REPAIRING PUNCTURES.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 172, 23 July 1929, Page 17

REPAIRING PUNCTURES.

The comparative freedom from punctures of some modern tyres and the almost universal practice of carrying a spare wheel have combined to make it seldom necessary to repair tyres by the roadside. In consequence many new owners never mend a puncture —they merely fit the spare wheel and leave the repair work in the hands of the garage. Sooner or later, however, two tyres will give trouble within a few miles of one another, leaving no other course open to the owner, but to mend one of them. For this reason it is advisable for every motorist to carry a puncture-repair outfit. It is not proposed here to deal with the whole subject of tyre repairs, but there are one or two mistakes frequently made by the novice which need emphasis. The 'most common error lies in applying a,patch to the tube immediately after it has been coated with rubber solution.. If this is done, it will be found difficult to make the patch stick, as it will tend to curl up at the edges. The patch and tube should be liberally smeared with solution and five to ten minutes allowed to eJapse before applying the patch. Another point concerns the use of French chalk, which should always be sprinkled liberally over the tube* It not only prevents the tube from sticking to'the cover, but also acts as a lubricant and tends to stop chafing. French chalk should never be used until the patch has stuck satisfactorily, for there is a danger of it finding' its way under the patch and making it necessary for the whole job to be done again. . \