After an inside patch failed to take I decided to plug the tire instead of taking it apart again. Plugs are considered a temporary patch but I have seen many many plugs last the life of a tire. It’s not easy and you need a little junk in the trunk to get the plug through all the way. It also helps to let some air out of the tire.

The tire store will tell you that this is “unsafe” and “our insurance won’t let us”. But I’ve driven hundreds of thousands of miles on plugged garbage truck tires and have yet to see one fail because of a plug. In that same distance I have seen patched tires fail and one almost killed me and yes it was in a tire cage. Inspect the tire. Look down into the depths of the tread for belts showing.

Belts are steel and steel will rust. A tire that has been ran on gravel will have micro cuts even in the depths of the tread. When they’re parked in grass or dirt the moisture will rust the belts and can cause them to fail prematurely. Use your own common sense and if you’re unsure junk it. Your life isn’t with the $20 you’re saving your boss by doing this.

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