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Modern vehicle tires are tough, standing up well to rough terrain and thousands of miles of driving. Trouble is, tires are not invincible. Every so often car tires spring leaks. Air can start leaking from anywhere on a tire, and the location of the leak determines whether or not you can fix it yourself. And if you can't fix it yourself, the location of the leak will also tell you if you need a professional repair or a new tire.
Whether or not your tire is tubed or tubeless affects things, too, because only tubeless tires can be repaired using the technique of plugging that we'll show you here. The good news is that modern vehicles always have tubeless tires, and this means that repairing with a rubber plug is often an option.
Plugging a tubeless tire is only a possibility when your puncture is in the tread area. If the air leak is where the sidewall of the tire meets the rim — this is called a "bead leak" — you'll need to visit a mechanic with a tire machine to dismount the tire from the rim and remount it with sealing liquid applied to the bead. If your sidewall has been punctured, you need a new tire, because damage there can lead to a blowout at highway speeds, even after repair.
Learn exactly how to plug a tire so next time you spring a leak between your treads, you'll be able to get up and running again in record time.
Total time completing the repair is about 15 minutes. Doing the work yourself will save you about $20 and the time spent driving to the garage and waiting.
Steve Maxwell for Family Handyman
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Do It Right, Do It Yourself!
Originally Published: August 27, 2020
I’ve heard that it’s not very safe to drive on a plugged tire. Is that true? Why is repairing or replacing a damaged tire a better option than plugging a tire? What are the dangers of driving on a plugged tire?
We’ve all been there before.
You wake up or walk to your car after work, only to look down and see a flat tire and a nail sticking out. You don’t have time to take your vehicle into an auto shop and need a quick fix. It’s a small nail, so you plug your tire and go on with your life.
You only meant for the plug to be a temporary solution until you could get the tire replaced. Then life happens, and it’s a few days before you can get a new tire. Those few days turn into months, which can quickly turn into a year. You may start to ask yourself if it’s really safe to drive on a plugged tire.
It turns out that installing a plug can have a serious impact on the life and integrity of your tire. That is if it’s safe to plug your tire at all. Here is what you need to know about plugged tires and how safe it really is to drive on one.
The first thing you should consider when plugging a tire is if it’s safe to install a plug in the first place. There are specific cases when it’s safe to use a plug.
Outside of these scenarios, driving on a plugged tire could be dangerous to you and other drivers.
Depending on the size of the puncture, the extent of the damage, and the tread of your tire, you may not be able to repair the tire with a plug. The size of the hole must be no larger than 0.25 inches and must be located on the tread of your tire. If the puncture is on the shoulder or sidewall, then you will need to replace the tire.
The angle of the puncture also makes a big difference in the effectiveness of a plug. Ideally, the nail or object that punctured your tire went straight in. This would make a repair fairly straightforward. However, if the tire was punctured at an angle, the plug will have a hard time completely sealing the punctured area. Take note of how the nail or screw looks and the angle that it entered the tire.
The age and quality of your tire is also an important factor in whether or not it can be plugged. If the tread on your tire has been worn below 2/32 of an inch, then your tread is too far gone to be plugged.
If you’re wondering how you can measure this, 2/32 of an inch is the amount measured by the classic penny test. Make sure your tire passes the penny test before you even thinking of plugging it. If it doesn’t pass the test, then it’s probably time for a new set of tires anyway.
If you have to ask yourself whether or not your tire can be repaired, that may be a sign that it’s time to move on. A TIA-certified tire technician can inspect your tire and let you know for certain if it’s safe.
Another thing to think about when it comes to driving on a plugged tire is how your repair may impact the manufacturer’s warranty on your tire. Improper repair and maintenance is a surefire way to void your warranty. Think twice the next time you consider opting for a DIY approach on your next tire repair.
When it comes to the safety of your vehicle, it’s always best to leave things to the experts. By having your tire repaired by a certified professional, you can be confident your repair is performed properly, and your manufacturer warranty is still “good.
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The biggest problem with driving on a plugged tire is that you still have a hole in your tire! While it may be a temporary fix, it’s important to recognize that there is still a structural failure in your tire that needs to be addressed.
