[Xrat]

As I wait for the Yeti arrival I've been thinking about the lack of a spare wheel on the Greenline Elegance. I'm happy with the spec and have no intention to retro-fit a spare tyre. However it does leave me with the messy gunge repair kit and all the pitfalls when visiting the tyre shop for a permanent repair. I was thinking of buying a Stop'n'Go Tire Plugger ( It's American hence the spelling). I've had one for my motorbike for a year now and quite frankly it is amazing in its simplicity. I had checked the website and it does mention it can be used on car tyres. If you haven't seen one in action go to www.stopngo.com . With the supplied Skodainflator it may be a useful piece of kit. Does anybody have any alternative fixes?

 

[The Hood]

HiThis is something which is very much personal preference and could prove quite a lively topic. I have driven over 500,000 miles in cars and have only had one puncture.

Here's where I show my age, back in my Triumph Bonneville days (£396 brand new and made at Meridan!) a new product came onto the market called Tyre weld, intended to seal and re-inflate a tyre, it wasthe predessesor of all the tins of goo. It was used mainly by trail bike riders as an insurance, in case they got a puncture. I bought a can but gratefully never got round to using it.
I have looked at the website (video did not work) the plugger may be legal in the US but have you checked if it is over here? If it is legal to use over here, sods law says the puncture would happen in the dark and rain and if you were able to find the hole it would be in the most awkward place possible. Putting you at risk, laying under the cartrying to align the applicator to the inside tread of a rear tyre with your legs sticking out for someone to run over.
I went for a spare tyre so cannot comment with authority of the efficiency of the aerosol approach. Two work mates had punctures, tried the goo and it did not work, one would not seal, the other could not re-inflate his flat tyre due to the limited ability of the compressor (lost rim seal). My son damaged a tyre on his car which could not be repaired and was taken with wheel to a tyre depot to get a VERY expensive tyre fitted and much time lost.
My spare and its additional storage boxes use up quite a lot of boot height, but I do not fill my boot that often.Another option woud be to buy a spare wheel and have a tyre fitted thenget a jack and storage bag to hold all of them. Then you would have more options either to rely on the plugger (if legal) or goo, or to load the bagged spare wheel upright in the boot which takes up less space. That way if you don't want the hassle of changing a wheel you could try the goo, and if that failed rather than be stranded still have the option of a wheel change.
I travel abroad, if you do the same you would need to check up about the plugger in each country you pass through. An old motorbike habit that I still have is to check my tyres for stones and nails each weekend, prevention is better than cure.
I expect there will be others saying I am wrong but it is individual choice, you could always take the bagged spare out of the boot if you needed the space and then rely on the compressor.

 

[Tech-Yeti]

Unfortunately there isn't a quick fix, looks like it may be cleaner, but, its still only a temp repair as all tyre repairs in the UK must be done from the inside with a mushroom type plug, repairs from the outside were done away with years ago.

 

[Xrat]

It's nice to spark a bit of a debate. As always this would be viewed as a temporary measure with a view to getting a full repair as soon as possible. As to the legality of it this is a grey area. I can not think of any Construction and Use Regulations that would cover this. Having just exited the wonderful world of traffic enforcement after 30 years I would only consider the general condition of the tyre and if it was fit for purpose.Defining the purpose would always hinge on the use at that time. If those were the facts I would use the benefit of the doubt approach. I have had punctures on the bike and have had a temporary plug fitted by both the AA and Greenflag with the warning of max speed of 50MPH and immediate permanent repair as soon as possible.
Roadside repairs are always fraught with danger and the times I've dealt with incidents of pure stupidity are countless, for example wheel changing in lane 3 of the M25.

As for the EU wide legality I can only think that the Germans, Austriansand Swiss may frown upon it. I knew someone who would travel 60 milesfrom Germany into Holland for his tyre needs just to avoid the draconia German TUV rules. On a slightly different note I have never seen a successful liquid temporary repair. Has anybody?

Of course there arealways 'Run Flats' but that's another debate.

 

[wakev]

Hi
I have the gunge as I did not go for the factory fit spare, but with my compo from skoda for late delivery I did get a spare.



