hollandhill

Is it safe to have a tire patched. I picked up a sheet metal screw on my daily driver (Mitsu EVO), I know plugs are unsafe but what about patchs?

Patrick

IMHO patches are probably safe for easy driving if installed correctly. I had a patch on my trailer tire. The patch gave way after a weekend. A new tire would be what, a couple hundred bucks?

Sam Lin

A plug/patch combo, where the tire is dismounted and plugged from inside with a special vulcanizing plug that is then backed with a patch, is a safe way to patch a tire. I've had one on the rear of a Vette for over 3 years now, it's been up to 150mph repeatedly since patching. The only time it's unsafe to patch in any way is if the puncture is on or very near the sidewall.

Sam

Bill L Seifert

Maybe on a street tire, though I wouldn't want to go 150 mph. But every mfg of DOT race tires says no. I will take their word for it. I got a nail in a Hoosier doing the first heat cycle, and the Hoosier guy at the track said not just no but heck no. It was $180, but I wasn't quite ready to die.


Bill Seifert

1987 944S Race Car under const.

ZBlue996Kam

I had a patch applied on one of my rear tires and it has been working fine.

A proper repaired tire should be ok to drive on the street with reasonable street speed.

DGaunt

Manufacturers will always say no because they cannot control proceedures and materials used to repair thier product. None of them endorse any tire treatment product for the same reason. If a patch lifted quickly (Patrick) probably was the result of the inside of the tire not being buffed enough. The silicone parting compound used in the mold penetrates the rubber a few thou and it has to be buffed off for a good bond.

Sam Lin is right about the plug/patch combo. The patch seals the air in the tire and reinforces the weakened area. The plug seals the tread, preventing water from entering and migrating around the steel belts. This is the only way to go.

FixedWing

I had a patched tyre blow at 200 km/h. It didn't blow because of the patch. That was fine. It blew because the tyre had been run low for a while before patching. If it is a simple and small hole then I wouldn't worry about patching it. But if it has ever been driven on low then don't! :-)

Stephen

DGaunt

Excellent point, FW. If that pic is the tire that blew, the damage should defiinitley been detected during the repair. This is one really good reason to use a patch--it forces removal and (hopefully) inspection of the tire for runflat/low damage to the sidewall. Sadly many shops have poorly trained techs, even in this day of litigation.