How many tires can you count on the various vehicles and outdoor toys at your house? I’ll give you a minute to add them up.
Some people only have 10 or so between the cars and bicycles in the garage. But many others have dozens of tires when they add in their trailers, ATVs, RVs, wheelbarrows, strollers, dirt bikes, motorcycles, tractors and more. And, unfortunately, all of these tires go flat.
To solve the struggle of the flat tire, Slime developed a product line of advanced tire sealants that instantly seal punctures and keep your wheels moving. But when it comes time to install Slime, how do you know which sealant to use? Below, we break it down into easy categories to ensure you purchase the correct bottle each time:
Red Label: Tube Sealant to Prevent and Repair The red label line of Slime products is designed specifically to stop flats in tires with tubes. Tubes are the key word here. Your bicycles, dirt bikes, hand dollies, wheelbarrows and jogging strollers with tubes are perfect candidates for the red label product.
The best part of the tube formula? It prevents flats from thorns, glass, goatheads, nails and other debris for TWO years! So don’t wait until you get a flat – squeeze in Slime before you head out to prevent flats before they happen. Slime sealant for tubes instantly seals punctures up to 1/8” and also stops annoying slow leaks. Bottom line, if you have a tire with a tube, reach for the red label bottle.
Blue Label: Tire Sealant to Prevent and Repair
Here at Slime, we think of our blue label sealant as the “fun” sealant because it keeps the fun going in all your recreational vehicles. Your ATVs, quads, boat trailers, dirt bikes and other non-highway tires without tubes are going to love this Slime tire sealant that prevents and repair flats.
The blue label sealant got an upgrade and instantly seals punctures up to 1/4!” Like the tube sealant, it also continuously seals for two years and stops slow leaks. Additionally, the blue label sealant is safe for finished metal wheels. So don’t wait until your ATV flats on the sand dunes, or your boat trailer flats before you make it to the dock – put Slime in your “fun” tires BEFORE you go out to play!
The blue label prevent and repair tire sealant is also a must-have for the agricultural industry and lawn and garden enthusiasts. Tractors, trailers, riding lawnmowers and wheelbarrows all benefit from no flats for two years with Slime.
Black Label: 2-in-1 Tire & Tube Premium Sealant Does your tire have a tube inside, or is it tubeless? Who cares?! Slime’s new 2-in-1 Tire & Tube Premium Sealant works in all off-highway tires and tubes! Now, get all the benefits of Slime with less confusion on which sealant to use. It just works!
Slime's black label sealant instantly seals up to 1/4" punctures in tires and 1/8” punctures in tubes. Install in any of your tube or tubeless non-highway vehicles (including ATVs/UTVs, golf carts, riding lawn mowers, small trailers, tractors, scooters, bicycles, dirt bikes and much more) and enjoy two years of continuous flat tire protection.
Yellow Label: Tire Sealant for Emergencies When you find yourself in an emergency flat tire situation (like stuck on the side of a super busy highway. Or in the middle of nowhere with no cell phone service), it is time to think yellow label. Slime’s tire sealant for emergencies is designed for all highway vehicles (cars, trucks, SUVs, motorcycles and more) to get you back on the road quickly and safely after a flat tire.
Tire sealant for emergencies also instantly seals punctures up to 1/4.” It is tire sensor safe, no jack is required to repair your flat and it is safe for finished metal wheels. This may sound a lot like the blue label sealant, right? The answer is no and here is why:
Highway vehicles need balanced wheels, but if there is a thick liquid in your tires long-term, you could cause an imbalance. Unlike the blue label sealant, which you should pre-install and leave in your tires for two years, the yellow label bottle is formulated for emergency use only in highway vehicles. Once the yellow label emergency sealant in installed, it must be removed within 100 miles or 3 days, or you risk causing that imbalance.
Prefer to view all this info in a more visual format? Check out this quick sealant comparison sheet instead:
Tires slow leak - Fix-A-Flat and Slime - Maintenance/Repairs
Car Talk Community
RCstp
#1
My car tires have a slow leak where the wheel rim meets the tire. I had a tire shop take the tires off and clean the rims and put the tires back on with bead sealant but it doesn’t last very long and then the tires slowly lose air. While doing research to see about using Fix-A-Flat or Slime tire sealants as a permanent solution I found the following information. From the people at Slime: “Our sealants are a temporary repair for punctures in the tread area of the tire. They are not meant for bead or valve leaks or sidewall punctures.”
And from the Fix-A-Flat website FAQ: "Can Fix-A-Flat® freeze? Yes, if the temperature falls below 32 degrees Fahrenheit it will freeze. If the product is in the tire, and freezing weather is predicted, then immediately take the vehicle to a qualified tire professional for repair.
the_same_mountainbike
#2
Great information, and I thank you for passing it on. Welcome to the forum.
oldtimer-11
#3
You provided your own answer for a question you didn’t ask. Your tire shop did not do a good job. When I have had to do this, I mark the tire at the bead location, take the tire off sand , prime and paint the bead area, let it dry a day and remount. You would think steel wheels would corrode first but I have only had to do it on aluminum rims.
the_same_mountainbike
#4
oldtimer-11:
You would think steel wheels would corrode first but I have only had to do it on aluminum rims.
You’d think, but in reality many alloy wheels have problems with porosity. Aluminum casting is more prone to inclusions (foreign matter) and occlusions (air bubble voids). A good alloy cast in a well controlled reverse-gravity process pretty much eliminates these problems, and there are good coatings now to prevent surface attack from salt, but not all alloy wheels are done properly and not all wheels are coated.
