anyone ever use a cement glue and patch to patch a tire? girlfriends sister had a pin hole in her tire and was leaking air. I told her to go walmart and buy a patching kit, thinking she would get he kind that plugs into the tire. but no, anyone ever use this method?

 

I'm guessing she brought back a kit for patching inner tubes.
Only inner tubes I've seen in a while are on my bike.

 

That's exactly how Goodyear patched one of my rear runflats that had a razor puncture in it.

 

Never used that method for a quick fix. I bought the plug kit from Wal-Mart in case of emergency. When I had a flat fixed at a tire store, they used a plug and patch method to repair.

 

Yes I have, long before the patch/plug repair units became available.

Before proceeding, please ensure that the patch is in fact made for radial-ply tires and not for bias-ply tires and/or tubes; otherwise, it will not work peoperly...eventually working its way loose. Due to the different handling characteristics of a radial tire vs. a bias ply tire, the radial patch is actually much stronger/stiffer, as well as being properly reinforced by design. Just as long as the puncture is a 'pin hole' in size, then there's no need to actually ream-out the hole to insert a plug, will in fact make it unnecessarily larger in diameter than need be.

Just make sure that you properly buff (rough-up) the tire's inner liner in the area directly over the 'pin hole' at least a 1/4" in diameter larger than the size of the patch that is being used. Make sure that you only rough-up the liner and not grind down and inadvertently expose the tire's body cords or you've just ruined the tire. Once properly buffed (roughed-up), then make sure that nothing touches that area again except for the tire patching cement. Literally 'paint' the cement on over the entire buffed area and allow it to air dry for a minute or so.

Then carefully peel-off the backing from the back of the patch, and while ensuring that it does not become contaminated (don't even touch it with your fingers), place it onto the buffed area, ensuring that it is centered over the original 'pin hole' area. Then find a small roller of some type to roll over the patch; thus, forcing out the air from beneath the patch to ensure for secure/proper adhesion.

BTW, good luck dismounting the tire from the wheel without the proper tire machine in order to patch the tire, as it won't be an easy task. Also, make sure that you mark the original position of the tire (with tire chalk or a carpenter's grease pencil) while it's still mounted on the wheel or you'll have to have it rebalanced. Better yet, just take the tire/wheel to a competent tire shop to have it properly repaired...good luck.

Oh yes, I forgot to mention that I'm retired from The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.

 

wow, thanks for your time. I didnt do all of that though. Just did a quick fix until she could take it to a place this week. And i thought you couldnt just take the tire off as it would ruin the bead?

 

This is EXACTLY how the tech repaired my tire a few weeks ago. I watched the whole thing. And I had to go to the Goodyear Tire store in an adjacent town because the one in my city didn't have anyone certified to repair runflats.