Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

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togb
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Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by togb »

Ran over a nail, and the first service station was probably 10 miles down the road. Ended up with 8 pounds of pressure when I could add air-- to continue another 1/2 miles to a Costco with a tire center. Upon arrival, could hear the air hissing out of the tire, so got in line, then waited. After a couple hours, get the bad news that it can't be repaired. Believed them so was prepared to replace both rear tires-- but they don't have anything in stock that will work. Start driving home on a donut tire, making calls to check options with dealer, mobile tire service and discount tire. Discount tire thinks they have the tire, and it's only a couple miles further than going straight home.

They don't have the tire, but they think it can be patched. (the head of the nail was too close to sidewall, but the head did not puncture-- the puncture was further in) I wait my turn and 90 minutes later they tell me it's patched and ready to go, no charge. I asked if he was SURE it was good, and he affirmed he checked it underwater for a leak after the repair, and it should be good-- but watch it for a bit.
I got home (about 12 miles) just fine.

Tire has about 28K miles on it. It's rated to last 60K miles.

I've been googling, and see many statements that if the repair is done properly, tire should last for it's intended life. I'm a little worried that this tire got down to 8 pounds, and then sat waiting our turn at Costco, till it appeared 100% flat. (Only had to be driven about 40 paces from where it was parked to the bay/lift-- but still)

Question: is it true that once repaired-- assuming it's done right-- the tire is fine? I assume if the repair "failed" it would have been clear within a couple miles. Do I need to monitor this tire? Can I trust it and move along with life, or should I be concerned?

Thanks in advance.
Last edited by togb on Wed Jul 04, 2018 9:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Nate79
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by Nate79 »

Yes I would trust it. Shops have very strict rules on what they will or won't patch and Discount tire chain follows them. Certainly there is some judgement when it is in the borderline area which is why one shop may or may not do it. Note that they will have done a patch/plug combo, not just a patch.
Mike Scott
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by Mike Scott »

If it holds air it is good. Check the pressure for a few days if it makes you feel better.
Dilbydog
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by Dilbydog »

Ive had several patched tires over the years, sometimes with multiple patches. Never had an issue, and drove all the sets to their wear bars.
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baconavocado
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by baconavocado »

Not a tire expert, but I've never had a patched tire go flat because the patch failed, and I've had a fair number patched. You can check it once a week for the next month if you want to be sure, or if your car has TPMS, that should let you know if the tire starts to lose pressure.
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by 123 »

I think I would have to consider how many total miles were on the tire that got the patch. If Costco was going to replace the failed tire (as part of a pair) I'd have to judge what that cost is versus how much/long I wanted to trust the tire. If the tire has relatively few miles on it I might be tempted to go the replacement route if Costco was still open to that. Since the tire is now patched I wonder what Costco's position on replacement would be. It may make a difference about whether you'll be trusting that patch for a year or two versus five years or more.
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inbox788
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by inbox788 »

togb wrote: Wed Jul 04, 2018 12:09 amEnded up with 8 pounds of pressure when I could add air-- to continue another 1/2 miles to a Costco with a tire center.

(the head of the nail was too close to sidewall, but the head did not puncture-- the puncture was further in) I wait my turn and 90 minutes later they tell me it's patched and ready to go, no charge.

I've been googling, and see many statements that if the repair is done properly, tire should last for it's intended life.

I'm a little worried that this tire got down to 8 pounds, and then sat waiting our turn at Costco, till it appeared 100% flat. (Only had to be driven about 40 paces from where it was parked to the bay/lift-- but still)

Question: is it true that once repaired-- assuming it's done right-- the tire is fine? I assume if the repair "failed" it would have been clear within a couple miles. Do I need to monitor this tire? Can I trust it and move along with life, or should I be concerned?
I'm no tire expert, just another driver like you, but here's my take on things.

If the damage to the tire is only on the rubber, and it's patched correctly, then there's no reason to believe it won't last the life of the thread.

Damage to the center thread is fully repairable. Damage to the sidewall is not. Near the corner is a toss up. From the outside it looks like it's in the corner, but it looks like they took a look from the inside and saw that the puncture is only on the threads and repaired it. If it doesn't leak or lose air, I wouldn't worry about the repair and consider it fully repaired.

