I've had a couple of flat tires and both times, Discount Tires suggested to replace the tire because they cannot repair it. They said that the puncture was near the sidewall. It seems to me that they never repair a tire (although they offer the service for free), in addition, they pull a scare tactic such as "The tire will bubble and explode..." It looks to me that if you have a flat tire, you need to replace it not repair it.
2006-09-29 08:45:22 · 18 answers · asked by simplyj 2 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
tire damage in or near the side wall can not be repaired with a plug, the side wall flex's thus cutting or working the plug out, the only way i know to fix it, is if the hole is small enof, you can buy a tube for a radial tire and have it in stalled
2006-10-04 00:47:21 · answer #1 · answered by The Raotor 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Radial tire punctures in or near the sidewall cannot be repaired because the sidewall of a radial tire flexes to dissipate heat. I'm sure you have noticed that a radial tire sometimes looks as if it is low on air because of how the sidewall pooches out at the bottom. This is normal and as a radial tire rotates, it dissipates most of its heat through the sidewall instead of through the tread like an old bias ply tire. This is one reason a radial generally lasts longer. If you were to patch a radial tire near the sidewall, the patch would fail after a short time due to the constant flexing of the sidewall. Imagine taking a coat hanger and slowly bending it back and forth. Before long it will break from the constant flexing. That is similar to what would happen with a radial tire sidewall patch. If your tire is repairable, you should always insist on an internal patch and NEVER a plug. A plug allows air to seep in between the plies of a tire and can cause a separation eventually.
2006-09-29 18:23:09 · answer #2 · answered by GlassMan 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i disagree with your last sentence. if you still have a nice tread and theres a nail in it, a patch plug is a great way to go.
a lot of late model cars have much lower profile tires than cars did 20 years ago. thus more tire "injuries" are near the sidewall.
yes injuries near the sidewall dictate replacement. we are only talking about your life and the people in your car.
some tires have a high speed rating such that you CANNOT patch, plug, or otherwise repair at all. replacement is mandatory on all injuries with these types of tires.
and forget fix a flat.
i think your assumption about never repairing a tire is misworded. they never repair YOUR tire.
if you dont want to keep buying tires, there are some things you can do.
treat any obstacle in the road like its full of nails.
buy tires with road hazard. always!
buy tires with a national chain, if desired.
happy motoring!
2006-10-07 15:16:37 · answer #3 · answered by supahtforyou 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sidewall repairs can be made by using a reinforced repair, but these repair units are so expensive that it's only economical for large truck tires.
Nail hole punctures must not be too large, and must not be close to the edges of the tread. The belt edges are very critical to the durability of the tire, and damage to this area is fatal. The tire could be made to hold air again, but it would likely soon fail due to a separation.
2006-10-02 16:58:39 · answer #4 · answered by pmk 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Radial tires must *never* be repaired on the sidewall.
The sidewalls on radials flex too much, and both patches and plugs will delaminate and fail.
For simple punctures, I have had good luck with "spare tire in a can" You can also put a radial tube inside of a radial tire to remedy simple punctures.
Otherwise, a mushroom headed plug is the best repair in the tread, followed by a patch, and then a plug in last place.
2006-09-29 15:58:12 · answer #5 · answered by Carter S 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There right. Any tire repair on or very near the sidewall will not work for long. This part of the tire flexes the most and they do not want any accidents blamed on them.
2006-09-29 16:05:02 · answer #6 · answered by Lab 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Tire stuff makes for good entertainment. It is amazing how people run with the smallest piece of info. Don't DIY. Discount Tire has the best trained people in the industry, if you suspect the guy you talked to, talk the manager. The bottom line is that your life and others depend largely on a 3500 lb vehicle moving on a small section of rubber moving at 50-80 mph.
2006-10-01 01:13:05 · answer #7 · answered by Master M 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
any damage to the side wall cannot be repaired. the repair process would split the sidewall around the leak which would make things worse. an damage to the tread can be repaired as the treads support the area around the leak so a plug can be inserted without causing more damage.
2006-09-29 15:54:28 · answer #8 · answered by yonitan 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Even if the puncture is in the tread area you still run a risk in repairing it.Especialy if the tyre has been run flat.Side wall damage occurs quicky when the trye is run flat and ofter can cause side wall failure if you keep using it after the puncture has been repaired.
2006-10-07 09:03:35 · answer #9 · answered by Paul O 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The only company that I know of that will replace or fix a flat tire is Les Schwab. I only buy my tires from them. They will come and fix a flat, if you are stuck on the side of the road. They will rotate your tires for free and if there is a problem with a tire, they will replace it free of charge. I will never buy tires from anywhere else. I have provided you will a link to their site, so you can find one near you:
http://www.lesschwab.com/
2006-09-29 15:55:59 · answer #10 · answered by Twisted Maggie 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