There are basically two styles of repairs at the professional level of use. One is referred to as a soft gum repair. This means the repair unit body has been cured then the facing (vulcanizing) gum is laminated to the repair units backing. The other style is a cured on gum (hard gum) repair. The vulcanizing facing gum is made of a different compound than the body and when the repair body is cured during the manufacturing process, the facing gum is still partially uncured. Both repairs have their unique advantage, but they will accomplish the same result when applied properly. The Western Weld repair units utilize the soft gum laminated style of manufacturing process.  The soft gum repair lends itself to easy application and a very forgiving repair where improper use or preparation has occurred.  The soft facing gum layer tends to be a more pliable unit with less risk of bridging when used in the shoulder area.  The green tack of a soft gum unit provides for an initial tack that aids in application when the repair is first being applied on the inner liner surface. Many professional installers like to work with the soft gum because of its flexible characteristics and high tack vulcanizing face gum.

The Western Weld tire repair is a high-quality repair unit made up of multiple components to produce the finest quality repair units in the industry. A typical repair is made up of natural rubber, a float ply of rubber that serves as a shock absorber, fabric reinforcement plies for strength and a cover stock that covers the unit and anchors everything down as well as resists the air and dissipates heat. The repair is molded together in the press and then the vulcanizing uncured facing gum is applied to the repair unit so it is ready for use.

Western Weld tire repair has support materials such as how-to repair manuals along with repair limitation wall charts for recommended use, injury sizing and repair unit selection.  When applied properly, these products will meet the use as specified in our limitation charts.  Remember charts are used as a guideline only and need to be adjusted per the fleet and specific application of use.  The adhesion values of the Western Weld repair will meet and exceed the operational requirements for chemical applications. It is the characteristic of our soft face gum that allows the repair to be considered as a premier tire repair product worldwide. The vulcanizing face gum allows for high green tack when first applied to the prepared surface as well as its soft, flow characteristics that allow it to conform to the textured surface. The Western Weld repair is one of the most forgiving repairs in the industry. Even when the repairs backing is touched, the surface isn’t cleaned properly, the buff texture isn’t a good RMA grade, our repair may work even when misapplied. Although we don’t recommend the use of an improper repair installation, the facts are that it is often done and the Western Weld repair still performs when other competitors fail.

RADIAL REPAIRS

Radial repair units are constructed of the highest quality rubber compound.  This ensures the high flexibility in compound and design.  Each radial repair unit has a flexible “shock absorbing” ply of rubber to withstand the flexing associated with a radial constructed tire.  This unit will work with both tube and tubeless tire constructions.  The strong tensile strength of the fabric ply is to replace the structural integrity of the tire.  The top cover stock of the repair unit is then molded in place to anchor and protect the plies.  These repairs are manufactured with the chemical vulcanizing facing gum to permanently vulcanize and bond to the tire’s inner liner.

UNIVERSAL REPAIR

The Elgi Universal Repair was developed for use in both radial and bias applications as well as tube or tubeless tire constructions.  This repair concept provides added strength over a rubber reinforced repairs units because of its special woven fabric ply that provides strength and multi universal direction control when applied to the tire.  This repair choice offers premium quality strength in a multi directional choice.  The Universal repair is an excellent repair choice when repairing tire where reinforcement ply is required.

BIAS PLY REPAIR

Bias Ply repair units are designed with a crisscross diagonal ply construction.  It has a built-in rubber shock absorbing ply to withstand the rolling impact and provide strength and flexibility of the bias tire design.  This repair design will perform in both tube and tubeless tire constructions.

ALL PURPOSE RUBBER REINFORCED REPAIR

All Purpose Rubber reinforced repair units are for use in virtually any application.  It is to be used over a filled injury in a bias or radial constructed tire.

The all-purpose repair has an extra thick gauge of rubber reinforcement to provide a combination of flexibility with durability for bias and radial tube type or tubeless tires and can be used on all type of inner tubes.

TUBE REPAIR UNITS

The tube repair is specifically designed as a soft rubber, high modulus flexible compound for use with all bias or radial inner tubes.  When properly applied, it will stretch and conform to the size of the inner tube.  The tube repair is made with a tapered feathered edge and can be over lapped to repair virtually any type of puncture or tear to the tube.

STEM-PATCH COMBINATION REPAIR

The Stem-Patch is the ultimate tire repair of choice for quality high performance tire repair including standard automobile to commercial truck tires.  The Stem Patch offers a vulcanizing rubber stem and cap unit that vulcanizes to both the injury and inner liner of the tire.  The built in lead wire makes installation simple.  The repair is equipped to withstand straight through punctures and injuries up to 25 degree off center.  It utilizes a rubber reinforced body that vulcanizes to the tires inner liner combined with a vulcanizing rubber stem that bonds around the injury cavity.  This performs an air tight seal to protect the tire’s body plies from moisture and contaminants entering around the stem plug.

PERMASEAL VULCANIZING INSERT

The PermaSeal Vulcanizing Insert may be used as a stem insert when used for angle and straight injuries with a repair unit or as a stand-alone insert to temporarily repair a tire. The vulcanizing facing gum rubber of the insert, when used in conjunction with the Elgi Chemical Vulcanizing Cement creates a permanent vulcanized bond to the tire.  It is the preferred Insert of tire professionals because of this unique chemical vulcanizing characteristic that most ordinary tire plug inserts don’t have.