I am happy to do day today trips with only the gunge in the boot, but if we go away for the weekend or do a long run i put the spare in and strap it down, plus I then have the chance to repairer two punchers if I had the need to, but saying that the last 3 punchers in my van have all been the valve stem perishing all four tyres having done 7 years and 60000 miles

.



I have seen the gunge (not the skoda stuff) seal a 50mm split in a tractor tyre and kept it going for 2 months, only had to pump it up every 2 days to keep it up to pressure (12psi),from memory it was a few years ago and I'm getting old

it was called stop and had long fine fibers in it and had to put in 10lts for the tyre size

 

[fizzy]

The Hood. I am after a spare wheel and jack for my Yeti. Do you know the best place on the internet to source them please? I have searched the Skoda websites for parts manuals without success. Cheers. Fizzy. (New member).

 

[The Hood]

HiHere is a wheel and tyre
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GENUINE-SKODA-YETI-EMERGENCY-SPARE-WHEEL-TYRE-/170614410995?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item27b9694ef3
But by the time you add a jack, tool set and boot floor it gets expensive
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GENUINE-SKODA-YETI-EMERGENCY-SPARE-WHEEL-TOOL-KIT-/180638283138?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item2a0ee17582
You could buy a used wheel either with or without a tyre. You need to check the number of and spacing of the stud holes (PCT) the rim offset (ET) and the centre spigot hole. Here is a website that will explain what all these are and list what other cars have wheels that fit your car.
http://www.wheelfitment.eu/etwaarde.php
Your could get a jack from a motor factor,Halfords, Ebay,or these poeple who do a hydraulic scissor jack.
http://www2.westfalia.net/search/index.php?suche=fact_finder&suchbegriff_fact_finder=scissor+jack
If you get a smaller wheel it would reduce the cost of the tyre, i.e. from 225/50/17 to 215/60/16. You need to make sure the circumference is the same or as close as possible,this website will help
http://www.alloywheels.com/Tyre_Calculator
Or here is a Skoda breakers yard who may have what you want
http://www.skospares.com/index.php
Hope this helps

 

[pyratepeter]

I have just had a puncture and the gunge did not work!. Took Yeti for a 10 minute drive after putting gunge in, and when I got back it had lost about half the pressure. To add insult to injury when I used the electric pump that comes with the kit, for the second time, it started smoking (and I didn't run it for more than the 8 minute maximum!). Pumped up with another pump and an hour later it was looking pretty flat. Rang Skoda breakdown service ( I.e. the RAC) and have arranged for them to come between 7.30 and 8.30 am, but looks like I will be late for work!!

Thinking a run flat tyre would be a good replacement. At least that way you are not completely immobolised. I was lucky in that I managed to get home before tyre was completely flat (and hopefully no damage to the wheel!?). Has anybody had run flat tyres fitted? Are they recommended for a Yeti???

 

[Llanigraham]

You cannot use a runflat tyre on a Yeti.
One, the wheel is not designed for them.
Two, do you have Tyre Pressure Warning system fitted?
Three, the Yeti has not been Type Approved for their fitment, so you could invalidate your insurance.

 

[plbxr]

Xrat, while tyre plugs and liquid sealant have their place, you may want to consider that they are only of use if the puncture is through the tread of the tyre. Don't forget that the 17 inch wheels are fitted with low profile tyres and a ruptured sidewall or bent rim can only be "fixed" in the field by replacing the flat with a spare wheel.
All Australian spec Yetis come with the temp spare wheel kit as a standard fitment with the vehicle. I think that pretty much speaks for itself.




Edited by: plbxr

 

[Chocki]

I had a puncture in my works van the other day and have a Stop n Go kit so used it for the first time, the supplied bradawl is a pile of rubbish but with a battery drill and tyre carbide cutter which I have amongst my tools, the plug was soon fitted and I went on my way. 70 miles along the motorway no problem.Tyre was close to worn out so had it replaced the next day but I had a look at the temporary plug repair and found that it was very good, even the tyre technician who had not seen one of these before said that it was very secure and worked well as a temporary repair.

Note the word Temporary, this is not a repair but a temporary fix to get you to a garage and will only work on the central 70% T area of the tyre.

