First Successful Tire Plug!

[DaktariEd]

With an approaching weather system from California, I decided to bring some firewood up to the house this morning when I was unpleasantly surprised by a loud "hisssssing" sound from my wheelbarrow tire as I tried to inflate it. Big cactus thorn and about a 1/16" puncture.

Not to worry! Having been amply inspired by the latest issue of Overland Journal, specifically, the tire repair piece by Jonathan Hanson, I decided to try my "Safety Seal" tire repair kit. I've had it for a year or so and never had need of it to date. Nor have I tried it out on a real puncture. Come to think of it, I haven't tried it out at all!

In less time than it took to review the instructions that little bugger was sealed tight! Pretty cool deal! :wings:

Yeah, I know, it's not a truck tire, but, hey, it's a tire, ok?

So...how many of you have a tire plug kit and have never used/tested it?

 

[Andrew Walcker]

Too cool! I'm guilty of owning a tire repair kit for over three years now and never using it The only good is that I haven't needed it on the trail and the nail that I had in my tire recently was repaired free of charge by America's Tire Company.

 

[Spikepretorius]

I keep mine behind my seat permanently (in a pouch in the seat cover). It's got me out of trouble a few times over the years. If you hear or feel that you have a puncture you can plug it immediately and then either drive to the nearest source of air or just haul out your pump. It's a damn sight easier than fitting a spare tyre.

It's a good idea to keep a nice pair of pliers in the kit for if you need to pull a nail or whatever out of the tyre. Something like a waterpump pliers will give good leverage.

I assume that the tyre kit you're referring to is the one with the "snot plugs"

 

[pray4surf]

Learned to plug tires years ago working at a 'full service' gas station...

Have never been without a kit ever since, and use it frequently. Normally fixing friends, family, co-workers and strangers tires. Even cooler now that I have OBA.

Most memorable time, heading north out of Santo Tomas BC on Hwy 1. After clearing a unpaved portion / construction zone, heard the rhythmic hiss as soon as we hit the pavement again.

Went to dig the spare out and realized I didn't have the correct lugnuts for a steel rim. Took 3 plugs side by side to stem the flow and eased on back to the nearest llantera for a fix. Was the first time I had been exposed to the gasoline vapor method of mounting/beading a tire too!

Rick

 

[MountainBiker]

So...how many of you have a tire plug kit and have never used/tested it?

Unfortunately, I've had the opportunity to use the Safety Seal kit at least 6 times in the last 3 years. Between our two vehicles, seems like they are always picking up nails. Plugging the tire is always faster than putting on the the spare!

And I agree with Spikepretorius, always carry a good pair of pliers to remove the offending item.

 

[cowboy4x4]

I've always had them and have used them as well numerous times.I even got a kit for my son for x-mas to keep in his rig.

 

[AndrewP]

I think my record for plugs is 7 or 8 in one hole. It worked long enough to get back to the pavement.

The only time my wife thought the offroad thig was good, was when she had a nail hole, and I extracted the nail and replaced with a plug in about 10 seconds.

Tire plugs are an essential part of the kit, the safety seal kit is great, but right now I'm using about $10 in Wal Mart equiptment. The safety seal plug tool is really nice, though, and at some point I'll buy one.

 

[Pskhaat]

Dr G Jackson assisted me with a plug at Trophy '07...thing was a bugger to core on the tread. Pasquale leased me his kit as of course I forgot mine. Had another one on our Hundy earlier in the year in Moab. Both to date are holding up as nothing ever happened Gotta love the plug kits...

 

[frgtwn]

Wheelbarrows have gone tubeless? Man, am I getting old. Every flat I have ever fixed was on a tube. I have seen the "no flat" tires, but this is a new one to me.

Progress, I guess.

Dale

 

[nwoods]

I've had my saftey seal kit for a few years and have never used it yet. I was thinking about this just the other day: How long do the plugs last before they get too old? What about the lube?

 

[p1michaud]

Tire repair.

So...how many of you have a tire plug kit and have never used/tested it?

