Tire plugging question…

Long ago, one of my tires explodes on highway on 60 M/Hr. I was pissed off, tire has ONLY 13 DIY plugs in various areas... LOL. Young stupidity...
Since then, I did my research + experiments, and what I can say:
When you doing plug, use nice, expensive tire repair kit, can recommend ARB (that's what I use, if I have to).
Add to repair kit few tubes of rubber glue, and add it to plug rope before applying. Let it cure for few hours. Enjoy the ride!
If possible, avoid DIY repair, bring to tire shop, let them fix that.
Enjoy the ride!

 

I’ve plugged many over the years too, just never in the sidewall like this. Hence why I’m worried about it creating a bad sidewall or extra stress in the shoulder area. If it was in the tread I would have plugged it and forgotten about it.

 

Happen to me like that once. I usually take care of it myself. But this is a borderline so I’ll have the shop do it from the inside. Some shop won’t patch if it’s like that. I was lucky enough to convince a shop to do it. Got out of work and find out one of my tire was low on air. Drive to the nearest tire shop and it was 1hr before closing time. I told them I live far away so patch it from the inside for me. They did it and it last till I need new tires.

 

they never recommend plugging a sidewall...plugged many other tires in the tread area but not the sidewall, more pressure on the sidewalls and chance of it being forced out, if you absolutely want to keep this tire, try a patch on the inside as others have suggested.

 

As a former service manager for 10+ years I would 100% not patch that other then to just get home.

 

Amazing what some folks are willing to do (and risk) just to save a few bucks. Will your wife and kids be in the truck? If this was in the tread then I would say "plug away", but that is too close to the sidewall to be comfortable risking it. Think about all the weight and stress the sides of a tire experience; willfully driving down the highway with a potentially compromised sidewall does not seem like a good idea to me.

 

I’m on team Plugs are fine. Like someone else said, just run that tire on the rear and keep an eye on the pressures via the dash. I’ve been running a plugged sidewalk on my ATV trailer (yes, I know it’s not comparable to a car or truck) for 5+ years. Thousands of miles and several western states have passed under that plugged tire with no issues. I have too many tires in my life to run out and buy a new ones whenever something fixable happens to them. Now when a 1/2” Lag Bolt went through the sidewall of my Taco last summer, that tire got replaced.

 

What OP do? Still alive?

 

Read the thread/see my post. Just running my old (stock) wheels and tires (wildpeaks) for now until I can get a new 255/75/17 ko2. They are out of stock and back ordered everywhere.