Getting stuck with a tire puncture hole on your car’s tire when traveling on the road is a pretty inconvenience. Each circumstance has different approaches for treatment.
Nevertheless, most drivers prefer to grab the method of patching or plugging because it assists in totally addressing the problem of a hole on their tire quite economically and quickly.
Yet, there is some issue you need to know when applying this technique on your tire to be clear: is plugging a tire safe completely? How safe are tire plugs
The answer is going to be unveiled in our following content. To not miss the hot topic, follow us now to get a thoughtful answer.
Is Plugging A Tire Safe?
The brief answer to this query of topic: is it ok to plug a tire, but it is just safe in the short run; it won’t be totally advised for your long journey.
The principle of the method is to cover a vent hole by using a specific cord.
The specialized materials in the cord are solid, and they may automatically expand or contract very fast. So, plugging is a solution that assists in fixing most forms of holes.
Still, this way isn’t suggested by many experts. What are its reasons?
Producers just give a piece of advice to apply the plug as a stopgap before carrying out long-run repair methods due to its great impact.
The root stems from the items’ objectivity; they have pointed out that various potential harms can happen.
Particularly, environmental effects such as moisture or air will invade the tire to degrade or destroy it completely, triggering dangers.
The steel wheel belt will weaken due to corrosion with age, and the rubber tires are linked to push higher impact.
Another threat when fixing a puncture by using a plug is that it can cause some tire damage to the wheel’s inner. In this case, the damage is invisible to the naked eye.
Therefore, it’s quite safe for us to fix a puncture with a plug when traveling with your car for a short run, not a long run.
How To Plug A Tire Properly?
Step 1: Locate The Defective Location.
Initially, you need to determine the affected position that lets the air inside seep out.
To do that, you pump air into a tire, and you should adjust the pressure so that the wheel has the appropriate tension and stiffness.
You don’t have to detach the tire from the car at this phase. Yet, if your tools set has a jack stand, you can use it to facilitate later steps.
Next, dilute the mix of 80% water with 20% soap, and spray the solution on the whole tire if the punctured position is covered.
Wherever the air begins to bubble up, that’s the location of a leak that needs to be fixed.
Using pliers to eliminate strange objects that trigger puncture if they get stuck in your tire.
Step 2: Expand This Puncture
The step needs a pair of strong hands, utilizing a reamer with a T form to turn the hole.
The persistent rotation will provide enough impact to roughen the surface and enlarge the hole to suit the plug’s size.
Redo a couple of times till you reach the expected size. Yet, in case the hole isn’t that big to use a reamer, utilize a hand-held drill to grind the hole first and proceed with the reamer later.
Step 3: Preparation Before Plugging
Have a look at your repair kit to find an appropriate strip, and thread the plug cord through the tool eyelet’s mouth. Then, use a piler to keep the cord balance between its ends.
Seal the whole strip by using cement spray. Then, repeat with the hole.
Step 4: Insert The Strip In Its Proper Place
Put the strip gradually into the hole in the tire. Using your strong hands to press the plug strip into the right place on the tire solidly.
When the plug cord is completely inserted, you have to pull it up in such a way that the remaining strip is roughly 1 inch (outside) of the tire.
Step 5: Pump Fully Air Into The Tire
When a tire is fully plugged, you pump the air into it. This step is to check one more time for any leak inside the tire that is out of your notice.
A small point you need to note is that you should pump less than 10% of air pressure compared to the PSI standard.
Step 6: Remove The Excess
The mentioned steps have virtually finished over 90% of the plugging produce. Post-process consists of the following steps:
- Use detergents to clean the zones
- Let it rest for around 15 minutes, which allows the areas to dry out
- Eliminate the excess borders of the plug, yet keep in mind to leave an edge of around ⅛ inch.
Step 7: Have An Inspection On The Plugged Tire One More Time
Spray the whole tire one more time by utilizing the dilute solution (soapy water). This doesn’t just make sure of the quality of this plug but inspects other existing spots on the tire for the same damage.
Note: If you are stuck on a road with a run-flat tire, this treatment can help you overcome the problem quickly. Still, you need to have an appropriate technique for fixing the affected area on a long journey.
When Should I Not Plug A Tire?
In certain circumstances plugging should not be applied on its puncture, in particular:
- When the wounded zone surpasses an inch
- When the puncture emerges on the shoulder of the wheel and its sidewall.
- There are many holes in close vicinity, especially when the holes appear right on top of each other.
- When the tire wear surpasses 2/32 inch
In these cases, a tire patch or a complete replacement is required. In case of a replacement, remember to change all four tires by buying a full set to last them longer.
If you don’t know whether to plug, patch, or replace, just turn to a mechanic’s help.
Final Thoughts
Is plugging a tire safe? Once we have succeeded in keeping your company to these bottom lines, we bet you have reached the thoughtful details for the earlier topic.
We want to re-stress the fact of curiosity.
The way meets the problem as a temporary solution, and then a tire plug safety isn’t safe in the long run.
Thank you for accompanying us to find out about the plugged tire safety. Sharing is caring. Don’t forget to share the helpful content with those with the same interest as you.
Last but not least, feel free to let us know your other curiosity about cars. See you in the coming posts.