I don't even give a plugged tire a 2nd thought if it is done right. Been doing it since the 1970s.

When I would get a nail in my police car tires the garage would try and plug them….I always told them to either replace it completely or patch it. But then again I was driving a police car and might have to chase someone or drive very fast to go help someone.

Those Goodyear Eagles were super soft and wore down quickly so I’d have new tires in six months or so anyway.

On my personal truck and cats a plug is fine…..if I was ocd I might take it to a shop and have it patched.

I've plugged Z and Y tires before with no I'll effects. It wouldn't pass tech at a track day, but:

1) I'm not driving 140MPH to/from work every day
2) I don't have to pass tech every time I go to work
3) I don't go to track days much if at all
4) I don't have $350 free to just throw at a tire every time it leaks

Worst you have to worry about when driving on a properly plugged tire is dissimilar wear rates, but likely the tires going to be toast before you have to worry about it.

We plug dump truck tires all the time at work 11/22.5 size that run that outlast the tire life if done properly, we ream them out and then put some patch cement on the gummy worm and they last.

I’d wager to say that I have almost a million miles on plugged tires. I used to always plug a tire myself and have probably done it 50 times in my life. I never had a leak or failure of a plugged tire. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I learned that this is actually an improper repair.

That being said, I now take my tires to the tire store down the road and they patch/plug them from the inside for me. I have a family now and the thought of a failed tire at highway speeds is not comforting.

quote:

Originally posted by JohnCourage:
I have plugged tires many times and run the full lifespan on them. As long as the plug is not on the sidewall or right at the edge I would be fine with it.

agree

(assuming it was done by a skilled person)

------------------------------

I plugged some six ply Goodrich AT's on the edge of the tread when they had less than 500 miles on them. Was delivering rural mail and it was the left side, not right. Hmm. Plugged them and it was all good. They went 45,000 and I replaced them with Generals which are better. Sold it later.

My current tires on the F150 use ceramic bead weights and Slime isn't allowed, so plugs it will be. I'm not tearing one down for a patch unless there is no other remedy. I have a HF manual tire changer and put them on myself last spring, saved $100.

I try to cut out dependency on social infrastructure when I know I can do the work. Cut down five trees last week, still moving limbs and recovering next years firewood. Tire plugs are a no brainer, after twisting them and extracting the inserter I have learned to cut the excess off flush. My wife had one pull out just half mile down the road, and had to do it all over.

Live and learn.

Are you planning on going over 90-100mph? If not, the plug should be good. If you are... well mine held up but was only tested because I'm a dumbass and didn't know any better.

I have always plugged my tires with no issues other then on occasion they start leaking again then I just re-plug them and drive on.

Around here the major tire shops won't patch a plugged tire which I think is bullshit.

quote:

Originally posted by JohnCourage:
I have plugged tires many times and run the full lifespan on them. As long as the plug is not on the sidewall or right at the edge I would be fine with it.

This.

Don’t tell anyone, but I once drove my ZX9R from Chicago to Brainerd, MN with 11 plugs in the rear tire. For whatever reason, I got one nail after another in my tire over a two month period when I lived on Irving Park Rd. A buddy worked at a shop in St Paul and got me a tire at his cost. I had it changed at BIR.

I've driven miles and miles on plugged tires and never had an issue with a plug failing. Keep an eye on the plug for a few hundred miles and if it doesn't fail or leak it probably never will.

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:
Don’t tell anyone, but I once drove my ZX9R from Chicago to Brainerd, MN with 11 plugs in the rear tire. For whatever reason, I got one nail after another in my tire over a two month period when I lived on Irving Park Rd. A buddy worked at a shop in St Paul and got me a tire at his cost. I had it changed at BIR.

That does seem a bit much, 11 plugs, I've plugged more than one motorcycle tire and never had an issue. I don't race, do track days or burnouts so for me plugging a 300 dollar rear tire that still had plenty of tread life was the right decision.

It didn't start out with 11. After the first one, I sent my buddy the money to buy a new tire and figured I'd get it done the next time I went up there.

Moot point I guess. Tire has lost about 5 psi since Saturday, so I will be waiting for the tire shop to open tomorrow morning. I was hoping for better results, but it allowed me to get to work last night when I would've been unable to otherwise.

I think it's time to retire my 22 year old truck and buy something more economical.

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:
Don’t tell anyone, but I once drove my ZX9R from Chicago to Brainerd, MN with 11 plugs in the rear tire. For whatever reason, I got one nail after another in my tire over a two month period when I lived on Irving Park Rd. A buddy worked at a shop in St Paul and got me a tire at his cost. I had it changed at BIR.

11 plugs…sounds like an Urlacher Billboard.

I've been driving on plugged tires for at least 4-5 years, all done properly by me

Edit to add, I had one that 2 plugs wouldn't patch, my mechanic did a patch on the the inside of that one.

When we were running paper routes I plugged many tires over the years. Never had a problem

I'd trust a good plug over a donut any day.

I keep a plug kit and inflator in the trunk at all times. I rather plug and pump than ride on undersized donuts like mentioned above.

I've also driven for several years on the same plugged tires and held air as good as the rest.