Tire repair kits ?????

[Oldtom]

Good Morning - I used to repair tires on my beater cars with a Walmart grade tire repair kit consisting of a T Handle tool, rasp, rubber coated ropes, and glue. Now, I read that this kind of repair is unsafe, for temporary use only, and may cause a supervolcano in Yellowstone and end planetary life

These repair kits are sold everywhere. Are they still usable, or are the warnings just legal CYA. Are there other types of kit that work better for " side of road " repairs?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[LotI]

The only approved way to repair a radial passenger car tire is a "patch-plug" from the inside out. Any other repair is done at your peril.

The plugs you're talking about work ok but don't seal the tire properly. The main concern is moisture getting into the steel belts and causing corrosion. They're still around since you could patch your lawnmower or other low-speed tire just fine.

That said, I've used them successfully.

 

[The_Jeff]

I've run them for years. They used to be illegal in my state but they specifically legalized them recently.

 

[Bud]

I have used them on radial tires on my trucks for years. I have not had a tire leak after the repair that I can recall and have run back and forth between Texas and Alabama using them. I am still here, but you have to do what makes you feel safe. I also agree with what Lotl said.

 

[maxdustington]

Originally Posted By: LotI
The only approved way to repair a radial passenger car tire is a "patch-plug" from the inside out. Any other repair is done at your peril.

The plugs you're talking about work ok but don't seal the tire properly. The main concern is moisture getting into the steel belts and causing corrosion. They're still around since you could patch your lawnmower or other low-speed tire just fine.

That said, I've used them successfully.
They've been used for longer than any of us have been alive but they are no good because we want to discourage DIY repairs so we can get you into a tire shop of hypothetical future damage that will never have time to manifest if you drive a lot.

Get a Safety Seal kit instead of a crappy one from a local store.

 

[Whipcitywrencher]

I use them,
and I've seen tire treads go down to where they won't pass inspection before any leaks come from the tire plug.

But on the side of safety I put the tire in the rear if it was a front tire.

 

[jrvn]

those kits are very usable, before the ominous warnings of plug failures these kits have fixed millions of otherwise thrown in the trash heap tires that were totally serviceable. just recently I had a nail in my tire and took it for a free patch at Goodyear service center the kid told me the tire was not repairable cause the nail was close to the edge and I would need a new tire mounted and balanced $168 or preferabily a set of 4 new tires, I asked about the tire wear he said the tires were at 50% wear at this time, I said no thanks picked up some plugs and glue at Autozone for $9.57 and plugged it myself so far its holding up.

 

[spk2000]

I have used many of these plugs over the years and have yet to ever see one fail.

 

[Ducked]

In the UK in recent decades the only REALLY approved way to repair a radial passenger car tire is a "set of new tyres" from the tyre dealer that tells you that any other repair is done, not onlyat your perill, but also wickedly and sinfully.

They'll also charge you a disposal fee to dispose of your original tyres.

You used to get the sticky strings there, but, AFAIK, no longer.

That said, in Taiwan I used them a lot on a Sierra DOHC 2L (without the cement) with no problems.

 

[jrvn]

the same principle of replacing the complete tire other than plugging it has taken root here in America, pretty soon in the future I see the nanny state outlaw the sale and use of tire plugs to appease the political big money donors to political campaigns, and tell us we know whats better for u crowd.

 

[Rolla07]

Worked fine for me. For a year or two id use a patched tire, likely not longer than that, but they work well

 

[dogememe]

I noticed the ones we sell at work at the parts store specifically have little icons of tractors and a whole bunch of other things but no picture of a car - probably for liability!

 

[maxdustington]

Originally Posted By: dogememe
probably for liability!
Litigious society. Same with riding in the back of a pick up truck, what fun that was as a boy.

I think it is concept creep, as well. We all know that the string plugs work, but then that becomes too dangerous and the professional way is to yank the tire and patch it from the inside. Then that becomes too dangerous because of belt rust and you should get a new tire whenever it gets punctured. Meanwhile offroaders, farmers and third worlders are running five plugs in each tire.

 

[Onetor]

Safety Seal makes a great kit. I've used it for years.

 

[JTK]

Just make sure to get a kit where the T-handle for the reamer and plugger is substantially made. I've tried the cheap $3 kits and nearly impaled my hand on the tool when the plastic T-handle broke off.

I've got an eBay kit now in a nice plastic case with all metal tools. I've never had a plug not work for me. Even in sketchy areas on tires for my own vehicle.

 

[nobb]

I've been using these for over a decade to repair several family vehicles and have yet to have a failure or even leak from doing the repair. IMO, if the plug repair were to fail the most likely thing to happen would be a gradual slow leak that got worse and worse, rather than just an outright immediate and catastrophic failure.

 

[Traction]

The biggest problem with using plugs is, that you NO idea what the internal damage is of the tire, which can easily happen in a couple hundred feet when it goes flat. I've pulled coffee cans of crumbled rubber from flat tires that where run flat a short distance. The rim flange shreds the shoulder of both sides of the tire right down to the cords on the inside, and the outside looks fine. Plugs are only acceptable if installed from the inside out, which might still be on the market. They were called Safety Seal, and I have their whole repair kit, but have never used it. You even apply sealer around the plug on the inside of the tire.

 

[maxdustington]

Originally Posted By: Traction
The biggest problem with using plugs is, that you NO idea what the internal damage is of the tire, which can easily happen in a couple hundred feet when it goes flat. I've pulled coffee cans of crumbled rubber from flat tires that where run flat a short distance. The rim edge shreds the shoulder of both sides of the tire right down to the cords on the inside, and the outside looks fine. Plug are only acceptable if installed from the inside out, which might still be on the market.
Might as well just get a new car, who knows what could have happened to the rest of the car from driving a few hundred feet on a flat? Better replace the road too, who knows what could have happened to it from a car driving a few hundred feet with a flat tire?

 

[Traction]

Originally Posted By: maxdustington
Originally Posted By: Traction
The biggest problem with using plugs is, that you NO idea what the internal damage is of the tire, which can easily happen in a couple hundred feet when it goes flat. I've pulled coffee cans of crumbled rubber from flat tires that where run flat a short distance. The rim edge shreds the shoulder of both sides of the tire right down to the cords on the inside, and the outside looks fine. Plug are only acceptable if installed from the inside out, which might still be on the market.
Might as well just get a new car, who knows what could have happened to the rest of the car from driving a few hundred feet on a flat? Better replace the road too, who knows what could have happened to it from a car driving a few hundred feet with a flat tire?

Well for one, I've attempted to successfully repair over 500 tires to date. How many tires have you repaired that someone else drove on, and you just plugged it? Not me. People just tell me it was a couple hundred feet, but 500 feet, the tire is toast.

 

[spk2000]

How can a patch on the inside be better. Water can still reach the steel belts and rust them quite quickly. Plug from the outside does not allow water to get to the steel belts. I definitely agree with the metal tools as I have broken the cheaper ones and risk of injury is not worth the repair cost.