Patching tires safe


How Long Does A Patched Tire Last? Beginner’s Guide

When traveling for a long time, tires will appear damaged, and the most common problem is tire puncture. In this case, tire patching is an effective method that helps save both time and money.

So, how long does a patched tire last? Patch tires typically have an average lifespan of 7-10 years or more. This number is only approximate if you follow the procedure correctly!

The next section of the article will analyze more deeply for you to have more detailed and helpful information. Let’s check it out!

How Long Does A Patched Tire Last?

If a tire is patched and repaired according to standard procedures, it can last for 7-10 years. Depending on the use of different one patching methods, the time is not the same, but it is not too much difference that the distance exists.

To use it for a long time, you need to keep quite strict rules, such as avoiding collisions in dangerous places, not driving too fast, and not patching the top twice. It can cause the car to have more severe speed problems than a sudden explosion that is dangerous in traffic in the long run.

The advice is to go to a reputable maintenance center to have the staff consider the most suitable car repair plan.

Types Of Repairs And Their Duration

There are three ways to patch tires to ensure safety standards when performing.

Patch

The way to increase the success rate when patching the car is to observe closely and determine the wound’s correct position. 

  • To do this, you should remove the tire altogether from the rim for easy viewing. 
  • When the wound has been localized, it is necessary to prepare a full range of specialized tools for the next shaving operation. The polishing of the puncture site needs to be meticulous, and I think experienced professionals will do better. 
  • Apply cementation to the patch and inner lining of the tire, firmly securing the two objects together.  
  • Firmly strengthen the patch by rolling stitches, overcoating with gray matter, or even using heat, all ways to best repair the wound rubber. 

This process takes about 20-30 minutes, and it can take longer depending on the severity of the wound. According to the manufacturer, the shelf life ranges from 7 to 10 years.

Plug

Next is to use the plug to repair the tire. The method essence is to use an adhesive that can be to the size that fits the hole to prevent gas leakage to the outside. However, car tire companies do not agree with the above usage. 

Over time, factors from the environment air cause the tire and plug to change, losing the protective shield so that the wound will return to its original state. 

The corrosion of oxygen causes the loss of the steel belt, destroys the structure, and causes the separation to be dangerous for the user.

Repair Patch-Plug

Combining patching with both methods increases the success rate of the repair. The way to do it is quite a lot of steps, perform the following stages: 

  • The first is to locate a clean gray surface around the hole for easy repair. 
  • Apply the cementitious adhesive evenly around the face to be patched and patched. 
  • Approximate the size of the plug to fit the hole so that it can both prevent air leakage and cushion the wheel with the rubber pad. 

Thus, both plugging and patching the rubber will ensure airtightness at the wheel, which experts recommend is the most robust reinforcement method.

Watch this video for extended: 

Is It Safe To Drive With A Patched Tire?

There is no need to worry too much about safety when driving with patched tires. Instead of opting for a long run on a spare one or a flat tire, we can confidently tell you it’s a lot more secure. 

Once patched, it will return to function as a regular one even when traveling on rough roads. 

However, to be longer and safer, we recommend limiting. If you often drive at fast speeds, you should change new tires to be sure.

In addition, instead of repairing it yourself or going to the centers with professional skills to get the best support.

Are Patched Tires Good?

The answer is yes. While not entirely comparable to a new one, it will be better when traveling on a flat or spare tire. 

The patched model has wholly prevented the risk of gas entering the interior, restoring the functions of a regular wheel for at least five years. So don’t worry, feel free to use the wheel like that.

Can A Tire Be Patched Twice?

If the gap between the holes is not less than 16 inches, it is possible. However, car manufacturers still recommend that you do not patch more than twice, fix the location too close to each other to ensure as much safety as possible.  

At regular intervals, please observe whether the used one has a condition of inflated or damaged in time to prevent it.

How Fast Does The Patch Dry?

The patches will dry quickly; leave on for about 30 minutes to check for peeling. If this process is less than the above hours, one is that the glue you are using is not good, the other is that the method of patching is incorrect. 

It is necessary to carefully check the condition of the inside and outside after the patch is done. Otherwise, you will have to lose money again.

Conclusion

There will be many ways to deal with a punctured tire; whether you change a new one or have a patch are all great ideas. But if you can choose, the second way sounds better. 

Although changing tires is the best thing to do to keep the car moving safely, the patching method can save time and ensure enough quality factors. 

In the above article, we have provided you with the necessary information related to the problem of patching tires. Hopefully, the above article will provide all the required information. Thank you for reading!

