Tire question
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 5,475
Likes: 718
From: Black Forest CO
Tire question
I just picked up a nail in a rear tire. Of course, it is right on the edge of the tread, so I need a new tire.
The rear tires are at 7/32" tread depth. A new tire is 8.5//32". If I only replace 1 tire will the 1.5/32" difference cause a problem with the Z51 differential? Do I need to replace both rears?
The rear tires are at 7/32" tread depth. A new tire is 8.5//32". If I only replace 1 tire will the 1.5/32" difference cause a problem with the Z51 differential? Do I need to replace both rears?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 2,194
Likes: 2,206
From: Massachusetts
These are just my thoughts, ignore them if you like.
The size difference is insignificant.
If you do not track your car, just have the tire plugged, as long as it is not on the sidewall.
You have run flats, which will hold up if the plug does not.
I have fixed 3 Corvette tires myself with kits off of Amazon.
The recommendation for a new tire is required to avoid responsibility and to maintain the highest safety measures for a high-speed sports car.
If you do replace, save the old tire as a spare. Maybe buy a spare wheel.
The size difference is insignificant.
If you do not track your car, just have the tire plugged, as long as it is not on the sidewall.
You have run flats, which will hold up if the plug does not.
I have fixed 3 Corvette tires myself with kits off of Amazon.
The recommendation for a new tire is required to avoid responsibility and to maintain the highest safety measures for a high-speed sports car.
If you do replace, save the old tire as a spare. Maybe buy a spare wheel.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,281
Likes: 722
2024 C6 of the Year Winner - Unmodified
Advanced
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 96
Likes: 61
From: Harrison TN
These are just my thoughts, ignore them if you like.
The size difference is insignificant.
If you do not track your car, just have the tire plugged, as long as it is not on the sidewall.
You have run flats, which will hold up if the plug does not.
I have fixed 3 Corvette tires myself with kits off of Amazon.
The recommendation for a new tire is required to avoid responsibility and to maintain the highest safety measures for a high-speed sports car.
If you do replace, save the old tire as a spare. Maybe buy a spare wheel.
The size difference is insignificant.
If you do not track your car, just have the tire plugged, as long as it is not on the sidewall.
You have run flats, which will hold up if the plug does not.
I have fixed 3 Corvette tires myself with kits off of Amazon.
The recommendation for a new tire is required to avoid responsibility and to maintain the highest safety measures for a high-speed sports car.
If you do replace, save the old tire as a spare. Maybe buy a spare wheel.
Plugged left rear. 1000 miles so far no issues for street use. If I were to track it or do a HPDE would replace. Discount tire would not touch it for liability reasons, I was ready to do myself.
local Independent shop that works on my Porsche plugged it In minutes.
3rd one they have done in a few months close to sidewall 2 in some of their own personal cars. My personal choice
i monitor it every drive
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Pro
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 746
Likes: 657
From: San Jose CA
I see you marked the spot with a screw. Good thinking.
That is close to sidewall but I would have plugged it and monitored it as stated.
I have a C7 also that I have plugged 3 times in the last 92k miles. The tires always held up until all were replaced.
As with all decisions the last one is yours.
That is close to sidewall but I would have plugged it and monitored it as stated.
I have a C7 also that I have plugged 3 times in the last 92k miles. The tires always held up until all were replaced.
As with all decisions the last one is yours.
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2023
Posts: 1,030
Likes: 370
From: Ontario
These are just my thoughts, ignore them if you like.
The size difference is insignificant.
If you do not track your car, just have the tire plugged, as long as it is not on the sidewall.
You have run flats, which will hold up if the plug does not.
I have fixed 3 Corvette tires myself with kits off of Amazon.
The recommendation for a new tire is required to avoid responsibility and to maintain the highest safety measures for a high-speed sports car.
If you do replace, save the old tire as a spare. Maybe buy a spare wheel.
The size difference is insignificant.
If you do not track your car, just have the tire plugged, as long as it is not on the sidewall.
You have run flats, which will hold up if the plug does not.
