The ultimate SLIME thread (tire sealant)

[chrisjunlee]

Just wanted to create an easy top level thread for slime newbies like myself, and wanted to document my findings and process.

@Marty Backehas covered this process well in his videos:

• Filling EUC Tire with Slime
• Fixing A Flat With Slime

The fun is in discussing the details of course. 

== Considerations == 

Inner tubes vs tubeless: works with both and there are formulations specific to each one - not sure what differs

Latex vs butyl inner tubes: compatible with both.

== Deformulation (aka what is it?) ==

tube (e.g. Slime Tube Sealant): 1% rubber latex, 40% glycerol, 5% cellulose

tubeless (e.g. Slime Tubeless Advanced Formula): 10% latex, 40% glycerol, and 5% cellulose

Essentially 3 ingredients:

• latex or butyl rubber: the binder that gunks up the hole
• glycerol: a carrier that doesn't dry up like water
• cellulose: bulk filler to aid in coagulation. DIY sealants use glitter - yes, sparkling glitter for the same effect.

== Brands ==

Slime is the most readily available option in the US, and comes in several versions - any would work fine, but you can opt for the higher binder containing tubeless premium version.

Stans-No tube sealant seems popular with the NYC crew.

Orange Seal Tubeless Tire Sealant was selected as the best performing in this sealant test blog.

== FAQ ==

[to do]

Edited August 12, 2019 by chrisjunlee

[sparetire55]

After seeing these videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_v1bCV-O9y4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5DWhIF1c0M

I prefer Armor-Dillo/Multiseal (basically same product). I've had Slime fail on me a few times with ATV's and Motorcycles so I'm pretty hopeful about this stuff. I've got about 20mi so far on my KS16X and no flats.

Edited August 12, 2019 by sparetire55

[FreeRide]

I have had very good success with Stan's on tubeless and tubed tires.  It has a very low viscosity though so, it may be best for small pin type punctures.  I recently had a bad tube/tire puncture that was partly slice and puncture, very non-uniform. I believe it was a piece of sharp metal that did the damage. I didn't find it, but I heard it go shooting away.  Stan's was not working so I went to try another sealant. I was going to use Slime or another one I had when I came across Goop first.  I looked at it's texture and I liked it because it had some larger rubber like material pieces in the liquid which I thought would be good for larger holes and non uniform cuts.  So I tried it and it work very fast.  I left the Stan's that was already in the tube, although some had leaked out through the puncture.  Goop is the UK version of Slime I believe, but I can recommend it.  Still have other brands to try, but I'm in no hurry to get any more punctures.  I'm not sure it is good to mix the different sealants, but it my case there was no issue.   Because it was a nasty hole, I later did use a vulcanizing patch on it as well so unfortunately I won't be able to say if it would of held long term on its own.  It was holding 50psi though.  Goop now seems hard to get in the US which is too bad.

[chrisjunlee]

21 minutes ago, FreeRide said:

I have had very good success with Stan's on tubeless and tubed tires.  It has a very low viscosity though so, it may be best for small pin type punctures.

Oh wow, I figured Stan's would be high viscosity due to the higher latex content (20%). 

Is application straightforward? I called a bike shop, and they couldn't wrap their head on why I would just want to buy the sealant vs having them "install it" - they were genuinely puzzled and put me on hold while they ran back to see if they even offered it for sale.

Edited August 12, 2019 by chrisjunlee

[FreeRide]

33 minutes ago, chrisjunlee said:

Oh wow, I figured Stan's would be high viscosity due to the higher latex content (20%). 

Is application straightforward? I called a bike shop, and they couldn't wrap their head on why I would just want to buy the sealant vs having them "install it" - they were genuinely puzzled and put me on hold while they ran back to see if they even offered it for sale.

Mine came in 2oz bottles, with a filler cone style nozzle.  I remove the valve core and squeeze it in.  Very simple virtually no spillage. 

[Daley1]

If Slime only lasts 2 years,do u have to do a tyre change and replace the tube or can u just chuck another bottle in?

[LucasD]

From most test I saw, that stan/ orange etc. may be a better seal but longevity wise is 3-6 months in bike. So thank you I will stay with long lived slime...

[chrisjunlee]

Just wanted to update with my experience with Stan's. 

Process:

1. deflate tire, remove valve stem core
2. empty 2 oz bottle into valve stem
3. replace valve stem core and pump up tire
4. power on and lift up to make wheel spin out

It worked! The tire is holding pressure now - absolutely delighted!

