Today: Plugs, patches or new tires?

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Dear Tom and Ray:

Between yesterday afternoon and this morning, I have had three flat tires. The tire that was flat yesterday had a screw in it, and the tires that are flat this morning have finishing nails. Other than the obvious question of "Was this sabotage?", I have a question about repairing the tires. My question is, are plugs reliable, or are patches or tire replacement recommended? I will add that I am living in Costa Rica, and tire puncturing is a known technique for robbing foreigners. Thus the idea of replacing tires only to have them repunctured is not appealing. But even less appealing is having to stop along a highway (they do not have shoulders) and being held up by the people who put the nails in the tire.

-- Bill

TOM: Well, my first thought was that you need run-flat tires. But I'm not sure that technology is widely available where you live. Run flats require special equipment to mount them, plus they're expensive, require tire-pressure monitors and may not be as repairable as standard tires.

RAY: So, on second thought, you need a 55-gallon drum of pepper spray mounted on the roof.

TOM: Actually, plugs have been used since the days of the Roman chariots. OK, not that long, but they're well-established and effective. As long as the hole in the tire is not too big (and screw or nail holes are not too big), you can insert a plug and expect it to last for the remaining life of the tire -- which in your case sounds like about six hours.

RAY: But even better, a plug is something you can do yourself, Bill. You can go to any auto-parts store (try Manny, Mo and Carlos in Costa Rica), and buy yourself a plug kit.

TOM: It consists of a bunch of plugs, a reamer, which you use to make the hole the exact size of the plug, and a tool for inserting the plugs.

RAY: So you create the hole, then thread the plug into the insertion tool, and then you insert it and remove the tool. And voila! The repair is done and you're on your way.

TOM: So then what you need is a cylinder of compressed air that you can carry around in your trunk. Once you plug your tire, you can reinflate it by the side of the road, hand your wallet to the nice banditos who've been waiting patiently for you to fix the tire, and be on your way. Good luck, Bill.

Comments

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Pink Panther

Wed, 2011-12-28 20:44

My daughter has a Volvo just like ours (1993 850). Several months ago we took pity on her and gave her our old snow tires. She just called me from the tire place to ask me what to do because they said she needs two new tires and she can't afford them. I told her to have them put the two best ones on the front and come home and have her Dad put the two best of her old ones on the back. When I told my husband he said that's a really bad idea because the anti-lock braking system might get messed up because the two back tires are so different from the two front ones (different diameter). I said so what, the car will just handle a little differently but after everyone (the car, my daughter) adjusts it should be ok. So we agreed to ask you guys. Is this a really bad idea or an okay for a while idea?

SirWired

Thu, 2011-12-29 07:25

I remember several years ago Uniroyal had a unique self-sealing tire. Consumer Reports tried it out, and it lost something like a pound of air after driving over a board with 20 nails in it. Unlike "run-flats" it required no special equipment to install, and the tire was not ludicrously expensive. I wonder if that product line is still available in some countries? (It's long-gone in the U.S.)

SparkyCar

Thu, 2011-12-29 12:45

Tires- plugs and patches. Instead of a cannister of air if he gets numerous punctures, he should have a small air compressor that can be plugged into a lighter outlet. It's handy to top up your tires when they are cold also.

thetireguy

Thu, 2011-12-29 16:25

Plug Kit!!! No way! Maybe in Costa Rica but we have not used Tire Plugs (or string plugs) in North America for years.(except maybe for off road tires) The standard repair for a radial tire is a "Plug Patch" which should be done at a professional tire repair shop. Period

mastertech

Sat, 2011-12-31 22:26

Someone says plugs are no good. I am retired now for a couple of years, but still am a certified master mechanic and spent most my life working in tire stores. I feel I am qualified to speak to that. The plug patches are good, so are patches, and there is nothing wrong with plugs (which are still available at part stores). The biggest advantage of the patches is that you have to remove the tire and check for damage inside of it which you don't do with plugs. I have seen tires that looked fine on the outside, but when you opened them, the inside lining was rubbed away and the metal cords were showing. By the way I keep a plug kit and a compressor in my car.

keith

Mon, 2012-01-02 13:20

I used to be dead set against plugs. When I was young, I had tried them, smooth plugs, glue and bias-ply tires. They never held. One time I was forced to use a rope plug in a radial tire and it held. I have used many (maybe a hundred or so) of these over the last 30 years or so and have never had one blow out. I alway carry them in my car, along with a small compressor.

