Tire Patch

marine_devildog801 · June 18, 2011

I had to get my tire patched the other day and I am concerned about having a blow out. I had a pretty good size ...something... go through my tire and cut through some of the steel belt that was on the inside of the tire. My tire guy said to watch the tire because the belt could bulge up and blow the tire out. He said that the tire could last for 40,000 miles or it might not last 4 miles, but there is no way to really tell. What are your guys' thoughts on the safety of the tire? Should I hope for the best or just suck it up and get a new tire? Has anyone had any experience with this? Personally I am concerned that the tire might blow out and cause damage such as scratching the paint and ruining the rim when it does. Thanks for any help.

AzDragonLord · June 18, 2011

How big was the object that went thru your tire??? Using a DIY kit I've plugged tires from nail or screw holes many times and only once did a patch not hold...and it only leaked. I would think if it's a large hole you should get it replaced.

Silverado4x4 · June 18, 2011

Depends on how big the hole was, I have plugged tires and lasted the whole life of the tire.

tyhuck · June 19, 2011

Well, my initial question is, did the tire tech plug the tire, or did he use an actual patch?

If he used a plug, which is a piece of rubber punched into the tire from the outside and held in place with some sort of glue or rubber cement, you should be OK for a while. The big issue would be a leak later in the life of the tire. like everyone else's. How big of a hole was in the tire?

If he used a patch, which is a rubber disk glued to the inside of the tire and requires that the tire be broken off of the rim, then you should not have any problems out of the tire for the remainder of the tire life. And, if he used a patch-plug, which is a pathc with a rubber finger protruding from one side that is designed to fill the hole as well as seal the surrounding area, then its even better.

All that is assuming that there is a small hole in the tire. If it was a nail or something similar, you should be ok. Thats not to say that the tire wont fail, but in my experience at the tire shop in HS and college, the chances of a blowout are slim. Ive installed hundreds, if not thousands, of patches in the past. They work so well that they will actually maintain a tires warranty, where a plug will void most tire manufacturers mileage warranty.

If the hole was a big one, like made from a 1/4" bolt or larger item, you need to replace the tire pretty soon.

ScottyBoy · June 19, 2011

Yeah, like he said above. If the hole was larger than a 1/4 inch, I would get a new tire. If it was 1/4 inch or smaller you will be fine.

marine_devildog801 · June 20, 2011

I am going to take a SWAG at it and say that it was maybe a 1/8 inch hole. Maybe slightly larger. My main concern was that it went through the belts and that that might cause the biggest issue. And it was a patch that was used. We plugged it on the road and used that JUST to get to the tire shop where it could be patched.

AzDragonLord · June 20, 2011

It comes down to if you're uncertain about it...replace it!

tyhuck · June 20, 2011

Any time you get a puncture on a tire, you will probably break a few belts, but in the tread area of a tire, the belts are so numerous that if you break a few, there are quite a few more to hold everything in place. The problem from broken belts come down to when you break several belts. Just run the tire until it wears out. You shouldnt have any problems.

Just keep an feel out for any vibration or bounce in the tire. That can be a sign of a major belt failure. If you feel any rough ride, then check the tire. If you find a knot that looks like a golf ball, the tire needs to be replaced.