lagodue

Last time I had a leak dealer refused to plug it. New tire was about $600. OK, that leak was a gusher.
This time, for the right front tire, If I left the car sitting for two months the tire would lose half the air.
My local independent caught a tiny nail (without removing the wheel from the car) and plugged it with some kind of vulcanizing plug, which will eventually melt into the tire rubber. They say these plugs have never failed.
Total cost = $23.79
Thank god for independent shops!

blurum

@OP - Curious if the indie used the proper jack points and was any kind of puck used to cushion? or do you carry puck type thing in the car?

lagodue

I watched them try to use their lift and it was obvious there would be a problem, so they used a portable jack only at the front wheel, high enough to spin the tire for inspection.

Bob Z.

Pick up a cheap (~$55) set of custom pucks from a Rennlister that makes them and throw them in the frunk so they are with the car if you, or a shop, needs them.

991carreradriver

I had the same plug put on my tow vehicle tire after picking up a nail and enduring the 3 month slow leak. That was 20k miles ago and the tire is rock solid. The proper procedure is a plug and vulcanized patch. I would not do this on a P Car tire cause I tend to drive a fair amount on the track, but on a regular drive, absolutely.

Greg D.

It's not necessarily dealer vs independent - it's got more to do with location of the leak and liability... The deal with plugs/patches is that 1) they cannot happen anywhere near the sidewall - that's just not safe - and 90% of the time that is where you get the nail (dammit!)
2) they lower the speed rating of the tire because, well, they're a plug, different compound etc...

The dealer obviously does not want the liability because your car could be driven on the Nurburgring at 190mph tomorrow. They will also push for a generally pricier "N" (porsche approved) rated tire, because they are a dealer, which you can also live without. My right rear is plugged because that's the one that collects nails. I replaced it once and plugged it once in 10K miles, PITA.. . I can't say I care about that plug. I'll even track it "as is" (that's my decision) because tracks I run don't really let you go more than 130/135, and I check tire pressure between runs. Ideally for track duty you *should* have unpatched tires - for street, unless you are made of money, patching is perfectly fine. Maybe the one the dealer refused to do was too close to the sidewall...

Sidvicious7

This past weekend I discovered a slow leak in my left rear tire. I also have a two year road hazard policy which covers repairs and/or full replacement. I conducted some research to determine when a tire is considered “unrepairable.” I found most searches have very similar guidelines (see attachment) and I also used the recommendations of my Indy Shop. I realize Porsche WILL NOT patch a tire and since I don’t track my vehicle I was fortunate my tire was repairable. My tire was plugged with a “Patch Plug” and the process involved several steps to prep the area to accept the patch.

1.) Locate and mark/highlight area requiring patch.
2.) Pre Clean the area with Rubber Prep.
3.) Grind the area to accept patch with a grinder; AKA - Air Buffer
4.) Clean out puncture with proper drill bit specialized to match plug/patch.
5.) Blow area clean.
6.) Apply Contact Cement and let it air dry.
7.) Apply patch and use specialized tool (Stitching Tool) to properly bond patch to tire.
8.) Remove thin plastic layer from patch.
9.) Apply vulcanizing cement over patch.
10.) Cut Pigtail leveled with tire thread.


One inch screw

Tire Repairable Guidelines

Plug Patch.


6.) Pull Pi

Al.Fresco

Curious why you chose to repair when your hazard policy (which I presume you paid for) may have paid for full replacement.

Sidvicious7

You are partially correct. Tire Rack’s road hazard policy states A or B; repairable or non-repairable. It’s not my choice, the tech makes the call. Now, if I took the tire to a dealership the outcome would have been a new tire because they don’t repair tires. I could have pushed for a new tire, and I still have the option to move in that direction if the patch fails.

Porsche_nuts

Looks close, on the borderline, of the repairable area

Sidvicious7

I agree. My tech said exactly the same thing and stated a patch will work. Since I don’t track my car or drive at triple digits I’m okay with a patch providing it holds air.

Bob Z.

That would not work for me...I hit triple digits every time I take the car out.

Waterloo

Didn’t want to start a new thread just to complain so I jumped on this old one.

My Targa GTS developed a slow leak in the rear passenger tire. Been crazy busy so I used the frunk compressor to inflate it and have been monitoring the leak. Dropped 7psi while I was at work today. The really annoying part is in a rush this morning I used the center console socket and the inflator turned on for a second and then stopped. I switched it to the passenger footwell socket and inflated it. Come home from work, wanted to inflate it again, used the footwell socket and same thing, turned on for a second then stopped. Looks like the compressor blew both fuses (I’m assuming, haven’t had a chance to check them). I’m really annoyed. Any chance it could be something else?

thanks

Waterloo

And! Frigging pump blew a fuse in my wife’s car. And! Porsche doesn’t include spare 20a fuses. They have every other size, just not 20.

Joec500

I have tracked my car with patches, as long as they are done properly they should hold up just fine. But at the same time I am track newb and don't push as hard as a lot of guys out there. But for beginner DE's they are probably fine assuming the repair was done properly