Do unused tire patches get stale?
04-04-14, 06:51 AM
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Do unused tire patches get stale?
I know glue goes bad, but is there a shelf life for unused good quality patches such as REMA TIP TOP?
04-04-14, 07:07 AM
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Their shelf life is very long. I buy boxes of 100 REMA patches and take several years to use up and they work all of that time.
04-04-14, 07:33 AM
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I'm probably half way through my box of 100 Rema patches, and they're still doing fine after about 10 years.
One thing that surely helps is Rema faces the active side of their patches with aluminum foil, meaning any moisture or oxygen has to diffuse from the back side (and through the plastic on the back). Also FWIW, mine stay in a heated/air conditioned utility room, so they are only exposed to perhaps 15F temperature change over a year. I don't know how 100F temperature and 100% RH swings might affect the remaining patches if I kept them in the garage.
One thing that surely helps is Rema faces the active side of their patches with aluminum foil, meaning any moisture or oxygen has to diffuse from the back side (and through the plastic on the back). Also FWIW, mine stay in a heated/air conditioned utility room, so they are only exposed to perhaps 15F temperature change over a year. I don't know how 100F temperature and 100% RH swings might affect the remaining patches if I kept them in the garage.
04-04-14, 02:54 PM
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Thanks for the replies, including culinary.
04-04-14, 04:07 PM
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In my experience, the glue is ok until the tube is opened, after that it dries out or evaporates in a few months. That's why I prefer the glueless patches as a backup to two spare tubes. They aren't great, but always work as a temporary fix until I get home and replace the tube. And yes, I have had three flats on one ride.
04-05-14, 11:05 AM
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I had too much time on my hands and went looking. 5 years is REMA's patch stated shelf life as of 04/09/2009. https://www.rematiptop.com/technical/...be-Repairs.pdf
04-06-14, 07:51 AM
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I don't know about Remas, but I had sheet of cheap patch material that crumbled like dry leaves after about 5 years of storing in my garage. So, yes, patches can get stale. Keep them away from ozone- store in airtight aluminum foil and they should last longer.
04-06-14, 09:57 AM
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I've got some tire patches down in my workshop that are probably 15 years old. They've been stored away from excessive heat and light and electric motors. Whenever I've needed one I've never had any difficulty. A bigger concern is the glue drying out.
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