Tire repair plugs on my daily driver - Page 3 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

moon161 · #31 07-14-2017, 09:53 AM

Dry rot has been a much bigger problem for me than punctures with old cars. Slow leaks and deterioration on the sidewalls are signs that the tire has got to go, no matter how much remaining tread. Not long ago a rear tire went soft and popped over a few seconds on the expressway, it was hard to keep my W123TD straightish, pull over and not make it an episode of CHiPs.

chasinthesun · #32 07-14-2017, 10:14 AM

Im as thrifty as all you here so when you have too get the most out of a tire Im their with a patch in hand. I will say their are a few things that youll need to be aware of about fixing used tires.One is a date of age is no longer fixable at some major tire store brands ,they wont patch a tire for you after an experation date.When patching make sure they scrape the rubber off the edges of the inside rim so the tire can seal properly ,especially if their has been slime in the tire.Another is tire lip breakage or open seams ,leaks may not be present when water test but will appear under load of car or pot holes.Bring an air tank if you feel needed with some slime, I just keep a good used spare and hope for the best .
FYI ,most used tire places Ive visited put way too much AIr in THE patched tire ,I dont know if its on purpose but in extreme summer with used tires you dont want 40 lbs of pressure against an already ticking time bomb.

Simpler=Better · #33 07-14-2017, 10:51 AM

You're golden! I'm running plugs on two of my cars, my lawn mower, and my garden cart.

The rubber cement acts as a lubricant and makes it easier to get the plugs in. I'm a big dude and I struggle to stab them every time.

funola · #34 07-14-2017, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diesel911

.............

I used my own plugs to fix the company vehicles. There may have been another type of plug that would not have dried out. It was just easier for me to use mine and get the job over with.

Your own plugs? Let me guess" bubble gum?

Just kidding. Seriously, what did you make your plugs out of?

dieselbenz1 · #35 07-14-2017, 12:01 PM

All the tire only chains here repair flats free of charge in hopes of getting your business when it's time to purchase tires. About half the time when I get a flat I'm on a streach of road way without a safe place to pull over so end up driving a few miles and say good bye to the tire.

ROLLGUY · #36 07-14-2017, 12:29 PM

I will chime in here with a thumbs up for tire plugs. I have never had a failure of a plugged tire, or even a failure of a plug. I too am around construction sites, and have gotten my share of nails/screws in my tires. I see no problem with using plugs. This of course is my opinion and experience, YMMV.......Rich

barry12345 · #37 07-14-2017, 03:56 PM

Another viewpoint. If the tire is pretty well still like new. I would get an internal patch. I also only have one other pretty fixed rule. Holes in sidewalls are not the best ideal to cheap out on.

vstech · #38 07-15-2017, 06:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mxfrank

Yes, of course it was due to the plug letting go.

Losing a rear will create an unstable understeer effect. Unless you drive pro rally, probably not something you experience every day. The rear will shake right and left, and the slightest steering input will bring you around. You are significantly more likely to crash if the tire that blows is in the rear. That's why every manufacturer recommends the best two tires go on the rear. Not steering or braking works, but only if the road is straight and clear.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHYt6KC5ZYc

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15823875

It's a little different for FWD, because 70% of the steering and braking will happen up front.

As one who has had massive amounts of used tires in my day, a BLOWOUT in a front tire is likely to send you into oncoming traffic, a rear tire failure will annoy you as you realize you need to slow and get to the side of the road...

Tire manufacturers recommend new on rear because they are ASSUMING the old tires have little tread, and bald tires are nigh impossible to have traction in wet conditions.

Nothing to do with pressure. Simply water makes for a skidding uncontrollable vehicle without good tread.

Also... they want you to buy more tires, and if the older tires are up front, the steering action will wear the tires out faster than the fixed position axle will... resulting in a quicker sale of tires.

ROLLGUY · #39 07-15-2017, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstech

As one who has had massive amounts of used tires in my day, a BLOWOUT in a front tire is likely to send you into oncoming traffic, a rear tire failure will annoy you as you realize you need to slow and get to the side of the road...

Tire manufacturers recommend new on rear because they are ASSUMING the old tires have little tread, and bald tires are nigh impossible to have traction in wet conditions.

