Tire plug kits?

"BaconSandwich is tasty." (baconsandwich)
03/23/2019 at 10:39 • Filed to: None

I’m thinking it would be a good idea to pick up a tire plug kit. Not that I’m planning on having a flat tire, but I figure it’s probably a good idea to have one on hand. Does anyone here have recommendations or things to look for/avoid with them?

Short story time: Back when I was single, and living in a complex of town-houses, a friend of mine (who was married, and lived in a different unit) noticed that one of my tires was getting low. Sure enough, we found a nail in the tire. He pulled out a tire plug kit (reamer, plugs, and tool to insert plugs), and we were able to fix it. At the time I did have a spare tire, but that tire plug held up for the rest of the life of the tire. Ever since then, I’ve thought it would be a good idea to have one on hand, instead of having to take the tire in to a shop.

DISCUSSION (17)

Gerry197 > BaconSandwich is tasty.
03/23/2019 at 10:59

Most tire ships will plug your tire for free. I would keep a repair kit in your vehicle in case you can’t get to a shop, especially since most are close on Sundays except Walmart’s automotive.

I honestly don’t trust my own repair with those kits for the long term.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > BaconSandwich is tasty.
03/23/2019 at 11:02

A plug kit isn’t a bad thing to have on hand for a quick fix until you can get to a shop , but they’re not designed to be a permanent fix. Not to say that you can’t get lucky from time to time and they work for the long-term, but they’re not the correct way to fix a puncture. The full repair involves cementing a patch on the inner liner of the tire, as well as bonding a plug to stabilize the tread around the defect and to protect the patch.

facw > BaconSandwich is tasty.
03/23/2019 at 11:02

I just have this one ($12) from O’Reilly: https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/b/xtra-seal-5344/tire—-wheel-16779/tire-inflators—-sealants-25157/patch-plug-repair-kit-17475/8d89e85ab881/xtra-seal-tire-repair-kit/15050/4870377/

Kinja'd!!!

It did work (no leaking before my car was totaled by flooding over a year later) though the reamer and plug insertion tool seemed pretty crappy, and I’m not confident they could be used again without breaking.

Keep in mind that if you are using one of these, you are only patching from the outside, while a tire place can (and should) dismount the tire and patch the inside as well, which would be a more durable fix. Possibly one of the mushroom-type plug installers would work better, but getting a proper fix is normally going to be the better option (in my case a couple shops told me it was too close to the sidewall to patch, but it was near the inner edge of the outer tread block, and just a short screw, so I rolled the dice and did it myself).

DipodomysDeserti > BaconSandwich is tasty.
03/23/2019 at 11:19

I carry a Safety Seal kit. A bit pricey, but if I ever have to use it I don’t want it to be a POS.

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > BaconSandwich is tasty.
03/23/2019 at 11:35

I use the cheap Slime brand ones from Walmart with the reamer, cement, and strips. They aren’t permanent, but they last do well if you need a few days to get to a shop for proper fix. I’ve left one in for months without any issues back when I was broke and living in an apartment, but I wouldn’t recommend that as a regular practice.

Discerning > BaconSandwich is tasty.
03/23/2019 at 11:35

As others mentioned, a plug is good for a very short fix to get to a shop.

There are then shops that will plug a tire properly for free. They dismount the tire and plug it from the inside, including a patch that helps reduce the possibility of the puncture blowing out.

Alternatively, do what I do/did recently. I got a puncture, put on my full size spare, and then dropped the punctured tire off at a good year that patched and plugged it for free. I picked it up on our way home and it's now my full size spare

dumpsterfire! > BaconSandwich is tasty.
03/23/2019 at 11:36

Back when I was younger, stupider, and broke , I would just put a plug in the hole and skip the dismount/inner patch part. In regular driving light truck tires, the plugs lasted the remaining life of the tire for me. Your results may vary.

brianbrannon > BaconSandwich is tasty.
03/23/2019 at 12:01

Some wrong info in the comments. Plugs are permanant repairs. Get the safety seal brand. And shops don’t do repairs for free. Getting a portable air compressor is the most useful thing to do

facw > brianbrannon
03/23/2019 at 12:08

There’s a bunch of shops that will patch tires they sold for free. But of course that’s a bit different than being free in general. I’d be wary of a shop that does it free, because basically the only reason for them to do that is to have an opportunity to tell you to buy a new tire instead.

A patch + plug combo is a better long term solution than just a plug though (even though a plug may be able to hold on its own).

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > BaconSandwich is tasty.
03/23/2019 at 12:09

We keep a couple around for when we’re offroading and don’t have the option to hit a tire shop. In general, getting a patch is way better. Also finding and fixing a leak with a plug kit can be a pain. A better investment would be a portable tire inflator, that way you can top off the leaky tire and take it to get fixed. Also then you’ll be able to add air to your tires whenever you feel like it.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > Discerning
03/23/2019 at 13:06

I’ve actually been carrying a full size spare for a number of years now. Ever since I had bought a second set of rims, I figured it made sense to carry a full size one instead. It’s a bit annoying because the board that sits across the bottom of the trunk is up an inch or so, but it’s never bothered me enough to do something about it.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > dumpsterfire!
03/23/2019 at 13:06

I’m thinking I may have gotten lucky like you.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > brianbrannon
03/23/2019 at 13:07

I do care a small compressor, but I figure having a plug kit isn’t a bad idea as well.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
03/23/2019 at 13:07

A few months back I picked up a pair of 12 v compressors (one for each vehicle). So far we haven’t had to use them on our own vehicles. Maybe a compressor and a patch kit is overkill?

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > BaconSandwich is tasty.
03/23/2019 at 13:14

Patch kit is cheap so if you're into it go for it.

Urambo Tauro > FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com
03/23/2019 at 16:03

That’s the one I have on hand too. (BTW the version with the green tackle box that keeps it all together is totally worth the extra dollar .)

oldmxer > BaconSandwich is tasty.
03/24/2019 at 00:16

just make sure you get the plugs that are long and twisted that have cord in them, the short ones without cord are worthless