I just another freaking nail in my tire. It embedded itself in the last outboard tread rib.

Last year I got one around the same area and the tire store told me it could not be repaired because it was too near the shoulder. The tires had nearly 50 K miles on them so I bit the bullet and had the tires replaced. Replaced with same Bridgestones 225/50-17s.

Now I have 1 year old tires with only 10k miles on them and I don't want to get another new tire cause thats what I know what the tire guy is gonna say.

What do you all think...is it common not to repair tire punctured thru the last rib? Or they trying to sell me more tires?

If it can be repaired, should I have them use a plug or patch or both?

My experience is that plugs don't last long and a lot of places don't take off tire to patch them.

Thanks.

 

I have one of my tires plugged. Its been fine for over a year now. As far as patches go, the only place I've been to that takes the tires off to patch the inside is SEARS but they charge like 30.00 to fix a flat. Might as well buy a new tire then spend 30 dollars on a patch.............

 

You can patch it yourself with a plug. I've had plugs last longer than the cars. As long as its on the tread you should be ok.

 

plug it... it should last more than a year..$5 in Florida....... a patch it is $10....

 

If you worried about it loseing air plug it first then take a can of fix-a-flat to seal it from the inside.

 

Never use fix-a-flat, that ends up eating away inside your tire. It sucks! I have no idea why they even sell that garbage!

 

Use the plug and for sure don't buy a new tire, would be a waste.

 

yea screw fix a flat, but if u buy ur tires from discount tire co. they plug from the inside for free, well at least i didnt get charged

 

aren't plugs bad? and patches are better?

 

yes, but people go the easy way and plug it
to patch, you have to sand down the inside of the tire and make it even and smooth, then patch. it covers a wider area than the plug and is more secure for any leaks, but to take off the tire, a lot of dealers/mechanics don't like to do that much work for such a more simpler alternative.

for a plug, just ream, then plug!

but as to the OPs question, if it is indeed too further out near the sidewall, it when they ream it, is it not a guarantee they wouldn't puncture or defect the sidewall itself and cause u problems in the future. if u want to do it, it is solely ur responsibility, and they can't be held accountable. the end of the tread would also be a lot weaker than of course, the middle of the tread.
also, u can't have it plugged AND patched. it's one or the other

 

town fair tire charges less then $10 for a plug and patch.... i get it for free cuz i buy tired there

 

If your just trying to save a tire long enough to get a new one. Who cares if it's eating the tire from the inside. It kept air from leaking till you had the cash to buy a couple new tires.

 

Found this on tirerack:

 

You can plug a hole in the last rib. But a patch will extend across the shoulder area if it's too close, and they aren't as reliable when curved as they are when perfectly flat. On my race trailer, I once plugged a puncture there and cut a patch down so it covered the inside of the smoothed plug but stopped short of the shoulder. I got away with it - but no tire dealer wants to take that kind of a chance and I don't blame them. I was on my way to a race when I saw the flat - I had no spare for the trailer and no time to do anything else if I wanted to reach the track in time for tech that night.

I agree with whoever says you need a layer inside the tire as well as a plug. Steel belts definitely rust, and you risk a dramatic blow-out if it's extensive. You do have to smooth the inside of the plug until it's flush - if you let any protrude, the patch will lift over time.