Can my tire be patched


When Can A Tire Not Be Patched? Beginner's Instruction

Patching is a measure to be taken when the tire has a flat condition. The causes of the above damage are due to being punctured by a sharp object, or the wall is not well resistant to friction from both sides of the body and the road surface, causing the thing to be worn away. 

In such cases, instead of replacing a new one, many people choose the economical repair and still ensure good quality.

So, when can a tire not be patched?

  • The hole is too big
  • Your puncture is in the shoulder area
  • It got stuck by a meteor
  • Run-flat tires
  • Other problems

The article will analyze each case in detail. Let’s check it out!

How Do You Repair Tire Punctures Properly?

The damage often is a hole, a leak of air, these are all minor injuries, and most are thriving. A common way to finish them is to thread a gas carrier wire inside through the leaks found.  

If the gap does not fit the hand, the worker will expand and stretch the wound with hot crude oils. Although the repair technique is quite simple, if the artistry of the mechanic is not good, the fixation is not in the correct position, it will affect the life of the whole wheel.

The plugs and straps support many risks of breakage during the airflow leading to bulging and misaligned conditions in the product.

So the correct way to repair the process is:

  • Altogether remove the wheel from the rim for a good look
  • Remove dangerous objects
  • Seal open mouth with a rubber
  • Fill gas, and finish firmly with supporting tools.

When Can A Tire Not Be Patched?

Depending on the case, the repair method is also different, but your tire cannot be patched anymore when you encounter the following conditions.

The hole is too big.

If the hole exceeds 6mm, you can never patch it. The larger the wound length, the higher the expansion problems; besides, the body structure is also gradually breaking down when the tearing of the air outlet is prolonged.  

Next is the wear indicator that touches the 2/32 inch; danger will happen at any time because the traction is no longer adequate when you drive.

Your puncture is in the shoulder area.

The tire’s sidewall is flexible and can be to a certain extent. When moving, the wheel is impacted by many objects such as gravel, etc. 

So in terms of structure, the internal body design is more solid. When cracks appear in the tire’s sidewalls, the stickers during the move will peel off, weakening the air cushion between the repair contact surface, causing air to continue to leak.

It got stuck by a meteor.

Damage from hitting a meteorite is actual. It was through the owner of the car. It looks pretty similar to commonly worn rocks, but the areas around the impact are melting because of the meteorite’s heat. So patching the damage is not possible.

Run-flat tires

With this type, the process of releasing air pressure at the beginning of a puncture is slow, so you can continue to run to the repair shop.

But this is not too recommended because while moving, the body pressure has inadvertently eroded the wheel’s surface, solving the problem by multiplying.

Other problems

Besides the signs we have outlined above, there are many other reasons why you can not repair the wheel. Specifically:

  • The tears appear too much, and the wear cannot be covered, making it impossible to repair.
  • The wear index reaches an alarming level, so it should be instead of a patchwork
  • Buy an older one, and if you don’t know the information, you can’t repair it
  • Metal pieces appear all over the sidewall of the tire.

Why Can’t A Tire Sidewall Be Patched?

There are many reasons given, but the main one is that the damage occurs too severely, or lasts a long time, causing many other tire factors. 

If you try to patch it up to repair, the air seal will not hold because the running wires will push the rubber sheet away from there, returning to the original condition.

When Can You Repair Tires?

When the tire has damaged problems such as holes or wear on the wheel, it’s time to have it repaired. For common punctures, depending on the location determines the injury’s severity. 

Regardless of exceptions, the hole is in the center of the tread, and the diameter exceeds 6mm; it is easy to fix. The patching method is also quite simple, but it requires an experienced professional to determine the correct position and force of the glue in the most accurate way.

Ideally, the tire should be complete from the rim for easy viewing, and the air outlet must fill, the wound mouth fixed from the inside.

Besides, you should regularly pay attention to the condition of the wheel to control the wear rate most surely. Driving to a service center is an effective way to protect both the tires and the body. Note that if the wear reaches the threshold of ⅔ inch, do not try to patch it but choose a new one.