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How long Can You Drive On a Patched Tire?

by Smart Motorist

Your car’s tires are the critical component that connects your car with the surface of the road you’re traveling. When you have a flat tire emergency, what is the solution for fixing it?

No matter when you have a flat tire, it will be one of the most inconvenient things that can happen while you’re driving. And, unfortunately, it always results in you losing time to fix the problem.

Your tire will lose air because of several reasons. Usually, you have run over an object in the road that caused a puncture and the air began to slowly leak out. Another major reason is driving with too low much or too low pressure.

The damage may not even be noticeable from outside the tire. Here’s a prime example of when a tire is run without enough pressure.

There are 3 common methods for repairing a punctured tire:

  • Patch-only,
  • A tire plug, or
  • A combination of the two

Both the patch-only and the combination repairs require a technician to dismount the tire and look at the inside wall to see if there is any damage. As long as there is no damage to the sidewall, a repair can be made.

Plug-Only repairs, however, are much easier and can be done from the outside of the tire with no need for the tire to be dismounted.

Patch Only Repair

When tire rubber is punctured, the accepted procedure is to find the rupture and swab around it with a soapy solution of water, or he may hold it inside a tank of water and look for escaping bubbles of air.

The area is then prepared with a scraper or buffing tool and cleaning solution to make it suitable for bonding with the repair patch.

A vulcanizing cement is then applied under the patch and over the inner liner of the tire and the patch is applied over the puncture. The surrounding area is then stitched or rolled and covered with sealant before the tire is mounted back on the rim.

Once a tire is properly patched, you should be able to drive safely for a fairly long time. However, even though a patch is usually stronger than a plug, it will not work on or near to a sidewall.

The tire industry, however, warns against the patch only repair method. Air and moisture can seep into the tire from the outside tread and enter from around the edges of the patch.

Plug-Only Repair

Plug-only repair is much simpler. The technician finds the puncturing object and removes it. An insertion tool with a plug is inserted into the rupture from outside the tire. After it is removed, the plug remains inside the rupture.

Often, this type of repair will use a “string plug” consisting of a short woven cord covered with tacky sealant. String plugs will often be included with automobile repair kits. Both reaming and insertion tools are also included along with an assortment of string plugs.

Occasionally a kit can also contain a tube of rubber cement to add additional sealant to the string plug. These kits can be an alternative for drivers who want to save a little money or for emergencies when it’s not possible to dismount the tire and properly apply a patch.

However, even though tires repaired this way will continue to hold air for a few months, tire manufacturers also warn against its use. A string plug type of repair can allow moisture and air to enter the tire and get between the tire layers.

The steel in the belts can then degrade over time and the tire can corrode and deteriorate. With the belts and the bond between the rubber layers weakened, there is a greater risk the tread will separate while driving.

Another risk of a string plug type of tire repair is that even when a puncture is repaired, there can be additional damage to the tire that is not apparent. The tire must be removed and visually examined to be sure there is no unusual internal damage.

Combination Repair

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration advises that the proper method to repair a tire puncture is to use a combination repair. (Download the NHTSA guidelines here.) A combination repair, as the name implies, involves using a tire repair patch and a rubber plug (stem) attached to its center.

After finding the puncture, it should be reamed out so that a clean hole remains for insertion of the plug. The inside area surrounding the puncture should be then prepared for bonding with the patch with a vulcanizing cement.

Apply the cement to the tire surface area and the patch/plug. The plug should then be pulled through the reamed hole from outside the tire so it fills the hole completely and seals it with the tire’s rubber.

The patch will bond to the tire to prevent air loss. The plug seals the puncture and air cannot escape. The plug also will seal the hole and prevent air and moisture from leaking.

Once the process is completed, the remaining rubber stem on the outside of the tire is normally trimmed so that it is smooth and level. If you would like to see how an expert performs a combination type of repair, check out this YouTube video.

Sidewall Damage

One final note if you have a flat tire, don’t drive any further than necessary! Even driving a few hundred yards can damage the tire’s sidewall. Stop and examine the tire closely. If there’s a strip of wear around the tire that is soft to the touch, do not add air to the tire! It may explode or cause injury to you or someone nearby.

Have the tire patched professionally by a trusted mechanic? They will know how to stop the leak and will examine the tire for sidewall damage. If the tire can be patched safely, they’ll advise you how long you should be able to drive on your patched tire.

Thanks for Reading!

Thanks very much for checking out our article today, “How Long can you Drive on a Patched Tire“. We hope you have found our directions helpful and have answered any questions you may have about resetting the warning light properly in your vehicle.

