Slime tire inflator broke on the first use

[spicyB48]

I bought a Slime brand tire inflator to top up my tires, and it broke on the first use. It turns out that the internals are 100% plastic. Plastic cylinder, plastic piston, plastic gears, plastic connecting rod, even the pressure gauge mechanism is all plastic. The plastic connecting rod had snapped after the plastic piston seized up inside the plastic cylinder. Piece of junk.

WTF, Slime? I have lost all faith in the brand. I guess I shouldn't have expected too much from the company that makes TPMS-destroying sealant.

[Tejas1836]

How old was it? They probably should be replaced on an annual basis, the goop eventually thickens/hardens, BMW branded bottle will do the same eventually. It should have an expiration date on it

[spicyB48]

Originally Posted by Tejas1836

How old was it? They probably should be replaced on an annual basis, the goop eventually thickens/hardens, BMW branded bottle will do the same eventually. It should have an expiration date on it

I wasn't using the goop, I was just using the Slime brand compressor to top up my tires (they were a few psi low).

[Donatello.]

I've used a can of the stuff before & it worked well. Never bought their inflation pump thing. I carry a separate inflation pump in every car.

Maybe you just had a bad apple?

[No one]

Originally Posted by Bimmerito

I bought a Slime brand tire inflator to top up my tires. It turns out that the internals are 100% plastic. Plastic cylinder, plastic piston, plastic gears, plastic connecting rod, even the pressure gauge mechanism is all plastic.

Sara, if you don't have it yet, you should buy it!

[spicyB48]

I have never used their sealant, but I don't think I got a bad apple. Seriously, just look at the build quality. It's all plastic.

[Theodore2]

If you are willing to buy once and cry once, I've had this model here in the trunk of my car for 5 years using it every few months and it has been great.

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Yeah unfortunely I believe all these cheap-ish tire inflators these days are all made out of plastic. That said maybe you got a bad one to for it to break so quickly. I have some cheap ones that I've used multiple times.

You need to shell out a bit more for the all metal ones like the one above or those labelled "heavy duty".

[spicyB48]

Originally Posted by Theodore2

If you are willing to buy once and cry once, I've had this model here in the trunk of my car for 5 years using it every few months and it has been great.

I saw Viair also makes a smaller one for $60, I might pick one up.

[spicyB48]

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

Yeah unfortunely I believe all these cheap-ish tire inflators these days are all made out of plastic. That said maybe you got a bad one to for it to break so quickly. I have some cheap ones that I've used multiple times.

You need to shell out a bit more for the all metal ones like the one above or those labelled "heavy duty".

Those cheapish inflators used to have a metal cylinder and gears, at least a year ago they did. Now they are all plastic, I think there is one central company in China making all of them.