Tire Plug Experts Advice
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The only thing the rubber cement does is lube the plug going into the tire.
Originally Posted By: Silverado12
The only thing the rubber cement does is lube the plug going into the tire.
This is wrong info. The rubber cement vulcanizes the sticky string to the tire's rubber. Vulcanize meaning a chemical process that causes the molecules from one rubber surface to crosslink with another rubber surface. So yes, use the rubber cement.
Technically, the official recommendation is that tire plugs are temporary repairs only and patching is the only proper way to do it. But I've really never heard of a plug going bad if installed properly.
The only thing the rubber cement does is lube the plug going into the tire.
This is wrong info. The rubber cement vulcanizes the sticky string to the tire's rubber. Vulcanize meaning a chemical process that causes the molecules from one rubber surface to crosslink with another rubber surface. So yes, use the rubber cement.
Technically, the official recommendation is that tire plugs are temporary repairs only and patching is the only proper way to do it. But I've really never heard of a plug going bad if installed properly.
Originally Posted By: DBMaster
Never used cement, either and the plugs have worked very well. But, from what I understand, the wet glue acts as a lubricant making the plug easier to insert and the insertion tool easier to remove. YMMV
This. Back in the 90's did many plugs, never used any cement. That said, if you makes you feel better use it.
Since Discount Tire came the area in the early 2000's let them do all my puncture repairs. FOC to all regardless of purchase, using RMA procedure.
Never used cement, either and the plugs have worked very well. But, from what I understand, the wet glue acts as a lubricant making the plug easier to insert and the insertion tool easier to remove. YMMV
This. Back in the 90's did many plugs, never used any cement. That said, if you makes you feel better use it.
Since Discount Tire came the area in the early 2000's let them do all my puncture repairs. FOC to all regardless of purchase, using RMA procedure.
I've been using Safety Seal plugs forever. They have a waxy lube that you put in the reamer before the plug and then just the plug. They have all sorts of nubs on the plug for grip and a red gooey coating. I've never had one come out or fail. In fact, once, in an emergency, I had three plugs in a hole and got to where I needed to be and then bought tires.
The lube never dries out.
The lube never dries out.
I prefer a patch . I take it to a local place a few blocks away and pay them . It is worth $ 10 to me . They also have straightened slightly bent steel wheel , free , when fixing a flat . Which I really appreciated .
so heres what happened in the end, the tires are Dunlop and I called customer service Goodyear/Dunlop corp. nice lady says that I am still under the wearout warranty 60k miles and they have shops that will patch/plug FREE! so I said [censored] yeah where do I go, they sent me to a GOODYEAR service center bout 10 miles away for an appointment. so I got there this morning and the manager already was waiting for me, and I re asked I said this service is completely a free he said yes completely. so I wait in the waiting room manager comes back says they found a nail but the tire is not repairable? whaat the nail was too close to the inside edge and couldn't be repaired by them and I had 2 choices but 1 new replacement tire which he recommended that I buy 4 new tires cause the truck is a 4x4 and could effect the transfer case whaaaaaaaaaat! so I said show me the nail, I said to myself this is a 100% pluggable in my limited plugging experience so I said thanx but no thanx, stopped at AUTOZONE PICKED UP slime CEMENT and 5 new SLIME plugs=$9.57 and plugged it this afternoon in my driveway. now ive aired it up to 34psi and hope it holds up, looks good so far, my fingers are crossed. also the tires are only 50% worn at about 50k miles says the manager there, so no way im springing for all new tires or even 1 new tire. probably a bait and switch deal where they can throw unknowing folks under the bus when they don't need to on repairs to suck up some sales revenue/commisions.
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Best wishes on the fix ! 
