If your tire needs to be patched or you notice a leak, contact your mechanic so you can. This will allow moisture to reach the steel belts andor the casing cords causing them to rust or deteriorate. A combination patch plug that covers the puncture from the inside and plugs through it. Tires that are worn to the tire s treadwear indicators or to 232inch remaining tread depth in any area of the tread should not be repaired.
Why is it important to have my tire properly repaired. The first few times i was skeptical about safety and integrity, but not a single one has ever failed on me. The rma also offers tire dealers and auto repair shops detailed wall charts which show, in detail a proper tire repair. A plug by itself or a patch by itself is not an acceptable repair because the plug. Ive had many plugs and some patches, and never had a single one fail. You might think that tire repair with fixaflat is a savior in a can, but if you plan to carry on with your driving, here are the top 5 reasons why tire repair with fixaflat is not smart. Never repair tires with a tread puncture larger that. Flat tire repair with fixaflat tire puncture repair. Located in chantilly and manassas, we offer new tire sales, oil changes, tire repairs, and even major repairs such as.
Safety also depends on the position of the patch, if the tire has steel belts, who does the work, and the way the tire is constructed. Some classes of tire puncture are not generally repairworthy, according to those who understand tire safety. My reputable tire store fixed the hole in the tire for free, but my wife wonders if the patch repair is safe, and she thinks we need a new tire. Never perform tire repair without removing the tire from the wheel assembly for an internal inspection. If only for the fact that is has already been a used one before the repair was done. The patch remains when you pull out the tool and seals the hole. If your tire cant be repaired, well let you know that its time to buy a new tire. A patch can be a stronger repair than a plug, yet it is not designed to be used on, or near a sidewall. And while people may accuse a tire dealer of just wanting to sell a new tire, the liability associated with a repair failure on a steer tire could be catastrophic if it led to a serious or fatal. For the most part, a properly patched tire should allow you to drive safely for a long period of time. It was a minot cut on the side, it wasnt close to the rim of the tire. Refill the tire with air and youre good to go, in theory.
If youre driving on a tire that continuously loses air or has a puncture, it is very important to your safety to have it inspected immediately. A service professional should inspect the tire inside and out to determine whether it can be repaired or needs to be replaced. I asked them if it was safe to patch it the cut was on the side. After the tyre pressure monitoring system tpms in my european car prompted me to check tyres. While a patch on the inside of the tire reseals the innerliner, it does not fill the path of the puncture. A pinhole leak in a tire can cause a lot of aggravation. I advise against patching any tire without first contacting. If your flat tire, runflat tire, or underinflated tire is fixable, well repair it in accordance with the u. Do your homework before you have a tire repair, because thats the only way to have that tire safe is to have it fixed properly. In fact, most drivers will accept any repair as long as the tire holds air long enough for them to get back on the road. As good as new is something quite different from safe, and still different from whether replacing the tire it is a good idea. When the shop wont patch your tire, patch it anyway.
The tire was not punctured on the sidewall, its in the middle of the tread and the tires are in good condition otherwise. Pinhole leaks are also difficult to find with the naked eye. I was thankful for the outlet in the back of my wifes ford flex. A puncture of greater than 14 in diameter will require a more complicated solution than a plug and patch. While it is safe to drive with a plugged tire, it is only safe to do so for a short amount of time. Dot sets tire repair guidelines that tire shops have to follow. The tire repair kits for tube type tires was originally designed as a permanent repair as inner tube materials changed over the years and tire performance requirements have increased tube repair kits are now only safe for low speed limp home repairs. A tire plug is considered a temporary repair until the tire can be removed from the wheel so a tire patch can be installed.
A damaged tire can suddenly fail, including by treadbelt separation, even at a later date, which can lead to an accident and serious personal injury or death. Tire manufacturers association ustma guidelines at no cost to you by properly plugging or patching any punctures from the inside. Here are some things to know about driving with a patched tire safety. Plugs are an easy and cheap way of repairing small nail holes, while patches are a more complex, and probably safer, way of doing much the. And if your tires are beyond repair, we can help you find a solution that meets your needs. How to repair a pinhole leak in a tire it still runs. Thats why tires today are much safer and better performing than the tires of just a couple decades ago. They told me that it looked like someone cut the tire. Further, if your car has differential breaking antislip technology, you want perfectly even tires. The tire doesnt go flat very fast, so you might not notice the leak other than having to air up the tire every three or four days. Bring your punctured tires to any of our stores for repairs done according to the rma standards, and well make sure the tire is as safe as it can be. A proper tire repair needs to be done from the inside of a tire to the outer tread. A plug by itself, or a patch by itself, is not acceptable. Pep boys has the professionals, as well as the products and equipment to dismount, mount, balance and repair the tire correctly and guarantee the repair for the life of the tire.
Tire tech information flat tire repairs what is the. At discount tire, we provide comprehensive flat tire repair services as a part of our goal of keeping you safe while getting you back on the road. Tire safety starts with proper tire repair youtube. If youre cautious, alert, and safe, you can avoid many pitfalls that you come across. A proper repair job with a plugpatch results in a tire able to hold air indefinitely that is, unless you get another puncture.
