alpha12

Today I went to drive to work and got a TPMS alert that my rear passenger tire had zero pressure...upon inspection I noticed a nail had found its way into the tire near the middle of the tread. I tried taking the car to a local shop (after adding air to 35 psi which held for the trip) and was told with the stock tires being low profile they could not patch the hole as it was a risk to tear the tire. Does anyone have experience with nails in low profile tires, and suggest I try a new shop? Any opinions on plugging vs patching? Or is my best option to replace the entire tire outright? I believe replacing 1 tire when the rest are at 11500 miles on them may cause issues however too...

4TehNguyen

iTrader: (1)

sounds like BS, if its the middle of the tread then it should be repairable low profile or not. Try another shop

NVMarkus

iTrader: (2)

I second that... if it is in the sidewall is the only time that they can not repair the tire.

JDR76

I had a nail in the tread of mine and the local tire shop repaired it no problem.

Mr_VFS1

I had a screw in my tire but in the opposite direction. Took it to a local shop that is very good at what they do and plugged it. This wasn't on my stock wheels though. I took it to a different shop before and they didn't want to repair it because they might damage my wheel trying to take the tire off. It was on a 255/30/20 tire stretched on a 20x10.5 wheel.

jkhang714

I had a nail in my back driver tire over the weekend, I just used the tire plug repair kit found at local autozone's and did it myself. pull nail out and insert plug with cement glue. works great, this isn't the first time I've used this. There is no need to go to the tire shop.

Mike_1GO

iTrader: (2)

yes its repairable, low profile or not, doesn't make a difference. if a puncture is on the sidewall, only then is the tire not repairable and rendered useless.

Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

Our CX picked up a screw near the center last week .
19" tire.
I never go with plugs.
A local tire shop dismounted the tire did a mushroom patch repair.
The shop won't even do plug repairs. .

nvbirdman

The dealer found a nail in the sidewall of one of my tires and told me it couldn't be fixed. It was still holding air, so they said I could keep driving on it, but they said when it goes it would have to be replaced.
I fixed it with a plug kit from Autozone. I can put thirty five pounds in it, and a month later it will have thirty five pounds in it.

SW17LS

Sounds to me like the shop was trying to sell you a new tire.

Way more punctures are repairable than they would let you believe. I have a GREAT tire shop here, they patched (from the inside) a big screw hole in the shoulder of a tire tread one time (like really in the sidewall). When I came in there for tires assuming they'd be unable to fix it. Didn't even charge me, drove the car for 2 years or so on that patch and it never once leaked.

Its a liability thing, and a "I want to sell you tires" thing.

dagobert

Always patch a tire from the inside...never use plugs.

AndyL

Totally agreed. I was told by my tire shop that to patch or use a plug from outside is an older way to fix a tire puncture which is longer considered a safe practice.

To OP - just like what others have said, if the puncture is in the middle of the thread, it is usually repairable unless your tire thread is too low/too worn.

A reputable tire shop has to remove the tire from the rim, remove the puncture from the tire, patch from inside which involves some chemical. After some time, the tire is ready to be installed and balanced. If someone said he is afraid to damage the rim, find a good shop which is comfortable to handle the whee carefully without scratching.