Unrepairable flat?
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 120
Likes: 0
From: Albuquerque
Unrepairable flat? I picked up a nail in a tire about an inch from the sidewall (stock F1). The local Goodyear shop told me that any punctures outside of the last tread groove are non-repairable. Is this true?
NO, I got not only had many large nails near the edge, I also had one about an inch past the thread into the side wall once, it wuz a 6" nail, I pulled it out and plugged it up, its been holding for allmost a year now, no problems, not looseing pressure and I give my tires pleanty of abuse, just buy the tire plug repair kit and fill the air back up, it'll be fine!
that sounds kinda on iffy, recently (mainly because of the ford/fireston deal) the RMA (rubber manufactures of america) set guidlines on what can and can't be repaired. used to we could fix anything as long as it was in the tread but now if it is within a thumbs distance from the sidewall it is "no good." the reason being is that this is were the edge of some of the belts are in the tire and it can cause them to separate and also the patch won't sit flat on the inside of the tire causing it to work loose and fall off. you can't fix a side wall puncture because there are no belts to keep the sidewal together and from splitting, kinda like trying to poke a hole in a slice of cheese. the reason that the plugs you buy are bad for a tire (per RMA) is that that you can't drill out the hole you are going to plug so you basically have the steel belts being forced apart and air can eventually get into the belts once again causing a separation. will any of this happen? maybe, mayble not but it is alot better than a customer coming back and saying "i had a wreck because ya'll fixed a tire and it went flat, so pay for the damages" and believe me they will do that. it's not because they are trying to bullshit you into getting another tire (which some shops might do) but at least at my company is because we are watching our own asses.
I bet this is more a legal than physical "can't".
Rather sell you a new tire than hear from your
estate's lawyers, etc. for a $20 plug job.
Supposedly plugging isn't as good for a high speed
belted radial as patching from the inside (you have
to mess up the belts with that rasp tool to get the
plug to stay put).
Patch requires you to demount, remount & balance
but it's less destructive to the internal structure of the
tire.
Rather sell you a new tire than hear from your
estate's lawyers, etc. for a $20 plug job.
Supposedly plugging isn't as good for a high speed
belted radial as patching from the inside (you have
to mess up the belts with that rasp tool to get the
plug to stay put).
Patch requires you to demount, remount & balance
but it's less destructive to the internal structure of the
tire.
This is per the recomendation of the tire manufacturer. No reputable shop will do that repair in fear of legal responsibility. Would you want your sidewall or the very abused shoulder of the tire to lose any integrity at all...especially at triple digit speeds?
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Verdad Gallardo Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 120
Likes: 0
From: Albuquerque
Update The history:
I picked up a nail in my tire near the last tread groove and had it repaired at a local Goodyear tire shop. This held air for about 4 months until it started leaking again and I took it back for another fix. This fix lasted one week. Took it back again and it leaked immediately. The guy at the shop said that since it was near the edge, the puncture was not repairable and I needed a new tire.
Took it to another shop (a better one!) and they patched it using a different procedure. The original Goodyear shop just used the "bandage" patch which apparently has some problems in a high stress area. The better fix is to drill it and install a plug/patch combo.
This looks like the right way to do it!
FYI
I picked up a nail in my tire near the last tread groove and had it repaired at a local Goodyear tire shop. This held air for about 4 months until it started leaking again and I took it back for another fix. This fix lasted one week. Took it back again and it leaked immediately. The guy at the shop said that since it was near the edge, the puncture was not repairable and I needed a new tire.
Took it to another shop (a better one!) and they patched it using a different procedure. The original Goodyear shop just used the "bandage" patch which apparently has some problems in a high stress area. The better fix is to drill it and install a plug/patch combo.
This looks like the right way to do it!
FYI
Originally Posted by Todd@DiscountTireDirect
This is per the recomendation of the tire manufacturer. No reputable shop will do that repair in fear of legal responsibility. Would you want your sidewall or the very abused shoulder of the tire to lose any integrity at all...especially at triple digit speeds?
