Member Since: 11 Sep 2006
Location: Swine Town
Posts: 2330
Been Blackthorned; tyre repair advice please.
One of my Pirelli Zeros had a thorn from a Blackthorn bush straight through the tread (in the groove rather than the block) and it was seeping air at a rate of about 5PSI a day. I managed to remove the thorn even though it had splintered (I think this was making it act a bit like a straw/hyperdermic needle in letting the air out) and the leak has now dropped to about 2PSI per week. Now the question is, how should this be repaired? The hole is less than 1mm diameter, so I'm rather loath to have some grease monkey ram a huge reamer through it to repair it with a plug and risk damaging the steel cords whilst they are at it.
My insane mind says that some leather stitching thread loaded with rubber solution and fed into the hole with a sewing machine needle would do a more than adequate job, but before I do that is there an official/legal repair for this kind of minor puncture that doesn't involve killing the steelwork in the tyre with a reamer?
Any advice gladly received.
Thanks!Dr. Ian Malcolm:
"Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should."
Transgenic tomato anyone?
20th Apr 2009 1:07 pm
Roel
Member Since: 16 Aug 2008
Location: home
Posts: 1215
I don't know if it a legal repair but if the thorn stayed in and the tyre wasn't leaking is that legal then?
I would say as it is in the thread if you get it from stop leaking it would be OK.Roel
1997 Camel Trophy Disco ex-P101JWK (traded it for a Britains 42101)
1984 90 TD5
2005 G4 Disco 3 BN55WPT
Also member of club MTR
and Club Faultmate
Interested in my 4x4 history see my website: www.mudmachine.webklik.nl
Sorry it's in Dutch and with google translator it gets funny.
20th Apr 2009 2:35 pm
sarumlight
Member Since: 07 Nov 2008
Location: Off the Plain
Posts: 1590
What about the "slime" that's been discussed on here before for preventing punctures? That would seal up the leak and any future punctures.
I'd better say I haven't tried it myself - not too sure about what it does to balance, and whether it's safe at high speeds, but perhaps someone can answer that?
Understand what you mean about not wanting to make the hole bigger to put a plug in, but I've never heard of that causing problems (tyre places won't plug a hole that's too close to the sidewall).
Good luck! David
20th Apr 2009 2:56 pm
Ken
Member Since: 20 Feb 2006
Location: Here
Posts: 10865
Tyre latex your chances of a quality Plug / Mushroom repair ,
If a plug is done right its fine
20th Apr 2009 2:59 pm
alanwxr
Member Since: 19 Nov 2006
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 306
Personally I'd take it for the professional repair without hesitation.
Just think what your insurance would say with a DIY repair if there was a blowout sometime in the future!
20th Apr 2009 3:27 pm
AJS4X4
Member Since: 30 Mar 2008
Location: Surrey
Posts: 3224
Perfectly sound to plug tyre from inside with mushroom plug so long as it's not too close to sidewall, leave it to the pro's.
Personally I'd take it for the professional repair without hesitation.
That should rule out 'Krap Fit' then Now an ex-D3 owner after 7 happy years. Miss the car but not the big bills
22nd Apr 2009 10:12 am
stapldm
Member Since: 11 Sep 2006
Location: Swine Town
Posts: 2330
AJS4X4 wrote:
Perfectly sound to plug tyre from inside with mushroom plug so long as it's not too close to sidewall, leave it to the pro's.
Ken, Andy, Are you convinced that this doesn't increase ply/cord damage in the tyre then? There's no way a thorn would have harmed the steel, but having seen the evil reamer used to make the hole big enough for a plug I find it hard to believe it doesn't cause some internal damage.
I'm playing devil's advocate here a bit 'cos the leak is in fact slowly sealing itself over time, but I'm still trying to understand how much of the tyres structural integrity is compromised by plugging it.
The reamer tool usually has quite sharp edges and is used to cut a bigger hole in the rubber/rayon whilst spreading the steel cords to make room for the mushroom, right? So if it whittles off some steel you now have a thinner section that would flex more and reduce time to metal fatigue induced failure. I guess the real question is how long this failure could take, 'cos if it's a lot more than the life of the tread then it's a mute point.
@alanwxr Not too sure that my proposed fix could lead to a blowout as I'd affect the steelwork less than a professional repair, however you are right that 'slugging' isn't recommended for on road/speed use here so there could be insurance implications.
@Albourneboy Too right! Dr. Ian Malcolm:
"Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should."
Transgenic tomato anyone?
22nd Apr 2009 12:27 pm
Ken
Member Since: 20 Feb 2006
Location: Here
Posts: 10865
In answer as a rule we dont repair any tyres but thats just us
However as AJS states and I'll stand behind this leave it to the pro's to make the call wether to repair or not and let them do it
Good tyre place's want your repeat business so they wont rip you off selling you a tyre when they dont have to
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your chances of a quality Plug / Mushroom repair ,
