How not to repair a tire

Joined
Oct 7, 2012
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4,518
Location
Northern Ontario, Canada
Came across this while looking at a Caravan.
Its a plug.
Other tires were below wear bars.
But it has new brake rotors!

20200928_144637.jpg
 
I actually plugged a tire in the same area with success once.
Are Caravans still popular in Canada? I remember going to Canada when I was a kid and it seemed every other vehicle on the road was a Caravan.
 
I ran a tire with a plug in the same place for over 20,000 miles. Ideal? no. But it was close to new when I got the nail, I put it on the rear, I was always monitoring the tire pressure, and I did the repair. I also run tires that are over 10 years old. Send the tire police right away!
 
That 'repair' is questionable.....I did one about a 1/3" higher up to the thread (where the horizontal meets the vertical) about 15K ago and it's been fine (but I do leave it on the back of the car)...

PS: I just realized that that plug isn't touching the road (or else it would have flattened as mine did)....that makes me consider it a 'sidewall' plug...which is a NO-NO...
 
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Not an ASTM approved tire repair, to say the least. That plug will blow out and poke someone's eye out.
 
If the choice is to deploy a plug like that in a tire’s sidewall like that, or sit on the side of a deserted road for several hours waiting for someone to drive by so I can try to flag them down for help, I’ll go the plug route every day of the week and twice on Sundays.
 
If the choice is to deploy a plug like that in a tire’s sidewall like that, or sit on the side of a deserted road for several hours waiting for someone to drive by so I can try to flag them down for help, I’ll go the plug route every day of the week and twice on Sundays.

Thats understandable, i would not drive on it faster than 25mph. But that's not this situation. This is a caravan for sale that the OP went to look at. If it was a roadside plug, its still there, and the seller is willing to let someone else test drive it, or buy it and drive away on that tire.

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I ran a tire with a plug in the same place for over 20,000 miles. Ideal? no. But it was close to new when I got the nail, I put it on the rear, I was always monitoring the tire pressure, and I did the repair. I also run tires that are over 10 years old. Send the tire police right away!
I can't count the number of times I've done that! Never one single failure. I actually keep a plug kit in my glove box:D
 
I got one like that on a 8 years old Michelin when I bought my Mazda. Used it for a month, and then it was time for winter tires. Then put a pair of new Michelin in the spring.
 
I can't count the number of times I've done that! Never one single failure. I actually keep a plug kit in my glove box:D
I’ve plugged numerous tires and they kept on going with no problems. Just did my daughter in laws tire, a nail and a screw in the tire. 2 plugs and off she went. Granted I would not plug a tire on the sidewall
-I’ve never looked into it but are plugs supposed to be just a temporary fix? Are you not supposed to plug a tire and drive on it until it’s time to get new tires?
 
I’ll never understand stuff like this (sketchy sidewall plugs not plugs in general) unless someone is pure flat broke as a joke especially on a 2wd vehicle where you could just do one axle. Seems like an idiotic thing to play games with especially considering the volume of cheap import tires that are available nowadays.
 
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