It only makes sense that a plugged tire cannot handle the same level of stress and strain as a tire in good condition. This is especially true when you start reaching higher speeds on the highway. The manufacturer won’t support a tire’s speed rating once it has been repaired. So, if you plan on racing, off-roading, or just want to go fast, a plugged tire isn’t going to work.
Over time, it’s possible for that small puncture to slowly get larger. This results in a greater loss of air while also increasing your chances of a blowout on a road. Furthermore, the plug itself may fail while you are driving, putting you back where you started.
In the event of a flat tire from a nail or screw, the best course of action is always to replace the tire.
A plug or patch for your tire may help tide you over until you can have it replaced, but it’s important to remember that a plug is meant to be a temporary fix.
While it may be tempting to see how far you can get with a five-dollar repair, the consequences of a plugged tire failing will be much worse than if you had replaced the tire in the first place.
If you just purchased a tire or recently bought a set of expensive tires, it can be a frustrating experience. If this is the case and you hope the tire can be saved, it may be worth it to have it inspected by a professional.
The TIA-certified tire experts at Tread Connection know how to properly diagnose, inspect, and repair flat tires. When you work with Tread Connection for your flat repair, the tire will be removed from the wheel and carefully inspected inside and out. This helps us ensure whether or not it can be safely repaired.
If the tire can be repaired, our team will take care of it for you. In the event that your tire cannot be safely repaired, our team will recommend a replacement from our wide range of tires to find the right one for your needs, and your budget.
It’s never worth it to gamble when it comes to the safety of you and your vehicle. Don’t try to see how long you can drive on that plugged tire. Have your tire inspected and repaired the right way by the TIA-certified tire experts at Tread Connection.
We bring the tire shop to you and can repair your flat or replace your tire at your home and on your schedule. Schedule your tire service with Tread Connection today!
BUY TIRES
esportby.com
An easy way to quickly restore tire tightness and continue your journey. True, for this you need to have the right wheel repair kit with you.
Maxim Stroker
“Catching” a nail, screw or piece of wire in a wheel on the track is a trifling matter and somewhere even everyday. However, it turns into a serious "trouble" if this happens, for example, at night or a couple of tens of kilometers from the nearest tire fitting point.
In theory, in this case, you need to put a spare wheel and go further. Although, in the case of a family trip on vacation, the process of digging it out from under a pile of junk in the trunk can turn into an adventure that deserves a separate story. Be that as it may, often the trouble does not come alone and the spare tire can be broken literally on the next kilometer. After all, where one carnation fell on the road, there may well be another one, and another, and another ...
With a couple of crippled wheels, you'll either have to wait an unknown amount of time for a tow truck to be sent in, or fix it yourself. Therefore, in a not particularly urbanized area, it makes sense to carry a repair kit with you to eliminate punctures in tubeless wheels. In principle, it can be of any manufacturer. The main thing when choosing it in the store is to make sure that the “drill” included in the repair kit is not very toothy and sharp. After all, his task is simply to clear a puncture hole in the tire, and not to break its metal cord.
The second recommendation: the flagella, which are supposed to close the puncture hole, should be plump and reinforced with thin wire or plastic threads.
n-i.kiev.ua
And the third criterion for choosing a wheel repair kit is the obligatory presence of a tube of glue in it. Yes, yes: there are also “glueless” sets on sale, which are essentially useless.
So, we notice that the wheel is flat (or has already been blown off) and proceed to eliminate the problem. Most often, the hole in the rubber is not visible. Therefore, to begin with, we hang out the damaged wheel by raising the car on a jack, and inflate it with a pump or compressor to 3-4 atmospheres. If even after that it is not possible to detect damage by the whistle of escaping air, we methodically and consistently wet the entire surface of the wheel and look for bubbles at the puncture site.
Having found a puncture, we take the “drill” from the set and pierce the damaged area with it several times.
So we clean the surface of the hole before gluing. Next, we smear the “drill” with glue from the set and again immerse it in the hole. We repeat this operation and, leaving the “drill” sticking out in the hole smeared with glue, we take out the flagellum and insert it halfway into the eye of another tool - the “overgrown needle” (sometimes called the “awl”), also available in the repair kit. We coat the flagellum with glue and, quickly pulling the “drill” out of the hole, insert our “needle” there so that the ends of the flagellum remain above the surface of the wheel tread. Next, we pull out the “needle-awl” and wait a few minutes until the glue grabs. After that, we pump up the wheel and carefully cut off the protruding tails of the flagellum with a knife. Everyone, you can move on.