There’s nothing worse than being stranded with a car that can’t take you where you need to go when you need to be there. If you have any questions or if you would like to leave some comments about this article, please let us know! We want to be your top source for ideas about anything you need related to your car!

what can be repaired and what can't? / September 21, 2017 — read articles on Wheels

Another season of changing shoes is approaching. And you may remember that on one of the tires after the last winter/summer there is a jamb - a small bump. I don’t want to run to the store for the sake of one new tire. We understand. Or maybe it looks even better if repaired?

Yes, not every wheel that has met with a nail, rebar sticking out of the ground or a sharp stone on the road is considered damaged. Everything, of course, depends on the scale of the damage and its location on the tire itself. Some are easily repaired, while others are simply impossible to do - the tire can only be sent to the trash.

Bump or bulge

A bulge on a wheel, referred to by drivers as a bump or bulge, is the most common tire sidewall defect. It appears due to a collision with an obstacle or after falling into a pit, more often at high speed. The threads of the sidewall carcass are easily damaged by impact, and the tire at this point can no longer hold the load and air pressure - swelling appears. A small bump sooner or later turns into a big one, and driving with such a defect is dangerous - the wheel can shoot at any moment. At high speed, this is fraught with loss of control, departure from the road and a rollover.

The quality of roads in Kazakhstan contributes to the appearance of bulges on tires

Some types of bulges are repairable, although this is a temporary measure. Not a single patch can restore the factory rigidity. Ideally, change the tire.

Special cord patches can extend the life of a tire with a herniation, even if the swelling has appeared on the tread. The sidewall is a different story. If the swelling appeared at a distance of more than 40 mm from the side, it can be repaired. If not, then the wheel needs to be replaced. Blisters on low profile tires are most often non-repairable.

For maximum safety when riding with a repaired bump, insert the tube. This is an inexpensive and reliable solution. On our market, you can find cameras made in China and Russia, the latter are slightly more expensive, but also of better quality.

Side cut

The elimination of a side cut is a serious operation, therefore, as in the case of a bump, you will have to go to the professionals. We need cord patches, fortunately in our time they are of different sizes and with a different number of layers. And if you do it wisely, then you can't do without special tools and vulcanization.

A cut, by the way, cannot be healed in all cases. If the gap is in the shoulder area of ​​the tire, it is unlikely that anyone will undertake to repair it, since no guarantees can be given here. However, our Kulibins take on even the most difficult cases, cutting out parts of the sidewalls from the tires and even weaving the cord on their own.

Tire overhaul. We would not put such a wheel on ourselves

Low profile tires can be repaired, but more difficult. A tear in the sidewall is easier to seal on tires with a medium or high profile.

Sometimes a cut is confused with a pluck. This is when the outer layer of the sidewall caught on something sharp, a tear formed, but the frame itself remained intact. There is nothing wrong with that, although the drivers at the tire fitting company successfully repair the cut, for which they take it accordingly.

If a piece of rubber remains on the sidewall, then glue it with ordinary superglue (101st). If it came off, then it is better to cover it with raw rubber and vulcanize. Leaving the pluck bare is not recommended, because the tire carcass, often consisting of a metal cord, will quickly corrode.

In Europe, defective or used tires are perforated before being sent for scrap to prevent their resale and possible operation. But they don’t know that we have such holes on the sidewall patched once or twice

Destruction of the side ring

Cuts and hernias are not the only possible damage to the side of the tire. You can also spoil the side ring, in the process of changing shoes, for example. If it’s for garlic, then such a tire is already dangerous. Sooner or later, the tire pressure and the load in motion will start to squeeze the rubber off the rim - a wheel explosion can occur.

This ailment is repaired if the wire ring - the base - is intact. There are no special technologies and materials to correct this particular problem, but most often craftsmen use a two-component composition for chemical (also called cold) vulcanization. After mixing, the mass is pressed into a fat-free damage. Compound manufacturers recommend waiting 72 hours before mounting a tire. Of course, our masters do not pay attention to this condition - they put the tire right away. And it’s good if the wheel is flat because of this at night in the parking lot, and not on the road.

If the side ring tears are barely noticeable, but the wheel still deflates, then you can use a special liquid - a bead seal designed to seal a tubeless tire.

These seals have been used in motorsport for some time. In particular, in the American Formula D Drift Series, drivers used compounds to keep the tire on the rim even with minimal tire pressure. Now they are banned.

