Whether you pump up the tire to get to a tire repair shop, put on your spare tire, or call for a tow service, you still have to deal with correctly repairing or replacing that tire. With today’s economic climate, let’s look at what constitutes a proper repair.
Tires have evolved over the years and we no longer remove the nail and patch the inner tube like your great grandfather did or perhaps you did with your bicycle tire when you were a kid. Perhaps you remember that you could have had a tire plug put in your tire from the outside in, which was quick and inexpensive, or have a patch put on the inside of your tubeless tire, which was better. But much more is required for today’s belted radial ply tires. Tires have changed and repairing any tire with a “plug” is a potential disaster waiting to happen! In fact, the tire industry as a whole warns against making any “string plug” or tire plug repairs for any tire repairs today.
The tire technology has evolved requiring a specific procedure to ensure a proper repair and to protect the integrity of the tire’s belts. Also, because many people drive on a flat or nearly flat tire for some distance before they realize they have a problem or can safely pull over, a considerable amount of internal damage can be done to the tire. The damage can be mechanical or heat damage because an under-inflated tire can become extremely hot due to excessive flexing when driven on. Careful inside inspection by a properly trained technician is required to detect damage.
The following repair is endorsed by the Rubber Manufactures Association (RMA) and the Tire Industry Association who, together represent the majority of tire manufacturers. The RMA procedure specifies that the tire be removed from the rim and inspected from the inside to determine what damage may have occurred internally from running the tire while flat. This procedure also specifies the maximum size, location, and angle of injuries that are repairable. The RMA procedure calls for the wound channel to be reamed out to remove damaged material and the repair to be made from the inside out with a plug and patch combination that seals the wound channel and also seals the inner liner to retain air.
The item of most importance is, “Never repair a tire that has an existing, improper repair, (non RMA); the tire must be scrapped.” That would preclude the use of “string type” tire plugs.
If you are stuck with a flat and don’t have a spare, and need to do an emergency repair, then the use of a tire sealant is preferable to ruining any possibility of repairing the tire with a plug. (Plus you run the risk of damaging the expensive wheels your tires are mounted on.) In fact, some manufacturers are equipping new cars with a can of sealant and an inflator instead of a spare tire to save space, weight and manufacturing costs. It is possible to wash out the tire sealant and repair a tire properly with the RMA approved method, although getting all of the sealant out can be difficult.
Finally, if your tires are fairly old, six years or older, and you need a repair, perhaps you should err on the side of caution and replace all of your tires because of potential age related issues.
