Flat tyre - fix or replace?
Discussion
With another car, it wouldn't really be a question - I'd pay a tenner and get the hole fixed.
It's right in the middle of a rear tyre, so should be a diddle to repair.
However - there are a couple of aspects which make me think it might not necessarily be the right answer
:
1. I only noticed it after I'd (unfortunately
) driven down round the block to fill up. Stiff walls on low profiles at low speed managed to hide the problem. So I'm wondering if there's any potential for tyre dammage? Alloy (18" Spiders) 'looks' OK. There is a 'streak of rubber' in the carpark though where the tyres clearly worn round the corner unusually due to the problem...
2. It's a Cerb - so I'm wondering whether the excessive stress these particular tyres go through
would mean a repair isn't feasible?
Anyone got any definitive information/experience on this?
Thanks in advance,
Phil.
p.s. If the worst comes to the worst - where to go in SW London should a new tyre/set be required?
It's right in the middle of a rear tyre, so should be a diddle to repair.
However - there are a couple of aspects which make me think it might not necessarily be the right answer
:1. I only noticed it after I'd (unfortunately
) driven down round the block to fill up. Stiff walls on low profiles at low speed managed to hide the problem. So I'm wondering if there's any potential for tyre dammage? Alloy (18" Spiders) 'looks' OK. There is a 'streak of rubber' in the carpark though where the tyres clearly worn round the corner unusually due to the problem... 2. It's a Cerb - so I'm wondering whether the excessive stress these particular tyres go through
would mean a repair isn't feasible? Anyone got any definitive information/experience on this?
Thanks in advance,
Phil.
p.s. If the worst comes to the worst - where to go in SW London should a new tyre/set be required?
Hiya mate.
Although it isn't in the same league I had a flat in my 182. I didn't realise. I must have driven 20 minutes to my sisters with it going down. It looked okay and I thought I could get it repaired but when the tyre guy pulled the wheel off he scooped out a handful of rubber from inside the tyre. Had to bin and replace it.
If it was literally a minute or so at slow speeds then it should be okay. Any rubber that has come off should be inside the tyre I think.
It should be fine to get repaired if the sidewall is okay as they are done to a standard that means they are just as safe as before.
Best thing to do is get the tyre guy to get the wheel off and have a look at the inside of the sidewalls.
Hope this helps.
Although it isn't in the same league I had a flat in my 182. I didn't realise. I must have driven 20 minutes to my sisters with it going down. It looked okay and I thought I could get it repaired but when the tyre guy pulled the wheel off he scooped out a handful of rubber from inside the tyre. Had to bin and replace it.
If it was literally a minute or so at slow speeds then it should be okay. Any rubber that has come off should be inside the tyre I think.
It should be fine to get repaired if the sidewall is okay as they are done to a standard that means they are just as safe as before.
Best thing to do is get the tyre guy to get the wheel off and have a look at the inside of the sidewalls.
Hope this helps.
Polarbert said:
Hiya mate.
Although it isn't in the same league I had a flat in my 182. I didn't realise. I must have driven 20 minutes to my sisters with it going down. It looked okay and I thought I could get it repaired but when the tyre guy pulled the wheel off he scooped out a handful of rubber from inside the tyre. Had to bin and replace it.
If it was literally a minute or so at slow speeds then it should be okay. Any rubber that has come off should be inside the tyre I think.
It should be fine to get repaired if the sidewall is okay as they are done to a standard that means they are just as safe as before.
As Robert says the majority if damage will be more visable from the inside. As the pressure decreases it puts more stress on the sidewall until they eventually fold in and rub together on the inside, the rubber dust etc PB speaks of is your tyre being ground away due to lack of pressure.
It is completely impossible to tell you on a forum whether a tyre is O.K. you can only do this by looking at it.
Take it to a tyreshop you completely trust in work and honesty.
Repaired properly there are no restrictions.
Best thing to do is get the tyre guy to get the wheel off and have a look at the inside of the sidewalls.
Hope this helps.
Although it isn't in the same league I had a flat in my 182. I didn't realise. I must have driven 20 minutes to my sisters with it going down. It looked okay and I thought I could get it repaired but when the tyre guy pulled the wheel off he scooped out a handful of rubber from inside the tyre. Had to bin and replace it.
If it was literally a minute or so at slow speeds then it should be okay. Any rubber that has come off should be inside the tyre I think.
It should be fine to get repaired if the sidewall is okay as they are done to a standard that means they are just as safe as before.
As Robert says the majority if damage will be more visable from the inside. As the pressure decreases it puts more stress on the sidewall until they eventually fold in and rub together on the inside, the rubber dust etc PB speaks of is your tyre being ground away due to lack of pressure.
