Tire Plug

Looks like I picked up what appears to be a 1/4” lag bolt in my tire. Would a plug work til I can get it patched or is the hole going to be to big?

 

I had a bigger bolt about the same place plugged. Was fine until I needed new tires. Be sure to monitor PSI after it is plugged.

 

I’ve plugged many tires just that bad. No issues. In the tread like that, I treat tire plugs as permanent repairs.

 

You'll be fine getting it temp plugged and then properly patched.

Tire shops use a plug and patch combo.

 

Use this style and you can leave the tire on the rim...

 

Newish tire I would head to a tire shop and patch it from the inside. Would be a shame to do an exterior plug on that tire.

 

Yeah, that’s the ones I use

 

From a retired truck mechanic. Personally I would get it patched from the inside.
Reason being the size and penetration through the cord. If you tow its a must. Our retread company, bandag, did a mini seminar on how to properly patch a truck tire.

 

Not discounting any other recommendations here, but I've had success using a common plug kit to fix these types of things. That one looks easily fixable.

 

Plug the hole with a kit plug (as shown above) on the road trip, then have the tire shop patch it when you get back from your trip.
I have done the plug repair countless times in Baja and then get it patched at a tire shop down there or when I get home at Discount Tires.
A side note: After numerous sharp rock punctures on Baja's many graded-dirt roads, I finally wised up and lowered my tire pressure by 1/3 anytime my dirt drive is more than just a few miles. 35 psi down to 23 psi... no more flats from pointy little rocks!

 

I've also had excellent luck with standard tire plugs over the years. The only advise I would give is to pick one option (external plug vs Internal patch/plug) or the other. If it's holding air enough to get to a tire shop with the bolt still in there, I'd leave it and head over as soon as you can.

 

I've plugged some pretty big holes in my time.....OK, Let's Keep This Clean......but that will need a tire Patch/Plug. And than see if it holds.

 

If you're in your home town, are doing regular street driving, and can get it to a shop within a day or two, I would just leave it in, monitor pressure, and take it to a tire shop asap for an inside patch.
Use the spare if you can.

 

I only use plugs when it’s an absolute last, last resort. Take to shop and get it patched correctly.

 

That sux. Had a similar 'bolt' in my passenger rear side. 5,000 miles later another - not only in the same tire, but within 1 inch of the original.
Nobody would touch it had to buy a new tire.

 

This issue - I can see where garden variety OEM Tires may be vulnerable. How about a decent tire - BF Goodrich or Wildpeaks. Same thing?

 

Lag bolts, screws, nails and the like aren't prejudiced by tire make. They treat them all the same.

 

Patch it for sure. I typically drill the hole to 1/4" anyway, then insert patch. Never had one fail and I have done LOTs of them over the years.

 

On my personal vehicle I would use the rope style plug and after verifying its not leaking I wouldn't worry about it, working on a paying customers vehicle I would use a plug patch.
If you buy the rope style plugs I recommend the napa big rig ones that are orange-ish, they are bigger and seem to last longer then the black ones.

 

If the lag is pretty big I would try to load two rope plugs i to the tool and lubricate them with rubber cement. You'll probably get them in. If not, can go back to using one. I've left them in for the life of the tire, but I know it's not advised.