Are DIY tire repair kits ok for permanent repairs on small punctures?

[DaveM]

Found what looks like a roofing nail in my rear tire this morning. Haven't removed yet as it seems well sealed (or not fully punctured).

Assuming there is a full puncture here, is there any reason not to repair this myself? Is there any practical difference between DIY emergency tire plug kits and what a tire shop would do?

 

[BigAl]

Assuming there is a full puncture here, is there any reason not to repair this myself?

I would, and have done this for 50 years. Adhering a flat patch with a large surface area and no friction fit is more likely to give you problems, IMO.

 

[plh]

Plug kit, no problem. I worked in a Service Station from 1977 thru 1983 and probably plugged 1,000 tires. I carry a plug kit in my vehicle and have for many years.

 

[JaSAn]

Been there, done that (left a tire plug as only repair in for rest of the tire life).

 

[DaveM]

ok, good to know. been needing to add this to my rescue kit for a while now. any chance an off the shelf kit from places like AutoZone et al are any good?

 

[DaveM]

Thanks, went ahead and ordered the ARB kit. Will just drive around with the nail plug until it arrives Wed I guess!

 

[rayra]

Anyone have a source for the proper hand tools for a plug kit? I have the kit(s) but the last time I tried to put one in the insertion tool was chinesium pot metal and it snapped as soon as I tried to work the plug thru the belts. Need some real steel.

 

[jgaz]

Anyone have a source for the proper hand tools for a plug kit? I have the kit(s) but the last time I tried to put one in the insertion tool was chinesium pot metal and it snapped as soon as I tried to work the plug thru the belts. Need some real steel.

Take a look at this site. During my gas station days (no the wheels weren’t wooden) this company sold real tools to professionals

Tire Probes and Rasps

Bowes carries a wide selection of Tire Probes and Rasps from Ball Handle Knurled Probes, T-Handle Spiral Cement Probes, and Power-Rasp with Screwdriver Handles

www.bowessealfast.com

Tire Needles

Bowes carries a wide selection of Tire Needles from T-Handle Insert Tools, Pistol-Grip Closed-Eye Insert Needles, and Open-Eye Needles

www.bowessealfast.com

The rural area NAPA stores I was familiar with also carried good quality tire repair tools.

 

[shade]

I like the ARB kit, but this looks like an excellent value at $26:

Amazon.com: MATCC Tire Repair Kit Heavy Duty Tire Plug Flat Tire Puncture Repair Kit Universal Tire Patch Kit Tire Repair Tools Set 76Pcs for Car, Motorcycle, Truck, ATV, Tractor, RV, SUV, Jeep, Trailer, Lawn Mow: Automotive

Buy MATCC Tire Repair Kit Heavy Duty Tire Plug Flat Tire Puncture Repair Kit Universal Tire Patch Kit Tire Repair Tools Set 76Pcs for Car, Motorcycle, Truck, ATV, Tractor, RV, SUV, Jeep, Trailer, Lawn Mow: Tire Repair Kits - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

 

[Bayou Boy]

I like the ARB kit, but this looks like an excellent value at $26:

View attachment 565081

Amazon.com: MATCC Tire Repair Kit Heavy Duty Tire Plug Flat Tire Puncture Repair Kit Universal Tire Patch Kit Tire Repair Tools Set 76Pcs for Car, Motorcycle, Truck, ATV, Tractor, RV, SUV, Jeep, Trailer, Lawn Mow: Automotive

Buy MATCC Tire Repair Kit Heavy Duty Tire Plug Flat Tire Puncture Repair Kit Universal Tire Patch Kit Tire Repair Tools Set 76Pcs for Car, Motorcycle, Truck, ATV, Tractor, RV, SUV, Jeep, Trailer, Lawn Mow: Tire Repair Kits - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

That kit probably duplicates a lot of stuff you already carry and therefore takes up too much space.

I bought this one.

Amazon.com: Tooluxe 50002L Universal Tire Repair Kit to Fix Punctures and Plug Flats, 35-Piece Value Pack, Ideal for Cars, Trucks, Motorcycles, ATV: Home Improvement

Buy Tooluxe 50002L Universal Tire Repair Kit to Fix Punctures and Plug Flats, 35-Piece Value Pack, Ideal for Cars, Trucks, Motorcycles, ATV: Tire Repair Tools - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

 

[shade]

That kit probably duplicates a lot of stuff you already carry and therefore takes up too much space.

I bought this one.

Amazon.com: Tooluxe 50002L Universal Tire Repair Kit to Fix Punctures and Plug Flats, 35-Piece Value Pack, Ideal for Cars, Trucks, Motorcycles, ATV: Home Improvement

Buy Tooluxe 50002L Universal Tire Repair Kit to Fix Punctures and Plug Flats, 35-Piece Value Pack, Ideal for Cars, Trucks, Motorcycles, ATV: Tire Repair Tools - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

Looks like another kit with solid tools. If those are ok, the rest is pretty easy to stock.

For lube, this stuff is excellent. You'll probably want to scoop some out of the 1 lb jar for a road kit.

Change Your Own Tires!

www.nomartirechanger.com

For more in-depth work, I recently purchased a set of Tyrepliers & a pair of their tyre irons. I'll be giving them a go soon when I break down a tyre to add some Dynabeads. I never want to visit another tyre shop.

 

[Bayou Boy]

Looks like another kit with solid tools. If those are ok, the rest is pretty easy to stock.

For lube, this stuff is excellent. You'll probably want to scoop some out of the 1 lb jar for a road kit.

Change Your Own Tires!

www.nomartirechanger.com

For more in-depth work, I recently purchased a set of Tyrepliers & a pair of their tyre irons. I'll be giving them a go soon when I break down a tyre to add some Dynabeads. I never want to visit another tyre shop.

When I did a ton of motorcycle touring I did my own changes with dynabeads. Easy and cheap.

I work across the street from the Ram dealer. They will swap tires that I bring them first thing in the morning for about $80-100 before lunchtime. It’s just too easy.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[DaveM]

ARB kit arrived. Looks stout. But I still have the question of how permanent can these repairs be on a typical nail or small bolt puncture? The kit and most online sources say these are temporary fixes only, go see a repair shop for a permanent fix. But every time I've ever had a shop repair a puncture it sure looked to me like they were just plugging the hole with a small rubber strand like the ones in these kits.

 

[luthj]

A nail puncture with rubber plug is permanent in my book. There is a slight chance of a slow leak over time, but the good plugs have a non hardening coating which flows into the hole area preventing leaks.

For damage in the middle 75% of the tread, a lot of shops will demount the tire, and use a adhesive patch on the inside. This is considered a bit more permanent.

 

[DaveM]

Tyres are only temporary anyway. So is the car... or yourself for that matter.

deep, thanks.