It is completely impossible to tell you on a forum whether a tyre is O.K. you can only do this by looking at it.
Take it to a tyreshop you completely trust in work and honesty.
Repaired properly there are no restrictions.
Best thing to do is get the tyre guy to get the wheel off and have a look at the inside of the sidewalls.
Hope this helps.
To my way of thinking, if there is any doubt in you mind at all, change the tyres for news ones.
1) the tyres on this kind of car don't last that long anyway, so the financial loss from changing early isn't going to be that great.
2) the damage caused by having a blowout at any kind of speed from a dodgy tyre will make the cost of a new tyre look as trivial as it really is...
3) that kind of bad day could be a lot worse than just a new paint job!
4) the only things that stop you going backwards through the nearest hedge are the tyres. Don't piss about when you know at least one is damaged.
just my 2p worth. I picked up a nail when driving into a car park which deflated the tyre completely in about 2 minutes. By the time I had driven it a few yards onto an AA flatbed, and off at the other end, the sidewalls were showing signs of the strain. A repair was possible, but not sensible to my way of thinking so I replaced both rear tyres (didn't want one new corner and three old ones. The fronts will last till the end of the year (punctures permitting)
hugh
1) the tyres on this kind of car don't last that long anyway, so the financial loss from changing early isn't going to be that great.
2) the damage caused by having a blowout at any kind of speed from a dodgy tyre will make the cost of a new tyre look as trivial as it really is...
3) that kind of bad day could be a lot worse than just a new paint job!
4) the only things that stop you going backwards through the nearest hedge are the tyres. Don't piss about when you know at least one is damaged.
just my 2p worth. I picked up a nail when driving into a car park which deflated the tyre completely in about 2 minutes. By the time I had driven it a few yards onto an AA flatbed, and off at the other end, the sidewalls were showing signs of the strain. A repair was possible, but not sensible to my way of thinking so I replaced both rear tyres (didn't want one new corner and three old ones. The fronts will last till the end of the year (punctures permitting)
hugh
Just had my Tuscan rear repaired after picking up a screw in the 3 week old eagle F1, mine was still inflated as I spotted the screw in the tyre before it had gone down. If the repair is on the shoulder I'd recommend a new tyre but if it is on the flat of the tyre then a decent repair should be fine. If you take it into a tyre shop and ask them their opinion they should be able to tell you if it will be safe or not.
Paul V said:
If the repair is on the shoulder I'd recommend a new tyre but if it is on the flat of the tyre then a decent repair should be fine.
I agree with that -- if it is in the tread, and you catch it while it is still holding some air, then a repair would be fine. But if it is completely flat and has been run any distance at all on the shoulders/rims, then I wouldn't risk it. Personal opinion, obviously, but the cost of new tyres is trivial compared to all the other possibilities if it should be weakened and burst the side wall at speed.
Hugh
hugerr said:
Paul V said:
If the repair is on the shoulder I'd recommend a new tyre but if it is on the flat of the tyre then a decent repair should be fine.
I agree with that -- if it is in the tread, and you catch it while it is still holding some air, then a repair would be fine. But if it is completely flat and has been run any distance at all on the shoulders/rims, then I wouldn't risk it. Personal opinion, obviously, but the cost of new tyres is trivial compared to all the other possibilities if it should be weakened and burst the side wall at speed.
Hugh
It's also one of the reasons I'd never buy a second-hand tyre as you can't see what's going on inside the rubber, I was a tyre fitter for 4 years while at college so have seen some shocking ones that people have paid good money for and then brought to us to try and balance as they shock the car to pieces.
Quick update - and thanks to everyone again:
Got Event Tyres to come out in the end after some extensive research... they did a grand job at 30% less than the local "rapid fitters", and saved me risking further injury (to alloys etc) limping over...
Worst suspicions were confirmed - tyre was pretty shredded on th inside after I'd clearly been driving around on it for a little longer than would be healthy.
2 new skins for the rear. Ended up with Bridgestones in the end - not looking to start a tyre debate - they are reasonable all-rounders. Just need breakig in now
Thanks to all for the help earlier.
Phil.
Got Event Tyres to come out in the end after some extensive research... they did a grand job at 30% less than the local "rapid fitters", and saved me risking further injury (to alloys etc) limping over...
Worst suspicions were confirmed - tyre was pretty shredded on th inside after I'd clearly been driving around on it for a little longer than would be healthy.
2 new skins for the rear. Ended up with Bridgestones in the end - not looking to start a tyre debate - they are reasonable all-rounders. Just need breakig in now
Thanks to all for the help earlier.
Phil.
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