Plugging TT tires due to a nail?

I'm one of those fellers with the worst advice ever:

I've been using plugs for the past 30 years on trucks, trailers and automobiles, even RTVs and tractors.

No failures yet.

There. I told you so.

JJBIRISH wrote:
the correct way is to remove the tire and install the combo plug-n-patch…
...

Yes, it's all in one piece. Have heard it called a "pull-through plug" as they pull the plug part from the inside to the outside, leaving the patch part glued to the inside of the wall. And, yes, the tire has to be removed from the wheel and the inside prepped.

Have had that done to my truck's tires, and the patch lasts as long as the tire.

The only way to do it IMHO.

I used to plug mine with rubber bands never had any problems

A lot of people have used plugs without issue. That doesn't make it right, or safe. Most tire shops now will not plug a tire. If you carry a plug kit and an air compressor and you need a quick emergency fix, that's OK, but it's best to have the appropriate repair done ASAP.

the correct way is to remove the tire and install the combo plug-n-patch…

to answer your question there is no difference this is true and the correct answer for repairing your car, TV, or trailer…

yes I have plugged tires that didn’t leak… no that still isn’t the way it’s done correctly…

the worst answer ever given to any question is,( drum roll please) I have done it and I have never had a problem (the most infamous answer to any question asked here), so that is the only thing you need to know…

westend wrote:
I think some folks have bad luck with plugs because of bad installation technique or using a cheap plug.

Bingo! A plug when done correctly with a quality plug, mushrooms out on the inside of the tire and is designed to seal the hole from the inside also. It can't "shoot out like a bullet." That's only if you use a good plug made from good material with good adhesive. A cheap or improperly installed plug will leak over time.

cheap plugs,
cheap glue,
dirt/stuff in side of hole wall.

poor installation...

go to tire shop.. ask for a bad tire without wheel..
go home drill holes in tire.. practice,practice,practice.

doing it for 45 years....

rgolding wrote:
I have always felt a plug was a temporary repair and try to get it repaired with a patch as soon as I can. Truck tire repair guys will tell you a patch is as good as a new tire, plugs work out. Think about it, a patch has the tire pressure holding it in place, a plug is like a bullet in a gun. Just my thoughts and results may vary.

The best is probably a patch-plug combination but, of course, the tire needs to be dismounted.

The physics about patches and plugs being influenced like you've theorized just don't play out. Patches fail because of poor adhesion and they are more likely to be lifted by air pressure. A plug, properly glued into the carcass is not like a bullet since it becomes one with the carcass. I've used plugs to repair tires for many years and have almost 100% success. The few times they've failed is because the hole is too large. A nail or screw hole is a great candidate for a plug.

I think some folks have bad luck with plugs because of bad installation technique or using a cheap plug.

I pick up nails in my truck tires from time to time and use the PLUG method to fix them.

I think if I ever had a trailer tire pick up a nail I would worry myself sick if I just plugged it due to the weight of the trailer. The patch inside would be my fix after I got back home with trailer. Changing out the trailer tire when on the road is more involved than changing out the truck tire.

My plugged trailer tire would fail me right away at the most far out and desolate spot - KARMA would see to that haha...

I am out in the back country alot with my truck and off-road POPUP setup and so far haven't picked up any nails on my trips. I have got a alot of sidewall scrapes and bruises from dragging over rocks and things... I do carry a PLUG KIT and 12VDC Air Compressor for PLAN Bs...

Roy Ken

I have always felt a plug was a temporary repair and try to get it repaired with a patch as soon as I can. Truck tire repair guys will tell you a patch is as good as a new tire, plugs work out. Think about it, a patch has the tire pressure holding it in place, a plug is like a bullet in a gun. Just my thoughts and results may vary.