair Kit
Slime products are something of a household name in car tyre repair (and equally popular with cyclists). This all-in-one kit contains all you need to recover from a puncture at the roadside.
Well worth carrying as a precautionary measure, the kit contains sealant to block up a hole, a valve core remover, and a 12V-powered compressor (to blow the tyre back up after fixing).
Reviews of this product are very positive, with many people online sharing real-life experiences of using Slime to get them to their destination, or somewhere where the tyre could be properly fixed.
Positives:
- Helps you fix a tyre without the need to call a recovery service.
- All you need in one kit.
Negatives:
- Valve remover plastic and flimsy.
- Only for one-off use – whole bottle of sealant is required for one repair.
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2. One to keep your car tyres healthy
Ring RAC600 12V Digital Tyre Inflator
The AA advise checking and correcting tyre pressures every two weeks. While it’s possible to go to a garage forecourt every time, it’s not hugely convenient. Furthermore, many people (quite rightly) object to “paying for air,” especially now some garages have (controversially) started charging more for it.
The solution is to do it at home using a tyre inflator or compressor. This is an Amazon best seller with very positive reviews, and is powered (as usual) using the 12V cigarette lighter socket.
It only takes three and a half minutes to inflate a tyre from flat, and the unit includes some well-thought out features such as night time illumination.
It’s also a handy car tyre gadget to have around for other purposes – such as blowing up inflatable toys and paddling pools in the summer!
Positives:
- Very positive reviews – including accolades from car magazines.
- Easy to read digital display.
- Saves the hassle of visiting a garage forecourt.
Negatives:
- Requires car battery power.
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3. One for the traditionalists
Pedalmax Foot Air Pump
If you prefer to rely on electrical power to blow your car tyres up, you can go for the traditional manual foot pump option.
This heavy-duty German-made pump is perfect for car tyres and well worth keeping in the boot or garage as a backup, even if you do decide on an electrical compressor as your “first resort.”
The pump requires less effort to use than one might expect, and is sturdy enough to pump up motorhome tyres according to customer reviews.
Positives:
- No reliance on electrical power.
- Very durable.
Negatives:
- Would benefit from more detailed instructions.
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4. One for day-to-day checks
RACE X Tyre Pressure Gauge
If you wish to quickly check your tyre pressures without connecting a compressor or garage air pump, your best bet is a tyre pressure gauge like this one from RACE X.
Despite there being numerous digital gauges on the market, we’ve highlighted this mechanical model because reviews of the former always seem inconsistent, with some people happy with reliable and consistent results, and others less so. The vast majority of people highlight the durability of this car tyre gadget and praise its accuracy.
While this particular gadget may not appeal to those who prefer electronic options, it still performed top in a recent Auto Express test.
Positives:
- Durable and solid.
- Highly accurate.
- Perfect for effortless day-to-day checks.
Negatives:
- Nothing of note.
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5. One that does everything!
The Roypow I51
On the face of it, this is just another compressor / tyre inflator, but it comes with all manner of “bells and whistles.”
First off, with the use of an adapter, you can power it using a jump starter – so it can get you out of trouble even without cigarette lighter power available. It also includes an accurate pressure monitor, a selection of flashlight modes, and a very long cable. It can also charge a tyre, from flat, in just three minutes.
Yes, this is more expensive than most of the many tyre inflators on the market, but if only the best will do, this is the option we recommend taking a look at.
Positives:
- Packed with features.
- Jump starter power option.
- Also works for balls, cycles and inflatables.
Negatives:
- Pricey.
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A Word of Warning!
Everyone who drives a car should learn how to properly maintain their tyres, and how to change or repair them at the roadside. However, some studies have suggested that up to 50% of drivers wouldn’t know where to start!
While learning what to do is a recommended priority, we would caution against trying to work on your tyres if you don’t fully understand what you’re doing. Mistakes can prove costly, if not dangerous, so if you’re ever in any doubt, be sure to ask someone who knows what they’re doing.
I’m surprised that you haven’t included anything for checking tyre depth or a remote pressure warning device but you have included three pumps.
Change wheel at roadside
There is an excellent guide titled “The Kamikazee Guide to roadside wheel changing”. There is a section dedicated to motorways…
Word of warning about ‘slime’ temporary puncture repair. Although its really easy to use and did the job beautifully on a nearly new tyre recently, I found Quik Fit and and Auto Express both have a No Fix policy after slime use. Apparently it is not cost effective for them to wash the fluid out and dress the tyre surface for a patch and plug repair. My nearly new tyre was wasted and I had to buy new. Wish I’d called the roadside rescue!
I you own a Mercedes you are unable to change your own wheels.
Why not?
