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Repaired flat tire - Run or Not?

G

Greenhills

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I have a new wheel and tire set up with less than 3,000 KM on it.. got a flat the other day. Pretty sizeable hole in the left rear, (1/2 hole maybe) managed to get it plugged and get home.

I called my shop and asked about a repair, they said no problem.. but i was thinking to myself, do i really want to be driving on a repaired tire? I don't haul heavy that often, but i do put on a ton of mileage and i don't want to be wondering if a repair is going to fail on me.

Ended up ordering another 35" tire, i will mount a new one on the truck and mount the repaired one to my spare and hopefully squeeze it up underneath.

Would you guys feel comfortable running on a repaired tire, or is it better off being delegated to spare duty?

On a side note...any recommendations for a decent compressor? I'm not ready to do onboard air and want something reliable i can just plug in and go.
 
I have had a Viair 400P for years and it has pumped up 35's 100's times over the years while jeeping. If the hole is 1/2" I would use it as a spare if it was 1/4" or smaller a patch from inside if it is in the middle of the tread should be fine.
 
I've had my Smittybilt MV50 since 2010 which has served me well. It is loud, takes a little longer with the 37s than the 35s I ran for the first few years of its life, but if it ever dies I'll find the current year's equivalent and stick with it.

As for the patch, I'd feel much more comfortable moving that one to the dedicated spare and going new.
 
At this point I would probably use it as a spare. That being said, I have booted and tubed tires for years, with no problems, I was too poor to replace. Those times are returning, but getting older by the day.
 
I dislike marginal spares. I need spares to be reliable. If the repaired tire wasn't good enough to run, then replace it. I know folks who do not carry spares any longer. but they are never in the boonies far from civilization (ie tow services).
 
Sounds perfect for a spare.. the right move was replacing and moving the compromised tire to serve as back up.
 
A 1/2" hole is huge. I doubt a single plug from my Safety Seal kit would seal it. I have used several plugs in offroad get-home repairs. Usually, I have to ream/smooth out the hole to even be able to plug it. I have never had a plug fail over the years. Oddly, I have had a patch fail. If that tire truly had a 1/2" hole in it it wouldn't make it back on my truck as a spare. And I have had some piss poor spares in the past.

I carry a small MV50 pump for everyday use. I take my portable ARB twin for camping or offroad trips.
 
Thanks for all the feedback folks.

Hole ended up looking worse than it was, but it still wasn't great. Something a little smaller than a railroad spike penetrated the middle of the carcass. I did end up ordering a new Cooper STT Pro to mount on the truck and mounted the repaired one to the spare for now. I will likely swap it out for a new tire in the future when my truck fund isn't so depleted.

For those that are curious, a 295/70r18 (34.5 tall) fit up underneath with no issues.
 
AnthonyD1978 said:
I would have no issue running a properly plugged tire. I've done it multiple times on motorcycles and even some of my track cars at the last minute.
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I typically have a least one tire with a plug in it. LOL Never anything too near the side or a 1/2" in diameter like the OP mentioned though.
 
Brewbud said:
I typically have a least one tire with a plug in it. LOL Never anything too near the side or a 1/2" in diameter like the OP mentioned though.
Click to expand...
I chuckle, I have run plugs in sidewalls as well..well plug-patches.
 
I would not trust it on a highway. It is not worth it. I have never had a plug fail but I was following a Jeep that had a plug near the sidewall fail. Actually, I think it was two plugs There was no repairing that tire a second time. He was lucky we were not back on the road yet. As it was it was still some fast dirt roads.

I have had a patch fail. It was fine for years then gave out running aired down one trip.
 
I’d have to put my eyes on it before i could make that call. Might run it might not. Realistically id probably use it as an excuse to get 37s
 
Patch plugs are my go to when I can dismount the tire at home, regular plugs for when traveling.
 
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