[Z06] Question about flat tire.... :(
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 625
Likes: 0
From: Anaheim Hills CA
Question about flat tire.... :(
So my baby went over a nail while driving last night, and my poor PS2 tire got completely flat. I heard the loud pop and the car started pulling quick. I exit and pull into the gas station, and by that time the tire was completely flat, and I was literally driving/sitting on the rim 
I was able to use a temporary patch and fill her back up, which should last me until the local tire shop opens up tomorrow so I can get a patch on the inside of the tire.
My questions are, first of all how do I know that my rim isn't slightly bent or damaged? Can it withstand something like this? I drove on it maybe a 1/8 mile, and then the car had it's whole weight on it while I tried fixing the hole.
Secondly, my PS2's barely have 4k miles on them (if that), so I'm hesitant to buy a pair for the fronts right away. Would a patch be good enough just to at least get to spring/summer time? Or will performance be severely degraded?
I'm also assuming I will need an alignment, right?
Sigh. I'm just worried more about damaging anything by driving on a completely flat tire
I was able to use a temporary patch and fill her back up, which should last me until the local tire shop opens up tomorrow so I can get a patch on the inside of the tire.
My questions are, first of all how do I know that my rim isn't slightly bent or damaged? Can it withstand something like this? I drove on it maybe a 1/8 mile, and then the car had it's whole weight on it while I tried fixing the hole.
Secondly, my PS2's barely have 4k miles on them (if that), so I'm hesitant to buy a pair for the fronts right away. Would a patch be good enough just to at least get to spring/summer time? Or will performance be severely degraded?
I'm also assuming I will need an alignment, right?
Sigh. I'm just worried more about damaging anything by driving on a completely flat tire
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 4,524
Likes: 372
From: Philadelphia PA
An 1/8 of mile, I wouldn't be concerned. What I'd be more concerned with is driving at high speeds with a patch/plug.
I'm in need of tires soon (original tires on 04Z) and my front right was replaced with a Bridgestone over a year ago and it's been fine for occasional use, until I get a new set. Since the BS still has a lot of tread left, I'll keep it as an emergency tire. You don't know how hard it was to find a 265/40/17 in stock at a tire place.
So you may want to do that...scrap the damaged tire, get 2 new front tires and keep the good PS2 for backup.
I'm in need of tires soon (original tires on 04Z) and my front right was replaced with a Bridgestone over a year ago and it's been fine for occasional use, until I get a new set. Since the BS still has a lot of tread left, I'll keep it as an emergency tire. You don't know how hard it was to find a 265/40/17 in stock at a tire place.
So you may want to do that...scrap the damaged tire, get 2 new front tires and keep the good PS2 for backup.
Heel & Toe
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
From: New Orleans Louisiana
I would buy a new tire. Balancing the tire will let you know if it is bent. Drive the car and decided if it needs an alignment or not. Ask the guy's who do the work to decide about the alignment? Great job on patching the tire and filling it with air at a gas station in the middle of the night.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 2,786
Likes: 22
From: Cary NC
If you didn't mess up the shoulder of the tire. Put a patch inside and move on. I've driven on patched Supercars that already have more miles on them. Including autocrossing on them until they corded. I never had a problem with the patch leaking. Short of using them for track and doing very high speed driving. It isn't that big a deal. You will be told that the Z speed rating of the tire is voided with a patch. That's about it. Beyond that someone is just trying to sell you new tires to make money.
Unless you curbed it or hit a pot hole you don't need an alignment. Unless you were already out. Drive the car and if it pulls or can't drive in a straight line then get an alignment.
Unless you curbed it or hit a pot hole you don't need an alignment. Unless you were already out. Drive the car and if it pulls or can't drive in a straight line then get an alignment.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 10,554
Likes: 33
From: Not on either liberal coast.
Whether you patch or plug and depending on the location of the puncture and/or how many previous punctures/repairs have been done previously, many shops are so paranoid about civil suits they may tell you it's their policy not to do the repair.
Believe it or not, it may not be about selling you a new tire when (despite how some feel) it's not needed.
Fix it yourself if you feel confident enough, then it's all on you should it fail...
Believe it or not, it may not be about selling you a new tire when (despite how some feel) it's not needed.
Fix it yourself if you feel confident enough, then it's all on you should it fail...
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,087
Likes: 4
From: granville mass
If it really was just a nail in the tread, unless you're doing 150mph runs at the silverstone or something, there is no concern about the tire.
Sidewall cuts and punctures are different....
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 625
Likes: 0
From: Anaheim Hills CA
OK well I went today to my tire shop. Turns out the tire was damaged and I ordered a new one. I didn't get a pair because I only recently put these on and there's plenty of tread left on the good tire so I wanted to save some money.
The sidewall got bent too much and had a bad crease all the way around, and the inside of the tire had an air pocket.
The sidewall got bent too much and had a bad crease all the way around, and the inside of the tire had an air pocket.
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