Soooooo, I took off my summer set up and while I was washing them up before storing them, I found a nice piece of metal sticking out of the gutter in the tread of one of them :mad2: So my question: is it worth having it plugged? Or should I just say the hell with it and buy a new one (or 2)?
Assuming there is plenty of life left in the tire, I'd take it to a tire shop and have them take the tire off the rim and put a patch on the inside.. Plugs are "good" most of the time but they also tend to leak.. No worries with a patch, though it will cost alittle more labor wise etc...
Yeah, there's plenty of tread left... they were only on for this summer (maybe 5,000 miles?) I will see what they say. Just didn't know if it was a good idea to repair or not.
Most will want to just plug it but for peace of mind talk them into the patch unless like Ben mentioned it is too close to sidewall and not recommended to patch or plug...
Consider a plug to be a temporary fix. To do it right, take it to a reputable shop and have it patched from the inside.
Yep... a professional patch from the inside is the way to go, unless it is near the sidewall in which case you will need to replace the tire.
Cool, glad I asked- didn't know about the patch vs the plug. I actually don't think I've ever had a tire repaired before????? :confused5: And I mentioned it to one of my friends at work and he was like, oh, you need to replace the tire, period. What? Well, he is one of those "BMW" guys :rolleyes5:
Well... we should all probably have issued a disclaimer as we haven't actually seen the metal or the tire and don't really know how large the hole is or how deeply it penetrated the tire. It's probably best to say that you should take it in to be evaluated by a tire professional. It would be helpful for him/her to know if the tire is leaking air during normal driving (take a pressure every morning before going to work with similar ambient temperatures for a week or two). He/she will look if the damage is near the side wall (too thin on the sides to patch) or if the cords are damaged (a more serious structural problem) and then will help you make a determination. Of course, the folks at a tire shop make their $ from tire repair and replacement... they may have a vested interest in trying to sell you a new tire and say 'oh... way too much damage to be repaired'. In that case you will have to use your best judgement with their input and how you intend to use the tire. If I were about to head off on a long expedition across unpopulated areas of Death Valley, perhaps I'd replace it. If I'm going to be driving normally on smooth city streets where help will be nearby if it blows, perhaps I'd patch it. If I was about to head to the track and push up to speeds well over 100 MPH, I might lean toward replacement more. If the tires were old, I might lean towards replacement of all 4 a tad bit early. If I had just won the lottery and was sitting on millions in my bank account... well... hmmm... I'd probably save the new tires for when I turn the MINI into a dedicated track car and climb into my Aston for a drive to the club.
Well, the tire wasn't leaking air... the only way I found it was because they just came off my car for the winter... I was cleaning them up for storage. It's dead-center on the tread, one of the low points of the tread... the groove part. It's pretty small, but who knows how it's in the tire. Tires were only on the car for the summer- they have maybe 4,000 miles on them. The next time they go on the car is right before I drive 700 miles down to the Dragon. I'm going to wait and see what they say. Worst case, I'll buy 2 new ones.... I have till next April :cornut:
Interesting discussion. I recently got a flat and my local garage plugged it up. It's been about 3 weeks since the flat and no issues, no leaks—and I've had tires plugged before with no issues. Are you guys sure about the plugs vs patch?
plugs vs patch Either one will be fine if the metal went all the way threw. The most import thing is to get the tire balanced again after the repair is made. If money is no option buy 2 new tires. :wink:
The local tire shop I use repairs holes in tires for free even if you did not purchase the tires at their shop. I believe they use a plug in the hole and a patch on the inside. They have to dismount the tire to install the patch. They mark the tire/wheel so that the tire goes back on in the same location to preserve the balance. I have never had a balance problem after getting a tire repaired.
That would depend on the size of the patch and plug. Both could unbalance the tire. Plugs were developed to repair punctures by nails, screws and other roundish objects. Patches should still be used for anything of irregular size ONLY IF the cords have not been too severely damaged.
Yup 1+ one the above. I even have my tires re-balanced when I rotate them. I do it myself for free at my buddies shop. OCD yeah :cornut: