dr bob

The range of repair options is limited. A "proper" radial tire repair is replacement. A plug or patch repair is literally a band-aid over a structural wound that will never heal itself. So once you acknowledge that whatever you do will warrant a derate of the speed rating on the tire, the next decision is on what keeps the air inside, and does minimum damage to the tire structure. A screw or nail through the tread face has already penetrated the structure. So a repair that follows the same damage path is generally OK. A temporary plug may need to be removed, or it may just need some grinding and a cover patch inside to be made more permanent. I've repaired tires with plugs, with and without that cover patch inside, and honestly have not seen any difference in long-term life of the tire. These were street tires, never saw serious high-speed use, but several on tow vehicles doing high-temp across-the-summer-desert towing. Net results vary widely of course, based on what did the original damage and where it happened on the tire. A screw that goes through the tread at an angle is worse than one that goes straight in. Sidewall punctures are generally not repairable at all, mostly due to flexing in the edges of the tread there.

eijun

I rather plug in a tire than use goop. I don't know what shop will recommend keeping the tire after you use the goop, then you also have to clean up the goop off the rim too. With a plug, eh 50/50 depending on size and type of puncture.

If you want to keep your tire, you get your car towed or use your spare PERIOD

docmirror

Meh - I'd like to care enough to rebut all this. Potayto, potahto.

Go ahead, plug a Z rated tire, I really don't care, just wanted to advise that I didn't go along with plugging as was written about me.

GregBBRD

Tough to imagine someone putting a plug in a tire and running one of the open road events, isn't it?

But your point is well taken. I guess it doesn't matter, as long as I don't have to drive, navigate, or be one of the people that are first responders to the scene of the crash....

GregBBRD

I'm thinking that a almost 30 year old tire is only good for PCA show purposes.

dr bob

Z-rated tires get derated to 135 MPH with a repair. For the majority of us, no penalty. Put the 25+ YO spare on, and the speed limit is a tad lower. Race conditions are way different. More than a few owners here, on a daily basis, manage to avoid getting on the Autobahn with a repaired tire. I am one of those.

jon928se

I always carry a real front wheel as a spare when venturing out of the city. Can be used safely on front or rear and a lot more reliable than a spacesaver. Try finding Z rated tyres in outback Australia - if it doesn't fit a Hillux or a Landcruiser it'll have to be shipped in. The reduction in luggage space would be more than compensated by the avoidance of a three day wait for a Z rated tyre.

And there's the Murphys law factor - whoever heard of anybody getting a puncture when they had two potential spares in the car.

Mrmerlin

^^^^ and the factory spare can be used as a jack stand while your swapping out your real tire spare.

owenstanley

O.P. here - thanks for all the interest in this thread.

However - does anyone know if a replacement spare tire is available, and who might be able to mount it for me?

Thanks,

-Chris

GregBBRD

GregBBRD

I personally dislike tires failing, which includes going flat.

My dad told me this:

"If a tire goes flat for any reason......and the weight of the car rests on it....replace that tire. If the car was sitting still when the tire went flat, you can use it for emergency purposes, until you can get it replaced. If the car was moving, when that tire went flat, you can never use it again.

If the tire had a slow leak and got low on air, while you were driving the car....you can never use it again. Replace immediately."

Works for me. And I follow that advice to the letter.

docmirror

Did you not see post #6? I provided a solution for 1/10th the cost of the factory replacement. Did you not see the subsequent post from Roger?

As for mounting, take it to any Discount tire and pay them the mounting fee.