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Old 03-18-2016, 10:59 AM   #1
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Plug and patch tire?

So I have a very slow leak in one of my trailer tires. The tire has less than 1,000 miles on it. Today I took the tire off of the trailer and found a very small screw had gotten in between the tread in the center of the tire. Nowhere near the sidewall. Normally I would have a new tire put on the rim. In this case because the screw is so small, in the center of the tread and as far away from the sidewall as can be I am thinking of just plugging and patching it. I'd like to have some thoughts and input from others who may have a little knowledge or experience here. Thoughts?????
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Old 03-18-2016, 11:14 AM   #2
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So I have a very slow leak in one of my trailer tires. The tire has less than 1,000 miles on it. Today I took the tire off of the trailer and found a very small screw had gotten in between the tread in the center of the tire. Nowhere near the sidewall. Normally I would have a new tire put on the rim. In this case because the screw is so small, in the center of the tread and as far away from the sidewall as can be I am thinking of just plugging and patching it. I'd like to have some thoughts and input from others who may have a little knowledge or experience here. Thoughts?????
I have always had very good luck in plugging this type of leak in my car tires.
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Old 03-18-2016, 11:20 AM   #3
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X2 on plugging, have done that at least half a dozen times on car & truck tires, all lasted for thousands of miles after plugging. Can't say I've ever done that on a trailer tire, but I can't imagine the results would differ.

EDIT: Keeping a tire repair kit in your truck is a must have as well
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Old 03-18-2016, 12:16 PM   #4
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When I briefly worked at a service station back in the mid '70s, we started fixing tires by using a mushroom shaped plug that was inserted with an air gun while the tire was still mounted.. We would ream out the hole with a skinny rasp slathered with rubber cement, slather the cement on the plug and stick it in the gun, push the tip of the gun at the opening of the hole (we kept the rasp poked in the hole until just before we put the gun against it to ensure we could find it, then shot the air to it. We guaranteed those for the life of the tire and never had one come back on us.


I've had excellent luck in the past using nylon reinforced string plugs without breaking down the tire. There was a bit of skill required to put them in properly, though. Nowadays, I'm too old to horse with it, not to mention I haven't had a flat, or even a slow leak, in over a decade.
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Old 03-18-2016, 01:35 PM   #5
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I know this will cause some responses Years ago when working in a Service Station in Tulsa Ok. I was taught to repair tires by using a patch on the inside of the tire. I questioned this as I also had seen plugs being used. The reason this station used patches was explained that the air is on the inside of a tire and it pushes against the patch and creates a better seal. Of course that was back in the 1970's and plugs and repairs are much improved Also using a plug takes less time to install than using a patch.
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Old 03-18-2016, 09:50 PM   #6
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I know this will cause some responses Years ago when working in a Service Station in Tulsa Ok. I was taught to repair tires by using a patch on the inside of the tire. I questioned this as I also had seen plugs being used. The reason this station used patches was explained that the air is on the inside of a tire and it pushes against the patch and creates a better seal. Of course that was back in the 1970's and plugs and repairs are much improved Also using a plug takes less time to install than using a patch.
Patches are still superior to most plugs. Most of the better tire chains, such as Discount Tires, will only use patches to repair a puncture. Before the service station I worked at (back in '72, btw) got the mushroom plugs and insertion tool, we used full sized patches that had a plug stem on them. We had to break down the tire, then, after grinding the area the patch would cover and applying rubber cement, we would push a tool into the puncture from the outside and use it to pull the stem through the hole. We would then stitch down the patch like any other patch. Those were probably the best patches I ever saw but they were more work to apply.

Plugs allow you to fix a puncture without dismounting the tire from the rim but you have to use high quality plugs and know how to install them properly. Sadly, there are a lot of crap plugs and tools out there. Once I worked out how to properly install plugs and found which plugs worked best, I never had a plug fail even though they are supposed to be a temporary repair only.
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Old 03-18-2016, 10:02 PM   #7
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Patches are still superior to most plugs. Most of the better tire chains, such as Discount Tires, will only use patches to repair a puncture. Before the service station I worked at (back in '72, btw) got the mushroom plugs and insertion tool, we used full sized patches that had a plug stem on them. We had to break down the tire, then, after grinding the area the patch would cover and applying rubber cement, we would push a tool into the puncture from the outside and use it to pull the stem through the hole. We would then stitch down the patch like any other patch. Those were probably the best patches I ever saw but they were more work to apply.

