Nail in my tire

I just noticed that the're a nail in my tire. I can see the head, and it's about in the middle of my tire, on the tread portion. I've got one of those plug patch kits, but have never used it. Is fixing this problem as easy as pulling the nail and putting a plug in there, or is there more to it? If I went to a tire shop would they use a more permanent / better fix, or would they do the same thing that I'd do at home?

I've only ever used the cheap fix it in an emergency. After I take it to a shop where they use plug patch after cleaning/reaming the hole. The plug patch is in a metal tube you insert in the hole after cleaning and applying the rubber glue. Then when you retract the metal shaft the patch seals on the inside and the plug expands in the hole.

In my opinion the patches from the inside are better than a plug.

A tire shop will glue a patch on the inside after breaking down the tire.

I use the plugs and have never had a problem. Just remove the nail, rough up the hole, insert the plug and twist. Cut off the excess. Easy.

Back in the olden days when I worked at a gas station(1977-1980) we used the patches all the time.
1 Pull the nail out
2.Ream the hole
3.Put the plug on the hooked insert tool cot it with glue
4.Insert the plug into the hole
5.Pull the insert tool out quickly leaving the plug in the hole(I should stick out about 1/2 way)
6.Cut the excess plug material with diagonal cutters
7.Light the excess glue with a match & let it burn for about 30-45 seconds to cure the glue

The inner patch is preferred nowadays because the steel belts have been known to cut thru the plugs, but I've used plugs on my Jeeps many times & never had an issue.

I've gotten plenty of nails in my tires and never has the tire shops put a patch inside. That being said, there is a difference between a tire repair kit bought from Harbor freight and a high quality one like maybe an ARB. I believe that you will be better served letting a pro do it. Consider yourself lucky it wasn't in the sidewall.

I too was a tire monkey back in the old days. Back then you had to find the hole by visual, or by dunk tank etc. Then you dismounted the tire and patched the tire on the inside. Patches were preferred as rhe major reasoning was the plug "reaming" process could cause separation within the tire plys, so that lead to tire failures. Now as labor costs are high, most company's want to cut labor, so now most push to plug vs patch: ie : quicker/cheaper?

Thanks guys. Sounds like I'll get a shop to do it.

Better off having the shop do it.. But in a pinch I have used a screw on the trail. Remove nail insert screw they grab pretty good on the steel belts.

In some states it is illegal for a commercial entity, like a service station to plug a tire. They are required to dismount the tire and use a patch. Now when I was a kid working in a service station, we'd do that for a couple of bucks. Not a money maker, but as a service to our customers. Now a daze, it's about 20 bucks to patch a tire and it will get done , when they have time for it. It's not illegal for you to plug your own tire. I do it all the time. There is a line of thinking that a plug isn't as permanent or as safe as a patch. I can see that from a government liability standpoint. They need to tell us what is good for ourselves and protect us from hurting ourselves, or somehow they can be held liable. But my experience is different. I had 2 CJ-7's in my lifetime. Living on Kauai, I drove them as a daily driver and on the beach. I often needed to flatten the tires to get around on the beach, and then of course, reflate them to drive back on the road. In all those years of repeatedly deflating and inflating tires with plugs in them. I never once had a plug fail, or a tire fail because of a plug. I did have tiny almost imperceptible cracks eventually develop in the wall of the tire from driving under inflated tires, eventually rendering the tires useless as they would not hold air. The tire walls failed way before the plugs did. It's your call but I have no problems using the plugs.

Take it to a tire shop for a proper, from the inside plug installation. Save the gummy string repair for trail use.

TerryMason said:

I just noticed that the're a nail in my tire. I can see the head, and it's about in the middle of my tire, on the tread portion. I've got one of those plug patch kits, but have never used it. Is fixing this problem as easy as pulling the nail and putting a plug in there, or is there more to it? If I went to a tire shop would they use a more permanent / better fix, or would they do the same thing that I'd do at home?

Click to expand...

I am not sure if a tire shop can do better, but I had two nails in mine. One in a regular tire and one in the spare. I used the tire repair kit and followed the instructions to a "T" and worked great both times! MUCH easier than I thought! The regular tire is back on and doing great...the spare if patched as well. I am hoping mine last till the end of the year when I hope to get new rims and bigger tires, but I would definitely suggest trying the repair kit! If not, why did you buy the darn thing! LOL!!!

You can do it!!! :shades:

I've finally gotten this fixed. I paid $29.84 for a "vulcanized patch", and that comes with a re-balance.

I called around first, and the local service station said that would use a plug if it was on the tread, but a patch on the side. I called TreadQuarters and they said they only do patches, and never plugs. I ended up going with TreadQuarters.

I'll eventually try the plug kit, but probably only when I need it on the trail.

Wow! It's not recommended to repair a hole on a sidewall.
Most places stay away from sidewall repairs. Good call on where you chose to go.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

How do you fix this? At Jeeptoberfest Next to last obstacle on the course.
[h=2][/h]

Change to the spare was my only fix.

The second last because the last is now a jeep with a flat tire. Ha ha

Fix a flat. HaHaHa!

Or this



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Mrsig said:

How do you fix this? At Jeeptoberfest Next to last obstacle on the course.
[h=2][/h]View attachment 22240

Change to the spare was my only fix.

Click to expand...

Aww that just needs a patch: some rubber raft matl, gorilla glue and a staple gun to hold it all together. Let the gorilla glue sit up overnight and youll be good to go... lol..

Ouch....time for a new tire & it looks like maybe some other parts too.