Safe plugging runflats?
Moderator
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 39,116
Likes: 17,973
From: DFW Area TX
doo doo.....
Its a tire..if it has a nail pull it plug it plug it pump it move on. You don't even have to take the tire off the car. Yes it is a performance tire but most Vette owners go 20 under the speed limit...
I would not recommend it on the edge or sidewall...But I have done that before and it went 20,000 miles with no problems. I stayed away from 150 mph runs though.
Its a tire..if it has a nail pull it plug it plug it pump it move on. You don't even have to take the tire off the car. Yes it is a performance tire but most Vette owners go 20 under the speed limit...
I would not recommend it on the edge or sidewall...But I have done that before and it went 20,000 miles with no problems. I stayed away from 150 mph runs though.
The proper repair of a punctured tire requires a plug for the hole and a patch for the area inside the tire that surrounds the puncture hole. Punctures through the tread can be repaired if they are not too large, but punctures to the sidewall should not be repaired. Tires must be removed from the rim to be properly inspected before being plugged and patched.
I cannot understand why anybody would be so cheap about something as important to your safety as tires are. Heck, as mentioned above, there are places that will do a proper repair for free.
Your advice is irresponsible and inexcusable.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 22,521
Likes: 1,689
From: South Carolina
Yes, it is a tire. No tire should be repaired with just a plug. Per the NHTSA:
There are actually very good reasons for this. A tire that is simply plugged from the outside may fail catastrophically in the future. The tire may have structural damage that simply cannot be seen from the outside of the tire. Moisture can penetrate from the inside and cause the belts to fail. Proper inspection and use of both a plug and patch eliminate these possibilities. Just because you have had no problems in the past does not guarantee equal success in the future.
I cannot understand why anybody would be so cheap about something as important to your safety as tires are. Heck, as mentioned above, there are places that will do a proper repair for free.
Your advice is irresponsible and inexcusable.
There are actually very good reasons for this. A tire that is simply plugged from the outside may fail catastrophically in the future. The tire may have structural damage that simply cannot be seen from the outside of the tire. Moisture can penetrate from the inside and cause the belts to fail. Proper inspection and use of both a plug and patch eliminate these possibilities. Just because you have had no problems in the past does not guarantee equal success in the future.
I cannot understand why anybody would be so cheap about something as important to your safety as tires are. Heck, as mentioned above, there are places that will do a proper repair for free.
Your advice is irresponsible and inexcusable.
crickets....It MIGHT fail without anything happeneing too it....
You could walk out in the yard and have 50 pounds of frozen PEE fall on you from the sky too....
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,740
Likes: 16
From: Roseville CA
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 3,860
Likes: 5
From: Tampa FL
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,470
Likes: 1
From: New Jersey - National Corvette Museum Member '08, '09, '10, '11, '12
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,470
Likes: 1
From: New Jersey - National Corvette Museum Member '08, '09, '10, '11, '12
doo doo.....
Its a tire..if it has a nail pull it plug it plug it pump it move on. You don't even have to take the tire off the car. Yes it is a performance tire but most Vette owners go 20 under the speed limit...
I would not recommend it on the edge or sidewall...But I have done that before and it went 20,000 miles with no problems. I stayed away from 150 mph runs though.
Its a tire..if it has a nail pull it plug it plug it pump it move on. You don't even have to take the tire off the car. Yes it is a performance tire but most Vette owners go 20 under the speed limit...
I would not recommend it on the edge or sidewall...But I have done that before and it went 20,000 miles with no problems. I stayed away from 150 mph runs though.
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 3,860
Likes: 5
From: Tampa FL
Yes, it is a tire. No tire should be repaired with just a plug. Per the NHTSA:
There are actually very good reasons for this. A tire that is simply plugged from the outside may fail catastrophically in the future. The tire may have structural damage that simply cannot be seen from the outside of the tire. Moisture can penetrate from the inside and cause the belts to fail. Proper inspection and use of both a plug and patch eliminate these possibilities. Just because you have had no problems in the past does not guarantee equal success in the future.
There are actually very good reasons for this. A tire that is simply plugged from the outside may fail catastrophically in the future. The tire may have structural damage that simply cannot be seen from the outside of the tire. Moisture can penetrate from the inside and cause the belts to fail. Proper inspection and use of both a plug and patch eliminate these possibilities. Just because you have had no problems in the past does not guarantee equal success in the future.
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 3,860
Likes: 5
From: Tampa FL
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Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 4,642
Likes: 9
From: Dalllas/Ft Worth Area TX
???
Yes, it is a tire. No tire should be repaired with just a plug. Per the NHTSA:
There are actually very good reasons for this. A tire that is simply plugged from the outside may fail catastrophically in the future. The tire may have structural damage that simply cannot be seen from the outside of the tire. Moisture can penetrate from the inside and cause the belts to fail. Proper inspection and use of both a plug and patch eliminate these possibilities. Just because you have had no problems in the past does not guarantee equal success in the future.
I cannot understand why anybody would be so cheap about something as important to your safety as tires are. Heck, as mentioned above, there are places that will do a proper repair for free.
Your advice is irresponsible and inexcusable.
