m48xhp

Have a nail in the left rear. Need to get it patched. Question is where should I take it that can properly jack the car (I don't have pucks)?

Discount tire?

Chevy dealer?

Also need to be able to not mess up the wheel? A deep dish wheel that is powdercoated.

I don't mind paying more to have it done right.

And if anyone can be specific to recommend a place in southwest houston, that would be awesome.

Wayne O

I've always had good luck with Discount Tire. Wherever you go I'd express your concerns beforehand...get up-close and personal while they do the work if at all possible. There are many ways to raise the car (or a corner) without using jacking pucks and without causing damage but I'd still suggest you buy some jacking pucks and carry them in the storage cubby. I like the rectangular, snap-in BMW jacking pucks but even hockey pucks do the job. Again, I think the most important thing is to communicate your concerns so they know to avoid cracking the rocker panel or scratching-up the wheel. Good luck!

hawkgfr

Not the Chevy dealer...No guarantees they are equipped properly anyhow. Like has been suggested DT or even a good/crap dealer.....Juts let them know about the jacking points. You don't have to have pucks if they pay a little attention.

Tom's_03SVT

Discount tires (america's brand tire) use to do it for free....

BostonJoel

Still do even if the repaired tire didnt come from their shop. They take customer service pretty seriously.
Was there today getting prices on new tires for the 2008 coupe. It is down to the Firestone Wide Ovals RFT and the Michelin A/S Plus ZP.

acthegiant

Now before you and and other experts go flipping out take a moment and read on. I spoke with several local shops that work exclusively on Corvettes and do tire work (the one who did the work is a highly regarded approved installer for Tire Rack located in the South Florida area).

When my GY runflat rear picked up a nail, they plugged it. Comment from the repair shop was the design of the RF - ie stiffer sidewall and reinforced tread makes a properly installed plug just as good as a patch from the inside. Much easier to address as you don't even have to remove the tire, just get on your back and take care of business. That tire lasted 8k more miles (before it wore out) with no issues on leakage or stability - many high speed runs.

I got nail in the other rear tire and bought a kit and did it myself - trust me the tires are tough, when you have to fix the hole to properly seat the plug you'll know what I mean.

In the end, no worry about jacking or rebalancing or tearing up the rims. If you do it yourself, you can save $ if that is your bag. Try any of your local shops that do corvette work (tires/wheels) and I suspect you'll hear the same story.

AORoads

probably not in your area, but corvettes of houston?

believe it or not, I've also got a list of dealers from a thread. I'll send it to you via em.

FranklinWalker

sorry i dont know

vette ruminator

Discount Tire. FREE and they did a nice job. Just Tires wanted $60 for the same job. Free is better.

not08crmanymore

Right where the hole is.

ekimsinnigcm

A plug is a temporary fix, the plug sticks out of the tire, and if you are accelerating quickly, or turning a corner fast the plug can come out very easily.

NYC6

In a world class sports car with 400+hp and capable of very high G's and tops out at 185+mph Im not trusting a plug, no matter what some yokel tire 'mechanic' tells me.

And before you listen to other "experts" who might post in this thread that his "experts" told him its OK to just plug a runflat, heres what the real experts at Tirerack have to say on the subject. And pretty much the same thing is said by any other real experts on the subject like this forums own Wolfdogs.

Just remember, your life might depend on bad advice you get around here.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete...jsp?techid=77&

Zoxxo

Re: 400+ hp and 180 mph car

I agree.

If you want it done right (and you do) then take it to Goodyear. Its their tire and their reputation. They actually have something to lose by not doing ot right.

The local Goodyear store just repaired my wife's run flat (plug + patch) for $25. They jacked it properly, didn't scratch the rims, etc.

re: discount tire

I used to go there to do all my stuff but after I educated the junior high dropouts about the jacking pucks and all that they still managed to screw up the car (they somehow managed to bend the little hook inside the puck insert!)

Our Vettes don't go there any more.

Z//

z06clif

Although I currently have a plug in my right rear as a temp fix because I am changing tires next week. Ihave had good experience with Goodyear. I had to wait two days for the tech to come in that knew how to do it. the service maager didnt trust the everyday shop techs to fix it right.Also this guy was worth the wait. Jacked it right ,didnt scratch the rim and took his time.

Clif

not08crmanymore

I had a plug in my 05 tire from 1 week into ownership until 2 years later when I got rid of it.No issues at all at speeds of 140+,on track.

ekimsinnigcm

Dont get me wrong, a plug is a great tool to use for a temporary fix, and can last quite a few miles, however its not the "right" way. And as for jacking your car, you guys dont need pucks and all that non sense, dont buy into that please. your car will be fine.

cclive

Again with the plugs...sheesh. Tire manufacturers say NO...seems simple to me.

Michelin says NO PLUG...and we are going to argue with them about it...???? HUH???

kellf190

I have had good luck with Discount tires in Sugarland (highway 6), but I do watch what they do! They have repaired several of my tires, including one on my C6 for free. It is also where I bought my new tires for my C6... but again watch what they do!

FunDriver

Beat me to it.

I always make a repair from the inside. I once had a spike in a tire on an NSX (non-runflat) that the road had worn down so it just looked like a big nail from the outside. I had it plugged and when we pulled it off later to patch, we found that the spike was long enough to wear away part of tire on the inside that we douldn't see. I was doing an HPDE the next day and it could have caused some real problems. We tossed the tire after finding the damage.

It may be an extreme example but we'd never had known of the danger without pulling the tire off. I also just feel safer with a patch from the inside.

Zoxxo

Goodyear strictly proscribes the way to fix their runflats (plug + patch.)

http://www.goodyear.com/cfmx/web/gov...e/psb_9811.cfm

What Michelin says not to do is a patch installed from the outside (not removing the tire from the rim.) What they DO say to do is a "patch and fill". That word "fill" is what Goodyear means when they say "plug" in "patch and plug" - a plug installed from the INSIDE of the tire (off of the rim.) That type of plug is not coming out.