The recurring tire plug question.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2008
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From: way down upon the Suwannee River
Be carefull, a slow leak is hard to notice. on a long trip pressure can drop enough without notice to pop a bead. I've seen that happen and that's worse then a blow out.
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,785
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From: Oklahoma
I put a plug/patch (the kind you put in from the inside, looks like a big roofing nail) in my rear tire last summer and rode it without problem until it wore out. I have the same thing in my front tire now, no problems. The plugs you put in with the tire still mounted are not normally considered permanent repairs, but these plug/patches are.
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Joined: May 2009
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I put a plug/patch (the kind you put in from the inside, looks like a big roofing nail) in my rear tire last summer and rode it without problem until it wore out. I have the same thing in my front tire now, no problems. The plugs you put in with the tire still mounted are not normally considered permanent repairs, but these plug/patches are.
Also, to me, the big advantage to installing a cord plug is the fact that you don't have to pull the wheel. In the rear wheel case, the cost (paid labor or your own) and slight less safety concern (rear wheel flat vs. front wheel) makes it a little easier choice than the front. Regardless, I think front or rear, it isn't that big of an issue. I have never heard of one single plug or even a patch failing for that matter. Patches typically just use adhesive alone to hold it. A string plug uses adhesive as well as the press fit of jamming the plug in. This isn't a 500 psi service. If it takes elbow grease to ram the plug tool in, it probably ain't gonna fly out without the adhesive, much less once it bonds.
My vote is plug it and go. I have plugged many car tires without ever a problem. Maybe I'm just lucky with plug tool, but I don't even have them leak air slightly.
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,213
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From: Cape Coral, Fl.
I don't have any tubeless tires on bikes - all are spoked wheels.
I keep picking up star thistles in my riding lawnmower tires - tiny but annoying leaks. I just ordered a gallon of Slime to see how that works. They make it for both tubed and tubeless tires, but it's not recommended for high speed travel. It's more for bicycles, mowers, tractors, atv's, etc.
Slime
[/end off topic rant.]
I keep picking up star thistles in my riding lawnmower tires - tiny but annoying leaks. I just ordered a gallon of Slime to see how that works. They make it for both tubed and tubeless tires, but it's not recommended for high speed travel. It's more for bicycles, mowers, tractors, atv's, etc.
Slime
[/end off topic rant.]
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Think about it this way, and tell me this is not ironic.
How many times have people checked the air in their tires before each ride? If they find it low, how many times have they just blindly aired it up and not inspected every inch of the tire? In either of those cases, one could have a nail in their tire.
When a nail is in a tire, you are talking about a metal rod with a somewhat slick surface that has a much lower coefficient of friction than the plug against the tire. As unsafe as that sounds so far, I have never heard of a nail shooting out? There is no adhesive, and the surface itself does not grab as well. Yet, the press fit alone holds it in. Now, think about the patch. The patch is a very similar material to the tire itself, albeit softer. The vulcanizing adhesive creates a bond between the two surfaces.
Then, some of the same people who could have a nail in their tire, would say you cannot run on a plugged tire. On top of that, they will say you can run on it...if you don't leave it in beyond the trip home??? I'm not sure how much safer the trip home is than daily driving, but if someone is that nervous about it, they should tow the bike instantly.
I actually believe most people who give the advice to blindly change a tire, have never dealt with one personally, and it's easy to give the safe route advice if they are putting in the time or money to fix it. Put it this way, I don't even patch car tires anymore, and they are only $16 to fix. I just don't feel like going through the trouble waiting an hour or so to get my car back while I fork over $16. I can plug a tire very well in 10 minutes.
How many times have people checked the air in their tires before each ride? If they find it low, how many times have they just blindly aired it up and not inspected every inch of the tire? In either of those cases, one could have a nail in their tire.
When a nail is in a tire, you are talking about a metal rod with a somewhat slick surface that has a much lower coefficient of friction than the plug against the tire. As unsafe as that sounds so far, I have never heard of a nail shooting out? There is no adhesive, and the surface itself does not grab as well. Yet, the press fit alone holds it in. Now, think about the patch. The patch is a very similar material to the tire itself, albeit softer. The vulcanizing adhesive creates a bond between the two surfaces.
Then, some of the same people who could have a nail in their tire, would say you cannot run on a plugged tire. On top of that, they will say you can run on it...if you don't leave it in beyond the trip home??? I'm not sure how much safer the trip home is than daily driving, but if someone is that nervous about it, they should tow the bike instantly.
I actually believe most people who give the advice to blindly change a tire, have never dealt with one personally, and it's easy to give the safe route advice if they are putting in the time or money to fix it. Put it this way, I don't even patch car tires anymore, and they are only $16 to fix. I just don't feel like going through the trouble waiting an hour or so to get my car back while I fork over $16. I can plug a tire very well in 10 minutes.
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Jim Kraft
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Sep 3, 2012 03:16 PM
