Advisable to DIY tire repair?

[IHAVEAQUESTION]

Just noticed a nail on a front tire while servicing the car. Not a biggie and probably not urgent , since no air is leaking out. Around here tire shop charges $20, $25 if a patch is put on. I've watched them fixing my tire before, looks simple enough. Has anyone attempt to do this by himself? Is it as easy as it looks?

 

[JCH13]

Just noticed a nail on a front tire while servicing the car. Not a biggie and probably not urgent , since no air is leaking out. Around here tire shop charges $20, $25 if a patch is put on. I've watched them fixing my tire before, looks simple enough. Has anyone attempt to do this by himself? Is it as easy as it looks?

Is it worth saving very little (or no) money to do it yourself?

 

[HybridSquirrel]

it depends. if it was just in the tire tread and didn't puncture all the way through I wouldn't worry about it at all...if it is all the way through go ahead and get it repaired at a shop.

 

[weadjust]

$4.99

http://www.harborfreight.com/9-piece-tubeless-tire-repair-kit-45183.html

 

[Zap]

it depends. if it was just in the tire tread and didn't puncture all the way through I wouldn't worry about it at all...

This. I've pulled nails and screws from my tires before, without getting them repaired. If you have a compressor and garden hose at your disposal, air up the tire more than usual, and run water over the spot where the nail was. If air bubbles out, get it fixed. If no air bubbles out, don't worry about it. Oh yeah, and put the air pressure back to normal, and turn off the water.

 

[jlee]

No Discount Tire nearby, I take it? Free repairs ftw!

 

[pauldun170]

$4.99

http://www.harborfreight.com/9-piece-tubeless-tire-repair-kit-45183.html

this

Just make sure its not in the sidewall.
1. Remove tire (if you do not know how to remove a tire STOP!!! ..legal disclaimer required by law. I know I'm supposed to insert a meme or insult here but I'm multitasking with something else right now)
2. Say fuck a couple of times for not using gloves and wearing your 'good' clothes to take the tire off
3. Use Pliers or needle nose vise grips or dare someone to pull it out with their teeth to get the nail out
4. Freak out a little about the hissing\rush of air immediately after removing nail
5. Struggle to remember about all those fix a flat warnings on the news and figure out whether you should run or not.
6. Get fix a flat kit and if equipped with stabby prep tool proceed to stab tire in the newly formed tire asshole you created pulling out nail.
7. Grab fix a flat kit and stare at back.
8. Follow instructions and shove it in there.
9. Check for leaks using favored method (bring it in the house...run the bath tub and when wife asks what the hell you are doping with the wheel in the bathtub...just keep repeating 'In a sec...'
10. Remount tire
11. Say to self...next time I'm paying the $25
12. Go back in bathroom to wash hands
13. Change clothes
14. check air pressure 5 more times throughout the week 'just in case'

 

[skyking]

Back in the day we plugged tires all the time. You can even plug them on the car full of air.
The only disadvantage to a plug repair is it can let go sometimes. So can a patch, but less often.

 

[Rifter]

The only time i plug a tire myself is when offroading and stopping by the local tire shop is not an option. I then have the plug removed and have it properly patched by a tire shop when i can.

That said i have been offroading with tires aired down to 10psi and had 3 plugs in a tire and i still made it out of there with no leaks, and i wasnt going easy on it. So a plug will probably hold up just fine.

 

[T2urtle]

ive plugged my own tires all the time pending its in the middle of the tread. Simple kit. I bought a metal kit. Most cases i have no problems. Sometimes i have to redo it again but thats only 2 of the 15-20 tires i've plugged.

Most places around me want $25 to plug so its not worth it for me. If i can find it. Only times ive brought it in was because of bead seal and tire stem leaks.

 

[Mermaidman]

Should I even bother taking this to a tire shop?

I can't find any proof on why sidewall repairs should not be done. Just a lot of "don't do it," or undocumented claims.

 

[Ferzerp]

The material is a lot thinner.

Personally, I'd replace that tire.

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

$4.99

[url]http://www.harborfreight.com/9-piece-tubeless-tire-repair-kit-45183.html[/url][/QUOTE]
+1 Dead easy to do and is something you should have (along with an air pump) in your car.
Hell, I just fixed a co-worker's tire in the parking lot during lunch yesterday.

 

[JCH13]

Looks like your tire is almost at the wear bars... might be time for new tires regardless.

 

[jagec]

Should I even bother taking this to a tire shop?

I can't find any proof on why sidewall repairs should not be done. Just a lot of "don't do it," or undocumented claims.

Well, what constitutes "proof"?

Sidewall repairs aren't generally done because the sidewall flexes much more than the center of the tire, and the material is thinner. Harder to get a patch that will hold, and you're more likely to scrape up the rim if the repair lets go all of a sudden and the tires blows out.

Now, that screw is at an angle, and it's within the tread section, so some shops might be willing to do it. Does it leak air?

 

[Mermaidman]

. . . Does it leak air?

Yes.
This tire has about 6-7/32" tread left. I might try to find a matching used tire on eBay if the tire shops aren't willing to repair it.

For now, I'm using an older tire that I kept around for just this type of situation, but the old tire may have dry rot, so I'm uneasy about that.

(Sorry for borrowing your thread, OP )

 

[skyking]

that is not really a sidewall repair. I'd plug that one in a heartbeat, because any patch you put on there will span onto the sidewall a bit. That is the perfect candidate for a plug.

 

[Blieb]

Mermaidman's tire is definitely outside the repairable area.
http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/brochure/info/tmpInfoTireRepairs.jsp

 

[5150MyU]

Beg to differ.http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/brochure/info/tmpInfoTireRepairs.jsp

JUST repeating Blieb...

 

[skyking]

I'd plug it and see. If it does not hold it will lose air again. Oh the horror!

 

[nerp]

Looks like you need a new tire.

 

[DrPizza]

So that I always know where my bike pump is, I keep it in the below floor storage in the van. I always carry a plug kit with me. It's been years since I've needed it, but if you can quickly find the leak with the tire still on the car, (a nearby puddle to drive through makes this very easy, if you're lucky enough to have a puddle nearby) it takes less time to plug a hole and pump the tire back to regular pressure than it does to change the tire (particularly since you have to change the tire twice, unless you have a full-size spare. I've never had a plug fail over the remaining life of the tire (10's of thousands more miles), though the NHTSA doesn't consider plugs to be permanent fixes.

However, plugs are 100 times better to use than those fix-a-flat spray cans.

And, I would never plug a sidewall. Allegedly, they can lead to a blowout. I can understand why, since the sidewall is under different types of strains/stresses. The original hole acts as a weak point allowing the tire to suddenly tear open - not an issue on the tread. Also, the plug kits I use have some sort of glue with them - you rub the glue over the plug before inserting the plug.

 

[Gillbot]

that is not really a sidewall repair. I'd plug that one in a heartbeat, because any patch you put on there will span onto the sidewall a bit. That is the perfect candidate for a plug.

I'd plug that tire and run it on the back. I keep a plug kit in my toolbox.

 

[skyking]

I'd plug that tire and run it on the back. I keep a plug kit in my toolbox.

bingo! :thumbsup:

 

[homercles337]

Just noticed a nail on a front tire while servicing the car. Not a biggie and probably not urgent , since no air is leaking out. Around here tire shop charges $20, $25 if a patch is put on. I've watched them fixing my tire before, looks simple enough. Has anyone attempt to do this by himself? Is it as easy as it looks?

Its easy enough to put a patch on? How do you propose to dismount and mount the tire? Are you going to balance it yourself too?