Repairing a tyre tread - Schwalbe Marathon

[pwa]

OP Here
I repaired the flap of tread using the adhesive from a puncture repair kit. I cleaned the damage first, applied the adhesive to both surfaces, waited 30 seconds and then pressed it down firmly in to place. After leaving it for 24 hours I gave it a good going over with a scrubbing brush and hot soapy water which it didn't seem to bother about. I followed that up with a 40 mile ride today in rain, mud etc then had a good pick at the repaired flap, which stubbornly refuses to lift up.

I think its fair to say its a permanent repair and it cost nothing too.

So you had success using the vulcanising solution from a inner tube repair kit, as I suggested a couple of days ago. I thought that would probably work. My only question would be how it stands up long term, but there is only one way to find out. Please let us know how it looks after a month or two of use. Then we will know whether it is worth doing this kind of repair ourselves if we need to.

[saudidave]

OP Here
I repaired the flap of tread using the adhesive from a puncture repair kit. I cleaned the damage first, applied the adhesive to both surfaces, waited 30 seconds and then pressed it down firmly in to place. After leaving it for 24 hours I gave it a good going over with a scrubbing brush and hot soapy water which it didn't seem to bother about. I followed that up with a 40 mile ride today in rain, mud etc then had a good pick at the repaired flap, which stubbornly refuses to lift up.

I think its fair to say its a permanent repair and it cost nothing too.

So you had success using the vulcanising solution from a inner tube repair kit, as I suggested a couple of days ago. I thought that would probably work. My only question would be how it stands up long term, but there is only one way to find out. Please let us know how it looks after a month or two of use. Then we will know whether it is worth doing this kind of repair ourselves if we need to.

That was my intention. I suspect it will be OK as there isn’t any real tensile stress on it - its the front wheel, it’s more a question of will the adhesive deteriorate due to exposure with UV and moisture.

[fausto99]

... there's an industrial product available extremely cheaply on eBay which provides a bond which is flexible but stronger than the tyre rubber itself ...

Ignoring any bickering going on around here, I'd be interested to know what this product is.

Look for a ca adhesive which is black because of the added rubber in it. Loctite keep changing the type number so difficult to say which one currently. The added rubber makes it flexible, shock resistant and strong in peel.
We used to use it where worked to stick rubber loudspeaker surrounds to painted steel chassis. When cured the rubber would tear rather than the bond failing.

[Philip Benstead]

I ran over the neck of a broken bottle yesterday which in itself shattered and a shard of glass embedded itself in the tyre tread. I gingerly pulled it out and to my amazement the tyre stayed fully inflated and remains so. It has left an attached flap of tread which can be lifted to reveal the protective belt in the tyre which has done its job.

The question is, can the flap of rubber be glued back down safely and if so with which adhesive?C.jpg

You may find this useful https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=flexible+g ... 539wsqaf_e

[pwa]

OP Here
I repaired the flap of tread using the adhesive from a puncture repair kit. I cleaned the damage first, applied the adhesive to both surfaces, waited 30 seconds and then pressed it down firmly in to place. After leaving it for 24 hours I gave it a good going over with a scrubbing brush and hot soapy water which it didn't seem to bother about. I followed that up with a 40 mile ride today in rain, mud etc then had a good pick at the repaired flap, which stubbornly refuses to lift up.

I think its fair to say its a permanent repair and it cost nothing too.

So you had success using the vulcanising solution from a inner tube repair kit, as I suggested a couple of days ago. I thought that would probably work. My only question would be how it stands up long term, but there is only one way to find out. Please let us know how it looks after a month or two of use. Then we will know whether it is worth doing this kind of repair ourselves if we need to.

That was my intention. I suspect it will be OK as there isn’t any real tensile stress on it - its the front wheel, it’s more a question of will the adhesive deteriorate due to exposure with UV and moisture.

The adhesive is mostly hidden from UV so you should be okay there. And vulcanising solution (which is what puncture repair "adhesive" is) produces a chemical reaction that fuses the two surfaces together, if you get it right. It is a process used commercially to repair damaged tractor tyres, so it ought to be long lasting if you managed to get good contact between the surfaces.

[saudidave]

Final word from the OP

It's now almost 3 weeks since I repaired the loose flap of tread on my Schwalbe Marathon tyre using the glue from a puncture repair kit as reccomended by PWA. I've now done 250 miles on the repair, which was meticulously prepared and executed, It is holding as tight as two coats of paint and is invisible. I can only find it because it is located above the letter M of the word Marathon on the tyre wall and it is just behind a crack going across the tyre tread at 90° to the tyre wall. During those 250 miles, a mixture of tarmac and gravel paths, I've specifically gone through as many puddles & muddy patches as I can to try and stress the repair but it's as good as when I did it, so job and finish from the look of it.
The crack across the tread, which is clearly visible in the photo I posted originally appears to be harmless and it's cause is a mystery.

Many thanks to all who responded.

[simonineaston]

Hooray - I love a Good News story!

[yostumpy]

this method is ok if there is a 'flap' left, but when said flap is missing or its a tiny slit??? I have has some success in the past with slits, using that black roofing mastic , its rubberised, extremely sticky and flexible. It won't stick it together, but it plugs the hole, and stops water getting in.