hey, i just noticed i have a nail stuck in my front right tire.. i checked air pressure and its normal.. 30-33.. never losed pressure yet.. so should i just leave it in, or get it out??? o yea, does it damage the rim???? thanx
james

 

I would take it out. Who knows how long it will take from the tires heating up and cooling down, hitting bumps, constant rotation on the ground before it strethces itself out and makes a hole bigger than the nail, therefore "unplugging" it. Then you might be stuck somewhere with a flat tire (naturally) unanticipated.

As for damaging the rims? Even if you hit a bump so hard and the nail is so long that it rams the nail into the inside of the rim, I can't see how the thickness of a nail can stand up to the rim which hits bumps on the road. It would probably just bend the nail in, IF IN FACT it even reaches that far. It might suck, but splurge the extra bucks and get the nail taken out and the tire replaced or plugged.

 

you might want to pull it out. It may not have even punctured the tire and if it did i would just go and buy and plugging kit. People say getting a patch is better but I hate having to take it in and maybe having to drop the car off and all that..plus having some weiner break the tire off the rim scratching it in the process..over torquing the lugnuts..etc. etc. Just PLUG it!!. Patches can come off on the inside if they don't do it properly. I have a tire on my 4X4 with three plugs in it and it's done just fine.

 

at the moment, I have a plugged tire, but fully intend to have it patched soon. Every great once and awhile, I hit 85-90+ mph and I dont think a plug is safe at those speeds. Especially in hotter climates like mine. I agree on the freaks at the tire place scratching the rim/over torqing, thats the only reason I dont have a patch yet - the shop I want to use isnt very convenient.

Keep in mind to put a plug in, they have to open the hole a bit, so losing a plug will mean pretty rapid deflation. Also, they can freak out your belts if they are over zealous with the tool. By all means, plug it til you can get to a better place to have it patched and rebalanced. Definately if you drive hard, consider the patch.

 

How much is my life worth?

If the answer is more than $20, then take your car somewhere and have the nail removed and patched or plugged.

The risk you run with a nail is that a sudden bump, etc. could cause that nail end to contact your inner wheel and once it does its blowout time. Then you will be saying "Why am I doing doughnuts on the interstate?".....and then you'll wake up in a hospital somewhere with a bunch of tubes or drifting towards a bright light.....

[Edited by bill99gxe on 02-21-2001 at 10:45 AM]

 

ahh i c thanx a bunch guys, gonna get it removed tommrow.. probally plug it.. because i might get new tires for my max.. thanx
james

 

I had a nail, and drove around for a month on it. The morning after a long trip from LA to San Diego, I found out how to use the jack and lug wrench.

 

If you have a choice, get the tire patched. It's a much more solid way to repairing a tire.

 

Hey Azn, at Discount tire they have had this thing where they patch your tire for free. Even if you didn't buy it from them. You might want to give them a call...

 

o hahaha.. too late, i got it plugged yesterday at chevron place.. hehehe.. o well, thanx neways.. plus i havent seen ne discount tires around the south cali (san bernadino county) area.. thanx neways
james