Its Busted

Tue, 2012-01-03 16:58

You should put the green slime liquid in the tire that will (it claims) reseal a puncture by itself. If its sabotage (ie ex-wife, loan shark, robbers or a neighbour) then you might be consider buying something with rubber tracks like a small tank :~)

RepairInfo

Thu, 2012-01-05 12:35

Tire plugs have their place in the repair market but that place is as a temporary emergency solution until the tire can be properly repaired. Our industry recommended practices dictates that properly repaired means removing the tire from the rim/wheel assembly for internal inspection and then a proper inside-out repair. NEVER PERFORM A TIRE REPAIR WITHOUT REMOVING THE TIRE FROM THE RIM/WHEEL ASSEMBLY FOR INTERNAL INSPECTION. For these types of puncture repairs, the repair procedures would include the following: removal of damaged material, preparing the injured area, filling the injury with a suitable vulcanizing material or rubber stem, and reinforcing and sealing the repair area. In addition, tire puncture repairs should be limited to the tread area only and not exceed 1/4 in. in diameter after preparation. Damage that extends into the shoulder/belt edge area OR where the injury extends at an angle into the shoulder area SHOULD NOT BE REPAIRED. Do the right and safe thing and take the tires to your local repair shop where a trained and certified technician can properly repair the tires. Information provided by the Tire Retread & Repair Information Bureau.

dzielinski

Thu, 2012-01-05 17:15

Tire repair standards by the Rubber Manufacturers Association have existed for decades and must be followed to ensure a tire is properly repaired. First and foremost, a proper repair involves identifying where the damage has occurred. If the puncture is either located or extends to the outer tread shoulder or sidewall, the tire must be scrapped. Second, if the damage is in a repairable area of the tire, the puncture cannot be larger than ¼ inch. If that criteria is met, then the tire MUST be removed from the rim. This allows a technician to inspect the inner liner for damage. Next, industry recommended procedures to clean and buff the damage to the inner liner must be performed. Finally, a combination repair unit (typically a patch and cured rubber stem) or a separate patch and rubber stem must be applied to the puncture on the inside through to the outside of the tire. This is to ensure that the damage is appropriately sealed to prevent loss of inflation pressure and to prevent moisture, dirt or other contaminants from getting inside the tire. Bottom line: don’t repair a tire with damage to the outer tread shoulders or sidewall; don’t repair a puncture greater than ¼ inch; only repair a tire by removing it from the rim and use BOTH a patch and cured rubber stem (plug) or combination unit to seal the damage. For more information, visit our web site’s tire repair page: http://www.rma.org/tire_safety/tire_maintenance_and_safety/tire_repair/ Dan Zielinski, Rubber Manufacturers Association, Washington, DC

GreenPumpkin

Thu, 2012-01-05 17:28

$14 million reasons to Perform Proper Tire Repair In this specific example, anything goes. They don't have attorneys waiting to drop a multi-million lawsuit on you for an improper repair like happened in California - I think the dealer settled for $14 million related to an improper tire repair. (Google - Mossy Ford for more info) The tire industry standard is to perform a repair with a patch/plug combo which already been addressed in earlier comments. Other repairs, like an external plug, are not approved by the folks who made the tire. Will a plug repair work (stop a leak - possibly for the life of the tire) - yes. It is the best and safest option - no. From a service provider standpoint, performing a plug repair leaves them on an island as a target for litigation. For a DIY standpoint, the legal exposure is different, but I bet an attorney for the major part stores would have them pulled off the shelf if they were asked for a POV.

carlisimo

Mon, 2012-01-09 17:06

Pink Panther, it IS a really bad idea. ABS has nothing to do with it, though. Diameter only matters on AWD vehicles – if that car is AWD then it could hurt the transmission. But on ANY car, you want to put the new tires on the rear wheels. Always. Good front tires and bad rear tires can lead to spinning out. The opposite (bad front tires and good rear tires) can lead to ploughing off the road in a straight line, but that’s not quite as dangerous.

spencerc007

Thu, 2012-01-12 15:19

you've created an international incident with your endorsement of tire plugs, as no self-respecting tire guy like me will go near them as a permanent fix. It's a sticky subject and I think your comments have been taken out of context, riling up the tire community. I have a small tire store in West Bridgewater MA: If you'd like me to show you how to fix a tire properly, in the USA, stop by sometime or check it out how we do it in the shop on you tube: http://youtu.be/2x2lB1pzvkE

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