You're right to be concerned about driving with NO air. With 8 pounds, it's not safe to drive fast, but I don't think it would damage the tire, especially a short drive. Driving on a completely flat tire may damage the tire, and this would be my biggest worry. Look for deformities and bulges on the tire that appear immediately, and if they don't appear in the first couple of hundred miles, you should be good to go, but keep monitoring the tires as regular maintenance. It's possible the tire was weakened and fails earlier than specifications, so after thousands of miles, it could be the first tire that breaks down. But it's not something I'd worry about. It's no different that if you ran over something or hit a big pothole and put extra stress on a tire. They're designed to take some stress, but each shock reduces the life of a tire just a tiny bit.
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by brokendirtdart »

Not a tire expert, but have had many tires with holes in them. I keep a rope plug kit and a 12V air compressor in my truck just for these reasons and it has seen plenty of use. I plug my tires and get back on the road faster than pulling down my spare and swapping tires.

I have no problems driving on patched tires or tires I plug myself, but as inbox788 mentioned some of it has to do with where the tire was punctured.

If you do patch it and are concerned about a possible blowout, place the patched tire on the rear(non steering) axle. You'll have a bit more control when it blows.

You can always use this as an excuse to buy four new tires. :)
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by Jack FFR1846 »

brokendirtdart wrote: Wed Jul 04, 2018 7:13 am I keep a rope plug kit and a 12V air compressor in my truck just for these reasons and it has seen plenty of use. I plug my tires and get back on the road faster than pulling down my spare and swapping tires.
Now that's hard core! I do the same but out of my tool box in my garage.

So to the OP.....did they patch or plug the tire. Personally, I trust plugs far more than patches. Although a patch done right will hold fine, it's not held in place as well as a plug is. But worst case, the patch fails and the tire has the same leak it had before. It doesn't sound like it was huge since it did hold some air at a low pressure.

Personally, I'd just drive on it. If you don't have a decent dial gauge, buy one and check the air pressure often.
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by carolinaman »

I have had multiple patches over the years. I have never had one fail. I was always told if the patch fails, it will be soon after it was patched. It sounds like yours is good.
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by fourwheelcycle »

My guess is that you will be OK. If you had asked in detail about the patch and the repair person assured you they put in a plug with a patch from the inside of the tire, which they probably did, then I really would not worry at all. The only remaining risk is that you damaged the tire by driving even a short distance when it was completely flat, but if the person who put in the patch did not see any damage you will probably be OK, and any hidden damage will become evident as bulges rather than as a complete blowout. Keeping the at-risk tire on the back axle during future tire rotations is a good idea.

One thing you could do in the future is to carry this Slime tire inflator in your trunk https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005Z8HAUK/?c ... _lig_dp_it, along with a good 12v DC spotlight for night time roadside problems. The inflator will let you keep any future "slow leak" flats closer to full inflation until you can get to a repair center.

Of course, for your recent puncture you could have put on the donut spare before you continued driving, which would have reduced your concern about damaging the leaking tire by driving on it. In any event, carrying a good tire inflator like the one above will give you one more option in the future.
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by RickBoglehead »

fourwheelcycle wrote: Wed Jul 04, 2018 7:52 am One thing you could do in the future is to carry this Slime tire inflator in your trunk https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005Z8HAUK/?c ... _lig_dp_it, along with a good 12v DC spotlight for night time roadside problems. The inflator will let you keep any future "slow leak" flats closer to full inflation until you can get to a repair center.
This is a bad idea TODAY. It was an okay idea in years past.

Why is it a bad idea? Because you can ruin your TPMS sensor.

Edit - I saw the word SLIME and thought it was the can with the gunk in it, not a real tire inflator. This is fine.

Simply put on a spare, or reinflate the tire with the nail.

