A lawnmower comes in handy when cutting large areas of grand. However, with regular use, you might experience a flat tire due to rough lawn terrain, sharp objects, or wear and tear. Sometimes replacing the tires may be costly, and the only option left would be to use a sealant to cover up the puncture.
Fix-a-Flat works well for trailers and trucks, but not mower tires. Although the product provides a convenient, fast, and affordable way to fill up the tires, it could end up damaging the wheel.
Read on to learn more about Fix-a-Flat, and why it may not be the best solution to fix your lawn mower tires.
What is Fix-a-Flat?
Fix-a-Flat is a cost-effective and convenient way to cover up a punctured area in the tire. The quick fix product allows you to drive the car to a place where you can get the tire filled and repaired. The eco-friendly solution is designed for flat tire emergencies. The company on their site states that the product is 100% recyclable as it’s made from water-based ingredients.
The sealant won’t damage your tires, and the manufacturer claims that it can maximize your tire life. It’s designed to be an emergency stand by kit and not a permanent solution to a flat on your tires.
The product doesn’t work for every flat tire. If you happen to back over spikes or nails in your yard, have a gash in your sidewall, or have your tire sustain serious damage, Fix-a-Flat won’t help you.
How Does Fix-a-Flat Work?
Fix-a-Flat comes in a can and is designed to seal the hole in your tire. It inflates the tire and makes it easy for you to drive to a nearby gas station and get your tire repaired. The sealant is designed to disperse and fill up the puncture holes with the aid of the heat in the tire.
Why Fix-a-Flat Doesn’t Work on Lawn Mower Tires
Some of the reasons Fix-a-Flat doesn’t work on lawn mower tires include:
It Could Damage a Repairable Tire
Although the product helps to seal a leak on your flat tire, the sealant leaves goo inside the tire. Getting this product off the wheel can be tedious, especially if the product has dried on the tire. If the product doesn’t warm up quickly, it could pool towards the bottom of the tire, and cause wheel misalignment. What’s more, it could damage a repairable tire, and you could end up replacing the tire.
When handling lawn mower tires, it’s best to consult a professional on how to fix a flat instead of using a quick fix product. Moreover, Fix-a-Flat on their FAQ section states that the product should not be used on lawn mower tires.
The Product Doesn’t Fix Major Flat Tire Issues
Although Fix-a-Flat is meant to help cover up flats, it doesn’t work on major flat tire issues. If your tires have gushed sidewalls or a large puncture from nails or screws in your yard, the product will not save you. You’ll need a mechanic to fix your flat tire.
The product isn’t a permanent fix for a flat tire. Moreover, using a sealant may void your tire’s warranty, meaning that the replacement tire will cost you the full price.
Furthermore, the can doesn’t have additional air. That means if your tire is flat and riding close to the rim, the contents in the can won’t provide you with ample air to drive on before getting to the repair shop.
Causes Uneven Tire Wear
While Fix-a-Flat uses centrifugal force to push the chemicals around inside of the tire, this doesn’t guarantee even distribution. The product can lead to heavier sections forming inside your tire, which throws the balance off.
What’s more, the uneven weight leads to uneven tread wear, something that can lead to dangerous driving conditions, particularly in snow or rainy weather.
It Could Damage Your TPMS
Your lawn mower comes with a tire pressure monitoring system. The TPMS senses the air pressure in your tire through a small hole. It’s the TPMS that alerts you to an underinflated or overinflated tire. An under-inflated tire means that you have a leaking tire, which can be a serious issue if not handled.
However, tire sealants like Fix-a-Flat could interfere with your tire pressure monitoring system and keep the pressure constant. It will not alert you if the tire pressure becomes low, something that could damage the sensor if not cleaned quickly.
Not Ideal for Cold Regions
If you live in a cold region, using a Fix-a-Flat may not be for you. The tire sealant can freeze, meaning it will take a while before it defrosts. It freezes when the weather is below 32 degrees outside. On the FAQ page, Fix-a-Flat states that you can thaw the content inside with the car’s heater. However, some people who tried found out that the can doesn’t spray well.
To make it worse, the goo can harden inside your tire, which topples the wheel over, knocking it out of balance. Fix-a-Flat recommends getting to a tire professional before the product freezes in the tire to get your tire repaired correctly.
The Sealant Needs Immediate Action
One thing about the Fix-a-Flat product is that you need to use it and rush to a tire repair professional directly. If you happen to delay and the sealant sits on the tire for long, it could harden. That could lead to corrosion on your wheels.
The outcome is having an unbalanced wheel or your TPMS sensor tampered with. That quick-fix repair could end up costing you hundreds of dollars in the long run.
Cleaning Up is a Mess
Fix-a-Flat injects a sealant into a flat tire to seal the leak. It also adds gas to fill the rest of the tire before you get to a tire professional. Cleaning up the sealant is a mess, especially when the sealant dries up inside the tire. Most service centers do not repair a tire treated with a sealant, meaning you may need to replace the tire.
It Can be Corrosive
Fix-a-Flat uses R134A, which is similar to what a car’s AC uses as a propellant. However, the one in the sealant is water-based, When you combine the two, the result is a corrosive mixture.
The solution can eat away at the rubber, aluminum, and paint. The sealant adheres to the tire when there’s slight corrosion of the rubber. That compromises the tire strength. Leaving the sealant on the rim for too long compromises its integrity. The overall result is a compromise on your warranty and safety.
The good news is that the sealant won’t explode as the manufacturers are now using HFC-134a in the sealant, which is nonflammable,
Summary.
Although Fix-a-Flat is meant to be a temporary fix for flat tires, it doesn’t work on lawn mower tires. It’s designed to be used in automotive highway tires for vehicles like SUVs, trucks, and sedans. Fix-a-Flat shouldn’t be used in tires on lawn mowers or tractors. What’s more, it could end up damaging the tire and putting the wheels out of balance. If you need your lawn mower tires fixed, it’s best to visit a tire repair expert to get your flat fixed.