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Old 06-27-2020, 11:23 AM   #1
Alan
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For long road trips do you feel a patched tire is safe

My daughters new Q5 which has around 160 miles on it has a screw in the middle of the tire thread. Normally I would just remove the screw and put a plug in it myself but being she drives the car 4 hours each way to school and it’s my daughter not me driving I always in the past just replace her tires when something happens.

I spoke to the dealer and they are willing to patch it ... I never take this route but the tire is literally brand new.

Being on the side of caution would you feel safe with just patching it ?
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Old 06-27-2020, 11:48 AM   #2
ff
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Mentally, I never feel like I can fully trust the tire patches. But I've had a number of them and never had one fail. They've survived long trips, and hot summer pavement without any issues that I can tell.
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Old 06-27-2020, 12:26 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan View Post
My daughters new Q5 which has around 160 miles on it has a screw in the middle of the tire thread. Normally I would just remove the screw and put a plug in it myself but being she drives the car 4 hours each way to school and it’s my daughter not me driving I always in the past just replace her tires when something happens.

I spoke to the dealer and they are willing to patch it ... I never take this route but the tire is literally brand new.

Being on the side of caution would you feel safe with just patching it ?
Can you patch it and turn it into a spare? Buy a rim for it?
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Old 06-27-2020, 01:40 PM   #4
Jeff_DML
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I have parched my tires multiple times and never had issues, YMMV
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Old 06-27-2020, 02:09 PM   #5
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I have parched my tires multiple times and never had issues, YMMV
I as well... HUNDREDS of thousands of miles on cars running with one (or more) patched tires and have never had a second thought about using a tire that has been repaired. As long as it has been done properly - should be good.
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Old 06-27-2020, 04:31 PM   #6
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Yeah, same. I’ve lost track of how many patches are on the Tesla. At least 3. I don’t have any concerns about it. I might be cautious of prolonged high speed use (like, 100+) but for normal driving? No concerns.
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Old 06-27-2020, 06:16 PM   #7
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Plug and patch followed by forget about it.

Patches are generally better than plugs, but I’ve never had a concern or issue putting on many tens of thousands of further miles, including high speed freeway travel in super hot weather, competition, etc.

The only thing I gives me any pause is when the puncture is close to the shoulder.

An aside...one of my favorite tire repairs was at the Oscoda Pro Solo a couple summers ago. We drove up on the competition tires. When leaving the site for dinner after registration, tech, and practice starts, we picked up a screw. Found it in the right front when we got to dinner and left the repair until after eating.

A couple amusing videos of the repair in progress (second one is more amusing):

https://photos.app.goo.gl/x7a78oGdwBxACA5z5

https://photos.app.goo.gl/7V8tvh3ky6spxJcc9

We completed the plug with the tire on the car and lost no air pressure in the process. Did the event with two drivers and no problems, drove from Oscoda to near Albany, NY to Toronto, back to DC, did another two driver Pro Solo a couple weeks later, one more two driver local event, and added another 1k street miles that year. Did another 1k street miles, a single driver Championship Tour and a single driver Pro Solo the following season on them...all without issue.
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Old 06-27-2020, 09:46 PM   #8
Jeff_DML
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Quote:
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Yeah, same. I’ve lost track of how many patches are on the Tesla. At least 3. I don’t have any concerns about it. I might be cautious of prolonged high speed use (like, 100+) but for normal driving? No concerns.
Someone might of done track events on a plugged tire in his younger days
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Old 06-27-2020, 10:10 PM   #9
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A proper patch would not worry me at all. Never had any issues. Hand one on the ZHP for many thousands all the way until the rear tires looked like slicks with no issues.


I had a rubber plug kit used on the shoulder of the E91 rear runflat due to an emergency in rural Canada on a Sunday. It got me all the way home with no issues, but eventually started to leak a few weeks later (a week before lease return) and I bought a used tire off ebay for the lease return.

Went out of my way to go to a reputable place where I specifically asked for patch for an LR4 tire only do find they did a sticky plug. I was pretty unhappy but I doubt I'll have to worry about it on a car like that. Smack in the middle of the tire too. Plus, I carry a full spare on that car.
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Old 06-28-2020, 08:27 AM   #10
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I have had a few patched properly.

That is, where they pull the tire, and do the patch with the integral plug.

I have done the temp plug kit from the outside. I never had any real problems, but I always considered it as a temp fix.
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