Any luck patching run flats?

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Mar 23, 2009 | 10:53 AM

PhilmWI

Thread Starter

Instructor

Joined: Jan 2009

Posts: 119

Likes: 1

From: Fontana WI

Any luck patching run flats?

I apologize if this question has been asked before but here goes...

Has anyone had luck getting a run flat tire patched? I picked up a nail in one of the rear tires and the first place I went to said they do not repair run flats. A Google search shows some places will and some won't. Has any one had a run flat patched and were they happy with the results? This particular tire only has a slow leak and did not run flat.

Thanks in advance for your comments.

Mar 23, 2009 | 10:56 AM

C6XTACY

Burning Brakes

Joined: Sep 2007

Posts: 916

Likes: 0

From: Lexington Park MD

Yeah, I actually had a sheetmetal screw in one of mine a week or so ago. It took a few phone calls but I found a place. It's still holding up quite well-even after a 5 hour drive to San Diego.

Mar 23, 2009 | 10:57 AM

rwarhol

Racer

Joined: May 2008

Posts: 381

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From: Mountlake Terrace Washington

Had mine patched at Discount tire here in Washington state,30 minutes back on the road, no problems at all.

Mar 23, 2009 | 11:02 AM

Easy Rhino

Team Owner

Joined: Apr 2008

Posts: 31,785

Likes: 2,395

From: Middle TN by way of KY, OH, VA, IL, CA, FL, NY, SC, HI

lots of threads on that very subject here - check 'em out.

I think it's safe to say that the general consensus is yes, although the site of the puncture is critical and the type of patch not unimportant.

I am doing an (unintended) test on my 26K miles left rear runflat which picked up a large piece of metal about 1" wide close to the edge of the sidewall, which I 'hillbilly' patches at home with the old. cheap 'rope' style plug. Three months and 4K miles later it is fine. I initially did this plug to make the tire last just enough miles to find a replacement and get it to a shop, but it is holding. As long as it continues, I will drive the remaining tread to replacement depth. I am not driving extra fast or sporty however.

Mar 23, 2009 | 11:15 AM

RicK T

Team Owner

Joined: Sep 2005

Posts: 20,352

Likes: 568

From: Ventura County, Calif

They can be patched successfully. But you have to understand that anything outside of the middle 1/3 or 1/2, I can't remember, of the tread causes that tire to lose its speed rating. I don't know if a patch affects the warranty.

Mar 23, 2009 | 11:26 AM

j_digi454

Safety Car

Joined: Sep 2006

Posts: 4,075

Likes: 6

From: Wilmington NC

Yes, at 750 miles. Had a screw removed and a hot patch vulcanized from the inside. Like new, no degraded speed rating, in fact follows the GY guideline for repairs of this kind.

Make sure you're dealing with a Runflat GY facility, not a general GY facility which have no knowledge or very little on these tires.

Mar 23, 2009 | 11:34 AM

Blue Demon Owner

Burning Brakes

Joined: Jul 2008

Posts: 799

Likes: 9

From: Long Beach CA

Quote:

Originally Posted by rwarhol

Had mine patched at Discount tire here in Washington state,30 minutes back on the road, no problems at all.

I've had two plugged. First at the dealer, second at America's Tire (Discount's other name in SoCal). Both have done fine. It only works safely if the nail/screw is in the center two/thirds of the tread. Anything closer to the side wall is iffy.

Mar 23, 2009 | 11:39 AM

HawaiiC6

Safety Car

Joined: Oct 2007

Posts: 4,269

Likes: 4

From: Mililani HI

I plugged my RF and that was about 10K miles ago, no leaks whatsoever and the tire has withstood some runs high into the triple digits with no problems.

Some companies will not take the risk of patching or plugging tires and would rather sell you a new tire.