
#Slime tire plug kit instructions Patch#
A combination repair consists of a repair patch with a rubber plug/stem attached to its center. It is NHTSA’s position that a combination repair is the only way to properly repair a tire puncture. The tire industry also considers this repair method to be improper because it may allow air and moisture to seep into the tire through the injury channel from the tread surface. The patch and surrounding area is stitched or rolled, and may be covered with sealant before the tire is put back on the rim. After preparation, vulcanizing cement is then applied to the patch and inner liner of the tire and the patch is applied over the puncture hole. After the puncture has been located, the area surrounding the puncture on the inside of the tire is prepared with scrapers, buffing tools and cleaning solutions in order to prepare the area to “bond” with the repair unit or patch. In order t patch a tire, the technician must remove it from the rim to locate the puncture from the inside of the tire. The second common tire repair method is a “patch-only” repair. Without inspecting the inside of the tire, it is impossible to determine whether any damage has occurred, requiring it to be scrapped. An additional risk of performing a string plug repair is that a puncture, even if it is within the “repairable” area of the tire, may cause damage to the inside of the tires. Over time, this corrosion weakens the steel belts and the bonds between the rubber-to-rubber layers and rubber-to-the-wire layers of the tire, greatly increasing the risk of a tread separation. The tire industry maintains that these elements seep in between the layers of the tire allowing the steel belts to degrade and causing the tire to deteriorate and corrode from within. Various industry publications state that the greatest potential danger caused by a string plug repair is that this type of repair allows air and moisture to penetrate the body of the tire. The tire manufacturing industry expressly disagrees. For this reason, many consumers consider a string plug repair a permanent solution. Tires that have been punctured and repaired with a string plug may hold air for months, years even for the remaining life of the tire. A string plug repair facility cost half of other types of repairs, making it an attractive alternative for consumers looking to save money. It is also possible to purchase additional string plugs at a cost of $2.00 to $3.00 for a package of three to five replacement plugs. The cost of a string plug repair kit ranges from $4.00 to $5.00. Some kits also contain rubber cement to help create a seal between the string plug and tire. String plugs are typically supplied as part of a repair kit consisting of a reaming tool, an insertion tool and a few string plugs. Often times, this plug-only repair is a “string plug,” which consists of a 4 to 5 inch long woven cord that is covered with a tacky substance. The insertion tool is the removed, leaving the plug in the hole, and thereby filling it. This is one of the multitudes of reasons why a plug-only repair is an unsafe method.Ī plug-only repair is accomplished by inserting the plug through the outside of the tire with an insertion tool. It is impossible to inspect the cavity of the tire for any puncture damage without removing the tire from the rim. Technicians will often swab the tire with soapy water or dunk it into a tank to look for bubbles of escaping air. Therefore, unless there has been damage or the puncturing object is still protruding from the tire, it can be difficult to locate the puncture through a visual examination only. When tire rubber has been punctured, the hole tends to close up when the puncturing item us removed.

The patch-only and combination repairs require the technician to demount the tire from the rim to examine the inside of the tire for damage and repair it from the inside. There are three common ways to repair a punctured tire: A plug-only, a patch-only repair or a combination repair. Most people discover that their in-service tire may have a puncture after noticing that their tire is flat or low on air. This web page discuss tire repair techniques, the relative safety of those various repair methods, tire repair litigation and some of the reasons these unsafe methods persist. Likewise, tire repair shops continue to use these improper repair methods. Despite eight figure verdicts and public safety campaigns by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) highlighting the dangers of improper tire repairs, (“plug-only” and “patch-only”) repairs, suppliers continue to market and sell plug-only repairs kits.