RCstp
#5
I have had the wheel rims cleaned and sealed at places where the customer is not allowed to see the work that is being done, so I don’t know how good of a job they did sealing the rims. I made an appointment for next week at a small local independent shop. The told me they clean the rim and then, if necessary, they put epoxy (or whatever) on the rim and then sand that smooth and then use bead sealant. They didn’t exactly say they use epoxy, I asked if they use epoxy or silicone or something if the rim is corroded and he said, “that’s exactly what we do”. I’ll will watch what they do next week and report back.
jtsanders
#6
What kind of rims are they? How old? How old are the tires?
RCstp
#7
The rims are OEM 2002 aluminum. The tires have about 15,000 miles on them. The rims are like the rims in the link below.
http://vagparts.2am.fi/index.php?part=3B0601025L
keith
#8
Both slime and fix-a-flat are water based and will eventually damage your rims due to corrosion.
George_San_Jose1
#9
I had this problem recently and tried some diy’er driveway repairs. Just to see if it is possible for a diy’er to fix without the aid of a shop. LIke if it happened and you were out in the boondocks or something. I’m not recommending any of what I discovered as a practical solution; paying a shop to do the job is the better approach. But if you are the scientific type, fyi here’s the thread about what I learned.
My truck’s spare tire hasn’t been properly inflated since 2002. Ok, I know that’s a bad sign, but it is indeed a fact. I should point out I’ve never had a flat tire in the entire 40+ year history of this truck, at least never when using it, so it’s quite possible I’ll never need to use the spare tire. But I’d like to have one that holds pressure just in case. I decided to be better about the spare tire situation and inflated it the other day, and in 2 days it was flat again. I used the …
Barkydog
#10
What is the current philosophy on putting a tube in the tire to deal with rim leaks?
RCstp
#11
Fix-A-Flat and Slime are temporary solutions – Not Permanent
>>from the Fix-A-Flat website: Fix-A-Flat® is designed to provide a temporary emergency repair that will allow you to safely travel to a tire repair facility.It is not designed as a permanent solution. Visit a qualified tire professional at the earliest opportunity for a permanent repair.
>>from the Slime website: A passenger vehicle tire treated with Slime should be taken to a tire repair shop at your earliest convenience for a permanent repair. Slime is not guaranteed to seal . . . bead leaks
the_same_mountainbike
#12
Barkydog:
What is the current philosophy on putting a tube in the tire to deal with rim leaks?
I did it on my snowblower, but I don’t think I’d do it on my daily driver. I’d be afraid it would alter the handling characteristics and create an imbalance in the handling/braking. Understand that I’ve never tried it with a radial… and never gone 70mph with my snowblower.
jtsanders
#13
Where’s your inner Tim The Tool Man, @the_same_mountainbik?
f.ronquillo35
#14
If it was primary vehicle I would find the money to replace it. No sense getting in an accident or stranded over it. If it a vehicle that you only use occasionally and aren’t going very far or fast than temporary solutions might work. I would not recommend tire plugs though.
the_same_mountainbike
#15
jtsanders:
Where’s your inner Tim The Tool Man
There’re things even Tim the Tool Man can’t do. Getting the tire off is one of them.
insightful
#16
I think the problem would be finding the correct size tube.
My '77 Fiat came with radial tires and tubes…made it a snap to change tires myself with motorcycle tire irons.
jtsanders
#17
I was thinking more about 70 MPH with the snowblower.
Mustangman
#18
I’d be really hesitant to put a tube inside a modern radial even if I could find the right size.
Back to the OP, and Slime. If you ever use that stuff for a temporary repair, I’d suggest you tell your tire changer about the Slime before he starts. He’ll give you a bad look but he’ll be more angry if you surprised him with it. They HATE that stuff!
the_same_mountainbike
#19
Jt, I owe you an explanation. My post made no sense. I was thinking of a different thread, the one wherein removing a tire by hand was discussed.
I was the TV on and was watching the inauguration and not concentrating on what I was doing. Now, if I can do something that dumb just while posting on a web forum and not concentrating on what I’m doing, imagine how dangerous not concentrating while driving is???
Joel_Steinke
#20
The original commenter asked about slime in car tires, and said Slime doesn’t dry out. Not true. Slime product labels say they begin to dry out after two years. Then they become a white-ish green powder. Also, Slime only fixes puncture holes, but not slashes.
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So don’t wait until your ATV flats on the sand dunes, or your boat trailer flats before you make it to the dock – put Slime in your “fun” tires BEFORE you go out to play!
Once the yellow label emergency sealant in installed, it must be removed within 100 miles or 3 days, or you risk causing that imbalance.
They are not meant for bead or valve leaks or sidewall punctures.”
Your tire shop did not do a good job. When I have had to do this, I mark the tire at the bead location, take the tire off sand , prime and paint the bead area, let it dry a day and remount.
The tires have about 15,000 miles on them. The rims are like the rims in the link below.
But if you are the scientific type, fyi here’s the thread about what I learned.
It is not designed as a permanent solution. Visit a qualified tire professional at the earliest opportunity for a permanent repair.
Understand that I’ve never tried it with a radial… and never gone 70mph with my snowblower. 
Getting the tire off is one of them.
Not true. Slime product labels say they begin to dry out after two years. Then they become a white-ish green powder. Also, Slime only fixes puncture holes, but not slashes.
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