Need Tire Repair Advice!

Hey guys.

So it looks like I've got a small screw in the tread of my stock Rugged Trails. Not sure how long it's been there but it's a slow leak, doesn't even trigger the TPMS sensors after 24 hours.

I've attached a photo of where the screw is, located in about the middle of the tread.

Do you guys think I would be okay to plug this, or is it something that would need to be patched from the inside?

Thanks.

 

I would have it professionally patched from the inside and sooner than later scrap the rugged fails.

AZ

 

IMO a plug is just a temporary fix to get you to the tire shop for a patch to be installed. I'd just take it to the tire shop and have them patch it.

 

Many shops won't touch it after you plug. Take to shop but get rid of those tires.

 

Plug it!! I had 2 plugs in one of my tires before I put the new ones on in Feb.

 

Air it up to max tire pressure, pull the screw, rasp the hole, then plug it and use a very generous amount of vulcanizing fluid. Once dry, shave the top off the plug and check for leaks. Congrats, you just repaired your own tire.

 

3 votes patch, 2 votes plug.

My every intent is to replace these tires when the money allows it, but I need them to at least last me until that uncertain time.

I've been quoted $25 for the patch from 2 garages. Does that sound fair?

Dealership will patch TIRES purchased from them for free, but won't patch the tires on a TRUCK purchased from there. Load of BS, but they're asking the same dollar amount as the other nearby garage and I'd rather have the dealer mess with my truck than Jo-Bob's tire and auto.

It pains me to pay these people for this, I'd always prefer to fix it myself, but I don't have the tools to mount/re-balance.

 

A plug you can do yourself easily.

But a patch requires dismounting and remounting the tire, possibly affecting balancing, which you may have to pay for also.

 

Also unmounting and remounting the tire, you run the risk of damaging the bead. At least when you do it yourself, you're not going to encounter that.

 

Just plug it yourself. It's easy cheap and 100% safe and permanent. Buy a $5 slime repair kit from Walmart and do it.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Slime-Rea...fault&beacon_version=1.0.1&findingMethod=p13n

 

^ This. I use plugs for emwrgencyy repairs all the time. They can last almost indefinitely but sometimes they can start leaking after a fairly short time. If you plan to keep the tires take it to a shop and have it done right with a patch. Some places like Les Schwab will do it for free in hopes they you will buy your next set of tires from them. Discount may be the same.

 

Looks like you still have about 5/32 or so I would repair it the right way, a patch from the inside. America's tire / Discount tire will fix it free

 

There's nothing wrong with a good repair. Plugs can come out at high speed. There's not much holding them in - think about it. Those tires aren't great, but may as well milk the last miles out of them in safety.

 

For $25, I'd just take it in, have it done and be on my way. Not even worth considering it for that price, LOL.

 

I'd plug it, never had an issue with a single tire I plugged over the past 20 years.

 

Patch/plug works fantastic

 

Just thought I'd do a follow-up for you guys that posted and might be interested in a quick story:

So after getting advice on here, I decided to take the Tacoma up to the dealership to have the tire patched. Turned out the tire had the screw AND a nail in it. After getting quoted $46 for a repair from Firestone, the dealership said they would charge me $28 which came out to $20 to dismount/remount the tire and $4 per patch.

Took the truck in on a Saturday, took forever, but the service manager said it patched just fine and only charged me $24. Great!

Get home and realized the technician just completely went crazy on my SR8 wheel with his impact wrench. Imagine when I got home, inspected their work, only to find this:



Also he had chipped the middle of the wheel trying to get the center cap off, and scratched the perimeter of the wheel while remounting the tire.

Furious me returned to the dealership and was met with an incredibly calm service manager who assured me they would make it right. After 3 days worth of back and forth with them, they wrote me a check for the value of the wheel and apologized profusely many times.

Long story short... check your ride after any work has been done. Luckily I wasn't met with any static from the dealer, but they could have easily told me I damaged that wheel on the ride home and left me with a messed up wheel. Luckily I knew to take a "before" photo of the wheel before I even took it to the dealership, so I had proof the wheel wasn't damaged before the service.

But the tire is patched, holds air fine, and I've got a new wheel on order on the dealer's dime. It was a fiasco, but they made it right.

 

Take it back bro

 

Take it back to do what?
Dealer screwed up. Customer requested it be fixed. Dealer wrote him a check for a new wheel.

Now the question is does OP pay a different shop to install the new wheel or does he have the current dealership do it (for free)

 

What part of "I've got a new wheel on order on the dealer's dime." did you miss?

OP, glad they took care of their error for you. Also glad they did the repair work at a reasonable price.

I'd suggest sitting the new wheel on the shelf till you get your new tires. Use the bruised wheel for your spare.

To pile on to the patch vs plug argument......... I've plugged a lot of tires, including race rubber with multiple plugs in one tire. Driven hard enough to be into the wear bars, never had a plug fail. You'll note I'm currently running a plug in the RR of my truck. It's where some would call it 'sidewall' (although it's in the tread wrap) and some would call me crazy for running it. So far, about 8k miles and 18 months. I'll likely move it to the spare and put that tire on the ground when I have some time.