For details, let’s see the video:

Can Bubble Tires Be Repaired?

Bubbles in tires can be caused by many factors such as road conditions, lack of air pressure or weight overload, or manufacturing defects. The result of bubbles is the stretching of the layers in the wheel wall. 

This situation can be re-filling it with air, preventing the delamination process. If you want to be sure, you should go to the center for effective maintenance.

Conclusion

Detecting a wheel in trouble is relatively easy, but determining the tire’s extent is quite tricky. Although this problem occurs quite often, it also has aspects to pay attention to avoid, such as unrepairable cases to help save time and money. 

In this article, we have given specific knowledge related to this issue. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach us to solve them as soon as possible.

When Can a Tire Be Repaired?

From potholes to stray nails and screws, your tires can encounter a lot of hazards on the road. And when they become damaged or go flat, you might be wondering whether you should purchase a new set or get the tire repaired professionally. 

Not every flat or punctured tire can be fixed, but there are other instances where you can get the tire — and your entire car — back on the road with a quick repair. Read on to learn what kind of tire damage can be repaired and when you should get a replacement. 

What Kind of Tire Damage Can Be Repaired?

Can You Repair a Punctured Car Tire?

Puncture location and severity of damage can often be the deciding factors between getting a tire repaired vs. replaced. If you've got a tire that's been punctured in the tread area and it doesn't measure more than 1/4 of an inch (6mm) in diameter, a simple repair may do the trick. 

If the tire has two punctures, getting a tire repaired may still be an option as long as the punctures are at least 16 inches apart and the maximum number of repairs does not exceed a total of 2 in the tire. Any more punctures than that, and you should consider getting a new tire. Punctured tires will likely need to be replaced if:

  • The puncture is more than a ¼ inch in diameter
  • There's a puncture in the sidewall or shoulder of the tire
  • You have multiple punctures that are less than 16 inches apart

Can You Repair a Run Flat Tire?

Durable run-flats, such as Bridgestone DriveGuard tires, can often buy you a little more time in a flat tire situation. But if driven on with less than 15PSI, they may not be repairable. To prevent this issue on run flats and otherwise, avoid driving your vehicle if you have a flat or are low on air.

 Can Tires with Side Bubbles Be Repaired?

If you notice a bubble in your tire's sidewall, this has likely been incurred by high-impact damage. Factors like driving on a flat, hitting a pothole or curb the wrong way, riding over speed bumps or railroad crossings too quickly, or overloading your tires can all lead to this issue. Although this tiny bulge may not seem intimidating, tires with side bubbles are not repairable, and you should have the tire replaced as soon as possible. 

Can You Repair Tires That Have Existing Repairs? 

Repaired tires can often be mended again if the damage doesn't compromise a previously repaired area. For example, if you have a nail-in-tire situation, you may be able to do a quick repair if the puncture location doesn't overlap with a previous tire injury and the repair was done properly. If it does overlap, you will likely need a replacement. 

Can You Repair a Tire After a Car Accident? 

Oftentimes, affected tires will need to be replaced following a major incident. If the tire has sustained serious damage in a crash, such as significant cuts or tread separation, it should be replaced, not repaired. 

 

Tempting Tire Repair No-Nos 

You might be tempted to do a quick fix when you do have a flat or damaged tire. Here are two that can be used in emergency or short-term situations but shouldn't be considered long-term tire repairs:

Should You Use Sealants or Emergency Inflators?

These fast fixes are a double-edged sword. They'll help you get your car to a local Firestone Complete Auto Care, but don't count on them to keep you on the road for very long. Tire sealants can freeze in cold weather, damage your tire pressure monitoring system, and prove ineffective at repairing any tire damage that's more serious than a slow leak or small hole. It's also important to note that our technicians will not be able to fix punctures in tires with emergency temporary sealants. 

