to plug or not to plug?

[wfooshee]

While you are talking tires...how many miles are you guys getting out of a set with"normal" driving?

Completely off-topic question, thread is about plugs, not tire life.

Look for JeffAshe's threads and reports he's posting. Keep in mind his riding style is probably what I'd call all-out road racing. I expect to get twice the miles he does on any given tire.

 

[Fred W]

If there was anything about the puncture that was more of a cut than a straight piercing of the tread, or if it was more than an inch and a half, two inches from the center, I'd replace the tire. A cut tire will not repair, period. Sticky string in a nail hole or screw hole is just as good as an inside mushroom patch. I've used it on many car tires, including one that was later autocrossed several times, and I've got one in my FJR's rear tire right now. I've had sustained triple-digit runs, and I have no concerns. None has failed, none has leaked. In my book, that's a good sample.
That said, if you don't get the sticky string right, the tire will leak and maybe fail. The failure will be the result of air loss, not something structural in the patch. Remember, if it's more than just a nail hole, I'm not gonna fix it anyway.

I'm not posting to be argumentative, I'm just stating my experiences. As always, YMMV.

I understand your experiences have been positive with string plugs. Heck, so too have mine been. I've used them many times and never had a problem, though on relatively new tires I've always gone back and done (or had done) a "proper" repair at the earliest convenience. But if the sticky string is so damn good, if it can be trusted, why are all the tire manufacturers, tire professionals and auto repair professionals so dead set against it? I figure they must know something.

 

[wfooshee]

If there was anything about the puncture that was more of a cut than a straight piercing of the tread, or if it was more than an inch and a half, two inches from the center, I'd replace the tire. A cut tire will not repair, period. Sticky string in a nail hole or screw hole is just as good as an inside mushroom patch. I've used it on many car tires, including one that was later autocrossed several times, and I've got one in my FJR's rear tire right now. I've had sustained triple-digit runs, and I have no concerns. None has failed, none has leaked. In my book, that's a good sample.
That said, if you don't get the sticky string right, the tire will leak and maybe fail. The failure will be the result of air loss, not something structural in the patch. Remember, if it's more than just a nail hole, I'm not gonna fix it anyway.

I'm not posting to be argumentative, I'm just stating my experiences. As always, YMMV.

I understand your experiences have been positive with string plugs. Heck, so too have mine been. I've used them many times and never had a problem, though on relatively new tires I've always gone back and done (or had done) a "proper" repair at the earliest convenience. But if the sticky string is so damn good, if it can be trusted, why are all the tire manufacturers, tire professionals and auto repair professionals so dead set against it? I figure they must know something.

I think it's because they don't want bad repairs out there. If someone sticky-strings a sidewall, or a half-inch cut, they'd be asking for trouble. Tires are dangerous in the hands of morons, and "professionals" think everybody else is a moron.

Not that I have that attitude. Ever.

 

[Fred W]

If there was anything about the puncture that was more of a cut than a straight piercing of the tread, or if it was more than an inch and a half, two inches from the center, I'd replace the tire. A cut tire will not repair, period. Sticky string in a nail hole or screw hole is just as good as an inside mushroom patch. I've used it on many car tires, including one that was later autocrossed several times, and I've got one in my FJR's rear tire right now. I've had sustained triple-digit runs, and I have no concerns. None has failed, none has leaked. In my book, that's a good sample.
That said, if you don't get the sticky string right, the tire will leak and maybe fail. The failure will be the result of air loss, not something structural in the patch. Remember, if it's more than just a nail hole, I'm not gonna fix it anyway.

I'm not posting to be argumentative, I'm just stating my experiences. As always, YMMV.

I understand your experiences have been positive with string plugs. Heck, so too have mine been. I've used them many times and never had a problem, though on relatively new tires I've always gone back and done (or had done) a "proper" repair at the earliest convenience. But if the sticky string is so damn good, if it can be trusted, why are all the tire manufacturers, tire professionals and auto repair professionals so dead set against it? I figure they must know something.

I think it's because they don't want bad repairs out there. If someone sticky-strings a sidewall, or a half-inch cut, they'd be asking for trouble. Tires are dangerous in the hands of morons, and "professionals" think everybody else is a moron.

Not that I have that attitude. Ever.

You may be onto something. Maybe the real issue isn't the type of patch but which moron applies it. The owner moron or the professional tire shop moron.

 

[luvtoride]

The patch plugs are less than $5 at Pep Boys. You just need to be able to unmount and remount the tire yourself...

Correct me if I am mistaken.. but can't you just break the bead & put the plug/patch setup in the tire?

I don't mean that this would be done on the side of the road, either. I mean in a lighted, well tooled atmosphere.

I once put a new valve stem in this way. Seems to me that the plug/patch could be put in w/o taking the tire off the rim... Or for that fact, no need to take the wheel off the bike.

I realize that it would make it easier if the tire was completely off of the rim, but it's pretty expensive to dis-mount/mount tires for those of us w/o the means to do it ourselves.

My pocketbook definitely governs some of my actions. That's for sure & if I was planning to put one of these in, I'd try this way first.

For those that would like the tip: a "C" clamp breaks the bead pronto.

Heidi

 

[Fred W]

The patch plugs are less than $5 at Pep Boys. You just need to be able to unmount and remount the tire yourself...

Correct me if I am mistaken.. but can't you just break the bead & put the plug/patch setup in the tire?

I don't mean that this would be done on the side of the road, either. I mean in a lighted, well tooled atmosphere.

I once put a new valve stem in this way. Seems to me that the plug/patch could be put in w/o taking the tire off the rim... Or for that fact, no need to take the wheel off the bike.

I realize that it would make it easier if the tire was completely off of the rim, but it's pretty expensive to dis-mount/mount tires for those of us w/o the means to do it ourselves.

My pocketbook definitely governs some of my actions. That's for sure & if I was planning to put one of these in, I'd try this way first.

For those that would like the tip: a "C" clamp breaks the bead pronto.

Heidi

Heidi,

You would have to break the bead and then pull one of the two beads over the edge of the rim so that you had adequate access to properly prepare the inside surface of the tire. It needs to be well scuffed up with sandpaper so that the patch part will stick well. This could be done on the bike, but I'd probably do it off.

Good thought.

 

[luvtoride]

Oops, I thought that I said something about jimmying part of the tire off the rim after the bead was broken. I see that I did not... but, that's exactly how I fixed a valve stem once upon a time. I didn't even take the wheel off the bike to do it. With a little care, it seems to me that this method would work for the plug/patch, also.

I forgot to add... I have used string type plugs before. Also, the small handful of times that I have used them, I ran them the rest of the life of the tire. In my book, it either leaks right off or it doesn't leak.

For the record, I'd never do it if the puncture is far left or right of center.