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How I Fix A Flat
A story of writing about what you know
The Ram 4x4 truck has a tire with a slow leak. The kind of leak that will leave you stranded in the pasture or on a desolate stretch of US Hiway 212 between Lake Oahe and Ridgeview.
I back the truck up to the garage door. Pull the air hose with the inflation coupler connected and grab a jug of Slime (This link will take you away from Medium). Yep, Slime, I don’t know who invented it first some grade school kids playing with stuff from under the sink while mom and dad took their Sunday afternoon rest. Or, some mad scientist who was disappointed that the tire repair shop failed to fix the leak. Again
Then I take the valve stem insert out of the valve stem with the tool supplied with the Slime and let the air out of the tire.
- You can try to put Slime in a tire with the air coming out the valve stem, but it makes a terrible green mess, spraying into your glasses and hair and your fresh blouse. Yuck
- Or you can wait for the tire to go flat and then put in the prescribed about of Slime. Or twice as much if you are an old farmer like me and know that if 24 pumps is enough 48 will be better yet.
Then, I replace the valve stem core, with the tool included with the Slime and fill the tire with the proper amount of air. And go for a short drive to help the…
