Any problems with plugged tires

[Crdodd]

Greetings All,

I have a slow leak in one of my trailer tires. We have a short trip planned for the 4th, so I need to get the repair done. Prior to this, i have had a blowout, and i have replaced tires, but i have never had a leak needing eepair. I was just wondering if there are any additional concerns with a plugged tire?

Thanks for the replies.

Charles

[belfert]

BurbMan wrote:

belfert wrote:
We tried to plug a sidewall in a trailer tire last year and it didn't last more than a few miles.

Ummm....that's because you can't repair sidewall puncture, much less with a plug! Plugs are only meant to be used within the tread area.

When you're desperate you'll try anything. It was late on a Sunday and the Walmart in Fernley, NV doesn't have a tire center. We didn't really think it would work.

[rockportrocket]

LOL and this is the beginning of a NEW thread , tire blew and tore my trailer sides up.

[Airstreamer67]

I've been plugging my tires for the past 30 years. They have been reliable and have lasted until it was time to retire the tires, if that makes sense.

I always bring plugs with me on the road and have plugged flat tires in campgrounds while on long trips. This has saved me a lot of time and trouble.

I have only had to replace two plugs in all that time: both were on a utility trailer that came with the cheapest tires I've ever seen. I knew when I was inserting the plugs that they may not hold, because the cheap tire was so thin I could push the plugs in much easier than normal trailer or truck tires. Sure enough, they began leaking about a pound of air or so a week.

Other than those cheap utility trailer tires, plugs have worked flawlessly for me.

[Jarlaxle]

down home wrote:
New regs won't let them plug tires. A repair patch/plug from the inside is the only way to go. If it in the sidewall or outside the belt in a flex are it will not hold. If it is a high pressure RV tire absolutely no way even to get it to a repair facility. It will shoot it out in short order. I have a plug repair kit from many years ago. It will do, for me, until I can get it to someplace, for proper patch, in a regular passenger car tire but.... my truck cars, and rv all use higher pressure tires. The little black car is 38 lbs to 40 lbs. the truck is 45 and some tires are as high as 80 for the pick up. The Edge is 45.
Don't depend on a plug.

I would never do it, but we have a couple of tires at work with plugs in them...they seem to be holding up fine at 110psi.

[FastEagle]

Trailer tire researchers like this one.

Look Here!

FastEagle

[JJBIRISH]

In the context it was stated, 2 punctured sidewalls, 1 spare… a plug was well worth a try on a lightly loaded trailer just to get to a tire shop…
I personally would never rely on a plug as a permanent repair on any highway tire…

[BurbMan]

belfert wrote:
We tried to plug a sidewall in a trailer tire last year and it didn't last more than a few miles.

Ummm....that's because you can't repair sidewall puncture, much less with a plug! Plugs are only meant to be used within the tread area.

[belfert]

It is a very rare shop that will install a plug in a tire these days. They all claim they won't do it for liability reasons.

We tried to plug a sidewall in a trailer tire last year and it didn't last more than a few miles. We were trying to get to the next city to get a new tire since we had two sidewall punctures on a rural road and only one spare. We ended up just removing the one wheel from the enclosed trailer that was loaded well below GVWR and driving slow to the tire dealer for two new tires.

[wny_pat1]

Rubber Manufacturers Association on correct repair of passenger and light truck tires.

And they say "a plug by itself is an unacceptable repair". "A rubber stem, or plug, must be applied to fill the puncture injury and a patch must be applied to seal the inner liner." Some "plugs" are now a combination one-piece unit with a stem and patch portion. That is one of the preferred fixes.

[Crdodd]

Thanks for all the replies. I checked with 2 tire places close to my house, and they say they only do plugs now. They no longer do patches. Since they are large stores, I guess the plugs are working well enough for them.

I will go with the plug this trip, and see where we go from there. Thanks again.

[_40Fan]

I plug my vehicle tires and did the same on my last TT. Never had an issues. Last patch I had to use was after I ran over a 30-06 round while driving the Jeep. Too big of a whole for the plug.

[BurbMan]

wa8yxm wrote:
His towed had a tire that looked just like that one.. he'd never heard of remote tire pressure monitoring.. I told him about it.

...and as a result of that pic I now have a TPS on the trailer too....LOL....

down home wrote:
I have a plug repair kit from many years ago.

I can tell you the plugs nowadays are not like your grand daddy's plugs...they will hold, at least they have for many years at 80 PSI on my E rated truck tires. I can't vouch for 110 psi G rated MH tires.

When you say "not allowed" that may be true for commercial vehicles like buses.

[down_home]

New regs won't let them plug tires. A repair patch/plug from the inside is the only way to go. If it in the sidewall or outside the belt in a flex are it will not hold. If it is a high pressure RV tire absolutely no way even to get it to a repair facility. It will shoot it out in short order. I have a plug repair kit from many years ago. It will do, for me, until I can get it to someplace, for proper patch, in a regular passenger car tire but.... my truck cars, and rv all use higher pressure tires. The little black car is 38 lbs to 40 lbs. the truck is 45 and some tires are as high as 80 for the pick up. The Edge is 45.
Don't depend on a plug.

[wa8yxm]

I once met a man, a Performer (And a good one too, caught his act) who drove a Provost, what is that half a million starting and up from there.

His towed had a tire that looked just like that one.. he'd never heard of remote tire pressure monitoring.. I told him about it.


NICE!!!!! motor home though.