A patch can be done to a tire with a small puncture that has not caused much damage to the tire itself. A patched tire means a patch sealant is applied to the outside of the tire where the leak is located. Additionally, any repair that doesnt completely fill the path the object took through the tire is incomplete. The long cut would prevent the steel belts from providing the strength and durability needed for continued safe operation. A patch can be a stronger repair than a plug, yet it is not designed to be used on. If your tire is in a condition that is at the edge of the line between being repairable and not repairable, and you have an option between repair and replacement, replacement is. A repaired tire is usually not as good as a new one. Patching is the best, and depending if it done right, only way to repair a tire correctly. Safe to drive long distance on a patchedplugged tire. They also suggest that any tire repair done without removing the tire to inspect and determine the extent of the damage is an improper repair and could pose a safety hazard and could also affect the manufacturers warranty. You are going to find a couple of camps on this one. Ive repaired dozens of nail punctures on my own tires over the last 20 years using these plug strip kits.
A tire plug doesnt actually repair your tire and is only a temporary fix. Others assert that plugs are dangerous no matter what, and patches are the only proper way to fix a tire. Some experts believe that patching is too timeconsuming and complex a procedure for something like a small nail hole, in which case a plug will do just fine. The only proper repair is a combination patch plug. Nhtsa also issues and enforces federal safety standards for tires, rims, and tire pressure monitoring systems tpms. There are a couple of different ways to check tire tread. Plugged tire safe maintenancerepairs car talk community. The plug is supposed to be a temporary fix, not something that is a permanent solution to repair the hole in your tire. Unsafe tire repair methods persist despite strong evidence. Only if youre going to head right to the tire shop. They are made of a similar material to the tire, and put on from the inside with a very strong glue. If the tire is patched and plugged, it is perfectly safe. In the unlikely event new tire damage compromises a previously repaired area, the tire will not be safe to repair.
Tire tech information flat tire repairs what is the point of no. To put a patch on a tire, the entire tire has to be taken off, so it is best to have a mechanic do it, as they will have all of the proper tools. But there will always be small, sharp objects that can slow. But a safer tire repair, done to the rma standards, can give you thousands of miles more use from your tire. Patches, on the other hand, are very safe, if applied properly. Data show that tpms can reduce the likelihood that a vehicle will have one or more significantly underinflated tires by more than 55 percent. If the leak is in the sidewall, it cannot be repaired safely. Do not perform an outsidein tire repair or an onthewheel repair. That tire plug is not a safe repair as its not on the tread section of the tire.
A tire patch should only be done by a trained technician who knows what they are doing. With thousands of scientists and engineers at work developing tomorrows tires, our focus is on driving road safety forward. Dot states that regular tire maintenance is necessary to avoid sudden tire failure on the road. Even if the puncture lies in the repair zone, patching isnt recommended if the tread measures 332 of an inch or less, which is the threshold used to determine when to replace a tire. When there are problems with tires, you can rely on nhtsa to keep you informed. And where that tire plug is installed a tire patch cannot be used. Free flat tire repair service goodyear auto service. You do not want to have one new tire on one side, and one old tire on the other side due to unevenness of wear.
Should i get a new tire or is it safe to leave it patched. Tire manufacturers are always in pursuit of excellence by inventing new ways to design and engineer tires. It has a rubber plug that is built into it, so once this is pulled through, the metal piece comes off, the inside is a patch, it seals the inside, it seals the outside, its considered a permanent repair. If one of your tires is kind of tired, then take your car to a local firestone complete auto care and ask about our tire repair services.
But how to repair punctures in tubeless tires and even if they should be repairedis a tricky subject. Learn more about how to properly repair you tire for good with sullivan tire and auto service. When dealing with a borderline tire repair, its better to play it safe by replacing the tire. They will even promise to get it changed out as soon as they get home, but usually return weeks later with the same tire in the same position and a mysterious case of temporary amnesia. Unsafe tire repair methods persist despite strong evidence of dangers despite eight figure verdicts and public safety campaigns by the national highway traffic safety administration nhtsa highlighting the dangers of improper tire repairs, plugonly and patch only repairs, suppliers continue to market and sell plugonly repairs kits. Tire safety starts with proper tire repair places a camera inside the tire so drivers can see what happens to the tread each time the tire makes a revolution. Proper tire repair procedures dictate that the injury must first be completely filled with a suitable vulcanizing material or solid rubber stem.
If the plug should ever leak again i just push the plug into the tire and replug. Nobody wants to tell a customer that a flat tire with good tread depth is junk. A patch over the puncture hole on the inside of the tire. A plug goes into the hole of a tire and is intended to stop the air from leaking out of it. How is tyre patching done and how safe is a patched tyre. The camp that has plugged their tire and patched their tubes and have had no issues, and the other camp that says its the most dangerous thing you. Is a patched tire substantially as safe as the other three tires with the same age and wear, or should i buy a new tire to replace the patched tire. A patch can be a stronger repair than a plug, yet it is not designed to be. How long can you drive on a plugged or patched tire. A tire patch, by itself, is never a suitable repair.