I stopped by all the parts stores today (four of them) where all they had were the flat inside patches and "rope" outside patches. Same with the big box stores.
Looks like I have to get my patch plugs online, but I don't need a box of five hundred. Five would do me well for the next couple of years or so.
Where do you buy small quantities of patch plugs to repair passenger car tires?
If I assume correctly that the plugs you mention must be inserted from inside the tubeless tire after breaking the bead and removing the tire from the wheel, I believe I have the answer to both your questions:
a) you can't find smaller quantities because the folks that use them (the most) are shops with the proper (read expensive) equipment. It's not generally a DIY thing.
b) which would tell me that if I wanted or could go through the hassle of removing the tire from the wheel and using these patches, I should probably go a local garage that does tire repairs and offer to buy a small quantity at a premium price. That's sometimes the cost of indulging one's fantasies. ;)
replying to Blake Snyder, Iggy wrote: I'll 2nd Unquestionably Confused. No patches make your tire bulletproof and they weren't originally made to be so either, you wouldn't be patching them. Use both the rope and the interior patch and each repaired leak will outlive the tire.
Yes. That's the only way to properly repair a tire at home or in the shop.
The equipment to lift the vehicle, remove the tire from the vehicle, break the bead from the rim, remove a tire from the wheel, patch it from the inside after marking locations, check the static balance, and then put it back is not expensive.
But I agree with you that many people don't have those tools, just as many people don't have a table saw, or a drill press, or even a router or a bench grinder, all of which are about the same cost for the tools.
You're dead wrong.
It's so easy to change a tire that it can be more of a hassle to bring it to the shop than it is to just change it at home, depending on how much hassle you consider it to be to waste your time at a shop for such things that can easily be done at home.
The only reason people don't change their own tires is simply that they don't want to - which is fine. If I had a baby in the house, I'd have someone else change the diapers too - but that's not because it's difficult to do.
I'd say your advice is extremely bad, since *none* of your assumptions are even close to correct save for the one which is that most people don't do it.
Just like most people don't paint their own houses, or that most people might not maintain their own lawns or pools, I understood that well
*before* I asked the question, so your answer provided nothing new.Who doesn't know what you seem to know, which is that most people don't patch their own tires. Everyone knows that. You added nothing.
While I can find sources on the net for five patchplugs at a time, I was asking for the best sources out there. I have been to the tire shops to ask and they just give me a handful gratis, but I don't want that.
I just want to know if any of you know of a good source on the net for a handful of patch plugs. If you don't know of a good source, there is no sense in replying and wasting everyone's time.
This is good advice. It doesn't answer the question, but it provides an alternative which would negate the need for the question. I agree.
I've done that "plug and patch" method which works well, especially after investing in a tire knife (which is flexible skiving blade to flush cut so that it cuts "more flush" but it's never perfect).
When I used the long rubbery plugs in addition to the flat patch, that made a prettier patch, with slightly less "bump" but I don't have any more of the long rubbery plugs.
When I tried that same method with the stringy "rope", it was much harder to cut the rope sticking out on the inside of the tire well flush. So the patch had a slight hump. No big deal, of course, but it's not perfect.
The "patch & plug" method you propose is the *only* method that you can purchase at the local auto parts stores, and local big box hardware stores, I agree.
But I picked up a handful of those patchplugs from a tire shop who handed them to me gratis and I fell in love with them. I'm sure if I asked again, they'd give me another handful, but I don't want that.
I just want to find a nice source for patchplugs either locally or online.
Here are some examples:
I am just asking if any of you have experience with purchasing the best?
I can tell you an "inside patch" is not the answer.
My experience:
I got a flat on the way to work. Stopped at one of many of the 'gas stations' which still had tire service and told them, "a heated inside patch", only! They tried twice, then did a 'plug'. The plug worked! The 'inside hot patch' did not! I went on my way with a single "plug". ;)
nb
I do a lot of repairs, but having the equipment to break a bead on a tire, storing it, screwing around with it, isn't on my list. If I need that, I just go to a tire shop, where it's done quickly and inexpensively.
I do all the above, except dismounting tires at home.
What makes a source the best? How many flats are you having? I've had about two in ten years. One resulted in the loss of the tire. The other one, I fixed with a string type plug, without taking it off the car. That was many years ago, it's been holding fine.
I have been to the tire shops to ask
You just said you have sources for five. How many is a handful?
A lot of people have a lot of yard where having the lawn mower in the shed, storing it, screwing around with it, isn't on their list.
