TYRE CUTS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 290, 2 August 1932, Page 2

TYRE CUTS

SIMPLE REPAIR HINTS. Cuts and gashes in tyres can be : repaired by the motorist with complete success so long as they do not go through more than the first layer of canvas or frabric and are not too long. A cut of an inch in length can be dealt with easily by the motorist, if he goes the right way about it. But it must be done in the right way* or the repair will be of a very temporary nature. There are several good tyre cut fillings on the marlcet made by well known tyre and rubber manufacturers. They will permanently repair a small gash if they are used as directed, and with care and cleanliness. One of the difficulties attending the job is that a cut in the cover, however clean, immediately begins to gape. This is due to the pressure inside the tyre causing the cover to be in tension. i Deflate the tyre completely by taking out the valve inside (in the case of the usua'l Schrader type of valves) so that air can freely enter or leave the tyre. Then, at the point where { the gash occurs, open the tyre cover by pressing it sideways so as to make j the gash gape as much as possible. It can probably be made to open about twice what it will be when fully in- I flated. Now thoroughly clean the sur- ! faces in the gash with petrol or with | methylated' spirit and roughen the j faces which should normally come together. Apply a good self-vulcanising solution to the surfaces and let it stand till nearly dry, not merely "tacky." When this state has' been reached, push in the filling compound, kneading it well into the gash with an old penknife, or with the fingers, and trim it off level with the top surfaee of the cover. Let it stand for 24 hours if possible, and then inflate the tyre. It will be found that the cover actually compresses on the rubber and makes it bulge outward. Inflate fully, and afterward, with a sharp knife, wetted, cut the protruding rubber off to the conformation of the tyre tread surfaee. Deep cuts which penetrate right through the foundation cannot be satisfactorily treated (except as a ' temporary repair) in this manner, but should be opened, built up with layers of overlapping canvas and new tread rubber, and vuleanised. This is obviously a specialist's job and cannot be undertaken by the motorist who has not the experience , or the plant required.