When Can You Patch Up a Flat Tire?

Again, these are quick fixes that aren't meant to enable long-term use of a punctured or damaged tire. When considering a flat tire patch or replacement, remember that a patch doesn't fill in the hole left by a puncture — while a plug doesn't offer a permanent seal. In short, patching or plugging alone are never adequate long-term solutions. That's why at Firestone, our technicians can use a patch-plug combo to provide an adequate long-term solution for some tire punctures. 

 

Taking Care of Your Tires

To ensure your tire is safely repaired or replaced, it's best to have it inspected and serviced by a trained technician. Visit your local Firestone Complete Auto Care and ask about our tire repair services. Your safety is our priority, and we back all of our work with a triple promise that guarantees your repair will be Fixed Right, Priced Right, Right on time. 

Now that you know when to repair vs. replace a car tire, schedule your appointment today!

Hernias, punctures, cuts: which tire damage can be repaired and which cannot

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Author: Kirill Savchenko

“Chief, you've got ten minutes of work to do, the hole is nothing! Well, come up with something ... ”Every tire fitter has probably heard such words. Alas, not all tire damage can be repaired . ..

But the situation can be reversed. A wheel pierced by protruding reinforcement may be repairable, while a small cut will write off the tire for scrap. Experienced tire fitters believe that it all depends on the point of damage and the object that caused it.

Most often, drivers encounter punctures in the tread area of ​​a tire. It is not always possible to detect it immediately. If in the days of tires and chambers the wheel lost pressure at the slightest puncture, then tubeless tires are much more reliable in this regard. A nail or self-tapping screw usually closes the puncture site, preventing air from escaping quickly.

With such a "plug" you can sometimes drive for months. The tire can lose pressure minimally without arousing suspicion. At the same time, an attempt to pull out a noticed nail on the way is likely to turn into a problem. In this case, the only recommendation is to pull out a foreign object only in a tire shop and repair the wheel.

In most cases, tread punctures are sealed either with special harnesses (some for temporary use, some for permanent use) or patches from the inside of the tire. Even damage caused by massive pins can be repaired. The main thing is that a piece of the tire along with the cord is not torn out.

In the latter case, the hole is filled with raw rubber, vulcanized, and a special cord patch is placed on the inside. But this will only be a temporary measure. In addition, such repairs are not cheap, and purchasing a new tire can be both more profitable and safer.

In addition to the plaster, cord “fungi” are also used. Lubricated with glue, the “fungus” is inserted into the puncture from the inside of the tire, then the excess part of the “leg” is cut off from the outside.

On the other hand, a cord patch can seriously help with side cuts. And car owners meet with them quite often. But here there are several nuances. In a roadside tire shop, the cut will most likely not heal. You need to contact a company with specialized equipment, primarily vulcanization.

And one vulcanizer is not enough here. Cord patches should be with a certain number of layers, designed for strictly defined damage sites and of a suitable size. And again we are talking about the nuances.

If the cut is in the shoulder area of ​​the tire, then it is often impossible to repair it properly. The tire fitter who offered such a service is at great risk, even if he claims that he will weave a piece of new cord with his hands and vulcanize it. There are no miracles in this situation, but in any case, the last word belongs to an experienced specialist.

Low-profile tires with a tread height of less than 50% of the width are difficult to heal side cuts. That is why, in the case of using a car on roads with a possibility of tire damage, it is better to put those that are higher. They are much easier and cheaper to repair.

By the way, what appears to be a cut at first glance may not be one. If the sidewall of the wheel catches on something sharp, and a tear forms on the tire without damaging the cord, then this is called a pinch. It does not carry momentary danger and does not require any complex repairs.

However, if a piece of rubber remains, then it is glued with ordinary superglue. If not, you will need raw rubber and a vulcanizer. It is impossible to leave the cord bare: under the influence of moisture, it can collapse, which will lead to the complete loss of the tire.