A lot of people have a driveway where having the equipment to maintain it, screwing around with the tarblack, isn't on their list.
A lot of people have a pool where having the equipment to test the chemistry, vacuum the crud, and skim the bugs isn't on their list.
We all know this. Those people should not respond if they don't know the answer.
And people with lawns hire landscapers to mow it. And people with driveways hire asphalt guys to tarblack it. And people with pools hire a pool company to maintain it.
Those people aren't ever going to know the answer to any related question. They can only guess.
I can guess too. I don't want to guess. I'd rather learn from someone who has purchased & used the patches.
For example, now that I've done perhaps 25 patches, I *know* which I like best, and it's the patchplugs - by far. I even know *why* I like them.
Do the others work. Yes.
That's fine as I *know* most people don't dismount tires just like most people don't dig their own fencepost holes.
You don't have to *like* the task. I never said you did.
The only thing I'll say, since I've done plenty of tires, is that it's so easy that anyone who complains that it's difficult hasn't ever done it or is an idiot who can't figure out how it's done.
Likewise, anyone who complains that the tools cost too much is merely proving they can't do the simplest of math problems spanning the time period of the useful life of their tools.
The real reason people don't do it is that they don't like doing it, which is fine. Nobody is forcing anyone to like anything.
Just don't make stuff up about the job. Just tell the truth to yourself. And to others.
a. It's easy and convenient to fix flat tires whenever you feel like it. b. The tools are no more expensive than any others you have in the shop. c. It just takes a little knowledge (which many people may not ever have).
I can tell you the best source of pool chlorine in my area if you ask me, and it's not the big box hardware stores.
I can tell you the best brand of chainsaw to buy and you're not going to find that brand at Sears.
I can tell you the place in town to get whiteout, but it's not going to be at Staples or OfficeDepot.
How do I know such things? Because of two factors inherent with this thing called "experience": . I have bought the *wrong* stuff and suffered because of that . I have bought the *right* stuff and benefited from that.
Take for example the suggestion to path and plug. I've done it. Everyone has done it. It's so easy to do that it's the first thing you'll try.
But once I received a bona-fide patchplug gratis from a tire shop, I was instantly *sold* on the beauty of the thing. It's a work of art, really.
It just *feels* great to patch plug so professionally beautifully. How do I know this?
Because I have experience in all the methods of patching a tire.
I'm only asking for people's experience. I don't need or want guesses.
I can guess as well or better than most of you can guess. If this thread had zero bad answers, that would be a bonus.
I have the wife, and kids and grandkids and nearby friends, neighbors and relatives, where I fix their flats all the time for them, gratis.
I'd guess I'm fixing about 2 a year or so at this rate, but that's only an average as I just last week fixed two slow leaks on the same neighbor's car. So I can go though five patches in a year, but not more than that.
The problem is that I can't plan on how many patches I will need to do since they come in when they come in. I, myself, get about 1 flat a year only, and often I can go for three years without a flat, but then I can get three in a year. You can't plan these things.
A lot has to do, I think, with the fact I recycle, where you can't believe the stuff you have to drive over to dump a truckload of stuff. Another thing is that I help everyone in the neighborhood. And I pull over on shoulders at times, to help people who have flats.
All these places have "debris" on the macadem, which can lodge into the treads.
But to directly answer your question, about five patches should last me about a year or so where I don't want to store the sticky rubber longer than that.
Good for you! That means you don't have nearly the experience that I do. Lucky you!
That's a very *deep* and *emotional* topic for many. Ever wonder why Goodyear and Schwab and America's Tire do "free" tire flat repair?
Ka-ching!
All follow RMA recommendations, which will fail a tire if two patches are on the same line, if they're too close to the edge, if there is fluff inside, if the hole is angled at greater than about 45 degrees, if the shape isn't easily patched, if the tread is worn down to a single wear bar, if the rim isn't in perfect condition, etc.
I would *love* know what their failure rate is for the mom-and-pop who innocently brings their tire to be fixed for "free" and they're left holding a rim in one hand and a tire on the other because the shop will almost always *refuse* to put it back on the car.
Then I'd love to know how many people buy whatever tire is in inventory at the tire shop, because they just want to get the car back on the road (a lot depends on their willingness to use the spare but they still need the flat fixed at some point relatively soon so they cave in to the current hard sell at the shop because it's a PITA to bring a car to the shop for many people).
Surprisingly, they work just fine to hold the air in and to protect the treads from doing further damage inside the thickness.
