Car Tire Puncture Repair

One of the last sights drivers want to see when they are getting ready to drive their vehicle is a flat tire. They realize that in addition to the immediate inconvenience of having to install their spare tire, they will have to get the punctured tire repaired. And if their tire is a steel belted radial (and whose isn't?), it must be repaired immediately to minimize potential long term deterioration started by the puncture.

Three Primary Concerns when repairing a punctured tire

- Evaluate the damage the object caused as it punctured the tire.

- Reestablish an airtight seal of the tire's innerliner.

- Completely fill the path the object took through the tire.

Tire puncture repairs affect the Manufacturer's speed ratings

- Speed ratings are reduced or eliminated when tires are repaired.

- Vehicles that demand a speed rated tire should not use tires with lower speed ratings.

- Follow the repair policies of speed rated tires:
* HR or Less - repairable
* HR or More - non-repairable

Improper repairs to a punctured tire

- Any repair attempted without removing the tire from the wheel.

- Simply plugging a tire from the outside without removing the tire from the wheel is an improper and incomplete repair.
*A patch on the inside will reseal the innerliner it doesn't fill the path of the puncture, allowing moisture to reach the steel belts causing them to rust or deteriorate.

- Also any repair that doesn't completely fill the path the object took through the tire is incomplete.

Improperly repaired tires can fail while in service, such as tread-belt separation and/or detachment, which may result in an accident causing serious personal injury or death.

Tire Repair Requirements

-Tread punctures of 1/8 of an inch punctures or less are the only injuries that Tire Warehouse will repair and these punctures can only be repaired if they are in a specific tread area (shown right). -If the injury damage extends into the shoulder/belt edge OR the injury extends at an angle into the shoulder area the tire must be scrapped.

* Tire is dismounted for internal inspection of injury and/or damage.

* If repairable we fill the tread injury with the Safety Seal® material.

* Once the plug/patch is installed we apply the liquid patch material to the tire repair area.

* Re-install tire to rim and thoroughly inspect the injured area to insure the integrity of the Safety Seal® tire repair.

* A Re-Balance of the tire is done and then re-installed on the vehicle.

PLEASE, tell your Tire Warehouse Sales person if you have used the canned fix a flat, tire sealant type product. Some of the older versions of this product are extremely flammable! The tire sealant product is not recommended even as a temporary fix. It has the potential to ruin an otherwise repairable tire.