DYI tire repair

[nightvision]

Hi all,
I live near a couple new housing construction sites and I have been getting a lot nails in my tires. I been taking my tire out to get it plug and it seems pretty easy. Can someone give me some instruction on how to do a simple plug and a quality kit that I can buy.

When I watch the tire repair guy, it seems the step was this:
1. use a rasp to clean the puncture hole
2. put a plug strip in a needle point tool and push it in (give a slight twist)
3. snip off the excess that's sticking out

That's it from my observation. Did I miss anything and are there any tips I should know. I was told that the plug strips will cure into the tire for a perfect seal. True?

Thanks.

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: DYI tire repair

Thats basicaly it. I use Camel brand plugs which are a funky brown color, they seem to work best for me. I also use a FLAMMABLE glue, they same to work better also. I lube the plug with the glue and push it in. Slighlty twist the t handle to release the plug and pull it out slowly. Trim with a SHARP razor blade as close to the tire as possible. Light the glue and allow to burn for 10-15 seconds and sprinkle dirt on it.

 

[bjcsc]

Re: DYI tire repair

I do basically the same thing as KB, except I use regular black sticky plugs, rubber cement for the glue, and I don't set it on fire when I'm done. Never have had one not work the first time...

 

[Bondo]

Re: DYI tire repair

Ayuh,.......

Same Here,.... A Camel Kit I got at NAPA,.....
'course the "Pro" version with the nice molded Handle,+ a Box of Plug-Strips......
I use the Good Glue, but without the Fireworks.......

 

[nightvision]

Re: DYI tire repair

Ok, I'm learning something new here. I was under the impression that the plug strip was impregnated with the glue. I guess it's not. So, does the glue come with the kit or do I have to buy that separately?

 

[bruceb58]

Re: DYI tire repair

This type of tire repair is the worst way to repair a tire. Enlarging the hole, with the tool that is used, damages the belts in the tire making you way more at risk for a tire failure down the road. Also, the fact that the external plug can not pefectly seal the inner liner on a tubeless tire and all the layers of the tire, air pressure can seperate the various layers causing seperation failures.

You should be repairing this from the inside.

 

[Marc III]

Re: DYI tire repair

Never used the glue myself. Getting the hole round and large enough to accept the plug is the key.

 

[tommays]

Re: DYI tire repair

Down here NO tire shop will plug a tire

Patch from the inside only

ALL the tire makers claim it may dammage the belts and lead to a blow out ?

Tommays

 

[cajun555]

Re: DYI tire repair

I use the plugs. Never had any problems. I think the glue reacts with the glue on the plugs. As far as getting somene to fix the tire, time is money. You see a low tire, You go to the local fix-a-flat store. Wait in line, finally gets to be your turn, Try to explain with sign language to the guy what you need to have done because he dosen't speak english. Finally you get across to the fellow what you need to have done. He breaks down your tire, puts patch on hole, forgets to mark tire in relation with balance weights, dosen't tell you. Then puts tire back on car, takes impact set at 150 lbs. tourqe, Proceeds to tighten one lug at a time-warpped rotor. You 10.00 professional patch job now has cost you 150.00.

 

[rwise]

Re: DYI tire repair

Down here NO tire shop will plug a tire

Patch from the inside only

ALL the tire makers claim it may dammage the belts and lead to a blow out ?

Tommays

Same here, pluging a tire voids its warrentee. I have seen tires seperate aftter beeing pluged. I started requesting "patch from the inside" years before the industry went that way. Also plugs can come back out.

 

[Coors]

Re: DYI tire repair

On a radial tire, due to all the flex, they must be patched from the inside only. I have used a plug in an emergency, but had it patched correctly later.

 

[dolluper]

Re: DYI tire repair

Agreed radial's must be patched inside,a plug is only emergency use only ,like your donut spare,the new tech has a steel coated plug{about1/4 inch}and patch one piece but if your using in the bush ,on a farm or have bias ply tires go ahead and use a plug

 

[bootle]

Re: DYI tire repair

On a radial tire, due to all the flex, they must be patched from the inside only. I have used a plug in an emergency, but had it patched correctly later.

