Can you patch the sidewall of a tire?

Question

I got new tires weeks ago, and one has a tiny tear on the sidewall causing a flat. The shop says one guy there knows how to repair sidewalls (from the inside of the tire), and he'll determine tomorrow whether this one is fixable.

1. Should I even consider it?
2. I assume the warranty won't cover this; is it worth contacting the tire manufacturer? I have no idea how it got this tiny tear and am a little frustrated that this happened on less than 500 miles.

Answer 1

Talk of the Town:
Can You Patch a Tire Sidewall
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I doubt if any type of glue would be satisfactory for sidewall damage. The flexing of the sidewall would soon loosen it or tend to rupture and separate next to the solid patch. If the puncture is not too large, you may want to consider putting in a boot. A boot is simply a large piece of rubber material that lies inside of the tire along the damaged area from bead to bead. It prevents foreign material from entering the tire and eventually destroying the tube. They are not intended for large diameter punctures or for tears in a sidewall. A boot may prolong the use of the tire for awhile but if you are using it often and heavily it may not be worth the cost of dismounting and mounting the tire. Chances are it will be looking for a used tire or bucking up to buy that new one. "

Another option might be the following

In my experience only truck tires knock on wood sidewall punctures up to 1/2 inch can be fixed with a single patch while cuts and rips to about an inch can be double or triple patched. I ran a truck tire on reservation backroads and hiways for about 15,000 miles before the patch bulged. It didn't give but I gave up on the tire. The principal here used to run a tire service and sez that he has run six inch patches on tractor tires when a replacement would take a few days to arrive. He says to watch for tears along the seams or along the lugs. Practically 3/4 - 1 inch is the biggest he'd recommend. Hope this helps. "

then there is A Goodyear dealer in our area vulcanizes sidewalls. They grind out the rubber inside and out down to the nylon fabric several inches wider than the cut then add several layers of rubber coated nylon fabric like the plys used to build a tire. The tire is placed in a special heated press and cooked under pressure for several hours. I had a 18.4x38 with 2 cuts a 3 inch and a 4 inch cut repaired for $75. We have one tire that was patched 6 years ago and still no problem

Answer 2

Sidewall Tire Repair

Answer 3

Tire Sidewall Repair

Answer 4

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Can you patch the sidewall of a tire?
I got new tires weeks ago, and one has a tiny tear on the sidewall causing a flat. The shop says one guy there knows how to repair sidewalls (from the inside of the tire), and he'll determine tomorrow whether this one is fixable.

1. Should I even consider it?
2. I assume the warranty...

Answer 5

Funny how people who have never done it will tell you no, no way, uh-uh, while people who have tried it had good results. Fact is, tire shops will automatically tell you no for liability and profit reasons. They would much rather sell you a tire than repair one and make little profit. Probably done, sidewall repairs are doable and reliable. Obviously if the damage is extensive you should trash the tire, but if it's just a simple cut or puncture the tire is not automatically compromised. Truckers (who put much wear/stress on their tires) do it all the time. I've had my passenger car tire sidewall repaired and the tire last until the treads worn out, and ran just as good as the non-damaged tire. YMMV however.

Answer 6

Yes you can if you find a certified sidewall repair shop.

There is a tire shop in Vancouver Canada (@ Kingsway & Rupert St) that is certified to repair sidewalls on car and truck tires. They have been certified for more than 20 years by the Province of British Columbia's insurance company ICBC.

They warranty their repairs for 100% full normal usage and for the life-of-the-tire.

I believe the shop is Big O Tires. The manager's name is Randy.

Answer 7

I have fixed a hole in a sidewall from a nail that was almost exactly between the bead and tread for my own vehicle and sometimes for friends of mine and they always held up for years but I know what I am doing and know if it will work or not.
I won,t do this for someone I don't know. I don't think anyone will fix a sidewall tear. I have also done it but told them to use it only as a spare.
I feel your pain on the tire but depending on what caused the tear in the tire any tire probably would have torn. I don't feel it is the companys fault. It is like someone kicks your door and a dent shows up. You can complain but if you didn't buy road hazard your screwed.

Answer 8

I recently had 2 spiked tyres replaced by Kwik Fit, the knowledgeable middle aged guy said it is NOT illegal to fix sidewall damage, it is just a matter of fixing the nylon beads. He said that Kwik Fit won't do it as they work by British Standards (of course), but this makes no sense. Surely an MoT goes by British Standards so it must be illegal?

Answer 9

NO!!! Absolutely do not attempt to repair a tire with damage to the sidewall. That will be the first place it will fail.

I bought 4 tires from Belle Tire. 2 went flat from what appeared to be sidewall punctures. I also bought the extended warranty on the tires for road hazards, and they replaced them.

Answer 10

There might be road hazard warranty on that tire! For safety sake do not patch a sidewall ever! There is way too much flex in the sidewall!