Can a otherwise good tire be re-plugged?

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Short question, last month and picked up a small nail in my rear pickup truck tire in the first tread groove. These are near new highway tires, dated mid 2020, probably less than 5k miles, no warranty on them, but years and tens of thousands of service miles remaining. Anyway, Discount Tire (awesome!) did a free patch.

I moved, hauled several truck loads. I noticed the tire is slowly leaking air and have twice had to air it up. Today it only had 10 psi, and upon investigation, the plug is pushing its way out about 1/8." I'm really hoping this tire (and probably set) won't need replacing because they are practically new. Would be a complete waste to dispose of.

Going to ask tomorrow, but I fear the answer is it cannot be re-patched.
 
are you sure its leaking at the patch?
it was dismounted and remounted.. it might be leaking along the bead. test with soapy water.. (starting at the plug)
the plug coming out 1/8" is acceptable. there is also a patch on the inside the plug is only sealing the hole.

Typically you can replug after reaming if you use a string plug.. not sure about re-patching with a patch-plug but I'd think not.
 
Good points, it might have a different source for leak. I believe Discount does a plug and patch.
 
Agree with Rand. Since it was r&r'd it could very well be leaking at the bead also. Since you noticed the plug has moved out a bit, that would be my best guess as to the source of the leak, but it could really be coming from anywhere. I've seen brand new valve stems leak more than once.
Even if its found to be leaking at the bead, ask them to patch the inside of the tire, they really are good. 31" 10 ply BFG T/A tire was patched at 8k. Ran it over 30k miles without incident, and we still on it when I sold the truck.
Call discount tire before you head over and ask if they can patch the tire also, if they can't find a place that does, might have to pay like $30, but its worth it. Best method is a patch and plug, you'd want a new plug installed at the time of patching.

Edit: You beat me to the answer!
 
I don't know any reputable tire shop that gives the option of a plug. I'm sure there is probably "the good 'ol boys" tire shop that will.

The ideal way is to use a plug, then a patch, or possibly a combination "mushroom" plug/patch. And then only after properly reaming out the hole. That will tend to smooth out any jagged pieces of the belt and makes it easier for a proper fit to the plug.

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I believe sometimes a separate patch and plug might work better - especially if the "injury" is at an angle where a mushroom plug/patch combination might not work too well because it can't be bent too much.

A patch is much better at keeping a tire from leaking air and isn't likely to blow out. I don't believe the plug is strictly needed to keep it from leaking or blowing out, but from what I've heard it's supposed to seal steel belts to reduce corrosion.
 
My tire guy told me he once found 18 wood screws in one big rig truck tire. That's how the driver had "plugged" this tire over and over. "It'll be fine!" 💣
 
if any tire is repaired with a patch only or plug only it will void the warranty of the tire unless it is both plugged and patched so it is sealed on the inside as well as the outside to prevent ply separation.

I'd say most shops use the combo plug patch but there are still places that will plug the puncture first and then apply the patch.


its a pain to redo a plug patch repair, but it is doable.

sometimes the patch can be ground off and removed leaving the plug intact and then have a new patch installed over the existing plug or the whole thing can be removed and redone with possibly a larger plug etc.
 
Do they always patch tires now?
Discount Tire stopped plugging tires a long time ago. They use patches (with that "plug" portion).

or possibly a combination "mushroom" plug/patch
As far as I'm aware, this is what all well-known tire shops use. I don't know if years ago it was only a patch and later evolved into a patch w/a plug or not though. As someone else said, there's plenty of smaller tire shops that still do plugs only.
 
a combination "mushroom" plug/patch. And then only after properly reaming out the hole. That will tend to smooth out any jagged pieces of the belt and makes it easier for a proper fit to the plug.
Since you noticed the plug has moved out a bit, that would be my best guess as to the source of the leak,

Discount tire's patch/plug failed. Apparently they used a 2-piece one, and the plug was either not seated well, or hole not reamed well, or it worked its way out to cause a slow leak. But hey, it was a free temp solution and it got the job done safely so no complaints here. And I suspect my multiple heavy loads on the tire during moves might have stressed it to the limit. These are Passenger rated tires, not LT rated... so I'll take some blame.

Today, Les Schwab re-did the job with a "mushroom" 1 piece patch. He said the prior one was not done to standard and failed. Checked the tire in the dunk tank, no other leaks. Tire is fixed. So to answer the question in this case yes, a tire can be repatched in this situation.
 
Discount tire's patch/plug failed. Apparently they used a 2-piece one, and the plug was either not seated well, or hole not reamed well, or it worked its way out to cause a slow leak. But hey, it was a free temp solution and it got the job done safely so no complaints here. And I suspect my multiple heavy loads on the tire during moves might have stressed it to the limit. These are Passenger rated tires, not LT rated... so I'll take some blame.

Today, Les Schwab re-did the job with a "mushroom" 1 piece patch. He said the prior one was not done to standard and failed. Checked the tire in the dunk tank, no other leaks. Tire is fixed. So to answer the question in this case yes, a tire can be repatched in this situation.

A patch alone is supposed to provide a tight air seal if it's done right and completely sealed. It's really the liner that reduces air loss, and it's easy to figure out that a patch is completely covering the liner with no gaps. A plug alone has never been that great for sealing out air, even if it completely seals the "injury". Slathering cement and hoping that it seals against the liner with no gaps won't necessarily seal it out.

If there was a slow leak, it sounds like the patch wasn't properly sealed. A properly applied patch alone should be airtight.
 
driving from work i encountered MANY nails with a plastic "washer" on them while crossing a 2 lane bridge!! i picked up 6 + they were all patch-plugged with success + held until removal. tires were almost new BFG performance tires $$$
 
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