Can I safely patch tire with nail near shoulder?

[@Life411]

I've looked through some of the tire patching threads and didn't feel like it precisely answered my question.

Do I need to replace, or can I patch my tire?

Here's the scenario: My Emira has about 8,000 miles on the odo, Eagle F1 tires. I had the car on the lift for some exhaust work and a guest noticed a nail. It looks to be a small brad nail (like for picture hanging) near the shoulder (maybe an inch or so in) of my Driver's side Rear tire. I haven't noticed any pressure loss, but after taking it to the shop and fiddling with it, there appears to be very light bubbles (maybe). The shop wouldn't repair it since it's "too near the shoulder" and suggested replacing both rear tires - probably $1,400 or so total.

I have taken it on track once in the 18 months I've owned it and may take it on track again next Spring.

Can I patch the tire myself? Would it be safe for daily driving? What about taking it on track?

TIA!

The AI answer was this:

The Goodyear Eagle F1 tires can be safely used on the track after a patch, provided the repair is done correctly and the tire is not subjected to extreme conditions. Several users have reported success with patched Goodyear Eagle F1 tires, including one who used a safety seal plug on a 911 and drove it through multiple track days and speeds exceeding 180 mph without issues. Another user noted that a plug held up well for over 6,000 miles and two years of use, including track driving, before needing replacement. However, some caution is advised: one user mentioned that a shop advised against track use after a plug, suggesting the repair might not be suitable for high-performance driving. The tires do not have a foam barrier, which allows for patching using a "Compound Patch" method, and Goodyear officially approves such repairs. Despite this, the tires are generally considered less ideal for serious track use due to their tendency to degrade quickly under high heat and sustained loads, especially in dry conditions. Therefore, while a properly patched Goodyear Eagle F1 can be safe for track use, it is recommended to monitor tire condition closely and consider switching to a dedicated track tire like the Michelin Sport Cup 2 for more demanding sessions.

 

[Blue Dude]

A Discount Tire will repair it for free if they deem your tire repairable, even if you didn’t buy the tire(s) there.

I’d take the wheel and tire assembly off your Emira and take it to them in your daily driver if possible.

Here are their repair guidelines:

Discount Tire | Tires and Wheels for Sale | Online & In-Person

www.discounttire.com

Edit…

I’ve worked at a Discount Tire and have personally done these repairs. The tire needs to come off the wheel and the majority of the work is done on the inside of the tire. They drill out the hole where the nail (or whatever foreign object) was to install a plug, then grind flush, and a patch is glued on over that.

Basically like this:




Hope that helps.

 

[RyanGphoto]

A Discount Tire will repair it for free if they deem your tire repairable, even if you didn’t buy the tire(s) there.

I’d take the wheel and tire assembly off your Emira and take it to them in your daily driver if possible.

Here are their repair guidelines:

Discount Tire | Tires and Wheels for Sale | Online & In-Person

www.discounttire.com

Edit…

I’ve worked at a Discount Tire and have personally done these repairs. The tire needs to come off the wheel and the majority of the work is done on the inside of the tire. They drill out the hole where the nail (or whatever foreign object) was to install a plug, then grind flush, and a patch is glued on over that.

Basically like this:




Hope that helps.

I had no idea they do this, and for free?!?!?!

 

[cyanmauve]

I had no idea they do this, and for free?!?!?!

Discount Tire location vary wildly by skill and expertise (like many national wide retailers I suppose).

I haven’t the energy to tell the entire story here, but I took my Emira to a Discount Tire in Kerrville, Texas, to have a puncture repaired. I was told I had 3 punctures in the tread in a small area, and due to the small distance between the punctures, the tire was non-repairable.

Of course, this was during a weekend wedding anniversary trip through the Texas hill country with my wife, and the antics that ensued completely changed all of our plans…

I ended using a can of fix-a-flat and driving my car back to my hometown, Waco (about 160 miles) with a replacement tire on order for Discount Tire to mount and balance. The tech at the Waco location took a look at my tire, used his fingers to brush off two large pieces of gravel that had embedded themselves into the tread and looked vaguely like a small nail, and then proceeded to repair the singular puncture. Problem solved, $600+ dollars saved.

I left A LOT of the story out, and I’ll spare you the details, but that experience taught me that a lot of shops that should be perfectly capable of fixing a problem on our cars won’t “because Lotus”. No other reason.

I understand that a shop doesn’t want to do a borderline repair on a tire and then have the liability of something goes wrong, resulting in a failure, but man, sometimes people don’t want to use common sense when approaching repairs on this car either.

 

[Kaz]

You're going to get a million opinions ...I'd patch it and call it a day if it's daily driving. Track I would probably change out the tire just because my peace of mind is worth a lot singing through corners, last thing I want to deal with is confidence noise in my head at the limit.

Usual rule, if the repair holds past the first 24 hrs it should hold for life of the tire, the patch cement done right is fused as part of the tire.

 

[Blackthought_]

When I was traveling to Vermont I caught a nail in my eagle f1 (kinda close to the corner) that was causing a slow leak and took it to a local shop that looked the only option in town. But they patched the tire professionally and it held just fine. So much so I eventually tracked it patch and all. Note: it was patched from the inside (not plugged)

 

[@Life411]

Thanks to everyone who's replied so far. Honestly, I'm a little surprised by the responses because I fully expected everyone to tell me to replace the tires if it were ever going on track. I'll continue to noodle on this. Maybe I'll patch it for daily driving and buy a second set of rear tires for the next time I take it to the track since the current set will eventually wear out naturally. But if I can find someone willing and skilled to do a good patch, that also sounds completely safe. Welcome further input...

Here's an image for context

 

[Tracked Emira]

As long as it’s not the side wall, but a patch is always better than a plug, especially in the corner. New tire is better if you track because $500 is not worth losing the car, and more importantly, your life. I always say, your gut is your 6th sense, and as long as you’re willing to accept the consequences, then do what you think is right for you. Good luck!

 

[cyanmauve]

In my completely unprofessional opinion (although I DO play a tire technician on TV), that looks 100% repairable, assuming the hole is as small as it looks like it will be.

I would have no qualms about getting that repaired.

An interesting rabbit hole to go down, if you have the time and the interest, is how different tire manufacturers say repairs affect the speed rating of a given tire.

If I recall from my debacle last year, Michelin says that if repaired according to their guidelines, the speed rating is unaffected. Not what I expected!

 

[Kaz]

Oh after seeing that photo, yes patch and you're definitely fine. Better yet ask for a plug from inside and then patch over...overkill and worth it.

 

[Read T]

From your photo I'd feel comfortable patching it for road use. I personally would not run a patched tire on track (I also run my track tires down to the cords though)

 

[Dino67]

Without question that is repairable. I initially thought the nail was 1" into the sidewall. I'd call around first to make sure the shop can mount a 20" 30 series tire. If you can't find a shop, you can buy a plug kit for $15 and do it yourself.

I've tracked a tire with a plug before. Although the plug was near the center of the tire and it was a car with half the horsepower and 500 lbs. lighter. If the plug fails, worst that happens is a slow leak. Take the nail out of the tire and that will simulate a plug failure. It's your decision on how much risk you are willing to take.

 

[chirowolf]

patch it.

 

[bman6074]

I've patched tires and run them at the track. As Kaz mentioned have it plugged and patched on the inside. that is the most secure patch. I ran them on my old exige. Toyo R888 tires