Fixing a flat tire

[seriously]

After my enjoyable cruise I come home to find a completely flat tire. Nail in the center of the tread.

Normally I take it and get a patch. But since I can’t drive it I’m thinking of finding a mobile tire repair and just do a tire plug without removing the tire at all. I’ve never had an issue with a tire plug. Maybe then get a patch later if I ever planned on taking it to the track.

I’m just paranoid having a mobile car guy come, lift the car, dismount the tire, patch, and return all without bending or scratching something. So tire plug sounds a lot simpler for a quick fix.
Thoughts on this approach?

 

[GrahamClark_60-68]

@seriously Did you plug your tire yourself? If so, did you wind up taking it to a tire shop to be patched? If so, would you recommend this shop? I’m not sure who I would trust here locally in Orange County with this. Also, not sure they would patch this close to the sidewall.

 

[morphious]

@seriously Did you plug your tire yourself? If so, did you wind up taking it to a tire shop to be patched? If so, would you recommend this shop? I’m not sure who I would trust here locally in Orange County with this. Also, not sure they would patch this close to the sidewall.

After my enjoyable cruise I come home to find a completely flat tire. Nail in the center of the tread.

Normally I take it and get a patch. But since I can’t drive it I’m thinking of finding a mobile tire repair and just do a tire plug without removing the tire at all. I’ve never had an issue with a tire plug. Maybe then get a patch later if I ever planned on taking it to the track.

I’m just paranoid having a mobile car guy come, lift the car, dismount the tire, patch, and return all without bending or scratching something. So tire plug sounds a lot simpler for a quick fix.
Thoughts on this approach?

@seriously My rear Cup 2 is still fine with me plugging it myself.

 

[seriously]

@seriously Did you plug your tire yourself? If so, did you wind up taking it to a tire shop to be patched? If so, would you recommend this shop? I’m not sure who I would trust here locally in Orange County with this. Also, not sure they would patch this close to the sidewall.

I plugged it myself, easy. Held fine but I got it patched before track day.

Went to Becker tire in Orange. They have always been good. Recently changed ownership.

 

[Blackthought_]

I’ve had a nail in my tire on my cup 2s when I first got my car. Was on vacation in Vermont, caught a nail and a random shop patched it. Ended up at the track months later with the patch still on and all was fine

 

[GrahamClark_60-68]

Ok, so I extracted it and this is what I found. The smooth shiny side was flush with the tread.

It went into tread sideways, went through one of the side channels and kept going into the other side of that channel. You can see the hole in the side of the side channel here (yellow arrow).

Not sure how deep it went but no loss of air yet. There was likely a slight angle which I’ve tried to estimate here. From this it appears the very end could have been down 8/32 from the surface.

My main tread is currently measuring 6/32 and the side channels are measuring 4/32, so I’m a bit concerned. Should I be? Also this thing left a decent gouge in the rubber. Is this a concern? And since I likely can’t patch if it’s not all the way through to the inside, can this (should this?) be repaired some other way? (Non-tracked car, occasional spirited drives). Really want to avoid replacing the tire but want to be safe.

 

[seriously]

Ok, so I extracted it and this is what I found. The smooth shiny side was flush with the tread. View attachment 81122It went into tread sideways, went through one of the side channels and kept going into the other side of that channel. You can see the hole in the side of the side channel here (yellow arrow). View attachment 81123Not sure how deep it went but no loss of air yet. There was likely a slight angle which I’ve tried to estimate here. From this it appears the very end could have been down 8/32 from the surface. View attachment 81124
My main tread is currently measuring 6/32 and the side channels are measuring 4/32, so I’m a bit concerned. Should I be? Also this thing left a decent gouge in the rubber. Is this a concern? And since I likely can’t patch if it’s not all the way through to the inside, can this (should this?) be repaired some other way? (Non-tracked car, occasional spirited drives). Really want to avoid replacing the tire but want to be safe.

I like the measurement! If it were me I would take it to beckers and ask for their professional opinion. I’ve had a nail removed where it never punctured the tire and they said I’m good. They don’t charge me anything and it never caused a problem. Another time they patched and also no problems. Id rather get a professional opinion than guess. they are plugging tires all the time.

 

[scv]

Tire holding air properly; only tread rubber outside of bands violated leaving a small “tunnel”. Consider packing/filling tunnel with something like liquid FlexSeal to keep small area from chunking and for piece of mind. Tire structure probably not compromised. Interested in result if go this route……………….

 

[GrahamClark_60-68]

Tire holding air properly; only tread rubber outside of bands violated leaving a small “tunnel”. Consider packing/filling tunnel with something like liquid FlexSeal to keep small area from chunking and for piece of mind. Tire structure probably not compromised. Interested in result if go this route……………….