 

[Jimmy]

Interesting one Chocki. Some years ago in Ireland I had a puncture in a hire car tyre. Insurance doesn't cover tyres so I was advised to go to a local garage who repaired the tyre as you describe without even deflating it, which cost 5 euros. My only worry was the legality. I'll add the Stop n go kit to my temporary repair kit!

 

[Yetigreen]

The Latest from Stop & Go...................I carry these on my bike & in the car.



For those of you with no spare wheel.You have goo & compressor?How about one of these...I made an Offer and got it for £18 free p&p.Very good bit of kit.I carry one on the bike as well.

eBay item number: 251880964069

 

[fanjuveen]

I have to say I am in awe and seriously envious of anyone who has only had "one puncture" in umpty ump years!

Whilst admitting I do a lot of Kms, some at high speed on truck infested autoroutes and some on mountain roads, I have not had a puncture in living memory - BUT - i have had FOUR Octavia tyres instantly shredded (wind overturned truck debris, rock fall debris, razor kerb in filling station and sodding great screw left by some careless trade soul!) In 4 years!!!!!

And, with no spare, would have been b******d! Aso, the quality (lack thereof) of the so called metal used for Security Bolts being appalling, I have almost been.immobilised by that when changing Wheels.


Don't know what anyone else thinks but I got rid of my 4 Security Bolts as soon as I could replace them with normal ones!?

(Snow White 4x4 TDI 170 BHP Elegance equipped with Spare and Floor added, plus SIP Bottlejack (easily stowable.) By the way, anyone else with a 170 Donk find it a seriously greedy beast? Think I made a big mistake there - should have gone for 140 like the Scouts. But the dramatic accelerayion can be magic when occasionally needrd.)

 

[fanjuveen]

Sorry about all the Typos. Big fingers on stupid small phone! Useless.

 

[The Hood]

Over here that many punctures would be really rotten luck, although I did manage two at the same time quite a few years ago. An old motorbike habit means that as I walk towards the car I always check the visible tread and pick out any stones etc that I see with an old key I keep with me.

 

[pyratepeter]

I have had 3 punctures in my 2 year old Yeti and in under 25,000 miles. Previous to that I have only had 2 in in over 35 years of motoring/motor cycling (and they were caused by me hittiung boulders at the side of the road!). Are tyres not made so well these days?

Really regret not getting a spare wheel. Did manage to reflate the tyre this morning using Slime sealant (for the previous 2 had to call out break down). The pump and sealant that comes with the Yeti is a piece of rubbish. The Yeti pump ended up in the bin. You would think they would supply a decent pump for a car costing over £20K????

 

[Llanigraham]

The only time I've used the pump was to pump up the caravan tyres and I found it excellent, and much better than the old B&D one I normally use.Was quicker, quieter and easier to use.

 

[Chocki]

For a good compressor, may I recommend a Ring RAC 635.Whilst not cheap it is one of the fastest and easy to use compressors going, just pre-set the pressure and away it goes, stops when it gets to the pre-set (Which is remembered for next time so no need to set it again). Fits in one of the cubby holes along side the spare wheel if you have one.

 

[Greenline II]

Tyre plug kits are definitely for the confident DIYer. I have used tyre plug kits for many years and many punctures have been resolved. It IS safe if done properly. Do not attempt ANY tyre repair alongside a busy road or motorway. Call Greenflag, RAC, etc. Your life is worth more than the callout charge. When I see my tyre going flat in the drive or car park, only then do I attempt a repair if the tyre is still on the rim, which it usually is. With a proper kit and an added set of needle-nose pliers, pull out the screw, nail, stone, etc, and then ream out the hole with the supplied round rasp. Then thread the sticky brown/black "noodle" (repair plug) through the other handle that resembles a screwdriver. Push the repair plug through the now-widened hole until only 2cm is still sticking out. Then abruptly pull out the tool, leaving the repair plug inside the tyre. Gently use a stanley knife to cut the excess plug fairly even with the tyre tread--it's ok if a little still sticks out--it will wear down to be even with the tyre tread. Then re-inflate the tyre. Happy driving.