This was much easier and faster than I expected. Entire process took under 5 minutes and there was no mess at all - not a single drop spilled.

Stan's is the way to go, slime is a bit more effort. 

This could've easily been weeks of downtime and hours of work to replace the inner tube. I'm delighted how well everything worked out 

[Declan acoustic-unicyclist]

On 8/13/2019 at 2:32 AM, Daley1 said:

If Slime only lasts 2 years,do u have to do a tyre change and replace the tube or can u just chuck another bottle in?

You can just add some more, it replaces a bit of the air in your tube, so there's still plenty of space. (you'll slowly have less range with a heavier wheel; however, 2 years is a decent life for a tire anyways...

[FreeRide]

See also this related thread. Tire sealant comparison 

[chobot]

@chrisjunlee  top 2 sealants i go to are Armor-Dillo & caffelatex sealant. FWIW: 

 

[giggidditygiggiddity]

On 8/13/2019 at 7:34 PM, chrisjunlee said:

empty 2 oz bottle into valve stem

Only 2oz?  I thought I heard maybe I misread for euc tires at least 8oz.

[mrelwood]

2 hours ago, giggidditygiggiddity said:

Only 2oz?  I thought I heard maybe I misread for euc tires at least 8oz.

4oz for a bicycle tire has been the standard for most sealants I’ve seen.

[EvoKnvl]

There is a calculator on the Slime website.  If you enter your tire size, it tells you the amount to add.

https://www.slime.com/us/slime-calculator.php

[Planemo]

Sounds about right - the calculator comes up with 6.8oz for a 19x3, Marty has been suggesting around 6oz so pretty much bang on. Cheers Marty!

[Shad0z]

Don't use tubeless sealant, it just clumps into a ball inside the tube

[EkW]

My experience with bicycles has been that tubeless sealants tend not to work well with tubed tire systems. The sealant would get between the tube and tire and not seal at all.  Also, I have never had a sealant work in the wet. Sidewall cuts seem to be the hardest to seal. Thirty or more years ago Mavic had a tubeless tubular (aka sew up) tire that used a thick sealant injected through the hole using a special needle, much like a common tire plug.

[someguy152]

On 8/12/2019 at 5:45 PM, sparetire55 said:

After seeing these videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_v1bCV-O9y4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5DWhIF1c0M

I prefer Armor-Dillo/Multiseal (basically same product). I've had Slime fail on me a few times with ATV's and Motorcycles so I'm pretty hopeful about this stuff. I've got about 20mi so far on my KS16X and no flats.

how much did you put in (same as slimes' rec) and how can you tell when to stop. let's say you buy a 32 oz bottle and need only 8 in the tire.

[WI_Hedgehog]

While the tubeless sealant comparison is great, EUCs running tubes probably want tube sealant:

Slime 10004 Tube Repair Sealant, 16 oz. ($8 Amazon)

Realizing no pump will work practically off a USB port due to the limited current, self-contained-battery pumps don't last, and although one could possibly wire a 12V plug to the EUC battery and run a pump it's not a good idea, a hand-pump is probably best:

Pro Bike Tool:
Mini Pump ($30 Amazon)
Mini Floor Pump ($35 Amazon)

Hakko CHP PN-20-M Micro Pliers ($12 Amazon)

[George Iliev]

Subscribe. What is it I read somewhere that some of those sealants corrode the rim?

[mrelwood]

3 hours ago, George Iliev said:

Subscribe. What is it I read somewhere that some of those sealants corrode the rim?

All EUCs except the mTen has a tube. If the sealant is only inside the tube, it has no contact with the rim and can’t corrode it, even if the sealant in question would be bad enough to do so on a tubeless tire.

[Singletrack]

Anyone notice a difference in handling after adding Slime?  I put about 6oz in my MSX tire and I noticed a difference on first ride.  It just seems that the mass has changed enough to change the handling of turning.  Anyone have a similar experience?  

[Planemo]

I did about 300 miles on my MSX before using 6ox of SLIME and I have to say, I noticed zero difference. I do throw the wheel around quite a bit as well. That's not a lot of weight to spread around the circumference of a tyre, pretty surprised you noticed a big difference.

[Singletrack]

Thanks @Planemo.  The other thing I will check is my tire pressure.  I may have been riding with a lower PSI than after adding the Slime.  

[sCar]

Hello! Do you guys think that you should put slime in the tire, before riding the first time or put it in later when you have used the tire for a couple of 100km?