Had a shard of metal through the tread area of one of the Bridgestone Turanza EL400's on my 2012 Legacy. Figured I'd use my ~$2 Harbor Freight Tools tire repair kit.
The ultra high quality components of the kit, combined with my masterful skills proved to be a huge loose/loose situation.
Two plunges with the reamer and the plastic T-handle blew into several pieces. Wonderful. Slapped some vice-grips on the reamer shaft, worked it a few more times and got it out.
On to inserting a plug... Couldn't get the first one out of the package given it was completely bonded to the plastic packing. Rubber goo all over my meat hooks now.. Got the second one out intact (cut a section of it out), got it in the fork, lubed it with a little of the included glue and attempted to shove it in the hole.
One plunge and the T-handle blew right off the inserter fork deal too. Ugh.. throw the vice grips on it. Try again. The fork twisted and bent like bubble gum. Tried to straighten it out and try again.. Twisted/bent even worse. !@#$%
Dug the spare out, mounted it up, threw the now completely flat tire in the trunk and headed to the tire shop down the street. $15 and 15min later I was back home with a plugged tire. Good times.
The ultra high quality components of the kit, combined with my masterful skills proved to be a huge loose/loose situation.
Two plunges with the reamer and the plastic T-handle blew into several pieces. Wonderful. Slapped some vice-grips on the reamer shaft, worked it a few more times and got it out.
On to inserting a plug... Couldn't get the first one out of the package given it was completely bonded to the plastic packing. Rubber goo all over my meat hooks now.. Got the second one out intact (cut a section of it out), got it in the fork, lubed it with a little of the included glue and attempted to shove it in the hole.
One plunge and the T-handle blew right off the inserter fork deal too. Ugh.. throw the vice grips on it. Try again. The fork twisted and bent like bubble gum. Tried to straighten it out and try again.. Twisted/bent even worse. !@#$%
Dug the spare out, mounted it up, threw the now completely flat tire in the trunk and headed to the tire shop down the street. $15 and 15min later I was back home with a plugged tire. Good times.
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