I don't understand statement. I've always heard that you want to avoid tire plugs and just them as a stopgap measure to get you to a service station. The proper way to repair is to remove the tire and put in a patch from the inside. The tire stores like Tire Kingdom won't even use a plug for liabily reasons. Can you explain your argument?

 

a radial plug is a good fix at the track, and almost perminant, asit is press fit in the hole, mixed with a vulcanizing glue, and trimmed so nothing is sticking out of the hole. there is a lot of material that is around that hole to hold the plug in place, so for punctures, its ideal. much better than a patch , which i said before, can come loose with repeated heat cycles. tire stores also dont touch 2006 tires either, but it doesnt make them safe, depending on their conditions. generally, tire stores are preparing and protecting themselves for worst case seanareos. in other words, for the plug, what if after extreme use, snow and hot , and it started to leak slowly, the owner didnt know the leak was there, caused by the plug. the car crashes due to under inflation, and then is sued!
Now, we as racers can do things ourselves that are safe and we take those kind of risks, because the alternative is worse. what i mean by that, is id rather deal with a slow leak, than a patch that comes off in race that deflates the tire in a few laps..... the plug will never come out, and WORST case, it might give you a slow leak, plenty of time to finish a race. thats what im talking about as far as logic here.

so, the radial plug is excellent to use at the track, and one of the best way to fix a hole for the life of a racing tire. tires dont explode or delaminate due to puncture, like they do for sidewall damage, etc. BUT, i would rather have a plug than a patch that could come loose. if you have ever put in a radial plug, you will see what i mean. its a bear to get the think in there. even making the hold larger to take the plug is a chore. tires , at the tread, are extremely tough!!!!!

 

I have a plug tire repair kit that I keep in each car and have used numerous times. The plugs have held well until the tire finally needed to be replaced from wear. That being said, the last puncture I had in my wife's DD I tried plugging with four different plugs and it refused to hold air. I drove to Tire Kingdom and they patched it for me. The repair involved dismounting the tire, scuffing up the area inside the tire near the puncture with a die grinder, gluing in a patch that looked like a hybrid between a plug and a patch (a flat patch with a plug sticking out of the center that goes into the puncture hole), and then remounting the tire.

 

Good luck at T-Hill race... I ran a conservative 2:13 on the street tires which got slippery pretty fast... I didn't get a chance to time the first session with the Dots, but I would guess 3 seconds a lap better so 2:10 range...5 seconds quicker than my best lap on 2 wheels, again being conservative so I didn't hurt myself or the bike.

The Z06s dusted me in the straights as did the winged M3s...

My puncture was right at the shoulder and was patched inside and plugged from outside...I knew it would be sketchy in that location...I just have to break down and buy a tire for Laguna...but I will take your advice on the plug kit.

Thanks for your offer of help on June 20... I always need help hauling my tires to the track, and the more the merrier at the track.

I have to admit, this track time and attending the Laguna races last weekend has my racer's addiction resurfacing...I've got the itch and will be testing a GT4 V8V this summer at Sears Point...

 

that fix is best for sure! sometimes the cheapo quick fix patch, comes off at the track. plugs are a hit and miss..... usually the kit has to be new, has the rubber cement that helps the bonding. without it, its just a very slow leak. got one on my tahoe right now. bugging the heck out of me!

 

make sure you get a go pro video for us to see of laguna!

 

I did just buy a GoPro...just need the proper mount, but there will be video of Laguna for sure...