Discount Tire is top notch. They repair with patches, not plugs. If they say it's good, it's good. Costco clearly didn't spend the time to really investigate.
Last edited by RickBoglehead on Wed Jul 04, 2018 8:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by bob60014 »

RickBoglehead wrote: Wed Jul 04, 2018 7:59 am
fourwheelcycle wrote: Wed Jul 04, 2018 7:52 am One thing you could do in the future is to carry this Slime tire inflator in your trunk https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005Z8HAUK/?c ... _lig_dp_it, along with a good 12v DC spotlight for night time roadside problems. The inflator will let you keep any future "slow leak" flats closer to full inflation until you can get to a repair center.
This is a bad idea TODAY. It was an okay idea in years past.

Why is it a bad idea? Because you can ruin your TPMS sensor.

Simply put on a spare, or reinflate the tire with the nail.

Discount Tire is top notch. They repair with patches, not plugs. If they say it's good, it's good. Costco clearly didn't spend the time to really investigate.

How is using a air compressor going to cause damage to the TPMS sensor? Or am I misreading this?
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by RickBoglehead »

bob60014 wrote: Wed Jul 04, 2018 8:08 am
How is using a air compressor going to cause damage to the TPMS sensor? Or am I misreading this?
Thought it was a can of gunk to seal holes along with air, saw "Slime" and hadn't clicked on link. Edited comment.
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Balefire
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by Balefire »

Did you drive 10 miles on the highway after the nail?
How did you know their was a problem? Tpms?

If highway driven with low pressure the sidewalls can be permanently damaged.
However any reputable tire shop will inspect for this prior to patching.
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by RickBoglehead »

He went to Discount Tire. They are professional. He should have zero worries.
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by jabberwockOG »

RickBoglehead wrote: Wed Jul 04, 2018 7:59 am
fourwheelcycle wrote: Wed Jul 04, 2018 7:52 am One thing you could do in the future is to carry this Slime tire inflator in your trunk https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005Z8HAUK/?c ... _lig_dp_it, along with a good 12v DC spotlight for night time roadside problems. The inflator will let you keep any future "slow leak" flats closer to full inflation until you can get to a repair center.
This is a bad idea TODAY. It was an okay idea in years past.

Why is it a bad idea? Because you can ruin your TPMS sensor.

Edit - I saw the word SLIME and thought it was the can with the gunk in it, not a real tire inflator. This is fine.

Simply put on a spare, or reinflate the tire with the nail.

Discount Tire is top notch. They repair with patches, not plugs. If they say it's good, it's good. Costco clearly didn't spend the time to really investigate.
Agree - If Discount Tire guys said the tire is repairable and they repaired it you should be fine. Costco may have stricter rules and no ability for any tech discernment in a repair.

I trust Costco but also would trust Discount Tire - one of the only remaining chain tire stores that still do good work and have adequately trained techs. The other very large chain (also sells batteries) I won't name here are almost all incompetent bandits.
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by CULater »

Each tire puncture is different. But I had one that was sort of up on the lower part of the sidewall. My car dealer service shop said it was unrepairable and wanted to put two new tires on. Took it Sam's Club where the tires had been purchased and they repaired it, said it was fine. Drove that tire many, many miles and never had a problem with it. But, it's always good to have an actual spare tire and know how to change it, right? Or at least a good roadside service that will come out if you get a flat.
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togb
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by togb »

Many thanks to all of you, it's so reassuring to have my trust in Discount Tire validated.

To answer some questions:
-I was alerted to the issue by the alarm light coming, and vehicle switching the dashboard display to show I had jut 22# of pressure. (should be 35).
-I was on the Dallas tollway-- but far North, no exits, no service stations. I slowed down some, and watched the pressure keep dropping. There was
not a place to stop, so I was trying hard to make it to the closest gas station.
-The vehicle (Buick) has a display on the dash for pressure in all four tires. I suspect I'll have that as my constant view for the next week.
-These tires are rated for 60K miles, and I have 28K miles (3 years) on them. They are the original tires so not covered by Costco or Discount Tire.
-It's a rear tire.
-Costco would have just replaced the one tire, but I said do both since I have been advised you should really not have one mismatched tire. It became a moot point since they did not have anything that would work.

I also talked to my uncle, who echo'd the things y'all have advised. I'm planning to watch it really carefully for any loss of air, etc for a week, then tend to trust this. Great call out, to watch for bulges as well, so thanks for that tip.