Nothing to do with pressure. Simply water makes for a skidding uncontrollable vehicle without good tread.

Also... they want you to buy more tires, and if the older tires are up front, the steering action will wear the tires out faster than the fixed position axle will... resulting in a quicker sale of tires.

I have always put the best tires on the front, opposite what the tire manufacturers say. This is probably old school, but that is the school I attended.

OM617YOTA · #40 07-15-2017, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROLLGUY

I have always put the best tires on the front, opposite what the tire manufacturers say. This is probably old school, but that is the school I attended.

Me too. I'm much more comfortable dealing with oversteer than understeer, and I want the tires that do all my steering and 70% of my braking to be the best they possibly can be.

Edit: When I owned RWD cars that ran the same size tire all the way around, I pretty much never rotated. Drive them until the rears were shot, move the front ones back, put two new ones on the front. Then tire shops quit doing that, and I had to let them put the tires wherever their lawyers would let them and then go home and switch them. Still one shop that'll do it, but I don't own anything fun anymore.

ROLLGUY · #41 07-15-2017, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OM617YOTA

Me too. I'm much more comfortable dealing with oversteer than understeer.

I want the tires that do all my steering and 70% of my braking to be the best they possibly can be.

Amen brother!

funola · #42 10-20-2017, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OM617YOTA

Maybe the pics aren't showing it well, and my apologies if so, but those tires look shot to me. Nowhere near 30% tread left. I would have replaced them and not bothered with a repair.

MAYBE run them through the summer and absolutely as a top priority replace them before rain hits again.

I've been meaning to ask how were you able to tell the tires look shot? Were you going by wear indicator marks on the tire? If so, can you tell me how to read them? I have since driven it through heavy rain, big puddles and the car handled fine through all of it.

Tire plugs worked great, I no longer have to fill up the 2 leaky tires every 2- 3 days. I check them every few weeks and they do not need air replenishment. All in all, I think I did the right thing fixing them with tire plugs for the following reasons:

1. quick, easy, and cheap (less than $3 in material)

2. does not require removing the tire to put a patch on from the inside which would require tire balancing afterwards. This would cost $12 for the flat fix and another $12 to $15 for balance around here.

tjts1 · #43 10-20-2017, 05:52 PM

Tire plugs work and they're perfectly safe for a nail or screw. If it leaks or fails later you only have yourself to blame.

dieselmania · #44 10-20-2017, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by funola

I'd think you should just steer and not brake or step on the throttle after a blowout, which could get you into more trouble.

.

That might work in some cases with some vehicles but the pros recommend accelerating first to regain control then gradually ease off and slow down. By accelerating you are countering the force of the deflated tire that is trying to pull you in a different direction. Mashing the throttle won't exactly cause you to speed up with the drag of the deflated tire acting as a brake. This can work even on a curve to keep from going sideways.

https://www.thrillist.com/cars/how-to-survive-a-tire-blowout-what-to-do-in-an-emergency-driving-situation

OM617YOTA · #45 10-21-2017, 12:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by funola

I've been meaning to ask how were you able to tell the tires look shot? Were you going by wear indicator marks on the tire? If so, can you tell me how to read them? I have since driven it through heavy rain, big puddles and the car handled fine through all of it.

Tire plugs worked great, I no longer have to fill up the 2 leaky tires every 2- 3 days. I check them every few weeks and they do not need air replenishment. All in all, I think I did the right thing fixing them with tire plugs for the following reasons:

1. quick, easy, and cheap (less than $3 in material)

2. does not require removing the tire to put a patch on from the inside which would require tire balancing afterwards. This would cost $12 for the flat fix and another $12 to $15 for balance around here.

Fantastic, glad the patch worked out for you.

I have no problems with patched tires, just concerned about what looked to be very little remaining tread on your tires. I compared the sizes of known familiar objects in your photos to gauge tread depth. I didn't see any wear bars in your pics, but the coin trick is pretty standardized. This link explains it, along with the wear bars:

Check Tire Tread Depth | Just Tires

I personally would never run tires long enough to get to the wear bars. That's only the legal minimum tread limit, that doesn't mean it's a good idea.