Pay attention to the left rear wheel of the Nissan Silvia S13. Due to too low pressure, it was literally taken off the disk under load

Wheel puncture

Every schoolchild has faced this problem when patching the inner tube of his bike after hitting something sharp. Repairing a car tire puncture with your own hands will also not be difficult even on the road. But for this you will need a pump (or compressor) and a universal tire repair kit with harnesses. All this is sold at any car market or gas station.

Repairing a tire on the side of the road with harnesses

The process is simple. If we are talking about the front wheels, then in most cases the wheel can not even be removed, it is enough to turn the steering wheel in the right direction, find the puncture site and carry out repairs. First, the hole is cleaned with a helical awl from the set. The tourniquet itself is smeared with glue and tucked into the eye of the awl, after which it is inserted into the tire hole. With a sharp movement, the tool is removed, and the tourniquet remains in place and clogs the hole. The tails are cut with a knife, but not at the root, it is recommended to leave about 20 mm. The tire is inflated and checked.

Sometimes a nail or self-tapping screw clogs the hole by itself, remaining in it. If you see a hat in a tread, do not rush to pull it out. While the pressure is holding, move to vulcanize. And sometimes they drive with a screw in a tire for weeks.

Repair of a puncture at a tire shop

Punctures are also repaired with harnesses at a specialized service, although among professionals such repairs are not considered long-term. After a few months, the flagella dry out and can let air through. There are more advanced methods like cold and hot vulcanization. The latter is more reliable. In this case, the hole is sealed with an elastic patch, and the funnel from a foreign object is filled with a special compound. After that, a vulcanizer is put on the tire, it heats up the rubber and solders it.

In addition to the plaster, the puncture is also repaired with special cord fungi. Craftsmen process the puncture site: drill it and treat the surface with a tool to roughen it. Then the repair area is lubricated with glue (it is also called cement) and a fungus is introduced. This is done from the inside of the tire. The cap of the fungus is rolled, and the excess legs are simply cut off from the outside.

Puncture repair with sealant

With the advent of tubeless wheels, and later run flat tires, many automakers began to abandon spare wheels. Instead, repair kits with compressors are supplied with the machines. A repair kit is essentially a bottle of pressurized sealant. Later, such spray cans began to appear on the shelves of ordinary car dealerships.

This method has not taken root in the CIS, because the condition of the roads makes it necessary to have at least a stowaway in the kit, but it can also be considered as a method of repair on the road.

The car must be jacked up and sealant must be pumped into the damaged wheel through the nipple. Next, you should spin the wheel, then pump it up, lower the car and drive a few hundred meters. If the tire tightness has not been restored, repeat the procedure.

Retreading

For commercial vehicles, cutting the tread with a special device (regrower) is a common thing. Moreover, such tire retreading is provided by the factory (marked REGROOVABLE on the sidewall) to increase the service life. But there are entrepreneurs who undertake to deepen the grooves in tires for passenger cars. But they are not intended for such an operation. Often used tires for sale are “refreshed” in this way. Be careful!

What is the threat?

The worst option is that the retreaded tire will shoot out on the road, as the master can damage the undertread layer when deepening the grooves. Such a tire will not be able to hold pressure at some point. There will be a boom! At best, the tire will indeed last a little longer, but is the game worth the candle? We think it's not worth it.

How is cutting done?

A regrower is used to cut the tread. Roughly speaking, this is a large soldering iron with interchangeable tips of various shapes. It goes through rubber like a knife through butter.

If the tire is for passenger cars, then it is worth taking on a regrower only in one case - when part of the tread pattern was welded with "new" rubber during repair. This is where threading comes in handy in order to restore the grooves and symmetry of the tread.

What does the SDA say about car tires?

Vehicle operation is prohibited if:

- tires have a residual tread height of less than 1.6 mm;

- tires have punctures, cuts, ruptures that expose the cord, as well as delamination of the carcass, delamination of the tread and sidewall;

- tires in size or load capacity do not match the car model;

- tires of various sizes, designs (radial, diagonal, chamber, tubeless), models, with different tread patterns, winter and summer, studded and non-studded, new and restored, are installed on one axle of the car;

- Tires retreaded according to the second repair class are installed on the front axle.

What is a second class repair?

This is the case when the carcass of the tire is restored after serious damage. A side cut (or tear) is a serious damage to the tire carcass.

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

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

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 indispensable 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 most often impossible to repair it qualitatively. 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.

Side cuts on low profile tires with a tread height of less than 50% of the width are poorly treated. 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, an injury that looks like 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 cannot be repaired. 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 say that in most cases damage in the bead area and in the shoulder area is not repairable.

I would also like to draw your 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 operate in the same modes without restrictions. Therefore, we strongly recommend changing the tire in all cases, except for tread punctures.

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