Originally Posted By: jrvn
so heres what happened in the end, the tires are Dunlop and I called customer service Goodyear/Dunlop corp. nice lady says that I am still under the wearout warranty 60k miles and they have shops that will patch/plug FREE! so I said [censored] yeah where do I go, they sent me to a GOODYEAR service center bout 10 miles away for an appointment. so I got there this morning and the manager already was waiting for me, and I re asked I said this service is completely a free he said yes completely. so I wait in the waiting room manager comes back says they found a nail but the tire is not repairable? whaat the nail was too close to the inside edge and couldn't be repaired by them and I had 2 choices but 1 new replacement tire which he recommended that I buy 4 new tires cause the truck is a 4x4 and could effect the transfer case whaaaaaaaaaat! so I said show me the nail, I said to myself this is a 100% pluggable in my limited plugging experience so I said thanx but no thanx, stopped at AUTOZONE PICKED UP slime CEMENT and 5 new SLIME plugs=$9.57 and plugged it this afternoon in my driveway. now ive aired it up to 34psi and hope it holds up, looks good so far, my fingers are crossed. also the tires are only 50% worn at about 50k miles says the manager there, so no way im springing for all new tires or even 1 new tire. probably a bait and switch deal where they can throw unknowing folks under the bus when they don't need to on repairs to suck up some sales revenue/commisions.
this happens a lot to people that bring a tire to get repaired. DT and others sell a lot of new tires this way by doing the free repairs. DT will not fix a flat on a tire that is so many years old.
so heres what happened in the end, the tires are Dunlop and I called customer service Goodyear/Dunlop corp. nice lady says that I am still under the wearout warranty 60k miles and they have shops that will patch/plug FREE! so I said [censored] yeah where do I go, they sent me to a GOODYEAR service center bout 10 miles away for an appointment. so I got there this morning and the manager already was waiting for me, and I re asked I said this service is completely a free he said yes completely. so I wait in the waiting room manager comes back says they found a nail but the tire is not repairable? whaat the nail was too close to the inside edge and couldn't be repaired by them and I had 2 choices but 1 new replacement tire which he recommended that I buy 4 new tires cause the truck is a 4x4 and could effect the transfer case whaaaaaaaaaat! so I said show me the nail, I said to myself this is a 100% pluggable in my limited plugging experience so I said thanx but no thanx, stopped at AUTOZONE PICKED UP slime CEMENT and 5 new SLIME plugs=$9.57 and plugged it this afternoon in my driveway. now ive aired it up to 34psi and hope it holds up, looks good so far, my fingers are crossed. also the tires are only 50% worn at about 50k miles says the manager there, so no way im springing for all new tires or even 1 new tire. probably a bait and switch deal where they can throw unknowing folks under the bus when they don't need to on repairs to suck up some sales revenue/commisions.
this happens a lot to people that bring a tire to get repaired. DT and others sell a lot of new tires this way by doing the free repairs. DT will not fix a flat on a tire that is so many years old.
update #2, well I aired 34psi the tires as stated woke up the next day checked the pressure was at 27psi
and I sprayed soapy water on the plug area and walla theres the bubbles emitting out of the side of it. so I go get coffee and re air to 34psi spray the area with soapy water wait 1.5 hours check the air pressure still at 34psi no bubbles showing leakage yet. im wondering if driving and heating up the plug has sealed the plug area better? I will recheck tomorrow morning again and don't have high hopes its fully sealed. so my next alternative would be a double plug, can the old plug be pulled and start from scratch or can I put another plug right next to the old one?
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I may have found my answer about heating up the plug and better seal https://www.thoughtco.com/tire-repair-plugging-vs-patching-3234382
The plug is self vulcanizing rubber. Drive it, it heats up, becomes part of the tire. Plugs are simple, inexpensive and effective. Get a patch on it when you can. Plug will get you on down the road and will last even if its left in the tire.
jup I think your right the heat from driving on the tire has vulcanized the plug im hoping, I aired to 35psi before going to sleep, woke up this morning and checked the tire it was at 34.5/35 psi my fingers are crossed that it doesn't leak I really want to have the peace of mind not having to worry about a leaking tire anymore. but do think that the plug heats up and vulcanizes to the tire rubber and then makes a better seal, when I first plugged it is sprayed soapy water but had no bubbles on it, put the tire back on went on a short drive to get air, next morning it was down to 27psi sprayed and had bubbles, went to get coffee and more air and the longer drive heated up the plug better and the top 2 tails from the plug mushroomed better on the top for a better seal I think. also I took it in initially for a FREE patch job under warranty but was told the nail was too close to the edge and the tire wasn't repairable.
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