Thanks for the input and suggestion. But when you say "outside of bands" what do you mean?

 

[seriously]

America’s/Discount Tire will fix it for free (even if you didn’t buy it there) if they deem it repairable.

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

www.discounttire.com

I don't trust them to be careful with wheels if they have to patch it. Plug anyone can do without touching anything.

 

[GrahamClark_60-68]

America’s/Discount Tire will fix it for free (even if you didn’t buy it there) if they deem it repairable.

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

www.discounttire.com

Thanks. I've used them before for my 300ZX in Lake Forest, but a long time ago. Do you have a location you have experience with and could recommend for the Emira?

 

[GrahamClark_60-68]

I don't trust them to be careful with wheels if they have to patch it. Plug anyone can do without touching anything.

Thanks. Do you have any personal past (bad) experience with them (Americs's/Discount)? What concerns do you have? If so, what location (as I think it can vary from shop to shop, even among large chains).

The reason I'm asking is Becker in Orange is much less convenent to me to get to, plus they seem to be under new management recently. A very recent Yelp review (March I think) is saying they severely overtorqued a customers lugs on a new tire install causing $1000s in damage which they are refusing to cover. Lawsuit has been filed. Has obviously give me some pause.

 

[Blue Dude]

Thanks. I've used them before for my 300ZX in Lake Forest, but a long time ago. Do you have a location you have experience with and could recommend for the Emira

No, sorry, I don’t live in your area.

If possible, take your wheel & tire assembly off your Emira and take it to them in a different vehicle to avoid some of the potential wrong jack point used and over torqued type issues.

 

[GrahamClark_60-68]

Hello, it’s me again.

I’ve reviewed your post more thoroughly and now noticed you are not seeing a loss of air. Consider spraying some soapy water on that area and look for bubbles. If you took it to a tire shop one of the first things they would probably do is dunk your inflated wheel & tire combo in a tub of water, if they don’t see any bubbles they may just call it good to go.

Sorry I didn’t read your post better the first time.

No worries and thanks for coming back with this thought. I forgot to mention in my previous post that after I extracted the screw, I did a soapy water test and observed no bubbles. But I did so with the damage at around the 4 o’clock position, (due to a car in the way behind it in my driveway) so the water didn’t have a chance to sit and puddle. May repeat this test with the damage at 12 o’clock and also check the pressures again tomorrow.
So it sounds like if I’m not losing air, that may be a good indication it didn’t penetrate/damage the belts. Would that be cirrect?

 

[scv]

Thanks for the input and suggestion. But when you say "outside of bands" what do you mean?

@GrahamClark_60-68 Your post #34 notes “belts”- bands/belts , referring to the layers of material, kevlar, steel, fiberglass, etc that are the “carcass” of the tire over which rubber applied as tread/sidewall. I note on my Michelins, soft tread, many small rocks/pebbles will imbed in the tread, sometimes mimicking a nail/screw head. When plucking them out, small “divot” remains-belts not vioilated. Your sideways screw damage would not concern me.

 

[Blue Dude]

No worries and thanks for coming back with this thought. I forgot to mention in my previous post that after I extracted the screw, I did a soapy water test and observed no bubbles. But I did so with the damage at around the 4 o’clock position, (due to a car in the way behind it in my driveway) so the water didn’t have a chance to sit and puddle. May repeat this test with the damage at 12 o’clock and also check the pressures again tomorrow.
So it sounds like if I’m not losing air, that may be a good indication it didn’t penetrate/damage the belts. Would that be cirrect?

I can’t determine the extent of the damage over the internet.

Consider going to a tire shop you trust so they may look at your tire in person and give you their opinion.

To look for belt/cord damage, the tire would need to come off the wheel to provide a look at the inside of the tire.

 

[seriously]

Thanks. Do you have any personal past (bad) experience with them (Americs's/Discount)? What concerns do you have? If so, what location (as I think it can vary from shop to shop, even among large chains).

The reason I'm asking is Becker in Orange is much less convenent to me to get to, plus they seem to be under new management recently. A very recent Yelp review (March I think) is saying they severely overtorqued a customers lugs on a new tire install causing $1000s in damage which they are refusing to cover. Lawsuit has been filed. Has obviously give me some pause.

Yeah, unfortunately Beckers did change ownership. Not sure how they are now. They were really good before. Nothing crazy, but did honest work and were very careful with my cars.

 

[GrahamClark_60-68]

Yeah, unfortunately Beckers did change ownership. Not sure how they are now. They were really good before. Nothing crazy, but did honest work and were very careful with my cars.

Yep, lots of great reviews about honest assesments and very fair pricing. And then.... Bought by a lorge conglomerate it seems.