Fixing Flat Tires - TIRE PLUG vs RADIAL PATCH at txtire. We have several people that visit Texas Tire Sales asking us to . I personally don't feel that it is the safest or most effective procedure for repairing a leaking or damaged tire. Yes, plugging a tire is cheaper than patching by about 5 or 6 dollars and that is likely the main reason many people request plugs. The plug should easily stay intact well enough to re- inflate the tire and get safely to a repair shop. Of course, there are people who swear by the plug and have told me in no uncertain terms . I typically don't argue with these folks or question their relationship with their wife nor do I see any benefit in telling them that their confidence and experience with tire plugs contradicts what we see every day in our repair shops. We simply let them know that we are tire professionals and will not do a substandard repair when there is a better option. In all honesty, people bring us their tires when something has gone wrong. They don't stop by the store to show us how well their tires are wearing or to show us that they don't have a flat. Therefore, I have no statistical data that confirms my opinion on tire plug success or failure. Having been in the tire business for over 2. I do know a few things about the properties of tires, though. Speed causes friction.
Heat causes expansion. Tires expand as they heat up. You will have to rely on your stuffing skills to be sure you stuffed the plug in the hole properly and with enough sticky material that the plug will continue to hold when the tire heats up and expands under increased heat caused by increased speed/friction. Speed means you are going fast, which means you are taking a chance on a failure while at that higher rate of speed. This is where the above described tire/wheel/vehicle damage comes in. Now you get to hope that the tire is contracting at a greater rate than the plug material so you are not left with a leak and subsequently sitting roadside waiting for a tow truck. I wish I had a nickel for all of the times I've seen a plug sticking through the inside of a tire with a hole right next to it. The plug installer was apparently unable to insert the plug in the exact path of the object that originally punctured the tire, so he punctured the tire again and made different hole as he rammed the plug through the tire tread. Plugging a tire can trap air between the layers of tread. When the plug is dipped into the glue and inserted into the hole, the plug glues itself to every layer it passes through. As the tire heats up, the air between the layers begins to heat up and expand. The air has no place to go, so as it expands, it causes the tread to separate from the rest of the tire. If the tire was patched, the patch prevents any air from inside the tire from escaping, but allows any air trapped between the layers to escape out of the entrance hole in the outer tread area. The same thing happens when the plug is not inserted exactly into the path the puncture occurred in. The air inside the tire tries to exit using the hole that was missed. As the air moves towards the outside of the tread, it becomes blocked by the plug that was inserted into the outer hole. Again, the air is between the layers of the tire, it gets hot, expands and causes a tread separation. What is a radial patch? The fact is, we now have a better option to plugging tires and it's called a radial patch. As I stated above, my professional . Without inspecting the inside of the tire for hidden damage comes the risk of returning a weakened tire to service. For example, If a tire is punctured while off- road in the middle of nowhere and a spare tire isn't available, you might use a plug but, that plug should be replaced with a radial tire patch as soon as possible. Radial patches are specifically designed to repair radial tires which comprises most of the tires on the road today. Radial patches are self- vulcanizing. That is to say after they heat up from driving, they . Patching a tire with a radial patch can take about 2. Don't just take our word for it. The Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA), the national trade association for tire manufacturers that make tires in the U. S. A Plug by itself is an unacceptable tire repair. Learn about flat tire symptoms, sidewall damage and how to repair your tires with the. Tire assessment; How is a tire made. It is the normal radial sidewall. Tire Sidewall Repair If you have gashed or scraped a small patch of sidewall rubber on your car, truck, or bike tire down to the threads, but not cut the threads. Why Can’t You Repair Tires with a Punctured Sidewall? Even if a patch were placed. Also, I believe you can only put a tube in a radial tire but not for sure. How to Repair a Radial Tire. To properly repair a radial tire. Punctures and snags can damage the sidewall. Center the repair patch on the inside tire wall. At Texas Tire Sales, we charge $1. RMA. If you insist on having your tire plugged in order to save a few bucks, we will be unable to assist you.
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