Dan F.

After I dropped a friend off near a construction site, I heard/felt a click-click-click sound coming from my right front tire. I stopped and removed a 1/2" nail/screw combo thingie from the tire. It was towards the inside of the tire, so I couldn't see if it was in the tread or in a groove.

Anyway, I was already late for the airport, so I drove a couple miles, checked it, and it seemed to be holding pressure. Drove it a couple more miles, checked it, and it still seemed okay. I then drove the rest of the way to the airport with seemingly no adverse affects.

Anyone want to take a bet on whether I'll have a flat when I get back on Sunday? Can these tires possibly survive a 1/2" screw? Think I should have the tire checked even if it still has pressure when I get back?

Dan

Michael D.

I've driven as many as 200 miles with a screw in a tire with zero air loss... don't pull it out or you'll lose air... drive to a tire shop and have them PATCH the tire from the inside (never ever EVER let someone PLUG a tire from the OUTSIDE).

Any competent tire shop can do this, such as Discount Tire or NTB.

Good luck. Hopefully it's not flat when you get back... Will make it more work for you

-Michael

RickM

But he wasn't experiencing air loss. So maybe he'll get lucky.

Btw, I've had tires plugged in the past, with no ill effects that I am aware of. What exactly is the danger -- that the plug won't hold?<p>Rick
99.5 A4 1.8TQMS silver/onyx
97 A6Q Wagon black/taupe

Gordon Martin

I have watched my local mechanic (who I trust a great deal) patch a tire - it was neat.

Guy drives up with a nail in tire - mechanic pulls it out and immediately inserts a thick needle back down the hole. The needle carries a thick cord into the tire covered in a rubber/glue compound. The mechanic pulls the needle out far enough that he can cut the cord off while still leaving it in the hole. Mechanic trims cord back flush with the surface of tire. (entire operation 1 minute)

I asked him a few questions about it - he likes it better than an inside patch:

1) He says it is easy and fast (read cheap).
2) The cord is lighter than a rubber patch and doesn't let any air out of the tire. He thinks it will last just as long as a rubber patch and also won't throw the wheel out of balance enough to matter.
3) A rubber patch stresses the tire when you dismount and mount the tire on the rim and the whole thing has to be rebalanced.

I suspect in your case that you may not have any choice but to go with an internal rubber patch however. If you do lose air and you need a patch, there will be no screw to mark the hole - and good luck trying to find any evidence of a hole on the busy tread side of the tire.

TTFN,

Gordon Martin
98.5 2.8QMS (Santorin Blue)

RKA

In either case, if you are within an inch of the edge of the tread, you generally don't repair...just replace.

Dan F.

Yup, it had a big hex-head that was sticking way out of the tire, so it was pretty annoying to drive