flat!

[Steve Sears]

Greg,
The patches the shop used were pretty much invisible from the outside.  The
furthest from the tread was one drywall screw that made it about a tread
block width from the outside block.  Not sure what patches they used, or how
they did it - the shop does not have windows in the waiting room otherwise I
would have seen.
As for Bob's comments, and my tires, of course YMMV, Caveat Emptor, and all
the other usual disclaimers apply.  The repairs are holding on the snows for
year 3 now....knock on arborite desk top.
I was also thinking that should Rocky's attempted patch not hold, could he
take the free brand new tire and have it shaved by a performance tire shop
if he's worried about slight rolling diameter differences?  IMO, the
"lifetime warranty" would be kinda useless if they provide 1 useless tire in
return - sorta makes you want to have a sheetrock screw accident with the
other 3 tires - darn, that drywalling contractor's truck pulled out on the
highway in front of you again......
Cheers!
Steve Sears
1987 Audi 5kTQ
1980 Audi 5k
1962 and '64 Auto Union DKW Junior deLuxes
(SPAM Blocker NOTE: Remove SHOES to reply)

----- Original Message ----- 
> > At 4:27 PM -0500 1/20/04, Steve Sears wrote:
> >
> >> Rocky,
> >> I've had similar experience with punctures in both my summer (Dunlop
> >> D60A2)
> >> and winter tires (Blizzak WS15).  Three punctures - all just outside
the
> >> tread blocks (I work in construction - many trips through construction
> >> sites
> >> will find many sheetrock screws and roofing nails) were deemed
> >> "unfixable"
> >> by a number of places who will remain nameless, but their initials are
> >> Canadian Tire and Beverly Tire.  Bob, the guy at Frank's Tire here in
> >> Hamilton, informed me that small punctures in tires can be fixed right
> >> from
> >> one bead to the other - not just in the tread blocks alone.  All three
> >> punctures have been repaired (the first about 3 years ago) and the
tires
> >> hold air just fine - as a matter of fact, I took the rest of my snows
to
> >> Franks last winter after the unrepaired ones developed bead leaks over
> >> the
> >> summer.  You can guess where I send all my family and friends to get
tire
> >> work done.
> >> If they can get you a new tire under warranty, then go that route.  If
> >> they
> >> can't, find a shop that will attempt to patch (not plug) the hole
> >> before you
> >> get new shoes on all 4 corners.
> >> [OK, now I'm ready to have my wrist slapped for advocating fixing the
> >> tires....]
> >
> >
> >
> Exactly where on the tire is this small hole?  If on the sidewall I
> think that there may be too much flex for a patch to stay properly in
> place.  On HD off road equipment tires they can vulcanize a new section
> into the sidewall; but they are designed to do that.  Passenger car
> radials have more flex in the sidewalls.
>
> Never under any circumstances do a plug in a sidewall; not even good in
> a tread. Maybe in an emergency.  The patches that I use and that are
> common need about a 1/4" to 3/8" hole  to be inserted.  If not that
> large they need to be drilled out to that size. The inside of the tire
> is then buffed and ruber cement applied.  The patch is like a circular
> patch with an integral rubber plug at the center.  With the right tools
> then the tip of the plug is then pulled thru to the outside.  The base
> of the patch has a sticky surface that adheres to the rubber cement.
> The inside of the patch is then rolled over with a small knurled roller
> to make sure that it is in full contact with the rubber cement.  The
> excess end of the plug that sticks out is then cut flush.
>
> Greg Galinsky
> G & G SERVICE
>
> Selling Nokians since 1979; so I kind of know what I'm talking about
> with tires.