Plugs allow you to fix a puncture without dismounting the tire from the rim but you have to use high quality plugs and know how to install them properly. Sadly, there are a lot of crap plugs and tools out there. Once I worked out how to properly install plugs and found which plugs worked best, I never had a plug fail even though they are supposed to be a temporary repair only.
Thanks. So where do you get the "high quality plug", and what's it called?
I need some in my tool box for sure but hope I never have to use it. lol
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Old 03-18-2016, 10:32 PM   #8
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I had a few in my years of driving. All the auto stores carry them. Amazon sells them to. They're called 'tire plug kits' googling will return many choices.
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Old 03-18-2016, 11:31 PM   #9
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I have plugged a lot of car tires with out a failure over the years. Even plugged a couple of MC tires that were almost brand new. Ran them till the tread was down to the wear bars. Never had one of them fail. PS don't tell any other bikers though.
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Old 03-19-2016, 04:29 AM   #10
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I would have it broken down and patched from the inside. To much flexing on a camper tire to make me comfortable with it. Most tire shops now days that warranty their work will not plug any tire.

If you have ever been stuck on the side of a road, you know the feeling you have.
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Old 03-19-2016, 06:25 AM   #11
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if its in the tread I will plug it, I have found that there are some cheap plugs out there, I have 2 kits, 1 in the truck and 1 in the jeep, I only get the kits with the brown/orange colored plugs I never had a plug go bad.
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Old 03-20-2016, 02:18 PM   #12
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Had a slow leak on my 26 BH. A friends auto shop found a small nail about 1/2 inch from the sidewall. Put a plug in and we drove from Pennsylvania to Florida and back with no issues.
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Old 03-20-2016, 04:39 PM   #13
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On my Harley I have used a mushroom head plug. The kit comes with a tool to insert the plug, head first into the hole. Then you pull it back out as tight as you can. As with a patch inside the tire, the mushroom head is on the inside and any pressure only helps to increase the seal. Never had an issue on the bike or the pop-up trailer we towed. Good luck !
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Old 03-20-2016, 05:59 PM   #14
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I had a most new Michelin MS2/LTX on my truck get a nail in the side wall. Unrepairable! Ouch that hurt.

Then my wife's car had the same type nail right on the tread edge. Took it in and they replaced it, said I had road hazard warranty for 1 year free on the whole set.

Last set I put on my truck had road hazard insurance on the whole set!
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Old 03-20-2016, 06:48 PM   #15
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Plug and patch tire?

I have plugged vehicle tires and never had a problem. My only issue with a trailer tire is if you don't have a TPMS setup. In a vehicle you'll know quickly if a tire is low. In a trailer without TPMS you may not know until it lets go and then damage to the camper is likely....
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Old 03-20-2016, 07:07 PM   #16
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I had a bad experience with a wick /rope type on my popup years ago, however I never tried a mushroom plug , but for now the only acceptable repair for me would be a patch from the inside.
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Old 03-21-2016, 07:16 AM   #17
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Thank you all for the thoughts, advice and antidotes. I have decided to buy a new tire while having this one patched to keep as an extra spare. Also based on some great advice here, I bought a plugging kit and stored it in my TV.
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Old 03-21-2016, 07:53 AM   #18
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I would have it broken down and patched from the inside. To much flexing on a camper tire to make me comfortable with it. Most tire shops now days that warranty their work will not plug any tire.

If you have ever been stuck on the side of a road, you know the feeling you have.
X2. I always have mine patched from the inside. Just my personal habits.
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Old 03-21-2016, 08:10 AM   #19
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Plugs work, but -I have a problem with taking a reamer and possibly doing more damage to the tire so I can install a plug.
Patch on the inside for me.
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Old 03-23-2016, 10:11 PM   #20
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Patch it from the inside, and forget it!
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