There is no convenient time to have a flat tire, however, being able and ready to take care of it yourself is a great skill to have. While replacing the tire with a spare is the ideal way to go, there are times when that is not possible. Not only that, but car makers are now skipping the spare, making tire repair kits for your vehicle an essential tool to have on hand.
These tire repair kits are readily available, they are affordable, and they are not that hard to use. This list of essential tire repair kits for your vehicle includes a range of options. From a compact kit to a comprehensive solution, take a look at what is available now.
Tire Repair Kits for Your Vehicles
Slime 50123 Flat Tire Repair Kit (Digital)
Top Pick: The Slime digital tire repair kit is designed to fix your flat tire in just minutes. The kit includes a compressor and sealant in an all-in-one unit. You hook it up to your flat tire, plug it in the cigarette lighter in your car and push a button. The sealant will keep the tire inflated for up to three days or 100 miles on highway vehicles.
Slime 50123 Flat Tire Repair Kit (Digital)
AirMan ResQ Pro+ Tire Repair Kit
Runner Up: Just like the top pick, the AirMan ResQ Pro+ is an all-in-one unit. This kit also includes a compressor and a 450ml long-lasting eco sealant along with an LED light for nighttime operation and adaptors for bicycle tires, balls, inflatable toys and more. The company says the product has a 6-year shelf life.
AirMan ResQ Pro+ Tire Repair Kit
TL Tooluxe 50002L Universal Heavy Duty Tire Repair Kit
Best Value: This kit is both affordable and effective in quickly repairing a flat tire. It includes just enough tools to make a repair on the road and it comes with one can of Fix-a-Flat to inflate your tire. This kit has one of the highest reviews on Amazon, with 79% giving it a 5-star rating.
TL Tooluxe 50002L Universal Heavy Duty Tire Repair Kit
BETOOLL Tire Repair Kit
If you want a compact, no-nonsense, and well-made tire repair kit, then the BETOOLL is the one for you. The company starts with a 24-piece kit and goes all the way up to an 89-piece kit. The tool works on cars, jeeps, trucks, SUVs, ATVs, motorcycles, tractors, lawnmowers, toy haulers, trailers and more.
Boulder Tools – Heavy Duty Tire Repair Kit
Boulder Tools gives you a LIFETIME WARRANTY on its 56-piece tire repair kit that includes 30 superior brown tire plugs. According to the company it has engineered these tools to be strong and the last one you will need. With thousands of reviews, 81% have given it a five-star rating.
Boulder Tools – Heavy Duty Tire Repair Kit
Blackjack KT-340 Tire Repair Tool
The tools in the Blackjack kit are made of solid steel and coated rubber PVC for maximum torque and comfort. And each strand of the plugs in this kit are impregnated with live butyl rubber to completely seal the hole. According to the company, this makes Blackjack tire repairs permanent repairs.
Blackjack KT-340 Tire Repair Tool
Rhino USA Tire Plug Repair Kit
The Rhino USA (86-piece) tire repair kit has a heavy-duty set of tools with a true lifetime guarantee and 100% satisfaction for any reason. From cars to RVs, trailers, tractors, motorcycles, and ATVs, you will be able to quickly fix a tire. In addition to the tools, you also get 60 repair cords and strings.
Rhino USA Tire Plug Repair Kit
MAIKEHIGH Tire Repair Kit
The MAIKEHIGH tire repair kit comes with 68 pieces of heavy-duty universal flat tire plug tool set. This includes 40 self-vulcanized repair plugs to ensure your fixes are robust enough to keep your vehicle running. You get everything from pliers to utility knives in this kit along with an instruction book for an easy three-step process to fix your flat tire.
ORCISH 98Pcs Tire Repair Plug Kit
With 98 pieces, the ORCISH kit is comprehensive in the tools it has. The plugs include five fast tire repair plugs as well as 50 pieces of repair strings made of butyl rubber and natural rubber vulcanization. This ensures they won’t harden over time. The tools are made from high-quality steel and zinc alloy, which is less prone to rust.
ORCISH 98Pcs Tire Repair Plug Kit
ARB Speedy Seal 2 – Universal Heavy Duty Tire Repair Kit
The ARB brand is recognized globally for making 4×4 tools and accessories. So, this kit is designed to fix flat tires no matter where you go. It includes 40 self-vulcanizing repair cords for complete air sealing along with the tools you need. This includes pliers, insertion and reamer tool, blade, Allen key and more.
ARB Speedy Seal 2 – Universal Heavy Duty Tire Repair Kit
What to Look for in a Tire Repair Kit
The flat tire repair kit you choose should take several factors. This includes where you live (if it is a rural area, you might need a more robust kit) the size of your vehicle, tire size, and the load you carry. You should also look into these features.
- High-Quality Tools: You want the tools in the kit to be strong and made from quality materials. Force is required so you don’t want them to bend or break while you are using them.
- Ease of Use: All-in-one tire repair kits make fixing a flat very easy. You can fix a flat in 10 minutes or less with these kits.
- Strong Plugs: The plugs in the kit should at the very minimum get you to a destination where you can have the tire repaired properly.
- Price: This is a product you don’t want to skimp on. Higher quality kits will cost more, but you will be able to rely on the tools when you need them most.
- Size: Tire repair kits come in many different sizes. Find one that fits in your vehicle without taking up a lot of space but includes everything you need in one unit.
- Specialized Tools: Depending on your vehicle, you might need specialized tools. Find kits with the tools you need or buy them separately if need be.
Assembling Your Own Tire Repair Kit
The benefit of buying a ready-made kit is they are cheaper than trying to assemble your own kit. However, if you know what you are doing making your own kit can be beneficial because you won’t have unnecessary items in there.
Here are some of the things you would need in a basic DIY tire repair kit:
- T-Handle spiral probe tool
- T-Handle insert tool
- Replacement insert tool needles
- Allen keys
- Needle nose pliers
- Long lasting sealant
- Rubber plugs
- Heavy duty utility knife/blade
- Pressure gauge
- Valve repair kit
You can make this kit more effective and easier to use by adding a compressor (12V) and/or an all-in-one repair kit.
Remember in most cases these fixes are only temporary so make sure to go to a tire repair shop to have a professional fix your tire. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) and the Tire Industry Association (TIA), you need a patch/plug repair to completely seal the puncture from inside the tire as well as the entire injury channel.
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