If I have ANY trouble or hint of trouble, I'll replace both rear tires, and move along-- unless there is a great promotion that lets me get all four for not much more $$. (noticed on DIscount Tire's website that these exact tires were on a great promotion in June-- so it's over but getting a nice rebate/discount could sway me to get all four rather than just two).

Again, thank you. I really appreciate it. It probably sounds silly, but this was stressful for me. I am not mechanically inclined (my wasband always took care of those matters) and having safe, reliable transportation is a priority for me.
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by bigdav160 »

This is the only way to properly repair a tire:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QR1vag1N9Q

All other methods are temporary fixes. The first shop should have added air before driving it into the shop.
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by pennylane »

Yes.... if it wasn’t a reliable solution, nobody would do it.
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by camaro327 »

I’ve used discount tire and they will not repair a tire puncture to a sidewall. They will for only do it if it’s an area that is repairable, usually the tread. Fine for driving as others have stated.
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by Boglegrappler »

Sidewalls flex when you go around curves. If you go around curves fast, or if you have a long curve at high speed, the sidewall flexes a lot.

It's completely different for the flat part of the tread, which basically doesn't flex.

I don't think there is any blowout risk. The risk is that the patch comes lose and you lose air either slowly, or very slowly. But you don't want that.

My guess is that since it has been a great many miles since your repair, it is going to hold for an even longer time.
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by midareff »

For in town use no issues with a patch or plug as long as the repairer followed guidelines. If you were going to do lots of high speed driving on twisty mountain roads touring I might feel differently.
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by fire5soon »

I've never patched a tire but have plugged several. Usually using the cheap plug kits which can be found for <$5 at Walmart. I've never had any problems with any of the plugs lasting for the rest of the life of the tire.
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by arcticpineapplecorp. »

final thought...I assume they would have made more money selling you a new tire (or possibly two for both back tires for even handling) than repairing the one you have. If this assumption is correct, then we can assume a patch was possible, otherwise they would have made more money convincing you otherwise.
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by deikel »

not an expert, but I would not trust such a tire.

Purchasing two tires new and have them mounted is how much difference in money vs repair of one tire ? That's the money you gamble on having good tires in an emergency - would not be worth it for me, but tires for my car are cheap, maybe yours are different.
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by DartThrower »

I had a flat on New Year's eve 2017. Took my car to the Toyota dealer and the mechanic there patched it and told me everything was just fine. About a week later his boss called me and told me I needed new tires. It's 6 months later and the boss is still waiting for my return call. The tire hasn't lost any air at all, but that dealership has lost a customer.
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by stlrick »

The original post concerns issues other than the factual safety of a patched tire - "can I trust a patched tire," "should I be concerned."

Something to think about is the general philosophy of minimizing regret. A financial discussion about this is on Dick Cotton's blog:

http://www.theretirementcafe.com/2018/0 ... egret.html

Accidents happen when driving. You or loved ones can be hurt. If there is a 1 in 1000 chance that a blowout can occur with this tire, and it does, and something bad happens, how will you feel about it? Only you can decide to what extent you feel that you are making a decision to save money by taking on a risk. Is it worth the cost of new tires to minimize the possibility of that regret?
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by invst65 »

On several occasions I have patched tires myself that the tire shop wouldn't patch because they said the hole was too close to the sidewall. Never had a problem with any of them.
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by 02nz »

Have had two tires (on two different vehicles) patched, never had a problem after the repair. Risk seems minimal, and even lower if the vehicle is equipped with TPMS (and thus would alert you if it started leaking again).
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by Sasquatch »

Do you really think a multi national corporation would expose themselves to that type of risk? There are specific parameters in place using national guidelines on what is and is not a acceptable repair. People with years of technical experience developing the protocol at a national level
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by Hockey10 »

I have had a tire patch about once every 3 years since the early 1980s. I have never had a problem after the patch. For some reason, my tires seem to attract nails and screws that are left on the street by lazy contractors.... :annoyed
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by Broken Man 1999 »

Hockey10 wrote: Fri Jul 06, 2018 6:15 pm I have had a tire patch about once every 3 years since the early 1980s. I have never had a problem after the patch. For some reason, my tires seem to attract nails and screws that are left on the street by lazy contractors.... :annoyed
Never had an issue with a patched tire. In fact when I was a pump jockey in high school I patched many a tire, I never heard of any issues, and believe
me I would have received an earful had a tire had a problem.