With the torque that some wheel nuts are put on, it’s impossible for for many people to remove the wheel nuts using a car’s own wheel nut brace. Buy an extendable wheel brace with the correct socket as wheel nuts vary and some on alloys need a deep fit. It also allows the not so strong to tighten the nuts properly when they have changed a wheel. Extendable wheel brace costs from £6.00 to £12.00
what you have forgotten is a large lever for your tyre brace…. as most car wheel nuts are put on with a pneumatic type drill, the nuts are extremely hard to get off your car wheel.
You can use an extending lever brace or have a short piece of scaffolding tube that you can add to your existing brace. (that’s what my vehicle recovery had to use to get the nut off my car when I had a flat tyre….
This is probably more essential than the above.
A useful and interesting summary.
Several years ago, when I needed to ensure that my tyres would not let me down when I was working in out of the way places, had an automatic sealant put into the tyres. They sounded different for a while, but seemed to do the job intended. Is this type of protection still available?
I think that using the “slime tyre repair kit” makes it impossible to have the tyre repaired properly. So needs the purchase of a new tyre.
One of the best day to day checks on tyre pressure is a colour changing valve cap. You inflate the tyre to the correct pressure and fit the cap, it then sets itself to the pressure in the tyre and turns green, if the pressure drops 5% it turns yellow and if it drops 10% it turns red. Now all you have to do every couple of days is walk round your car to check what colour the caps are, simple.
Really? I don´t know what Mercedes you own, but I have no problem changing the wheels on my CLK320!
I may be out of date on this, but I think ATS will wash out slimed tyres. Also, although the slime adds to the un-sprung weight, being a fluid it does (I am told) automatically balance the wheel.
I was told not to use a “slime” type tyre repair solution if you had tyre pressure monitoring system, as it could block the holes in the sensor. The sensor would likely need to be replaced if blocked up with this stuff so would probably cost quite a few £££ more onto of the new tyre/repair(if possible).
Good suggestions except one! Julia Sheffield is absolutely right. Use the Slime Tyre (or any other similar tyre seal kit) to seal and blow up your tyre in the event of a puncture and you will have major problems when you go to any tyre fitter for a repair or new tyre. The sealing ‘goo’ makes such a mess of the inside of the tyre that tyre fitters won’t touch the wheel/tyre if one of these kits has been used, because it makes such a mess of their equipment!! The problem is that the goo doesn’t dry inside the tyre and just runs everywhere when the tyre is removed from the wheel. Car manufacturers are supplying these kits, more and more, instead of a spare wheel because it is so much cheaper, but for the car owner it can cause major headaches!!
Hi Bob,
While I have no commercial affiliation with Ultra Seal in any way other than from personal experience, if this is used all that’s required is a hose pipe to flush it all away. It’s no more difficult to move than (say) soft mud on the side of a car. If Kwik Fit or ATS complain about that I’d just go elsewhere.
I’d highly recommend this product, but it ain’t that cheap! http://www.ultraseal.org.uk/index.html
I have a Mercedes and I can change my wheels if one has a puncture as I have done.
I’ve got a spare tyre in my car, which I know is unusual these days but my car is 9 years old!
However, I used Slime when I got a puncture and all tyre shops refused to plug it as the hole was too close to the edge, the tyre was nearly new so I ordered some off Amazon and hey presto.
I’d disagree about the valve remover being flimsy, it did the job perfectly well and you’re only going to use it once
I rode a motorcycle for many years, punctures were not a problem. Crafty plugger was quick and easy to use once you found the hole. It works just as well for car tyres and is a cheap. The only drawback was one had to carry a pump.
That’s because it’s little more than an advert for things sold by Amazon.
The best bit of kit is a spare wheel, which is a very rare animal these days. I had to get one on eBay for my wife’s fiesta. It has been in use twice since. It means the puncture has a chance to be repaired. I think all drivers should practice changing a tyre and it should be a part of the driving test.
If you use a tyre repair kit and it actually works , is the tyre actually repairable afterwards assuming the original damage was in a legally repairable part of the tyre?
Julia’s comment should serve as a warning regarding using Kwikfit and other franchises they have a policy of extracting the maximum profit from jobs hence amongst other dubious practices their ‘free checks’ service I suggest googling Kwik Fit and adding a term like scam or rip off to see how the public see them. I’ve used mousse and independents like Trafford Tyres and other have no problems wiping away the result.
Reply to Dave
Many tyres have indicators between the treads to warn that the tyres are reaching the limit of use.
Many new cars no longer provide spare wheels, even space saver versions and you are merely provided with a can of sealant. How this is supposed to fix a gash in the tyre wall is beyond me.
Having overcome the difficulty of loosening wheel nuts tightened by the garage the next obstacle, and especially for women, is the weight of the wheels. Wide tyres plus rim, alloy or steel, are heavy and lifting/replacing out of the boot along with removing/replacing on the hub is work for a strong arm.
