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Ok, now I realise I might be stretching the bike chat here, but I'm fed up of my little un going through basketballs. We are on the third in 10 months, so I then thought about repairing them (picked up little micro holes from ending up in prickly plant or being overinflated despite my recommendations!). I saw something about injecting the ball with a bike tyre sealant through the ball valve and that sounds like quite a reasonable idea to try.
I have never used tyre sealant (although I do have tubeless ready tyres and have always intended to get around to it at some point) so I really know nothing about the different types.
But I'm guess that I need a runnier sealant that will be able to be injected through the valve and I've also seem ones that look like they have bits in them from the packaging, so not sure they would work. Hopefully also one that's cheap enough in case I find it's a complete waste of time and effort - any ideas?
Thanks
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Hopefully also one that’s cheap enough in case I find it’s a complete waste of time and effort
I'm going to go with this - they all have particulate in them and I can't see you getting enough into the ball to actually work. Also putting some liquid in the ball might make it behave a bit oddly.
Personally I'd just buy him a medicine ball next time and tell him he was warned.
I do this all the time with basketballs and footballs.
Just use a syringe to put some sealant through the needle valve, give it a spin, pump it up and away you go.
I use Stans sealant and fire in 10-20ml.
Not enough for liquid to slop around but saves many a ball.
I do this all the time with basketballs and footballs.
Just use a syringe to put some sealant through the needle valve, give it a spin, pump it up and away you go.I use Stans sealant and fire in 10-20ml.
Not enough for liquid to slop around but saves many a ball.
Great to know, anything cheaper than Stans out there - that seems the priciest. Muc Off 300ml is £10 seems a bit cheaper and available in a smaller bottle and Slime 237m is £6, joes D20 500ml is £12... Just noticed a comment that says Joes D20 is noticably runnier, which I'm thinking is a good thing for getting it into a basketball.
Personally I’d just buy him a medicine ball next time and tell him he was warned.
Tempting...
Remove the prickly plant 🤔🙂
The Barbieri stuff from Planet X doesn't have particles in so would work. I've previously put in my car tyre to stop a slow puncture
Remove the prickly plant
It at his school, not sure its 'cool' to turn up and hack away at the school's plants.
Barbieri stuff from Planet X
Thanks - if it wasn't for the delivery charge costing as much as the product, I would definitely give it a try.
Actually I've seen a muc-off 140ml for £4.99, terrible value, but if I only need 20-30ml a go, should do be for a while. Any idea if it is very noticeable particle-y. Otherwise might give the d20 super sealant a go which is £12 but should have enough for a few years of punctures if it works!
Whatever you use, the needle/nozzle of the syringe will gunk up, so once injected give it a good run through with plenty water...
most sealant is quite thin so will inject with a syringe. Use the biggest nozzle/needle you can get away with to prevent it clogging. You need the particles in there but there's no reason you couldn't thin back the sealant with water slightly.
There's a bit of a delay in the delivery of the d20, so checked Halfords who have their own brand in stock. Anyone used it? Want to check is not awful! Had the benefit that I can pick up tomorrow morning and it's only £12!
Art latex? I’ve used hobby crafts diluted with screen wash and a tube of cheap glitter for years. About £9 for 500mls.
Art latex? I’ve used hobby crafts diluted with screen wash and a tube of cheap glitter for years. About £9 for 500mls.
Glitter, eh?
Buy cheap......etc.
Might be time to go tubeless on the bike ? Get some good stuff, do the bike and then you have some left over for the ball ?
I'm very surprised a prickly plant is getting through a basket ball. Maybe get a thicker skinned basketball?
Magic Milk is totally water soluble so you can dilute it. But it does have bits in.
The original sealant - Slime - is very good. It’s quite runny and unlike other sealants it stays runny for many years. Available from Wilko and Boyes amongst others.
Hope this helps.