Author Topic: Dynaplug fun  (Read 3567 times)

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Offline richtea

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Dynaplug fun
« on: March 23, 2019, 05:50:48 pm »
Well, my fresh-ish rear Metzeler picked up a particularly sharp piece of metal at some point during the last ride, and when I measured my tyre pressures today, a week later, the rear was down to 1.5 bar. Took a while to spot the offender since it was exactly in one the aforementioned fresh tread canyons.

So, I read the very simple Dynaplug instructions, and got everything ready for these 4 steps:
1. Pull out offending metal shard
2. Check alignment of the hole
3. Push in gooey plug/string (see link above - it has a nice sharp brass tip you push into offending hole)
4. Pull tool back out to leave the brass+string in the tyre
5. Cut off the excess plug/string

I've even watched the video - a 30-60s fix. Easy peasy.

Step 1: Easy, obvs. Pull, hisssssssss.

Step 2: Hmmm, the hole is 5-6mm into the tread groove and difficult to see what angle the shard came out at, but that won't be a problem.

Steps 3 & 4: Whoa, this isn't easy. Shove shove, shove. Nope. 5 sweaty minutes later, with the bike rocking dangerously on the centre stand, I can't get the bloody brass tip to disappear more than halfway into the hole.
I try letting the tyre down in case that helps it flex a little better. Nope.
The metal shard is about half the width of the brass, so maybe I need to ream the hole a bit. Fetch a small Phillips screwdriver, and shove - that goes in OK after a couple of goes, but I don't want to use a big screwdriver because that's just making the problem hole bigger.
Another 5 mins properly hard shoving and eventually the brass tip has disappeared, but not really in a convincing manner. Removing the tool didn't really feel like the brass tip was definitely inside the tyre. Pump the tyre up, and hissssssssssssss. Grrr.

However, I remember when Rae fixed Matt's puncture he used more than one stringy thingy.
So, push in another one - and hey that definitely went right in this time, AND the tool pulled out with a satisfying noise. Still hissing.
And another one. Even easier - only about 20s shoving, and again a clean withdrawal.

Ah, 3 plugs/strings inserted now, and it seems to have gone quiet (proof of the pudding will be tomorrow morning).

Step 5. Snip. At last, finished.

I couldn't have done all that on a dark wet night. :-(

Lesson 1: Check your tyre pressures the night before a ride, even though you've got TPMS fitted. I often don't if I've ridden within a week, and rely on TPMS, which I guess would have alerted me, but the ride would have been stuffed.

Lesson 2: Try & get someone else to help, if it's the rear wheel. I really needed two hands to shove the tipped plugs in, with someone steadying the bike from the front, so it didn't roll off the centre stand.


Last bit: was there anything I could have done to make it easier? Maybe lubricate the brass tip?
Advice welcome.
« Last Edit: March 23, 2019, 06:04:22 pm by richtea »

Offline raesewell

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Re: Dynaplug fun
« Reply #1 on: March 23, 2019, 05:57:48 pm »
It helps to use a bit of lubrication, I used some liquid soap from the hotel when I did Matts.

Online Matt

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Re: Dynaplug fun
« Reply #2 on: March 23, 2019, 07:06:10 pm »
Also it was on the side stand, and i think I recall in gear? But I can't remember if one of us was standing at the front to keep it steady.

But yeah, angle of attack and the soap I reckon are key. And magic.
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Offline richtea

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Re: Dynaplug fun
« Reply #3 on: March 23, 2019, 07:53:12 pm »
Both excellent bits of advice, thanks. I've added them to my paper instructions!

(I was hanging onto the front for one of our punctures - but possibly Brian's puncture, not yours, Matt.)

Offline TomL

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Re: Dynaplug fun
« Reply #4 on: March 23, 2019, 10:40:07 pm »
If you move the bike so that the puncture is as near to the top as possible, then the bike will not roll forward when the puncture is plugged. leave the bike in gear as well.
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Offline sudolea

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Re: Dynaplug fun
« Reply #5 on: March 24, 2019, 10:19:12 am »
I once heard it isn't allowed any longer to put a plug in and consider it as a "permanent" fix (i.e. continue to ride thereafter unless temporarily) ? The permanent solution "would" be, in that case, to fix it by means of a rubber patch from the inside. Of course, this would mean the tyre would have to be removed from the rim, which is more cumbersome.

Don't know if this is true. Anyway, if it's an EU rule, it won't be a big concern to either of you within now and a couple of days, will it  8)
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Offline richtea

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Re: Dynaplug fun
« Reply #6 on: March 24, 2019, 03:10:23 pm »
If you move the bike so that the puncture is as near to the top as possible, then the bike will not roll forward when the puncture is plugged. leave the bike in gear as well.

