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Last Updated on January 27, 2024 by Jeremy
Having a flat tire can be frustrating no matter what, and it shouldn’t be. With the proper maintenance and care, tires should last a long time. Sometimes, that isn’t always the case and eventually you may have to change a tire.
But what if there was a tool that could repair your flat tire before it became in-operable? Would there be such an invention that could repair a leak before your tire even went flat? Of course there is!
The answer is this BlackJack Tire Repair Kit, specifically the KT330 model manufactured by BlackJack themselves, the leaders in tire repair since 1976.
“BlackJack has built a reputation and customer base second to no one in the tire repair industry. We manufacture or have manufactured to our specifications a complete line of tire repair supplies, wheel weights, and tire repair tools. Our goal is to produce the best tire repair products possible. When it comes to tire repair we feel if we are faced with a choice of quality over price we will choose quality.”
Product Name: BlackJack Tire Repair Kit KT330
Product Website: Shop – BlackJack Tire Supplies, Inc. (blackjacktirerepair.com)
Pricing: $63.96 USD
Personal Rating: 10/10
How Does the KT330 Kit Work?
To get an overall understanding of how this product works, we need to dissect the kit into components:
- -2 x T-Bone Handles: 1 with a spiral probe & 1 with a 4″ open-eye needle – If you know where your leak is in the tire, and you’ve removed the debris from within the leak area (usually a rock, nail, or screw), use the spiral probe to make the hole somewhat wider. This will remain in place until you are ready to use the open-eye needle tool. The open eye needle is where you will position your BlackJack plugs, and you’ll then swap tools as to insert the plug into the tire.
- -1 x spare 4″ needle – In the event this needle wears out or simply cannot withstand the usage for whatever reasoning, this kit includes a spare needle. This is extremely useful as a back-up replacement.
- -Screwdriver w/ reversible shaft: Philips and Flat ends on either side. – This is for the purpose that the screw is the culprit in making your tire go flat. A Philips screwdriver end is the most popular, but a flat end can be useful to pry out things such as nails or rocks.
- -Valve Core Removal Tool – To aid in the removal of the valve stem should you require to deflate the tire at a faster pressure.
- -Hex Wrench – To remove the hex screw from the open-eye tool to replace the spare end.
- -Specially formulated lube – a greasy type substance that aids in the insertion of the plug. The best way to apply this lube to the plug is by having the plug already set up half-way inside through the needle tool. Then, apply the lube to each end of the plug while holding onto the handle. You don’t need much as it’s just to help get the plug into the hole without extra damage to the leak area. There are other alternatives to use this lube, but this is the method I found to be successful.
- -Razor Blade – This device is to cut any excess material from the plug once it has completely filled the leak. Personal note: I discard the razor blade and replace it with a lighter to burn the excess plug into the tire. It helps vulcanize itself to the tires rubber and ensures a better seal.
- -30 Repairs / Plugs: 10 @ 4″ large diameter, 10 @ 4″ small diameter, 5 @ 6″ large diameter, and 5 @ 6″ small diameter. – Each plug is either 4″ in length or 6″ in length and the difference in the diameter size range between 3/16″ – 1/4″. These repairs (or plugs) are high-tensile strength fibers individually impregnated with live Butyl rubber, developed with carbon black, which increases the strength and wear resistance of the rubber.
- -1 x Custom form fitted case – Solid plastic backed case securing each product in place. Available in standard black, but also Blue, Green and Orange.
Now that you have an idea of what is included inside, this kit offers the components that help “conform to the size and shape of the leak area, sealing out moisture and dirt, eliminating stress to the belts, and preserving the tire integrity”.
Essentially, it makes it a permanent repair, so you can continuously drive after you’ve fixed your flat, as if nothing was ever wrong with your tire in the first place.
Example Videos
To get a better understanding of how to use this product in under 2 minutes, you can read another article about how to change a tire, or you can have a watch of this video to give you better clarification. Either way, you’ll understand the benefits of why these kits are “guaranteed for the life of the tire”.
FAQs / Specs & Features of the Product
Now let’s answer a couple of questions on the product as well:
Is the Item Durable? Absolutely! It’s hard plastic, protective case holds each component in place in the event that it drops or falls on the ground. With the addition of locking tabs to ensure the lid stays closed, you’ll be guaranteed to not worry about things becoming abused.
Is the item easy to use? Yes! Provided with the aid of instructions and following the video above, any user of the BlackJack Tire Repair Kit can become a pro!
What are the dimensions of the Item? The weight of this kit hovers slightly over 3 pounds and measures 12.3750 × 2.1800 × 7.5000 in. making it ideal for storage anywhere in your truck, travel trailer or fifth wheel.
What happens if I run out of Plugs? Not to worry, there are replacement plugs available through BlackJack’s website, tire shops and online stores such as Amazon, called “refills“. You’ll want to reference part #’s RE-460 for the 4″ large plugs, RE-630 for the 6″ large plugs, RE-480 for the 4″ small plugs, and RE-645 for the 6″ small diameter plugs.
Warranty, Pricing, and Option to Purchase
As mentioned above, the warranty guarantee is for the lifetime of the tire, and the shelf-life of the product is over 20 years. At only 64 bucks US from the BlackJack website, the cost of a kit far more exceeds the replacement cost of a tire that could have been fixed by using one of these kits.
That said, other available locations to purchase (other than the BlackJack web page itself) can be found at a local hardware store, any tire shop, or even through online stores such as Amazon and eBay.
An altogether different version can be purchased right from our online store, or by clicking the button below:
Conclusion / Final Thoughts / Personal Opinion
The KT330 tire repair kit from BlackJack is by far one of the best kits that I’ve used. Outlining some of my personal usages with it, I can honestly say it’s been a life-saver not just for myself, but other people I’ve helped fix their tires with.
Pro’s of this product:
- -Lightweight organized case.
- -Super easy to use and ergonomically designed tools.
- -Plugs (repairs) that self-seal and are easy to handle with different length and diameter options.
Con’s of this product:
- -It doesn’t come with a lighter (so you can burn off the excess plug instead of cutting it with the provided razor blade.
In the end, any tire repair kit may have the same concept when it comes to repairing a leaky tire. Even if it is flat, put some air in the tire and see where your leak is, so that you can put one of these kits to good use.
I know I’ve never been disappointed and I’m happy to answer any more questions you may have about this product, by leaving your comments below.
Cheers!
This BlackJack Tire Repair Kit is like a superhero for our flat tires, huh? It saves the day by fixing them up without needing to replace them. This is no ordinary repair kit, it’s a 27-piece kit with all the necessary tools to fix most types of tires. Plus, it’s durable and made to last for years. Sounds really great.
I think one downside I could think of… is the kit only intended for small punctures? Can it handle very old tires? So if you have a way larger puncture ( which is very rare), you may still need to get it professionally repaired or replaced.
Well, OK, so I did manage to have a larger puncture on a big 1 ton truck tire once and tried out this “super kit” as you reference, and here were the results: I managed to fit 4 plugs in, seal the tire and inflate it. The downside is it blew the plugs right out. MISSION FAILED!
That said, Yes, the downside is it’s intention is for smaller sized punctures (which typically are rocks, screws and nails anyways) – and you’d need to take it to get professionally done.
As for very old tires – how old are you talking? If they are so old that you’re thinking of using one of these things in there. It doesn’t hurt to try but the better solution is upgrading to a newer tire considering you’d be driving on it longer.