I was thinking of adding a Tire Repair Kit to my prep supplies.
Do any of you have experience with the Black Jack brand kits? ... any other recommendations?

Those certainly look like very nice high-end kits.

I've always had very good luck with the cheap no-name brand plugs and tools provided one thing:

You know that tiny little tube of rubber cement that comes with the cheap kit? Forget it. Buy a large tube of the cement and be very generous with it.

It even worked when I had a half of a rusted-out muffler clamp punched through my tire once.

I've used the StopnGo tire plug system several times on my motorcycle tires. Never tried it on a car tire but I don't know of any reason why it wouldn't work.

It's pretty easy to use if you can find the hole or the thing that punctured the tire and if the puncture isn't on the sidewall.

I just use the ones I get at wal-mart

I also recently learned that semi-low profile, and low profile tires pretty much shred because by the time yuo tell they are flat it's to late

Since there could be safety ramifications when plugging tires, I offer this...



Source: safecar.gov

I go offroading quite a bit... This is the best.... http://www.extremeoutback.com/

Standard disclaimer: I do not work for them or receive any compensation from them.. just a happy customer...

Have used the Safety Seal brand which is in a similar price range to the ones you are looking at. It's a heavy duty all metal kit and replacement parts are available.

http://www.safetyseal.com/store/autokits.htm

Over the years i have used many of the safety seal plugs with out any problems. And while not recommended i even plugged a sidewall puncture once, it got me home. Then i replaced the tire, wasn't going to push my luck anymore than that.

Standard Disclaimer,

I have used the cheap kits with great success over the years. Something else to consider is a 12V portable compressor.

Another user of cheap tire plugs here.
They are great for fixing flats caused by nails.
The ones I get just have the rasp, the needle eye hook and a pack of gummy string.
Remember to include pliers something to pull the nail (or whatever it was) out of the tire.

I wouldn't go too cheap on this.

Consider that this is a tool that you're trusting to get you out of a real big jam.
Maybe on the side of the road, in the dark, in the rain, miles from nowhere?
Maybe you won't be there(or you're injured) and your significant other will have to use the kit?

The really cheap kit's have poor handles that can break and/or junky probes and needles that can bend or break. I've experienced this myself.

I agree that the cement should be used liberaly and probably replaced every few years
if your kits live in a hot trunk.

The Black Jack kits are a good bare minimum.
I bought a box of 30 plugs and two each of the plastic handled probes and needles and split the plugs between two cars. They take up very little space in my car kit.

I'm set and I trust to tools.