Our first home was in a new subdivision and so many early buyers (including us) picked up lots of construction debris. :oops:

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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by fandango »

To mitigate this risk:

I buy road hazard insurance for all the tires that I purchase (usually form Discount Tire). It is worth it. I bought a complete set of Michelin LTX/MS tires for my Toyota 4 Runner. After I left, I noticed 5 miles down the road that one tire was low and leaking fast. Turned around and went back to Discount Tire and they found a 4 inch nail in the ide wall of the tire. The tire was replaced without question, and I went on my merry way. Had a similar incident about 3 years later and found some barb wire embedded in the tire side wall. Once again the tire was replaced. There is all kinds of junk on the road due to construction, pick ups losing loads, etc.

Two, I always go to a reputable company like Discount Tire to repair tires. They know what they are doing and many gas stations do not.

Thirdly, I always carry a 12 volt air compressor in my cars. The compressor will inflate your tire enough to get you to a reputable company for repair and move you out of some dangerous neighborhoods or highways.

Finally,I check my tire pressure one per month to see if there is any pressure loss, damage, balance issues, etc.
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by tibbitts »

I plugged (not patched, plugged) a tire and not so long after ended up with a grapefruit-sized bulge in the tire, pretty close to where I put the plug. I don't claim to be the master of plugging but I'd plugged multiple tires before and... well there's not that much to it.

But the bottom line is I don't trust plugging vs. patching. Although to clarify, patches often include plugs, but the whole idea is starting from the inside vs. the outside. Just say no to plugging from the outside.
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by PFInterest »

togb wrote: Wed Jul 04, 2018 12:09 am Ran over a nail, and the first service station was probably 10 miles down the road. Ended up with 8 pounds of pressure when I could add air-- to continue another 1/2 miles to a Costco with a tire center. Upon arrival, could hear the air hissing out of the tire, so got in line, then waited. After a couple hours, get the bad news that it can't be repaired. Believed them so was prepared to replace both rear tires-- but they don't have anything in stock that will work. Start driving home on a donut tire, making calls to check options with dealer, mobile tire service and discount tire. Discount tire thinks they have the tire, and it's only a couple miles further than going straight home.

They don't have the tire, but they think it can be patched. (the head of the nail was too close to sidewall, but the head did not puncture-- the puncture was further in) I wait my turn and 90 minutes later they tell me it's patched and ready to go, no charge. I asked if he was SURE it was good, and he affirmed he checked it underwater for a leak after the repair, and it should be good-- but watch it for a bit.
I got home (about 12 miles) just fine.

Tire has about 28K miles on it. It's rated to last 60K miles.

I've been googling, and see many statements that if the repair is done properly, tire should last for it's intended life. I'm a little worried that this tire got down to 8 pounds, and then sat waiting our turn at Costco, till it appeared 100% flat. (Only had to be driven about 40 paces from where it was parked to the bay/lift-- but still)

Question: is it true that once repaired-- assuming it's done right-- the tire is fine? I assume if the repair "failed" it would have been clear within a couple miles. Do I need to monitor this tire? Can I trust it and move along with life, or should I be concerned?

Thanks in advance.
should be fine. check pressure every few days the next week. if it holds, itll hold.
knowing my luck. i would be more likely to run over ANOTHER nail before a patch failed. and if the patch fails....its like running over another nail...
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by F150HD »

togb wrote: Wed Jul 04, 2018 12:09 am I wait my turn and 90 minutes later they tell me it's patched and ready to go, no charge.
maybe I missed it, so its an INTERNAL patch? (they removed the tire from the rim and applied the patch on the inside)

if you could clarify...
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by brokendirtdart »

F150HD wrote: Fri Aug 03, 2018 3:37 pm
togb wrote: Wed Jul 04, 2018 12:09 am I wait my turn and 90 minutes later they tell me it's patched and ready to go, no charge.
maybe I missed it, so its an INTERNAL patch? (they removed the tire from the rim and applied the patch on the inside)

if you could clarify...
Most places like Costco, Sams, and random actual tire shops use plug type patches from the inside. They're pretty good, and I bet that is what the OP had done.
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togb
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by togb »