Julia Sheffield is right about the fluid you use to repaire a road side puncher, once you put it in your tyre the tyre cannot be repaired, IF you use the fluid PLEASE read the label for safe driving after use (Your driving speed will matter).
Not entirely true. If the liquid is water soluble, as Slime is, it can easily be rinsed out.
Why? Expand on that please.
Halfords repaired my tyre after I had used a temporary repair seal when Kwikfit etc didn’t want to know.
Unfortunately ike those plugs are not legal anymore. When I used to be on 24 hour recovery they were a godsend especially when no spare was carried
HI all wheel nuts/bolts should be hand tightened and then torqued to the manufactures specification, Air or powered guns should never be used to tighten wheel nuts / bolts as they over tighten them, which in turn stretches the stud/bolt making them extremely week and prone to breaking off and the wheel becoming detached from the vehicle while you are driving .
All wheel nuts / Bolts have a manufactures specific torque setting. Wheel nuts / bolts should never be put back on using an air / power gun as these tend to over tighten the nuts / bolts , stretching them and making them potentially week , leading to them snapping and the wheel falling of the vehicle as u travel along the road.
After a wheel has been removed from a vehicle both surfaces ( wheel to hub surface ) should be cleaned to remove dirt and rust / corrosion (alloy). the wheel nuts / bolts hand tightened then torqued to manufacturers specification for that type of vehicle ( this information can normally be found in vehicles hand book ). wheel nuts / bolts should never be over tightened as this is extremely dangerous ( imagine what happens to a vehicle at 70 mph if a wheel falls off or out side a school , you don’t have to be traveling fast for this to happen but when it does you loose control of vehicle .
I bought an 07 Ford S-max from a Ford show room and all looked good until I went to look at the breaks for the first MOT! no WHEEL BRACE no JACK and no WHEEL and i found a pump that was full of gunk stuff!! first thing down to Halford’s for a wheel brace and jack and on to e-bay for a full size wheel, total cost £91 and now I can do my service and break check, and if I get a puncture I can change the wheel, what is wrong with car manufacturers?
I agree with comments about extendable wheel braces. Whenever I have work done by a garage/tyre depot which involves removal/replacement of wheels I use my extended brace to ease off the wheel nuts and then re-tighten with the brace un-extended. Then I can be sure that if I have a problem on the road the brace in the car tool kit will be sufficient to release the wheel nuts.
fully agree with these comments as have used this and similar products over the years and also been on the dirty end in a motorcycle repair shop and never had a problem fixing punctures after a quick clean out
Not sure who told you that Andy. Most tyre pressure sensing is done from the wheel radius sensing of the abs. I in fact had a tyre that had a slow puncture. Slight rim damage I believe as I had a new tyre which was removed and fitted twice. Still lost about 10 psi every 2 weeks and my tyre pressure sensors were coming on every 2 days. I stuck a tin of tyre weld in the tyre. Not had a problem since. That was 2 years ago and 15000 miles……
i agree i used to carry electrical conduit tube approx 3 feet long undid wheel nuts with one hand
What’s wrong with checking these things before you buy! Don’t blame the manufacturer, blame the idiot who didn’t do the basic checks
Hi 102 pounds sounds an awful lot of torque for a car wheel, most average cars range from 65 to 85 even the old land rovers with 27mm wheel nuts were only 90.
Hi ref your comment on wheel nuts and the tightening of there is a set pounds per square inch pressure they should be set to and is usually stated in any user manual mine is a 102 lbs per square inch this is usually to tight for the supplied wheel brace to remove or at least very difficultif, if you’re garage didn’t do to this method they could be liable if you wheel was to come loosen or come off which at the speeds that cars travel days could have catastrophic results (never travel with under tightened wheel nuts)
I am not surprised that garages will not touch tyres blown up with an aerosol or such like. The owner of the garage I use was a very careful man. He had a tyre to repair which had been blown up with an aerosol. He took out the valve and left it to aerate for an hour. A wheel nut was seized and when he put the blow torch to the nut to free it, the tyre exploded in his face he is dead and the tyre bits left a mark on the roof 20 feet up! These propellants too easily form an explosive mixture with air and must be repeatedly blown up to full pressure and vented, one article I read said at least 10 times before there is too little propellant left to explode. Vent it too little and you have an explosive mixture, you may get away with it many times but one day there will be a spark and boom! I never want to use one of these kits, and I ever do use one of these then I will scrap the wheel and the tyre without taking the tyre off. Life is too precious.
I can change mine; what’s your problem?
