Homemade Tire Bead Sealer
by Wirnani Garner
Homemade tire bead sealant can be used on various types of tires. Using it is necessary for them to seal correctly and prevent rim and bead leaks. These sealants are designed to be drawn to area of the air leak and form a plug preventing more damaging from occurring. Although you can purchase these sealants at the hardware store, you can also make your own right at home. There are several different recipes that you can use depending on what you have in your basement or garage.
Safety Precautions
With chemical ingredients, protective clothing is advisable. The least amount of protection should be a good set of gloves. They do include the same type of common cleaning materials, however, so the toxic effects are no more than using regular sealant and various cleaning solutions.
If you are concerned about the environmental effects, these homemade sealers may actually have less of a toxic effect than commercially made ones depending on the brand. The amounts of sealant that is used for each tire is not enough to harm animals. For the proper disposal of old or leftover sealant, place it in a jar with the lid closed tightly.
Basic Ingredients
The basic ingredients that you should check for to make the sealer include mold builder latex, windshield washer, slime, glitter or rubber dust and tap water.
These ingredients will allow you to make the basic sealer. The proportions that you use them in will depend on your tire, what you are comfortable with, and even your climate may affect its usefulness. Always check the consistency of the sealer before using it, and test it thoroughly.
Recipes
The proportions of the ingredients for each of these recipes are simply mixed in a jar and applied when needed. One of the best ones consists of 1 part tubeless slime, 2 parts water, 2 parts windshield washer, 2-4 parts latex, plus silicone until the desired consistency. It may seem a bit watery at first, but it sticks well. The color will be a shade of greenish-brown. Add some glitter or rubber dust for thickener.
Other recipes include 8 parts liquid latex mixed with 4 parts windshield washer; 5 parts liquid latex, 5 parts water, and 3-4 parts tubeless slime; and you can also try 3 parts liquid latex, 1 part tubeless slime, and 8 parts water. Of course there are many more proportions that you can try using the same ingredients. One slightly different one would be 1 part liquid latex, 1 part regular non-tubeless slime, plus 3 parts windshield washer fluid. That last one is if you prefer to use non-tubeless slime or if you already have it. There is no need to purchase the tubeless slime.
References
Writer Bio
Wirnani Garner holds a Bachelor of Science degree in physical therapy and works in the medical profession. Her articles focus on health-related subjects, though Garner is proficient in researching and writing about a diverse range of topics.