But you don't get the same satisfaction from doing the job right.
It's the same difference as making your own salad dressing with first-press olive oil versus buying the slop in the grocery store made out of God knows what.
Both work fine as salad dressing - but one is done right. And that just feels right.
About a year ago or so, I went to a shop to ask them where to get the black goop they put on the *inside* of the tire, and they gave me an almost finished can of that, plus they dug their hand into their patchplug bin when I asked what size they use most for passenger car tire flats.
Out came five patchplugs, which I used up during the ensuing year. I don't want to ask for freebies again and they don't sell them.
In the olden days, they use the flame-vulcanized patches, but that's before my time AFAIK. They might still use heat vulcanization, but I read every RMA document I could and I have many times talked to the RMA reps, where they never recommended heat-cured patch processes to me.
The correct process is pretty simple though and works just fine.
It's so easy to do right that the main reason people don't do it at home is simply that they don't want to, which is just fine, but those people who don't do it won't have the answer to the question.
Anyone can just guess. I can guess even better than most people.
But I wasn't asking for a guess. I was asking for experience.
I'm truly impressed. You have a nice set of rules as to who can reply to you and you also have experience patching tires. Not may of us have your ability and yes, we are in awe of you.
I admit, I've never changed car tire. I just don't have your skills and ability so I won't go beyond fixing bicycle tires. Well, not the actual tire but the tube inside of it.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom.
The difference of course is that a hole digger is about the size of a shovel, sits easily in the corner, and doesn't have to be mounted to the garage floor. Tire changing eqpt is large, bulky and does have to be floor mounted. And if I had the need to dig a bunch of holes, I'd rent a power tool.
It's not the cost, it's the size, bulkiness, they need to be mounted to the garage floor. And then that you need to BALANCE the tires after they are mounted. What's the point to having the eqpt to mount tires, when that's only half of the process?
I didn't make up anything.
The simple question was what makes a source for your patch plugs a good one. You said you've gotten handfuls from local shops for free, you said you know where to buy them 5 at a time online. So, what's the problem? Without knowing what criteria are required, it can't be answered.
It's not my first thing. My first thing for a simple nail is a rope type plug, without taking the tire off the car. Been there, done it, it works.
If you're so experienced, why don't you know where to source the patch plugs?
Last time I had a tire plugged/patched is about 5 years ago. In 56 years and 25 cars of driving I'd not paid out enough for tire repairs to justify buying any equipment. I do have a tire pressure gauge though.
Similar experience here. I've had about 3 tire problems in maybe 15 years. One was when I drove over a short piece of nipple type pipe on the road, it instantly deflated it. That was the end of that tire. The other two were simple nails in the middle of the tread. Fixed both of those with the rope type plugs and they held up fine.
I've used cylindrical, rectangular and rope type plugs. They all work as long as you run the plug tool (or reamer) in the hole coated with fresh glue, and coat the plug with fresh glue. I've plugged 8 or 9 tires that way, and all lasted the life of the tire. So IMO it doesn't matter what type you use. The rope-type seems to be easier to insert.
replying to Blake Snyder, Iggy wrote: Oh I know, I was just throwing out an idea that really is just as good and is essentially what the pros do...I do not at all agree with the pros in overly reaming the hole, their plugs go in entirely too loose for me. I've gone years with no leaks on those push-in plugs, they've been successful for decades.
Just make sure you're going to actually do it right and not just slather Vulcanizing Cement all over. You must buff, cement and over-seal like the pros. Meaning, don't get just the plugs in your link and instead go for the complete kit -
Have you tried approaching your local tire repair shop????
The big question is WHY DO YOU WANT TO BUY THE DAMNED THINGS ONLINE? Buy them locally from local tire repairshop. If they want to give them to you, contribute to their coffee fund.
I know from personal experience that "snyder" translates to "stubborn" - but the condition isn't incurable or terminal.
I buy mine from my local tire repair outlet (local garage that used to be owned by my brother) I'd buy them from the company I used to work for, but they've changed hands twice since I left and are farther away. I know they are using good stuff because they buy it from the same guys I bought them from for 20+ years in the business.
Buying online you have no idea what crap you are buying. Same with buying from big box stores - you only KNOW it's the cheapest they could buy.
The only "approved" repair for a tubeless steel belted radial tire is a plug-patch. Period.
Yrs, a plug will stop the leak, and it will "get you by" - but it can cause carcass failure down the road. A plug plus an inside patch is better than just a plug - but a lot more work to do it right than just using what is designed for the job -
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