Pinhole in the yellow circle. Requires airing up once a week. It is right on the corner of where the tread transitions to the sidewall. The tires are almost worn to the wear bars anyway but they quoted 600 to 900 for a new set.
Thing is we are considering trading it off as the engine now uses about a quart of oil every 3k miles, has 200k on the clock and is 13 years old.
OR... would it be safe just to plug it myself, would a plug hold at this spot?
Just curious what the collective thinks.
I did go by the tire shop today but they were backed up longer than i had time to wait.
From a positional standpoint, I don't see why not. It's in the tread, not the sidewall. Interior patch, not a plug. Based on the degree of wear, they might try to talk you out of it. Telling them that you're about to trade the vehicle in might do the trick.
Most tire shops will probably refuse to repair a tire with a penetration that close to the edge. It's a point of to much flex. They don't want the liability. You personally could try to patch or insert a repair string but it probably won't last long.
If people would mind their own damn business this country would be better off. I owe no one an explanation or an apology for my personal opinion.
Posts: 11211 | Location: Somewhere north of a hot humid hell in the summer | Registered: January 09, 2009
Talked to a Bridgestone engineer once when I had a similar leak but further into the center. He said he would have no problem running a patched tire so long as the interior patch does not roll up on the sidewall. In my case I was ok. Think yours is too close. Can you patch it....sure. Would I bet my life on it.....not so much.
Posts: 1859 | Location: Chicagoland | Registered: December 10, 2008
Originally posted by Shifferbrains: Yeah that is too close to the sidewall to be safe. You don’t want a patch to be curved, there is too much of a chance of patch failure due to flex.
Now you can take your chances and plug it yourself. Because of liability issues, I doubt any reputable tire store will repair that.
I agree with shifferbrains. My ex had the same about 3-4 weeks ago and the tire place would not repair it.
Posts: 7859 | Location: NE Ohio | Registered: July 03, 2001
Unlikely since it is so close to the sidewall, as others have said. Just plug it yourself with a kit.
I've done that with my truck and have had no issues.
________________________________________
-- Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past me I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain. --
Posts: 17777 | Location: New Mexico | Registered: October 14, 2005
No tire shop worth their salt will repair that. The hole is too close to the sidewall, as well as having little to no tread on that edge (probably both of them). It looks as if it has been run chronically underinflated. If you don't have TPMS you can get sealants that may or may not work, or you can get a plug kit and do it yourself to buy it a little time, but even this is against my advice. Life is too short to drive on shitty tires.
Posts: 29074 | Location: Johnson City, TN | Registered: April 28, 2012
Originally posted by az4783054: Most tire shops will probably refuse to repair a tire with a penetration that close to the edge. It's a point of to much flex.
That was my experience when I had a nail in a similar spot. Too close to the sidewall. They wouldn't touch it.
Plug it yourself or, if it only needs air once a week, air it up and go trade it in. Agree with the others, I do not believe a tire shop will patch it.