I tried that, Tom. I couldn't get any decent leverage pushing downwards with the hole under the mudguard.

I once heard it isn't allowed any longer to put a plug in and consider it as a "permanent" fix (i.e. continue to ride thereafter unless temporarily) ? The permanent solution "would" be, in that case, to fix it by means of a rubber patch from the inside. Of course, this would mean the tyre would have to be removed from the rim, which is more cumbersome.

Ah, you read my mind - I'm getting it plugged 'properly' tomorrow, since I wasn't wowed by 3 inserts where one was sub-standard.
Having said that, I've just done 120 miles around the Cotwolds this morning with the RDC showing on the display - just in case - and no problems.

Don't know if this is true. Anyway, if it's an EU rule, it won't be a big concern to either of you within now and a couple of days, will it  8)

It concerns me greatly. I'm very keen for a second referendum - a 'confirmation ' one if you like.
My reasoning is that it's pretty obvious that parliament hasn't yet nailed down 'what does Brexit look like', so how on earth was the British public supposed to comprehend it on their own almost 3 years ago?
Oooh, you've set me off... :o

Offline Phmode

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Re: Dynaplug fun
« Reply #7 on: March 24, 2019, 05:02:00 pm »
When Matt and Richard and I fixed mine en-route to last year's Wrinklies I distinctly remember it taking 3 of us to get my string in the tyre but it has never lost any air since.

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Re: Dynaplug fun
« Reply #8 on: March 24, 2019, 07:53:19 pm »
Haha yeah Brian yours was damn difficult I recall. That was the other style wasn't it.

I want to love Dynaplug but now two of us have had multi plug'd punctures I'm not sure boohoo.

I mean this dilemma is obviously higher importance than this Grexit thing
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Offline Expo

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Re: Dynaplug fun
« Reply #9 on: March 24, 2019, 11:09:58 pm »
As much as I love the "get me home" nature of Dynaplug, I could not leave "string" in my tyre. This would be sitting at the back of my mind worrying the life out of me waiting for a catastrophic deflation at higher speeds. :(
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Offline raesewell

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Re: Dynaplug fun
« Reply #10 on: March 25, 2019, 09:48:44 am »
I think if the Dynaplug or other string puncture repairs were to give out, at worst you would get a slow leak not a catastrophic failure.

Offline Phmode

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Re: Dynaplug fun
« Reply #11 on: March 25, 2019, 12:10:30 pm »
There's so much other crap lying around at the back of my mind that one more bit is irrelevant  ::)

Hell, if I thought like that I'd still be worrying about that grease-ball Michelin X I sold to a mate back in '66 with about a million miles on it and it still had the flashing hairs on it from the mould; if that isn't still going strong it is probably in Michelin museum somewhere 8)

Offline Phmode

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Re: Dynaplug fun
« Reply #12 on: March 25, 2019, 12:12:07 pm »
Haha yeah Brian yours was damn difficult I recall. That was the other style wasn't it.

I want to love Dynaplug but now two of us have had multi plug'd punctures I'm not sure boohoo.

I mean this dilemma is obviously higher importance than this Grexit thing

I think we were just wusses! But, it did seal with the first bit of string and is still up and highly strung to this day  8)

Offline richtea

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Re: Dynaplug fun
« Reply #13 on: March 25, 2019, 07:17:20 pm »

Ah, you read my mind - I'm getting it plugged 'properly' tomorrow, since I wasn't wowed by 3 inserts where one was sub-standard.


And the outcome is a new Metz rear. Hey ho.

The hole was greater than 3mm - it was more a slash than a hole, maybe 6mm x 3mm, hence I guess why it needed 3 of the beepers.
Wheelhouse won't repair holes larger than 3mm, and I do trust them to be honest, rather than simply trying to sell me a new tyre.

So, lesson 3:
- just because its plugged doesn't mean it's hunky dory for the life of the tyre.

However, as Rae eluded, it's not going to go down in 10 seconds. It was more of a 2-3 minute deflation hole - but that's still possibly less than each scan of the LCD display.

Poorer :'(, but safer. :-*
« Last Edit: March 25, 2019, 07:20:17 pm by richtea »

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Re: Dynaplug fun
« Reply #14 on: March 25, 2019, 07:25:23 pm »
Aw sorry Rich, I did wonder if it was a slash affair!

I'm getting two of them tyres tomorrow, roughly the same time as last year, where I then got a puncture 500 miles into them!

And if I then get another puncture on this trip you should expect the longest expletive laden rant you've ever experienced unless you were ever near Margaret Thatcher after someone ate the last Werther's Original.

And yeah, my faith in Dynaplug has gone from -0.8 to around -0.1 now so... someone is bound to get a puncture right :P
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