Test drive of one of the best family minibuses
19910
Zen wheels, summer tires, cheap cars, repairs, tires, winter tires, track
You hit: the tire is flat, but there is no spare tire. Modern tires are tubeless - if you managed to block a small leak with a sealing compound, pouring it into the valve, you can not look for a puncture. Effectively - plug the hole with a rubber band. It is injected from the outside with a special device (such kits are inexpensive on the market). But now we are talking about an extreme case - when a careless driver has nothing at hand to quickly repair a puncture.
The technique is not new, but effective: we move the tire bead using the weight of the car and the force of the jack.
The technique is not new, but effective: we move the bead of the tire using the weight of the car and the force of the jack.
A small hole can be plugged by screwing a self-tapping screw into it.
You can take it, for example, from the trunk lining. Another option, if the puncture is small: pour half a liter of water into the tire (with a pump through the valve) so that it slows down the air outlet. But periodically you will have to pump up the wheel.
Approximately ten cubes of gasoline, a torch, an explosion - and the board sits still!
Approximately ten cubes of gasoline, a torch, an explosion - and the board sits still!
To seal a large hole, the tire will have to be removed from the rim, at least on one side. But first, move both tire beads deep into the rim groove. Experienced people carry a piece of steel angle and a heavy hammer for such a case. Or they move it with a jack, resting its heel against the sidewall of the tire, and the shelf against the threshold of the car. Next, installers need to drag the desired bead over the rim flange, and only after that you can take on repair fungi, glue and patches.
The puncture has been repaired - but how to return the tire to the rim shelves? Not everyone has a high-performance electric compressor with them. And in order to use a conventional pump, you will have to seal the gaps as much as possible - for example, pull the tire around the circumference with ropes. If the sides hit the hump and the pressure began to rise, the problem is solved. In practice, these methods require manual dexterity. It's easier to land the tire with a light blast. This requires 10–15 g of gasoline. Pour a few milliliters of fuel inside the tire, then, so that it evaporates better, we roll the wheel. We put it on its side and, pressing on the sidewall, bring the flame to the gap. But not a match, but a torch! There will be a pop - and the tire is in place. A typical mistake is to pour too much gasoline: instead of popping, a fire will break out. We extinguish, we air ...
“Inflate” the tire with a watering hose.
The matter requires patience, but on such a wheel you will reach the place of repair.
"Inflate" the tire with a garden hose. The matter requires patience, but on such a wheel you will reach the place of repair.
When the hole is in the knuckle, the tire cannot be saved. Unless you insert a camera into the tire. From the inside, it is useful to cover the hole with a "coat" of a couple of layers of rubber or with a bandage cut from the sidewall of a tire lying on the side of the road - there is a lot of this goodness along the roads. This will protect the chamber from sand and reduce the chance of further tearing. And if it's not far from the purpose of the trip? On a flat tire, you can drive 15–20 km on asphalt at speeds up to 40 km/h before it finally falls apart. We talked about this experiment in ZR, 2009, No. 7.
But what if there is no camera? Then turn on the fantasy. Someone "fills" the tire with a watering hose; all sorts of rags, sponge rubber from old seats, plastic film, linoleum strips, sidewalls cut from old tires, etc.
will be used. With such stuffing, tires will wrinkle less on the go. But forget about driving in normal mode - slowly, extremely carefully, we drive to the nearest tire shop.
Travel set: wedges, jack, pry bars, wheel wrench, hammer, gloves, corners, compressor. Do not forget repair fungi, self-vulcanizing patches and, of course, a valve cap with a head that is used to unscrew the spool. There are usually no such caps on the wheels of modern cars, but if you look, it may come in handy.
Travel set: stop wedges, jack, pry bars, wheel wrench, hammer, gloves, corners, compressor. Do not forget repair fungi, self-vulcanizing patches and, of course, a valve cap with a head that is used to unscrew the spool. There are usually no such caps on the wheels of modern cars, but if you look, it may come in handy.
CARE OF THE WHEELS, RULES OF DISMANTLING AND ASSEMBLY
— Not all tire damage can be repaired without loss of its qualities.
