How To Properly Repair a Tire

There are a few different methods you can use for tire repair. The method I show in this video is considered the ‘best possible tire repair’. This method is also known as the “Tire Plug/Patch Repair”.

**Be sure to check with your tire manufacture to see what repairs are acceptable with their products.

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Camera: Brian Kast, Eric Cook

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Due to factors beyond the control of EricTheCarGuy, it cannot guarantee against unauthorized modifications of this information, or improper use of this information.  EricTheCarGuy assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. EricTheCarGuy recommends safe practices when working with power tools, automotive lifts, lifting tools, jack stands, electrical equipment, blunt instruments, chemicals, lubricants, or any other tools or equipment seen or implied in this video.  Due to factors beyond the control of EricTheCarGuy, no information contained in this video shall create any express or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result.  Any injury, damage or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not EricTheCarGuy®.

[danielhowiesr.]

I'm still riding on a tire that I repaired with the old-fashioned tire plug. I installed it in November of 2019, and it is still holding up. I like your plug way better, but I don't have the tire changing equipment. Thanks for posting the video!

[twalters]

I currently own and run a tire shop. The repair you showed is what Tire Industry Association or "TIA" recommends. This is how tire repairs are done in my shop. The rope plugs work great temporarily but usually dry out. Around my area of Ohio the gravel roads are hard on tires and usually the rope plugs end up leaking again in a few days and people come in for a "permanent" repair. Our method is similar, the tire repair company even has training classes for repairing tires that I have went too. Even have the certificate to prove it lol. Thanks for the videos been watching for years!

[markgardner]

Hi Eric, I am in the UK and am an IMI qualified high performance wheel and tyre fitter. As you probably know moisture is the enemy of rubber so I use nitrogen to fill my customers and my tyres. After using the pre buff fluid it is important to scrape the area to remove the silicone sealant that the interior of the tyre is coated with, otherwise you are forcing silicone into the repair area. Also after applying the plug patch it is extremely important to cover the entire area with sealant and not leave raw rubber exposed. Most garage forecourts do not dry the air on their inflation machines causing moisture within the tyre. This now affects TPMS systems during season changes. Kindest regards Mark

[WOODY]

I work at a busy Service Dept of a Nissan dealership....This is our standard method of puncture repair....Hands Down....It's the Best !!!

[nicknolfi]

Thanks Eric! You're an excellent presenter (great voice, very articulate) as well as an extremely knowledgeable auto repair person. Most importantly, you convinced me that I should not attempt to repair a tire puncture on my own because there is much, much more to it than meets the eye! For the sake of safety, it's a job that's best left to the pros. I'd rather have my pocketbook feel a little lighter than take the unnecessary risk of a tire blowout. Thanks once again!

[teddybear]

Good tutorial Eric, however how many of us have tire machine sitting in home garage?
Been using tire plugs for years without any problems.

[Motorsportsgeek]

I've been using plugs for years and they never failed me. Did burnout on it this the belts on the tires were showing, the plugs never failed.

[johnh.blevins]

I remember working in a service station (gas station where I actually pumped the gas for the customer AND we had a functioning garage with a mechanic - imagine such a thing!) anyway, we would break the tire down, prep the inside after jabbing the puncture violently to make it larger, cussing at it, “Ahhh, it’s too small to see!” roughening the rubber to hold the adhesive I suppose, throw a burning match on the glue, yell fire!, then apply the patch, vulcanizing the rubber. Live long, and prosper! Good times watching the sheer panic and uncertainty on the face of the customer in the waiting area! Nowadays I plug it and drive it until there no tread left, without leaks or failures. Simplifying my life.

[mrlister]

One thing you should've mentioned was if you are going to repair a tyre, check the outer and inner sidewalls for damage incase it has been run on when flat.
Even if it's repairable, inner or outer sidewall damage should render the tyre as scrap.
I'm a mobile tyre fitter in the UK and use this plug patch repair all the time.
Great video!

[caddyrack]

Hello Eric, finally you show how-to-properly repair a punctured tire. I've been doing this for well over 30 years, Goodyear was on the forefront of proper tire repair. They trained their techs with this feature, we NEVER used plugs. I'm glad you set the record straight. Keep up the good work, you're never too old to learn new/old tricks. Cheers from Vancouver Canada. Vince

[cormegastarks]

This guy has the best advice fr the least experienced mechanic to the top experienced mechanic...iv done at least 1500 to 2000 dollars worth of wrk on my car just by watching his videos..

[bobbydelamar]

I've never had a tire plug fail.
Project Farms has a good testing video.

[jimthecarguy]

Nice video Eric. That is the only way a tire should be repaired. I have this discussion all the tire with customers. My shop is the only one who does this kind of repair . Even the dealers are plugging tires by me.

[Otagner]

Great instructions!!! Also Eric, the pre buff cleaner is to remove the release compound from when the tire was molded and you should scrape with a flat piece of metal (they make a specific tool but it's not an absolute must) after spraying that on, while it's wet. You will see the goop come off lol.

[chabat]

Informative, no music (thank you), not overly long (thank you), and you covered how to do it with great visuals. Even if I don't have tire-changing equipment, it was nice to learn how and why this is done. I always learn from your videos. Thanks Eric.

[MrGoblin]

Many thanks Eric. That was a straight-to-the-point, no-nonsense presentation which was very helpful. What's more, there was no foul language. Great work!

[christineirving]

Recently had a tire plugged and wondered how they did it. Good video.

[snnyburnett]

Thank you for a decade of knowledge and excellent professional videos.

[GSXRcop]

Great video! An "addendum" you consider would be what to look for in a tire to make sure it is still safe for the road. For example, if the driver drove on the tire flat, for even a short period, the friction from the wheel pinching the tire against the road has the edge of that wheel like a knife blade, usually, on the sidewall of the tire. The end result may be rubbery powder and bits inside the tire that are found when you take it off the wheel. When the sidewalls are ate up like that, I was told to discard the tire as it is no longer safe to patch.

A lot of people criticize plugs, saying that they will blow out, the car flips end over end, and everyone dies. (Note: I do agree the method you've shown is the way to go and plugs are a good roadside fix to get to the tire shop to do the patch/plug.) But, I don't think that is accurate. It seems to me that actually the tire plugged or patched had received other unknown damage to where it should have been discarded. It gets patched anyway, the tire plows out, and the repair is blamed, when the repair itself was not the problem, but rather the tire should have been inspected. This is where the DIYer may be "lead astray." They may do the patch/plug and, because they didn't know any better, didn't bother to inspect the tire.

Anyway, love the videos! And thanks!

[dreadnought]

As an extra step, I recommend cleaning and scraping the surface after buffing, the smoother surface holds better for me. An important tip for many of you, many tire chains such as Discount will do these style repairs, free. Most other tire shops due so at a cost of course. If you bought your tires from a good chain, you will often also get a protection plan including repairs. Talk with your tire installer about these warranties. Usually, at an additional cost, they also offer a pro rate plan, to discount an unrepairable tire. The important thing is that the repair is done right. Ive got a 4 year old rope plug holding just fine on my truck, ive also seen these umbrella plugs fail in days. If the guy seems like an idiot, dont let him touch your damn car.