Hi I'm the OP. They removed the tire from the rim and they did a "patch and plug". He said he immersed it afterwards to be sure. (I'm not very knowledgeable about this, so did not know what I could/should have asked him)

The tire has been trouble free-- no loss of pressure, or bulging sidewalls so I'm no longer driving white knuckled with the tire pressure display selected!
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by Nissanzx1 »

Yep- drive with no worries. I've driven 10's of thousands of miles on cars with tires ive patched myself.
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by Momus »

Every time I buy a new 4 tires, I had to patch at least one of them (Free @discount tire or independent shop for $10).

All my tires had been patched once in the past without any problem.
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by LadyGeek »

I removed several off-topic posts and replies related to risks of alcohol consumption and smoking.

Please stay on-topic, which is the reliability of a tire patch.
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by sixty40 »

togb wrote: Fri Aug 03, 2018 10:09 pm Hi I'm the OP. They removed the tire from the rim and they did a "patch and plug". He said he immersed it afterwards to be sure. (I'm not very knowledgeable about this, so did not know what I could/should have asked him)

The tire has been trouble free-- no loss of pressure, or bulging sidewalls so I'm no longer driving white knuckled with the tire pressure display selected!
I worked at a service station in my younger days, patched and plugged many tires. A "plug" is usually a quick fix, but is also permanent. Basically w/o even taking the tire/wheel off the car, you can plug small holes straightforward holes. The better fix is to "patch" which is more time consuming, by taking the wheel off the car and tire off the wheel, from inside the tire just put a patch with some glue. Patches, when done right, are very secure and will not come off or leak, assuming the tire is not damaged. Patch and plug is basically doing both, seems like overkill but I guess extra insurance. If it does not leak now, it most likely never will. Riding too long on underinflated tires can damage the sidewall, but the service center would/should have recognized that. That is the first thing we look at when we patch a tire, no reason to patch a flat if the sidewall is damaged.
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by Jyb33 »

Something similar happened to me, but worse....so I"d like to hear your opinions. I'll skip
all the details for now..but I think I drove longer than the OP on an even lower-inflated tire....and
as I finally got off the highway onto the shoulder the tire (rear, 16000 miles on it) was half off the rim
(but it seemed to have come off only as I was slowing down and turning onto the shoulder..that's
when I felt all the rumble...)....I didn't feel
any symptoms of a blown tire until then...other than a pop/bang sound about 8 miles earlier and
a noise from the rear...which got worse..but never suspected a tire...so I finally pulled over when it was safe. So I don't really know
what the pressure was for those 8 miles....

Anyway, the tire had a hole in between the sidewall and first ridge (?). I put on the fullsize spare.
Next day, I stopped by a few tire places. First one (as i expected) said, "ummm...not sure...that's a little too
close to the edge for a plug. (this was all based on pics I took of the wheel, since it was now
under the truck in the "spare area"). Day after that I went to a big chain tire shop...manager said the same
thing, but said "you could try that place on xxxx St....they'd probably do it". I say: "well, I'm interested
in safety..." and he said..."if they do it would be safe"......Then I went to another shop (just a general
gas station mechanic)...got the same answer, with the same referrel to this "place on xxxx St. that might fix it".....

So, first I google the place (this is in a town I visit and stay once in a while), and it has good reviews
(but all for being cheap and fast....nothing learned about quality). I end up going there (it's
a used tire place and does repairs....looks pretty sleazy.....The guy looks at my pics and said "probably fixable
with a patch (not plug)"...I told him "I might have driven it very-underinflated".
He says he'll look at the inside (but it was almost impossible to communicate with the guy
for various reasons, especially with his earphones on, talking on the phone, and their policy of no
customers in the work area)......But he said he'll "look at the interior" before fixing it" (I never
got to see the inside myself..). Next
thing I know it's done, and back on my truck. Yes, cheap and fast. I did (and do) feel
better having 5 wheels now (a spare), rather than rushing out to buy new (tires). And as of now (a few days later
it "seems" fine...but of course the question remains....am I going to die on the highway soon.