One of the most common and fatal tire defects is swelling or simply "herniation". Despite the absence of open damage to the rubber, such a wheel will be scrapped ahead of schedule. The fact is that when the sidewall is hit, the threads of the tire carcass break. Even if the swelling is very small, sooner or later the bump grows in size, and this is already fraught with an explosion of the wheel at speed.

However, some hernias can be repaired, but this is again a temporary measure. Masters can put cord patches even in the tread area. But only on condition that the distance from the sidewall to the swelling is more than 40 mm. If less, the tire is not subject to further operation. By the way, on low-profile tires, hernias, for the most part, are not repairable - both on the tread and on the sidewalls.

One of the major tire problems is caused by unprofessional repairs. Moreover, the owner most often does not know about it. We are talking about damage to the bead ring, as a result of which the tire does not initially hold the specified pressure.

Eventually the bead ring begins to push out of the rim. At high speed or under heavy load, such a wheel can be disassembled, which again threatens the car with a loss of control.

This damage can be repaired provided that the wire ring or base is not damaged. Special technologies for such repairs are not provided, but experienced craftsmen use the so-called "cold" or chemical vulcanization using a two-component sealant. The resulting mass covers places where there is no rubber on the bead ring. The main condition is to wait three days before mounting the tire on the disc.

As for Run Flat tires, according to the instructions of most manufacturers, they are not subject to repair. In extreme cases, you can use a bottle of special pressurized sealant that comes as a repair kit.

Comment of the expert of the company "SHINSERVICE":

Alexander Golubev

expert "SHINSERVICE"

First of all, we recall that most tire manufacturers do not recognize handicraft tire repair. It is considered a sign of external influence and changes in the design of the tire. Such a tire automatically voids the warranty. This does not happen if tire repairs are carried out in specialized, authorized tire brands services. Note that almost all major tire brands give their own extended warranty, according to which in most cases the repair is free, at a discount, or the product is generally replaced with a similar one, depending on the conditions of the program.

Based on our experience, we can note that in most cases damage in the bead area and in the shoulder area is not repairable.

I would also like to draw attention to the fact that most low-profile tires have high speed indexes (V and above), and even after professional repair they will not be able to be used in the previous modes without restrictions. Therefore, we strongly recommend changing the tire in all cases, except for tread punctures.

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How do I patch up a tire side cut myself?

  • Seal the side cut of the tire yourself - is the risk justified?

    Repairing a tire side cut by applying a patch or welding the cut yourself will not lead to anything good. Poor repairs will put you at unnecessary risk to your life instead of saving you money.

    A side cut on a tire is a very common problem, and many car owners solve this problem by simply replacing the cut tire with a new one. Of course, this way of solving the problem is ideal if you have extra money, since new tires are not cheap. The desire to save money, that is, to seal a side cut on a tire with your own hands, is an extreme on the other hand, since it is impossible to repair a side cut at a high level at home in the absence of high-quality equipment and materials.

    If you are wondering if you can seal up a side cut, then the answer is - of course, yes. Only an experienced master in a tire shop can make such repairs well. And for those who are looking on the Internet for how to seal a side cut of a tire on their own and whether it is possible to seal a side cut on a tire with their own hands, and buys special tire change kits for such repairs, we want to say: “There is no need to take such risks!”. If the repair of the cut is done poorly, then at the most unexpected moment you may burst the tire. Imagine what would happen if you were driving at high speed in heavy traffic! Therefore, it is better to entrust this matter to professionals.

    Tire fitters use hot and cold vulcanizing tires to repair side cuts. Hot vulcanization refers to the following process:

    The cut site is cleaned of dirt and degreased;

    Raw rubber is taken (a special rubber compound with a plastic structure) and the cut itself is filled with it;

    · A place filled with raw rubber is heated to very high temperatures, while the rubber melts and is bonded to the tire.

    In order to make the repair of the side cut even better, as well as to give the tire stiffness lost during the cut, a cord patch is attached to its inner side by cold vulcanization.


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