Not My problem, but my wife is an Invalid, and has no possibility of changing her wheels, so I insisted that “Run on flat” Tyres were fitted for her, you can run at speeds of up to 50Mph but I found 30Mph to be much better. These tyres can literally be a Life saver, just imagine getting a puncture on a Motorway and only having to slow down to 30Mph instead of having to wait on the Hard shoulder (where they exist) ! Also when you have New Tyres fitted Most places put Nitrogen in, in place of just Air, this allows stability across most conditions, so if you get a slow puncture it will require attention quickly or you risk diluting the Gas and quickening the intervals between neet to inflate!
Full size spare is a must. With no spare and damaged tyre you’ll be in a dangerous place for ages waiting for breakdown service and for them to get replacement tyre at top price. Space saver tyre is so limiting – handling, speed limit (ps where do you put the full size tyre that’s got the puncture?). Spot on comments re extension bar to help remove nuts / studs. I use old metal desk leg. Remember, if you need to replace tyres, normally two at a time, do remember to put new ones to the rear and put existing rear tyres to front. Lots of confirmation with British Tyre Association, Tyre manufacturers, motoring organisations etc. The only people not supporting this important safety recommendation are lazy tyre fitters. Get this agreed before you buy the tyres or go elsewhere.
You can’t move rear to front if you have different wheel/tyre sizes as both mine and my wife’s cars have.
When it comes to doing up wheel nuts properly buy a torque wrench, not expensive at places like Machine Mart. Look up what the torque on wheel nuts are from your drivers manual in the glove box or workshop manual and apply it. My BMW ones are done up to 100 Newton/metres, it’s not rocket science but it’s the correct torque for the bolt as specified. Using an extra piece of pipe to apply more leverage is dangerous as it strains the bolt which can under strain brake, that is why torque settings are so important. All according to how you, and your love ones, value your lives really. After using the torque wrench ALWAYS adjust the tool to ZERO torque on the barrel to preserve the accuracy of the mechanism.
No full-size spare? Should be illegal to sell a new car without one – make it retrospective, do it now. The manufacturers should pay, they can cope with this, someone has to be the first to insist on full-size spares.
My car (second-hand) came with a slimline spare. I replaced with a full-size and discovered that the spare wheel compartment had a spacer to stop the slimline spare banging around. Took the spacer out, full-size spare fits perfectly. What’s the point for a saving of a few pounds on a few thousand pounds?
How often have you had to use the full time spare though? Never I would guess, so you’re carrying round a great lump of metal in the boot and using more fuel than you need to. I don’t mind about you wasting your money but you’d enjoy having a few extra quid in your pocket at the end of the year.
Run Flat Tyres ! ……..I think it is long overdue that the use of these tyres was looked into. They are very expensive compared to “normal” tyres. My experience (and others) is that if you get a puncture and drive on it, no matter how short a distance, the tyre depots will not consider repairing them……..because they have been run on and cannot guarantee the integrity of the tyre. They are a complete con and should be taken out of use. Lets go back to the spare wheel !
I’m surprised that you haven’t included anything for checking tyre depth or a remote pressure warning device but you have included three pumps.
Change wheel at roadside
There is an excellent guide titled “The Kamikazee Guide to roadside wheel changing”. There is a section dedicated to motorways…
Word of warning about ‘slime’ temporary puncture repair. Although its really easy to use and did the job beautifully on a nearly new tyre recently, I found Quik Fit and and Auto Express both have a No Fix policy after slime use. Apparently it is not cost effective for them to wash the fluid out and dress the tyre surface for a patch and plug repair. My nearly new tyre was wasted and I had to buy new. Wish I’d called the roadside rescue!
I you own a Mercedes you are unable to change your own wheels.
Why not?
With the torque that some wheel nuts are put on, it’s impossible for for many people to remove the wheel nuts using a car’s own wheel nut brace. Buy an extendable wheel brace with the correct socket as wheel nuts vary and some on alloys need a deep fit. It also allows the not so strong to tighten the nuts properly when they have changed a wheel. Extendable wheel brace costs from £6.00 to £12.00
what you have forgotten is a large lever for your tyre brace…. as most car wheel nuts are put on with a pneumatic type drill, the nuts are extremely hard to get off your car wheel.
You can use an extending lever brace or have a short piece of scaffolding tube that you can add to your existing brace. (that’s what my vehicle recovery had to use to get the nut off my car when I had a flat tyre….
This is probably more essential than the above.
A useful and interesting summary.
Several years ago, when I needed to ensure that my tyres would not let me down when I was working in out of the way places, had an automatic sealant put into the tyres. They sounded different for a while, but seemed to do the job intended. Is this type of protection still available?
I think that using the “slime tyre repair kit” makes it impossible to have the tyre repaired properly. So needs the purchase of a new tyre.