I have fixed 3 Corvette tires myself with kits off of Amazon.
The recommendation for a new tire is required to avoid responsibility and to maintain the highest safety measures for a high-speed sports car.
If you do replace, save the old tire as a spare. Maybe buy a spare wheel.
Held fine over most of last summer, until I swapped a new set of AS ZP onto the car.
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2023
Posts: 1,030
Likes: 370
From: Ontario
Plugged left rear. 1000 miles so far no issues for street use. If I were to track it or do a HPDE would replace. Discount tire would not touch it for liability reasons, I was ready to do myself.
local Independent shop that works on my Porsche plugged it In minutes.
3rd one they have done in a few months close to sidewall 2 in some of their own personal cars. My personal choice
i monitor it every drive
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,529
Likes: 53
From: Houston, TX
The problem with repairing a tire near the sidewall was never about whether the plug will hold or not. Especially with a run flat tire, it just doesn’t matter. Plug fails, air leaks out, dic warning, no problem. What does matter is how much damage the nail, screw or foreign material did to the tire core. From my years of reading and talking with tire professionals, any damage in the sidewall or in that area near the sidewall can cause enough damage internally to cause the tire to fail especially at speeds the tire is rated for. Are you okay at 70mph, probably. At high speed? Definitely a big no. You guys be careful out there. You cannot see internal damage on these tires. The tire could fail internally and come apart. At the very least, you will cause major damage to the body work around that repaired tire. If it was me, the repair would be temporary till I could replace the tire with a new tire. Used tires also need to be thought out. You dont know if that tire was abused internally.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 14,736
Likes: 5,604
From: AZ
Hey, I ran into a similar situation a while back. On a Z51, I’ve heard that even small differences in rear tread depth can stress the limited-slip differential a bit over time, especially if you’re tracking the car or pushing it hard.
For casual street driving, replacing just one tire might be okay, but if you want to be safe and keep everything perfectly balanced, most folks I know just replace both rears.
Another option some people do is match the new tire’s diameter as closely as possible with the remaining one — sometimes you can swap tires side-to-side or rotate to even things out.
Curious — anyone else here dealt with a single-tire replacement on a C8 Z51 and noticed anything?
For casual street driving, replacing just one tire might be okay, but if you want to be safe and keep everything perfectly balanced, most folks I know just replace both rears.
Another option some people do is match the new tire’s diameter as closely as possible with the remaining one — sometimes you can swap tires side-to-side or rotate to even things out.
Curious — anyone else here dealt with a single-tire replacement on a C8 Z51 and noticed anything?
E-Ray, 3LZ, ZER, LIFT
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 34,982
Likes: 12,383
From: NE South Carolina
Plugged left rear. 1000 miles so far no issues for street use. If I were to track it or do a HPDE would replace. Discount tire would not touch it for liability reasons, I was ready to do myself.
local Independent shop that works on my Porsche plugged it In minutes.
3rd one they have done in a few months close to sidewall 2 in some of their own personal cars. My personal choice
i monitor it every drive
And since I BOUGHT Discount Tire insurance the week I got my E-Ray (as I did my prior 2017 Grand Sport and 2020 C8 Z51) when I had a nail 1/2 inch in toward the tire center from where your screw was on the outer question, they provided a new $650 tire. AND as all their tire repair, the tire is removed, the Plug/Patch applied (as Michelin and most tire manufacturers require.) Then the tire remounted (not that easy on 13 inch wide rims with low profile Runflats. Then dynamically balanced.
Yep needed new tire with2000 miles and in two years 3 others pug pathed, FREE TO ME.
Plug/Patch, Michelin Requires.
Yep needed new rear tire at ~2000 miles. My ZER Option Summer 345s cost $650- FREE to me!
Not so easy to get a 345 wide, low profile (25's) rub flats to seal when mounting. Discount Tire has experienced folks!
Balancing after remounting.
Discount Tire was right! Were the sidewall meats the Tread is the highly stressed part of the ire. It has extra internal plies for strength.
Last edited by JerryU; Nov 15, 2025 at 05:51 PM.