Patch It Up or Pitch It Out: What to Do With a Whole Lot of Hole
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Is there anything more annoying than a flat tire? Sure there is. How about a tire that keeps going flat no matter how much you pump it up?
Is there anything more annoying than a flat tire? Sure there is. How about a tire that keeps going flat no matter how much you pump it up?
Driving over a nail right after you've bought new tires can be heartbreaking. Obviously in this situation you would rather have the tire repaired than replaced, but that might not be possible.
The simple fact of the matter is that some punctures can be repaired, and some punctures cannot. If your brand new tire somehow manages to get a rip in its sidewall then you might as well give it up for dead.
Luckily, there are very few situations where a sidewall puncture will occur. Unless some vandal with a nail gun is wandering your neighbourhood by night, the most common punctures you will experience will be in the tread area of the tire.
Even so, there are many situations where a tread puncture cannot be fixed and the tire will have to be replaced. Patches are only effective if the puncture is no bigger than 3/16", went straight through the tread, and no secondary damage has occurred. A proper repair can only be performed if the tire is first removed from the rim and thoroughly inspected for damage.
A tire patch is actually two patches, one that goes outside on the tread and another that goes on the inside of the tire. This is because the inside and the outside are made out of very different kinds of rubber. The material on the inside is designed specifically to hold air, while the rubber that forms the tread is chosen for its hard wearing qualities and ability to provide traction.
Many products are available on the market today that allow you to quickly and easily fix small punctures in your automobile tires. Carrying one of these sealant products in the trunk of your car can certainly come in very handy, but it should be noted that these sealants are not a permanent repair, nor are they intended to be.
A professionally installed patch is the only long term solution to punctures. It may cost a little cash, but nowhere near what a new tire would cost and you've saved a tire from occupying a premature spot in some landfill. In conclusion, in any situation where a patch can solve the problem, then the patch should be used.
Guy Goodyear's Last Articles :
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