So, my question is: Is it worth having a known-reputable tire shop examine that tire (inside, etc.)
and the patch? I don't know how useful that would be ...There are probably hidden problems
that don't show up on visual inspection..?? Then again, such an exam might cost about $30 vs a new
tire cost of more than $200 (or $400...since I SHOULD buy in pairs at 16000 miles....)....

(One minor point: I also realize a tire like this should be kept on the rear, but i"m due for a rotation, which will
bring it to the front.......)
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by kevinf »

RickBoglehead wrote: Wed Jul 04, 2018 7:59 am Edit - I saw the word SLIME and thought it was the can with the gunk in it, not a real tire inflator. This is fine.
A product like Ride-On shouldn't cause TPMS issues because it's not sprayed into the tire. The valve plug is removed and the product is pumped or squeezed in and collects at the base of the tire. When the tire begins rotating it is distributed evenly along the inside of the tire and not spread around. If a puncture happens, the product reacts with the air and plugs the leak. The tire can be removed and changed without any cleanup as all of the product will be spread across the outer edge of the tire and not anywhere else.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vW4dwsp6oUU
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by rockstar »

I've had my tires patched by Discount Tire for free. And I was able to use them until the thread wore down enough to require replacement. I'd take it to them.
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by willthrill81 »

From what I've seen and heard, patches (i.e., done from the interior of the tire) are more reliable than plugs, but the only issue I've ever heard of with even a plug was a slow leak. I've never even heard a rumor of a blowout occurring on a patched or plugged tire.

About a month ago, my DW and I saw a trailer tire on the interstate blowout though. The trailer was clearly overloaded. Once the tire blowout occurred, the trailer started swaying nearly from one side of the highway to the other, and we both thought for a second that the truck pulling it would lose all control, but thankfully he was able to slow down and then stop.
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Re: Tire experts? Can I trust a patched tire?

Post by IMO »

Jyb33 wrote: Sun Apr 11, 2021 1:31 pm I think I drove longer than the OP on an even lower-inflated tire....and
as I finally got off the highway onto the shoulder the tire (rear, 16000 miles on it) was half off the rim
(but it seemed to have come off only as I was slowing down and turning onto the shoulder..that's
when I felt all the rumble...) So I don't really know what the pressure was for those 8 miles....

And as of now (a few days later it "seems" fine...but of course the question remains....am I going to die on the highway soon.

So, my question is: Is it worth having a known-reputable tire shop examine that tire (inside, etc.)
and the patch? I don't know how useful that would be ...There are probably hidden problems
that don't show up on visual inspection..??
OP, I edited out your post to comment just on the above.

Personally, I do NOT think sidewalls are should be underflated for any period of time. Air pressure is a integral part of the structure of a tire and a well known and common concern regarding tire safety is driving with an underinflated tire.

Thus, I'm of the opinion that while obvious sidewall damage may not be noticeable even upon inspection, I would suspect the the sidewall integrity has undergone some level of damage as you say your tire was driven to point it seemed to partially come off the rim. The question then comes down to how much stress on the sidewall is significant? That's not an all or none answer, as the faster one is driving, the more strain one is put on the tires (due to higher speed curves, outside temperatures, etc) all can start to put more and more stress on the sidewall naturally.

Typically on this site, people always comment about "don't risk your life on tires, they the only thing between you and the road, your life is not worth the risk, you must only use Michelin tires, etc." I honestly think people go overboard on those thoughts and don't "look at the science" of tires which include the things like speed rating, temperature rating, load rating, treadwear, traction rating, type of tire for conditions, etc.

With that said, I personally don't feel safe at higher speeds driving a tire that has had a sidewall put under undue stress even if it is "still useable". I even ask the honest question, "Is a sidewall really still okay if you came out to your car and it your tire was completely flat, crushing the sidewall of the tire overnight with weight of your vehicle on the sidewall, even if you didn't drive on the tire?" I'm not sure who can honestly answer that question because it probably hasn't been studied. Even "run flat" tires can only run so long without sufficient tire pressure before they ultimately damage the tire. So is it worth it to replace it and just be safe or to just presume the tire sidewall is without any compromise? It's a personal choice.
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