Recently go a bike that runs tubless and figured I should be prepared so I picked up a fancy Stop n Go Pocket Plugger kit. On one of my first outings I got a puncture and jumped into action w/ my fancy pocket plugger. The mushroom plugs never could seal the hole. I've gone through a few of them to test it out. Some held for a bit, some leaked like a sieve. Today I got around to taking the tire off and here is what I found. Not sure if the mushroom plugs are popping back into the tire or if they are getting cut in half by the cords of the tire. The lack of rubber cement or any kind of vulcanizing element certainly does not help. The two plugs at the top are in, but not holding air. I was loosing 1 psi every 5 minutes with those. I think I'll go back to the basic fat red/orange colored truck string plugs and a good dose of rubber cement. That is all.
I have heard this is an issue with those. They have nothing in them to reinforce them against the cutting of the sharp cords in the tire. Hard to beat the cheap reinforced 'gooey worms' and cement.
They are only meant to be a temporary fix. If the steel belt is cutting the plug, then you haven't adequately reamed the hole. Would concur that the gummy worms work just as well, if not better.
I worked around a couple garages/ car dealers for years. All we've ever used were the worms noted above. And I've had success putting a bunch of them in a big sidewall slash. I've plugged a new motorcycle tire and used till bald and the plug held up. Only tip I'll add is, when you use the cement, it'll dry up over time. So every once in a while take a look at the tube to see that it's not hardened. Replace as necessary.
I don't see the insertion tool that looks like a rivet gun. They say to also use a little lube when you install. Of course I have never used mine.....
Have had good luck with the stop n go plugs, but have also seen first hand some that didn't hold and leaked. As mentioned earlier the insertion tool is a must, IMHO. Not THAT insertion tool. My experience with the gooey worms was a total failure. But I carry both now AND an air compressor. Learned my lesson the hard way.:eek1:huh
How long will the strands or the plug-and-go mushrooms last in the case before they're too old to be properly used?
I probably plugged 60-80 tires with the sticky worms and never had one fail, at least to my knowledge. I install till its about 3/8in outside the tire and 1/2 turn twist and remove. Cut flush with tire and go. I later removed tires that I plugged and the worm becomes a vulcanized knot about the size of a marble. for any newbs viewing, a tire plug kit and compressor is the 1st thing i add to a vehicle. For motorcycle purpose I take the plastic of a 10 buck compressor so it's 1/2 the size of a beer can. I always carry small knife in my tool kit and either needle nose pliers or multitool to remove the screw, nail, whatever...
The worms will last years if not opened or left exposed. I put them in a small ziplock about 2x5". Even if you use a couple and seal the others, they'll be fine. As long as they stay pliable. The contact cement glue that comes with it will last a couple years, but if opened, the rest will dry up in a several months. the kits can be had for 5-10 bucks including the tools. I don't recommend the screwdriver type handles, get the tee handles for torque purposes especially the rasp tool. With the tee handles, so they fit in my pencil case tire repair kit, I cut an inch off one of the tee portions. I check it at the beginning of riding season, and again sometime in the middle or before a longish trip.
I have not had a stop and go fail, but then I have only used it three times. I have seen it and worms fail that others have used. I carry both, worms tucked under the seat and a stop and go with a compressor in the top box.
I've plugged a lot of tires with motorcycle specific plugs, and the simple gooey worms. I've found that you should use something that is reinforced, and a lot of the specific motorcycle plugs aren't. It is also a good idea to use cement and adhesive. Many motorcycle plugs don't even do that. The ONLY time the gooey worms failed me was when the hole in the tire was from a rock that punched through the tire. The hole was simply too big. So tell me what it was that was a failure for you.
I have the Stop & Go kit and have used it around 3-4 times. Worked like a charm every time! They are a bit tricky to install properly, but once you get the hang of it, you can get yourself back on the road in about 10-15 minutes. It helps to practice on a used tire when you get the kit so you aren't learning on the side of the road. Rick G
The puncture was a jagged one ( less than a 1/2") and the gooey worms just did not make a good seal, it leaked and in 18 miles I was down to less than 10 pounds of pressure. At this point I removed the gooey worms and installed a stop n go plug which held and lasted until I replaced the tire a few thousand miles later without any leakage. Perhaps some of the remains for the gooey worm assisted the plug from leaking? No idea or way to know for sure.
I've used the stop n go string/worms and they worked even without the rubber cement for 12k+ miles.:eek1
Complete failure was exactly my experience as well. The last time I used the stupid thing, I had six pinched-off plug heads bouncing around inside my tire by the time I made it the 60 miles home. Yes, they were installed exactly by the book, the hole was reamed, etc. If any of you jokers still believe in this completely fraudulent and shitastic system, I have a kit I will sell you cheap. The fancy-schmancy one, with the "rivet gun" style insertion tool. I've never had a problem with the "gummy worms".
I've used both Stop N' Go and gummy worms (I don't bother with the kind that use the cement.) I've had as many failures with the gummy's as I have with mushrooms. About 2 each, and a shitload of successes with both. I think Stop n Go had a bad run of the mushrooms. I've plugged at least 5 tires with my current kit without any problems and it's not even the fancy gun style. Now patching tubes, I have about a 10% success rate regardless of the type patch I use.
IMO the trick w/ Stop n Go is don't over ream the hole. I don't ream it at all if I can get the tool in. .
Agreed but what if you encounter steel belts, should they be reamed or left if you can get the tool in? Will the belts cut the heads of the shrooms? I tested stop go last weeks 4 times on a spare, 3 were overreacted due to excessive steel belts and leaked immediately, 1 even gave out completely after 10 min, big gush of air but the plug was still in. My 4th plug did not encounter any steel belts, did not ream the hole, plugged perfectly.
