Tire patching??? Anybody done this?

I've got a nail in the tread of my rear tire. Can you use the same plugging kit you use on a car tire to patch these? Tubeless tire.

 

Uhhhh I wouldn't do that.... ever!
Two choices:
Buy a new tire.. Ouch!
OR insert a tube...
There are No genuine issues with using a tube inna tubeless tire ..
relatively cheap to do as a bonus.

 

been riding my harley for a year with a plug in the front none the less.Haven't had any trouble but it does worry me sometimes.

 

The tire can be repaired. A tire shop has the technology to apply a patch on the inside of the tire.

All things considered though ... unless you plan on doing some burn-out's anytime soon ...

Stick a tube in it. Fastest and cheapest way to go!

 

I patched a nail hole in the rear (Dunlop 491 Elite II) of my FZR. No problems. Car tire patch works but I would HIGHLY recommend you get the "mushroom" type patch which must be installed from the inside out. Yep, gotta yank and dismount the tire. Bike shops are uncomfortable with patching motorcycle tires given the dynamics that bike tires are exposed to and the possible instability resulting from a patch failure. Liability issues. Be sure to scrub a really rough surface around the area of the hole to give the patch a better grip on the area. Dolluping rubber cement on both the tire and the patch (just like a bicycle tire) and letting them dry before pulling the stem through will encourage a better seal. Remount and balance the tire and you should be golden. Word to the wise: if there is ANY chance the hole is too far up the side, DON'T patch it, replace it. I would have sever misgivings patching a front tire unless you don't ride your moto aggressively. Tube is a cheap alternative but you still have to dismount and rebalance the tire. You have some options but I would encourage you to examine how safe your choice will be. Choose wisely and if in doubt, don't risk it!

 

Mouse, what price can a guy put on "peace of mind"?

With my wife on the back or a grandkid or my son riding my bike.....
well I just don't like the odds.... you only got 2 tires, loose 1 and your in fast trouble.

It's your life,
Tube is the only alternative for me and that is just to get me by until I can afford a new tire or for a short time.

 

sure go ahead and plug it, while your at it pull off one spark plug wire, that will slow ya down, and remind you your tires got a plug in it
when you get a new tire put the wire back on

 

Like the plan Polock, very thoughtful! Gotta get my thinking cap on to think something like that up.

 

This reminds me of the boat I was in when I decided to take my first major road-trip with one of my previous Secas.

It was about 5 or 6 in the afternoon the day before we were set to leave. I finally got everything loaded up on the bike and was going to go for a short ride to see how it handled with the extra weight. Got her down from the centerstand and I instantly noticed the rear tire was flat. Further investigation revealed I had ran over a nail.

No shop around me was still open to install a new tire, so my only option was to delay the trip or install a plug or patch.

Luckily a service station close to me was still open and I'd had many of my auto-tires plugged there before, and to my surprise they had absolutely no problem with plugging a motorcycle tire.

The next 7 days were filled with hours of high speed interstate driving, plenty of twisties, and that tire didn't leak one bit. The plug held like a champ. And it lasted until it was time for a new tire!

 

i agree with Hvnbnd i wouldnt chance a plug or patch, am sure that relatively speeking a patch or plug would be o.k to use if you had four tires but only two i personally would`nt bother.

i would go price a new tire , hell i would probably replace em both at the same time. i would`nt gamble with my life or my wife`s or my son`s on a patch or plug.

 

My dad's got a bad knee due to a patched tire. He left his leg under the bike so mom's would'nt get hurt when the bike was laid down.

 

Plugs, even on automotive tires, are meant to be temporary repairs. The process damages the tire carcass and I wouldn't recommend a plug unless it's an emergency. I'd get a new tire ASAP after a plug has been done. Patching, done right, is safe as long as the repair is done in the tread are and not on the shoulders or sidewalls.

 

Regarding tube insertion:

Is it just a matter of breaking the bead, and putting the tube in there and then filling it up? My front tire's tread is brand new but it's got a slow leak at two spots around the bead on one side. (I have to put 10lbs of air in once a week.)

 

BFG, it is just that simple to use a tube. Hope you have a bead breaker handy, those durned beads are a wrestling match in their own right.

 

Oh yes, one more thing. I would break the bead right where the leaks are occuring, could be foriegn debris wedged in there that may cause your tube to croak early as well. Clean it up as best you can.

 

I read that using a quick clamp makes short work of breaking the beads without having to resort to a bead breaker. Has anyone else tried this?

 

I would go for the inside patch if the tire is still newish, if its getting toward being replaced and its a perfect round hole near the center then id plug and start tire shopping, i dont care for tubes in tubless rims since it makes it harded to repair on the fly,(cant plug) i dont mean to contradict those who say you should go for a new tire because they are correct but im on a tight budget as you may be.

 

Senator, I have no recollection of ever laying a folded blanket in my driveway, and having my wife slowly drive her Honda Civic over the side of a motorcycle tire, of which the wheel I was holding, to break the bead so I could get that sum-a-bitch started off there. Nor would I ever recommend this practice to any of my friends, relatives or acquaintances.

 

i just use my shop vise and a 2x4 jig i made to protect the wheel....works pretty good really.

 

If done correctly this is the only permanent and safe repair, there are safety issues if the hole the caused the puncture isn't sealed all the way through the tyre regardless of whether a tube is put in