Plug or patch

[mechtech2]

I know the correct answer is to patch them.
But I have plugged a lot of tires with great results for years.
Run a drill [small] in the hole to orient the metal strands.
Pre wet it with your glue, then install your wet plug.
I like how the plug is locked in, vs. a patch.

 

[Carbon]

Originally Posted By: mechtech2
I know the correct answer is to patch them.
But I have plugged a lot of tires with great results for years.
Run a drill [small] in the hole to orient the metal strands.
Pre wet it with your glue, then install your wet plug.
I like how the plug is locked in, vs. a patch.

Many like self-vulcanizing plugs rather than those that use cement. After searching, I was going to go with either Safety Seal or Black Jack. However a local small shop was willing to do the plug for me with a black self-vulcanizing plug, after some disclaimer. Contrary to the directions I had seen, he twisted several times. It is holding air on the spare well, but I want to put that tire into the rotation. The resulting heat should cause the self-vulcanizing. I am thinking maybe I should have put that tire on the road right away.

 

[mva]

I have fixed many of these types of leaks (nail or screw) with plugs and I have never had a problem. I always ream out the hole and wet the plug with rubber cement.

Patch and plug is overkill and additional work and cost to rebalance the tire.

 

[Chris142]

I like plugs but there is a catch.

When a tire is patched they are able to see inside the tire to see if it has been run flat. If it's damaged inside then it's no good.

With a plug they don't dismount the tire so theres no way of knowing if it's been damaged by running flat.

So if you spot a nail in your tire and it's not flat plug it. If it's flat and you may have driven on it flat then it needs to be dismounted and inspected.

Patches will allow water to get into the steel belts and start rusting them. A plug won't allow water into the cords.

 

[SubLGT]

Originally Posted By: StormRider
........Patch plug is a good repair but requires re-balancing of the tire as you have to remove it from the rim..........


Why is rebalancing required? They should be able to reinstall the tire at the same position if they mark it and the wheel before dismounting. Sounds like an unnecessary extra charge.

 

[Carbon]

Originally Posted By: SubLGT
Originally Posted By: StormRider
........Patch plug is a good repair but requires re-balancing of the tire as you have to remove it from the rim..........


Why is rebalancing required? They should be able to reinstall the tire at the same position if they mark it and the wheel before dismounting. Sounds like an unnecessary extra charge.
The patch adds a little weight at the spot of the patch. The amount of imbalance is small, and may not be worth adding the 1/8 ounce that it might take to compensate.

What I don't know is if tires remounted to the same angular position might also need rebalancing. Is there possibly some small radial displacement that occurs when you remount the tire? If so, that would potentially be a larger factor than the patch weight.

Another thing I don't know is if it is practical to leave rim-mounted wheel weights in place during the tire dismounting and remounting processes. If a tire shop does it, I feel they will routinely remove any existing rim-mounted weights.

 

[bdcardinal]

i always removed weights when taking tires off. it was too easy for the weight to slide across the lip of the wheel and scratch it. rebalancing was included in the tire repair fee at Sears.

 

[SubLGT]

Originally Posted By: Carbon
Originally Posted By: SubLGT
Originally Posted By: StormRider
........Patch plug is a good repair but requires re-balancing of the tire as you have to remove it from the rim..........


Why is rebalancing required? They should be able to reinstall the tire at the same position if they mark it and the wheel before dismounting. Sounds like an unnecessary extra charge.
The patch adds a little weight at the spot of the patch. The amount of imbalance is small, and may not be worth adding the 1/8 ounce that it might take to compensate.

What I don't know is if tires remounted to the same angular position might also need rebalancing. Is there possibly some small radial displacement that occurs when you remount the tire? If so, that would potentially be a larger factor than the patch weight.

Another thing I don't know is if it is practical to leave rim-mounted wheel weights in place during the tire dismounting and remounting processes. If a tire shop does it, I feel they will routinely remove any existing rim-mounted weights.



Took my winter tire in for a slow leak repair today, they removed my DIY plug and replaced it with a mushroom patch. They did not remove the single rim weight while removing the tire, but the tire is about 1/2" inch off from its previous position on the wheel. The patch and labor was free, and the alloy wheel is undamaged, so I won't complain. It remains to be seen how this affected the balance.