There are actually very good reasons for this. A tire that is simply plugged from the outside may fail catastrophically in the future. The tire may have structural damage that simply cannot be seen from the outside of the tire. Moisture can penetrate from the inside and cause the belts to fail. Proper inspection and use of both a plug and patch eliminate these possibilities. Just because you have had no problems in the past does not guarantee equal success in the future.
I cannot understand why anybody would be so cheap about something as important to your safety as tires are. Heck, as mentioned above, there are places that will do a proper repair for free.
Your advice is irresponsible and inexcusable.
.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 22,521
Likes: 1,689
From: South Carolina
shhhhhh............he will be out there blowing a hair dryer on his tires....
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 102
Likes: 0
From: coral springs florida
i'm in the car biz and when my runflat picked up a nail or spike i took it to my service guys and told them to plug it they said you can't plug these. i said i don't care plug it anyway never had another problem with the tire
Moderator
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 39,116
Likes: 17,973
From: DFW Area TX
As I said earlier, just because you have not had problems in the past does not mean you will not have a problem in the future. The NHTSA wants to make simple plug repairs illegal because failures have been traced to them. Again, it is easy (and perhaps even free - Discount Tire) to have a proper repair done.
Obviously, some members here don't.
Drifting
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,709
Likes: 18
From: Montgomery Il.
what did you think will happen with a plug at speed, that it will just fly out and you instantly lose pressure?
this is the best plug kit made the ones that you have ream out the hole then insert a plug only do even more damage to the cords. these plugs vulcanize themselves as you drive the vehicle. carry this kit and a Slime pump and your problems are solved. btw if you don't trust the repair then buy a new tire at least you're home.
http://www.dynaplug.com/
http://www.gadgetjq.com/slime_pump.htm
this is the best plug kit made the ones that you have ream out the hole then insert a plug only do even more damage to the cords. these plugs vulcanize themselves as you drive the vehicle. carry this kit and a Slime pump and your problems are solved. btw if you don't trust the repair then buy a new tire at least you're home.
http://www.dynaplug.com/
http://www.gadgetjq.com/slime_pump.htm
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 22,521
Likes: 1,689
From: South Carolina
Agreed. And I certainly can't do anything to prevent it. However, it is very simple to get the proper repair done to a tire.
And he will tell you that the NHTSA is working to get plug repairs outlawed.
Silly anology. One you can do nothing about (a meteor). On the other hand, doing a proper repair versus an improper repair is easy to do.
As I said earlier, just because you have not had problems in the past does not mean you will not have a problem in the future. The NHTSA wants to make simple plug repairs illegal because failures have been traced to them. Again, it is easy (and perhaps even free - Discount Tire) to have a proper repair done.
Who ever said that you could get moisture free air? I didn't. What I said was that without a patch, moisture in the tire can enter the "wound" and cause additional problems. The patch solves this problem.
Obviously, some members here don't.
And he will tell you that the NHTSA is working to get plug repairs outlawed.
Silly anology. One you can do nothing about (a meteor). On the other hand, doing a proper repair versus an improper repair is easy to do.
As I said earlier, just because you have not had problems in the past does not mean you will not have a problem in the future. The NHTSA wants to make simple plug repairs illegal because failures have been traced to them. Again, it is easy (and perhaps even free - Discount Tire) to have a proper repair done.
Who ever said that you could get moisture free air? I didn't. What I said was that without a patch, moisture in the tire can enter the "wound" and cause additional problems. The patch solves this problem.
Obviously, some members here don't.
Here have some cheese with that whine....Plugging tires will never be banned lol...It is also highly unlikely water with get buy a pressurized sealed plug.
You can also limit the danger of getting clubbed on the head by falling PEE.... wear a TIN FOIL hat.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 21,502
Likes: 461
From: Southern Utah
what did you think will happen with a plug at speed, that it will just fly out and you instantly lose pressure?
this is the best plug kit made the ones that you have ream out the hole then insert a plug only do even more damage to the cords. these plugs vulcanize themselves as you drive the vehicle. carry this kit and a Slime pump and your problems are solved. btw if you don't trust the repair then buy a new tire at least you're home.
http://www.dynaplug.com/
http://www.gadgetjq.com/slime_pump.htm
this is the best plug kit made the ones that you have ream out the hole then insert a plug only do even more damage to the cords. these plugs vulcanize themselves as you drive the vehicle. carry this kit and a Slime pump and your problems are solved. btw if you don't trust the repair then buy a new tire at least you're home.
http://www.dynaplug.com/
http://www.gadgetjq.com/slime_pump.htm
Probably not a big deal if you live where no one goes more than 55...
5th Gear
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
I was stupid and bought the tire warranty from the dealer when I bought my new Vette. Took a trip and got hold of a sheet metal screw in the rear. Had a plug put in at a dealer and kept on rolling on my trip for 900 miles. Had the tire replaced for free a couple of days later. Worth the price of the warranty.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 26,714
Likes: 344
From: Houston, TX
BTW, I would NOT simply use a plug except to get me to where it can be taken off and patched from the inside. That I have had done many times and they are very reliable.
Last edited by jschindler; Jan 31, 2010 at 10:55 PM.