I've had a Safety Seal kit for a few years now and have known about them for quite some time. Great product. In fact my introduction to them was when my uncle was using his Polaris 4x4 ATV to clear some old shrubs and bushes around his camp and managed to find some thorn laden bushes. We used somewhere in the order of 50-60 plugs to plug all the holes in his tires. I’ve never seen anything like it. He drove that ATV with those tires for the next 5 years.
I’ve had to repair a nail hole in my car tire with the kit and on a 35” tire (needed 5 plugs) to repair a cut sidewall on the trail (not mine of course).

I assume that the tyre kit you're referring to is the one with the "snot plugs"

That’s about what they feel like, but I can tell you that the residue that stays on your hands is stickier than snot, hard to get it off.

Another tool to have handy is a pair of side cutters, they work better than the razor blade in the kit to cut the plug to length. I have seen some folks use a lighter to burn the edges back as well. Be careful not to start a fire using this method.


:1888fbbd:

 

[Cabrito]

My own first tire repair today

A screw had worked its way into my left rear tire. Finally a chance to use my ARB tire repair kit! I've only had it for the past few years. I used to carry a cheap set from the local auto parts store, but never have had to plug my own tire. Now I finally have a chance to do one, and the good part was that I was able to do it under controlled conditions in my own garage.

First I had to work the screw out. It went in at a slight angle, and I was able to twist it out. Simple task for the old standard Leatherman tool that I've been carrying around for the past 18 years.

A quick read of the instructions and review of kit contents to refresh myself .

A few minutes later. I'm not sure how much of the plug is supposed to be sticking out, but I think it's good. I cut it off and filled to 42psi. Now it's stashed back under the truck until I get home to swap to another tire.

Since I was able to work in my own garage space I could take my time. So I cleaned up the chain that holds the spare tire under the Cruiser. I soaked the chain and all the parts that hold the wheel underneath. Then I rinsed dried and lubed it up with some synthetic spray lube.

So now the patched one is my spare until I can get home and swap it out with another tire I have.

The large high quality tools in the ARB kit made this job real easy.

http://photobucket.com/cabritoslandcruiser

 

[Stumpalump]

My Safty Seal kit is at least 12 years old. All the plugs are stuck to the dry rotting paper backing but they still work great. My advise would be to make sure you ream the hole good before inserting the plug. You do this to seperate the steel belts out of the way and make the hole big enough for the plug and it's insertion tool. I cant count the times it's been used but can say Wallmart has plugs if you need more. Everybody needs one of these kits.

 

[Cabrito]

Stump,
You explain it just like the instructions. When I first applied enough pressure on the reamer I though I broke the tip off, but then realized that I was just pushing through the steel belts.

I followed the instructions exactly and everything worked perfectly.

My Safty Seal kit is at least 12 years old. All the plugs are stuck to the dry rotting paper backing but they still work great. My advise would be to make sure you ream the hole good before inserting the plug. You do this to seperate the steel belts out of the way and make the hole big enough for the plug and it's insertion tool. I cant count the times it's been used but can say Wallmart has plugs if you need more. Everybody needs one of these kits.

 

[mtnbike28]

Good thought!

So on my Tacoma, I have stock alloy rims (at least stock from a 98 4runner with the long lug nuts), but a steel rim spare and no lug nits that fit it?

Wow, so much for prepared!

Learned to plug tires years ago working at a 'full service' gas station...

Have never been without a kit ever since, and use it frequently. Normally fixing friends, family, co-workers and strangers tires. Even cooler now that I have OBA.

Most memorable time, heading north out of Santo Tomas BC on Hwy 1. After clearing a unpaved portion / construction zone, heard the rhythmic hiss as soon as we hit the pavement again.

Went to dig the spare out and realized I didn't have the correct lugnuts for a steel rim. Took 3 plugs side by side to stem the flow and eased on back to the nearest llantera for a fix. Was the first time I had been exposed to the gasoline vapor method of mounting/beading a tire too!

Rick