Screw in rear tire: Leave it in or take it out?

My TPMS light went on the other day and I found that my right rear tire was down to 25 PSI. Checked for damage and found this little guy embedded in it. it appears to be a short wood screw with wide threading. I filled the tire back up to 30 PSI and it seems to be holding there even after driving around for a few days.

So my question is: Should I pull it and try plugging the hole (never done it before), snip the head of the screw off so it's below the tread level to avoid further damage (which might make it much harder to remove in the future), or just leave it alone?

Help me oh wise ones!

 

Take it to tire shop have them patch it do not let them plug it.

 

I'd pull it and plug it if it were me. I keep a plug kit under the rear seats though and am very familiar with how to do it. It's not hard, an auto or tire shop might even do it for you if you drove into one. Should only take them a couple minutes tops.

 

What's wrong with plugging it? I'd throw a plug in that thing and never think twice about it. I realize the patches are better but don't see a problem with a plug in that case.

 

I've had this happen before take it to a tire shop you trust and have them check it iv'e been lucky and mine have all ways been on the tread not in between. It would suck if you pull it out or mess with it and it goes flat. You could take some soapy water and spray it on there and lightly wiggle the screw to see if it bubbles if not you maybe safe to pull it out. It really comes down to you.

 

patch with bubble gum

 

Plugs can cause more damage if you don't know how to use them. I consider plugs a temporary fix and it doesn't cost much to have it patched.

 

I've had lots of tires plugged too whats wrong with that?

 

If you really butcher it, or the hole is too large, it can lead to belt separation if I'm not mistaken. A small hole like that from a nail I wouldn't think would be a problem. To each their own but I wouldn't hesitate to throw a plug in there

 

Any time you jam a rough file between the steel wires in your tire you damage them not much but damage is damage. I have used plugs when I needed to but given the choice patch it.

 

just plug her already geeezz

 

I always end up plugging holes. It usually works. My former boss got a great big bolt put through his rear passenger tire like 8 months ago, and it's still there. Never had a problem with it.

 

Ever see those plug/patch combos? They seem like the best route for longevity but I've never used them. They have a patch, then a plug thing sticking out from the middle so you force that through from the inside. The plug seals the hole and the patch is like added security.

 

Thanks guys! I'll probably play it safe and have a shop patch it for me later today or tomorrow since it's not an immediate concern. What's a fair price do you think?

 

These are what we used back when I worked at a tire shop. Best of both worlds.

 

$10 or less.

 

Find the dirtiest, most hole-in-the-wall ghetto-ass tire shop you can and take it there and let them put a patch on it for $5.00.

+10 points if they are ghetto enough to take beer as payment.

Seriously though a plug should be fine for a while but keep an eye on it. Technically a plug is doing the same thing as the screw but softer material...

 

OOP!

Giggity.... Allllllright.

 

If the tire has some miles on it already go ahead and plug it (...learn how first though). Yes, you will be making that tiny screw hole bigger, but you'll probably throw the tire out before there's a problem. If the tire is new, or almost so, I'd dismount it and do a proper patch.

 

Discount Tire will fix that for free.