Any luck with patches on punctured sidewalls?

[Mega Dogmeat]

Something very very very maddening happened to me today

 

I got a flat tire

 

It was quite strange ... It happened on the upper sidewall of my tire, but not on the tread part .... I had only driven over some rocks VERY slowly that day, and what's weird is, this puncure was *TINY*, like it looked like somone took a needle and poked my tire with it ... It was a slow leak, but it was enough of one to deflate my tire in about 2 hours time.

 

Anyways, I think I just got a sticker stuck in the sidewall somehow ....

 

I have a set of LT265/75/16 8 ply Toyo Open Country A/T's ....

 

Needless to say I overbought the tires just so they WOULDNT pop on me like this .... I don't think these are crappy tires, I just got a really weird puncture is all....cuz I mean normally when a rock pops your sidewall, it takes a BIG chunk outta the thing...

 

So anyways, I took it to the local service station to have him patch it, and he told me that it's sort of a 50/50 shot that the patch will hold up on the sidewall ...

 

have any of you guys had any luck with having a sidewall patched like this and still being able to take your truck off-road and stuff without your tire further blowing up on you?

 

I've only had these tires for like 20,000 miles but I don't think I have a sidewall warranty on them ... esp since I had somone else put a patch on it for me that wasn't the tire place I bought them at ...

 

I dunno, should I be worried or not?

 

I can't really afford a new tire right now

[hvac1000]

DO NOT patch the side wall. Period

[stlmaj]

DO NOT patch the side wall. Period

What he said!!!!!!!!!!!

[Shaners]

I know some people have done it and been successful, but I wouldn't feel safe driving or riding in a vehicle that has had a "plug" put in the sidewall.

[sjspor]

I hope there is'nt a tire place that would attempt to patch a sidewall, but you should never ever patch a side wall.

[Mega Dogmeat]

so basically I should just go and get a new tire?

[LogixRat]

so basically I should just go and get a new tire?

Yes, go buy a new tire. It sucks, we all know it and been there...but it is just bloody scary to be driving on a patched sidewall. Like the others, I can't believe you find a tire shop to do that.

 

If you are strapped for cash, you might call the dealer where you purchased the tires and see if there is anything they can do for you. It may be more difficult since you had someone else patch the sidewall, but it's worth a shot. By the way, why didn't you just take it back to them to begin with?

 

Good luck!

[Mega Dogmeat]

Ok, well ... heh ...

 

I called the place I bought the tires at to ask about them, and since I lost my receipt, I don't have a way of really proving I bought a warranty along with the tires

 

But, I asked the guy there about it and he told me that he probably patched 10 sidewalls a day and that if the guy used the right patch to patch it with, it should be OK

 

I think this guy was even the owner of the shop?

 

Actually this shop is one of the more reputable shops in town too, we've bought a lot of tires there over the years.

 

But, he told me to keep an eye on it and if it got worse or deflated again to just bring it on it and he'd look at it.

 

A new tire is about $140 which I can't swing right now

 

I guess I'll just see what happens and be really careful with it on fishing trips this fall, heh

[Tucson_02Silverado]

DON'T patch or plug sidewalls, not even the outside tread edge.

 

You've gotten enough advice here not to, yet you still want to risk life, limb and property over $140.

 

The place that sold you the tires had to register the serial numbers of the tires. So it's bull if they have no records. And they are just as much liable for damages for making sidewall repairs. Go to another tire shop. At least buy a used unpatched/plugged tire if you are strapped for cash at the moment.

[tmf6902]

Just to reiterate what everyone else has said....don't drive around with a patched sidewall. I have never been to a store that even offered to patch the sidewall. no matter how small the hole. Trust me, I got my swampers slashed once, I would have loved to patch em, but you just can't.

[Mega Dogmeat]

yeah, that is pretty dumb to risk a rollover or something oer $140 ...

 

I suppose I can run my spare while I have them order me in a new tire.

 

I guess I'll go talk to them about it tomorrow.

 

Uhg normally I wouldn't have even considered running this like that but being a broke college kid cuz if pickup + insurance payments doesn't leave a lot for breakdowns *sigh*

 

Ah well, i'll bite the bullet ;)

 

Maybe they'll let me make payments on it in like 3 divisions or something

[stlmaj]

yeah, that is pretty dumb to risk a rollover or something oer $140 ...

 

I suppose I can run my spare while I have them order me in a new tire.

 

I guess I'll go talk to them about it tomorrow.

 

Uhg normally I wouldn't have even considered running this like that but being a broke college kid cuz if pickup + insurance payments doesn't leave a lot for breakdowns *sigh*

 

Ah well, i'll bite the bullet ;)

 

Maybe they'll let me make payments on it in like 3 divisions or something

Smart move! No tire shop should ever offer to patch a side wall...

 

Good luck

Matt

[MoJo]

Maybe you SHOULD post the name of the shop. If they practise one unsafe repair, how can anything they do be trusted, especially when they said they have no records, etc.

Others have no problem saying they have had a problem with a sponsor. For everyone's safety and peace of mind, who is it?

[LARSONEM]

Patching a sidewall not only puts your life and property at risk, but the same for anyone driving around you. Don't do it. There isn't a person out there whose life is worth the risk.

 

I'm a motorcyclist besides being into trucks too. I wouldn't even plug a motorcycle tire in the tread. When you have only two wheels on the ground, you can't afford to be without one of them. I've had truck/car tires repaired before though if the puncture was in the tread. I feel safer having 4 wheels under me.

 

I saw a picture of a nail once that had gone through a motorcycle tire. While it looked like only a small nail from the outside, it had wiggled around on the inside and done some serious destruction to the inside of the tire. Without dismounting it you would never know the damage inside existed. Your life ain't worth saving $140.

[Mega Dogmeat]

Patching a sidewall not only puts your life and property at risk, but the same for anyone driving around you. Don't do it. There isn't a person out there whose life is worth the risk.

 

I'm a motorcyclist besides being into trucks too. I wouldn't even plug a motorcycle tire in the tread. When you have only two wheels on the ground, you can't afford to be without one of them. I've had truck/car tires repaired before though if the puncture was in the tread. I feel safer having 4 wheels under me.

 

I saw a picture of a nail once that had gone through a motorcycle tire. While it looked like only a small nail from the outside, it had wiggled around on the inside and done some serious destruction to the inside of the tire. Without dismounting it you would never know the damage inside existed. Your life ain't worth saving $140.

The tires weren't bought online, it was from a local tire shop.

 

The place that patched it for me was just a local service station.

 

However, when I called the actual tire shop to ask them about it, they told me that they patch sidewalls too ... he said directly to me "I patch about 10 of them a day, and if you do it right, and use the right patch, it should be OK" ....