Well after a long grueling day of corporate meetings yesterday which extended late into the day, I left work just wanting to go home. Well, that didn't happen. I got in my car to be greeted with a low tire pressure warning light and within minutes a FLAT TIRE warning light! Eeek! I was near a gas station in SoDo where a really creepy scary looking guy with brown teeth (the ones he had left - I had no choice), helped me inflate the tire so I could get to the eastside. (I gave him a Starbucks card to keep him happy). When I got to Barrier just before closing, they pulled a "Rivet" (whatever that is, it looked like a giant screw) out of my front tire, but not the sidewall. They were very helpful and took care of me in five minutes. They plugged the tire but told me I would have to buy a new one because its not safe to drive at high speeds with a plugged tire (they know me well). I went ahead and ordered one which will be here Monday, but was just curious why do you have to replace the tire if they can plug it? This is probably a stupid question, but I would appreciate you humoring me with your knowledge that I don't possess about this sort of thing. Thank you my friends! My tire only had 1400 miles on it

 

Greta
They simply have to tell you to buy new tire to avoid any future liability.
Your Z-rate tires have low profiles and less meat than then your average other rated ones. At high speed tires expand w/ increase temperatures making the plug size larger and more prone to microleakage. Like a balloon effect.

 

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete....jsp?techid=77

Hope that helps.

 

Greta, theres no way I would have pluged tire on a Porsche, but to even consider it on a 2008 997 turbo just doesn't sense to me. Please don't give that idea anymore thought.

 

For public road driving, you can patch it. This requires the tire to be taken off and patched on the inside. This is ok if you don't do any track days or extreme high speed / stress driving.

If you want to be absolutely sure and safe, get a new tire.

Being a cheapo and environmentalist that I am.... I patched mine.... nvr a problem....

 

This advise is sound. The caveat here is that the tire A: is plugged on the treadcap and not the sidewall, and B: that it's pulled from the rim and patched from the inside using a plug with a patch over it. Plugs applied from the outside only are not a good patch.

A good plug has adhesive on the underside of the cap. They are sometimes called mushroom plugs because of their shape:



I would patch it and keep an eye on it. These tires are too expensive to just scrap if they can be saved.

 

sorry about your tire greta! i'm just happy you got out of the gas station all safe and sound! =)

 

After a tire has been repaired, they no longer carry a speed rating. If you plan on driving that car more than just to the grocery store and back, better buy a new one. That plug is the weak link in your tire right now. Even if the tire itself doesn't leak air, water can sometimes pass inside and rust the steel cords inside the tire and cause a bulge. Barrier did the right thing.


John

 

Thanks for all the good information. I just wanted to be sure - my tire will be here Monday or Tuesday. Don't want to take any risks, but didn't want to waste money either if it was not necessary. I'll have to watch for screws and nails more carefully - have no idea where I picked it up.

 

Not too long after I got my car, I got a nail in one of my tires but fortunately for me it didn't go all the way through. The tech at Barrier took it out and told me it'd be okay for me to continue driving. I eventually had to get all new tires when the original tires got worn down.

 

Are you sure they plugged it & not a patch?

I have driven on patched tires for a while, even a patch on a track tire, it was fine, till they corded.

 

^^^no, they plugged it - I watched him.

 

I remember when I first learned how to plug a tire in high school shop class. It was fun

 

Greta Your White Car Floats Through The Air Like All White Cars So The Tires Don't Matter Unless It's Parked.

They Are Like Angels Floating Down The Road

 

Float like a butterfly and sting like a bee, right, Mark?