I once had a blow out due to plugging instead patching, it caused a wreck to happen between two other cars both going at around 65-70 MPH, a young girl was seriously injured. i'll never have my tires plugged again.

 

[Bondo]

Re: DYI tire repair

Hmmmmmm,..... Guess I've been Lucky,.. I've been Plugging tire since Before there were Radials......

Also,.... That putting a Patch on the Inside,.. Does Nothing to Stop Water penetration into the Plys,.....
I've had Patched tires Blow Out when the Steel Bands Rusted Out, because it was Patched Inside, instead of Plugged.......

But,......
Other than loosing a Plug that was installed in a Totally Worn Out Scab Tire,.....
I've Never had a Problem wth a Plugged Tire.....

And,... That includes Everything from Little Bitty Trailer tires to 11.00 X 22.5 Truck tires,+ Monsterous Equipment tires.......

 

[bootle]

Re: DYI tire repair

bruceb58 said, "This type of tire repair is the worst way to repair a tire. Enlarging the hole, with the tool that is used, damages the belts in the tire making you way more at risk for a tire failure down the road. Also, the fact that the external plug can not pefectly seal the inner liner on a tubeless tire and all the layers of the tire, air pressure can seperate the various layers causing seperation failures.

You should be repairing this from the inside."


Bondo said, " Also,.... That putting a Patch on the Inside,.. Does Nothing to Stop Water penetration into the Plys,.....
I've had Patched tires Blow Out when the Steel Bands Rusted Out, because it was Patched Inside, instead of Plugged......."

My question is. Can a tire be repaired from both inside and out?

 

[SuperNova]

Re: DYI tire repair

To clarify a couple of things I hope I can provide some "inside "info.

1. The inside repair "patches" are a combination patch/plug...so they do plug the hole as well as patch over the hole from the inside..and they are the only acceptable and reliable way of patching modern tires. Anything else and you are open to lawsuits if the tire fails.

2. If you have to use ANY form of glue with the "installed from the outside" plug kit...you got the crappy kit. I don't care how nice the handle is. The good plugs are self-vulcanizing and you defeat it by using glue. The absolute best plugs out there are safety-seals...they were the accepted repair before the industry switched over to the inside plug/patch.

3. Having said this...when I repair my own tires....I plug from the outside with safety-seals...never had a problem...never had a customer have a problem. I probably have repaired over 5000 tires using different methods over the years, the only two methods that never came back are the two above.

So if you opt to patch yourself--get the right kit and follow the enclosed instructions and it is very easy to do right...but don't do it on anybody else's vehicle. Just by watching you got the procedure down it sounds like.


--Stan

 

[rwise]

Re: DYI tire repair

bruceb58 said, "This type of tire repair is the worst way to repair a tire. Enlarging the hole, with the tool that is used, damages the belts in the tire making you way more at risk for a tire failure down the road. Also, the fact that the external plug can not pefectly seal the inner liner on a tubeless tire and all the layers of the tire, air pressure can seperate the various layers causing seperation failures.

You should be repairing this from the inside."


Bondo said, " Also,.... That putting a Patch on the Inside,.. Does Nothing to Stop Water penetration into the Plys,.....
I've had Patched tires Blow Out when the Steel Bands Rusted Out, because it was Patched Inside, instead of Plugged......."

My question is. Can a tire be repaired from both inside and out?

Most places here use a cross between a plug and a patch. A patch with a nipple on it ( can we say nipple here?) (maybee if I misspelled it enuf) This type patch covers both.

 

[Vlad D Impeller]

Re: DYI tire repair

That answers it for me, i've always wondered about that.

 

[jimr]

Re: DYI tire repair

just remember anytime you patch or plug a speed rated tire it is no longer considered speed rated. I have done both and I own a tech tire plug kit that you can actually plug a side wall with not that i would. as said above the combo plug/patch is the best way use what ever as long as it works for you.

Industry standards state that the tire should be demounted and repaired from the inside using insert and appropriate repair unit on the innerliner​

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: DYI tire repair

I agree that the patch plug is the best method, however most people don't have a tire machine at home. I do happen to have one but I'll plug 'em anyhow, never had one fail except in ATV tires where we basicly ripped them out.