| Author | Message | ||
     Electraglider_1997 |
Bought a plug kit. Followed directions and now have a stringy gooey plug where the nail came out. I have never plugged a tire before. I really don't want to have to pull the tire and patch it. Will that plug hold up? Should I worry about it? Apparently I've been riding on a flat for quite a few days because I've noticed it acting squirrely a few time. Anyway it's fixed for now but I'd like to read some others' experience with plugs. My tire has only 3k on it with plenty of life left and probably would have more had I noticed it being flat and all. | ||
| Andrejs2112 |
go with it. i've done it with my last two tires. no problems. | ||
| Florida_lime |
Everyone has a different...... opinion. I do plug my tires depending on the circumstances. The last tire I plugged was put on the day before for a trip to N.C.. It had a total of 500 miles when it acquired a wooden 'spike'. It would not hold air well with the StopNGo rubber mushroom plugs, but is good with the "stringy gooey plug". Just trim off the exposed end to leave about 1/8". Watch your tire pressures closer than normal, and try not to set any land speed records, you should be fine. For many people, changing the tire is worth the peace of mind. (Message edited by florida_lime on September 26, 2007) | ||
| Bosh |
"Stringy gooey plugs" hold up well. I haven't had one leak yet. My last back tire had three of 'em in it before I finally wore the tire out and changed it. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Thanks for the comebacks. The nail fortunately was pulled out of a valley between treads so the plug should never actually touch the road surface. Sure was easy to do. So easy in fact that it's hard to believe plugs supposedly work so well. | ||
| Treadmarks |
Just think, If ya had spoke wheels, it wouldn't be so easy.  | ||
| Diablobrian |
I don't trust plugs. I had one come out on me while 2 up with my son on the highway at homecoming 06. It was a catastrophic failure. It deflated very rapidly and I was very fortunate to be able to bring the bike to a stop on the shoulder upright. At one point I was sure that I was going to be sharing an ambulance ride with my son because of a $200 tire. Kind of gives a different perspective to the price of tires. I took a nail the day before loading up for homecoming or I never would have used a plug. I had put <200 miles on the tire with the plug in it before it failed on me. I intended to only put another hundred on it and have the tire swapped at the track since I was (and still do) run Pirelli Diablo Corsas. The only reason I had not bought a tire at Hal's or Appleton was because I didn't want to mix tires. In 06 Diablos were not an OEM Buell tire. Bottom line, Tires on a bike are a critical component in suspension, braking, acceleration and handling. Are you comfortable with the idea that your tires are potentially compromised? Anecdotal evidence is basically worthless. It is not an accurate depiction of reality and there is NO scientific methodology involved. Use your head and decide if it is more important to get out on the bike NOW or if it is more prudent to maybe wait a bit to save the cash for a new tire and have your bike back at 100%. | ||
| Florida_lime |
Diablobrian , What type of plug failed on you ? I had a similar failure with the StopNGo plug as detailed above. I have used the standby 'rope' plugs for years, and have had really good results with them. I replaced the second StopNGo plug with what had always been my regular type of plug, and am very happy with the result. That peace of mind factor I mentioned can be big ! | ||
| Xbimmer |
I've had to plug two tires on my Uly in the past year+. I used the rope-type on both. I changed out the Dunlop within a couple of days, I rode the Sync for about a week and a few hundred miles before taking advantage of Cycle Gear's road hazard warranty. Neither tire lost any air before changeout and the ropes were still firmly in place. I have not and will not use the rubber plug type, I'm uneasy with the idea although some swear by them. I respect Diablo's caution and agree that tires are of the utmost importance on a motorcycle. I also realize that at any given moment my ride and maybe my life can be compromised in an instant on a new tire by an unseen foreign object, a deer, an owl, or a self-destructing rear wheel bearing. Until I let all that kind of stuff get to me I'll just keep riding safely and plug with a sticky-rope when need be until I can get a new tire. And anything is better than what would happen in the old days with a big nail in a skinny little tube-type... | ||
| Cyclonedon |
plugged my Dunlop D-616 and continued to ride it another 9,000 miles with-out any problems. I say plug and ride! | ||
| Kars |
I've had two blowouts in cars and both had plugs in them. I've had one very scary moment on a bike due to a tire and it had a plug. Yes there were other times I had plugs in bike tires and rode them for many miles and I still use them for my cars. But for my bikes I would never take the chance with a compromised tire. It's all that is between you and the street. A plug is meant to be temporary. | ||
| Reepicheep |
If I put in the rope (which I carry), it's to get me home so I can pull the wheel and replace the tire. If I can get the wheel off the bike without a plug (tire slime), and its a fairly new tire, I will pay the $30 or so to have the tire pulled, professionally patched from the inside, and re-mounted and balanced. I usually can spot the problem... its usually an embedded screw with a slow leak, which gives me time to get it home and have the tire pulled. Come to think of it, the XB with Syncs has had far fewer punctures then any of the tires I had on the M2... Probably just luck, but thats 20k miles with no punctures. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Considering that I don't ride two up and also that I apparently road on a flat for a few days ( at least ) with little effect ( hard to push out of garage and a little squirrely at times ), I'll just ride as is and keep an eye on the situation. I've check tire pressure a couple of times and it isn't leaking at all. If I was going on a trip, heavily loaded with gear, then I'd probably think twice about trusting the rope plug. As is, I'm kind of interested in seeing how well that plug performs so that the next time someone asks I can offer advice about plugs from some experience. I do appreciate all the advice, both pro and con. The only experience I've had with the rope type plugs was second hand with my brother. We went to Sturgis back around 2000 and he had his ex on the back of his Dyna LowRider and he was towing a trailer. He woke up to a flat that he had plugged back in Iowa and we were over 700 miles from where he started the trip. I couldn't believe he hadn't changed the tire since the hole he had plugged was over 1/4" across. He changed the tire in Chadron, NE at a cost of about $150 at the local Jap Bike dealer. I still find it hard to believe he was plugging a hole that size. (Message edited by electraglider_1997 on September 27, 2007) | ||
| Thunderbox |
lI don't know what brand of plug you use but we use Tech Plugs at our Police Garage. In 50 million Kilometers of driving we have never had a plug fail in any way shape or form. This includes motorcycles. I use them on everything I have had a flat with. The dealers will try to sell you a tire or an expensive internal and totally unnessecary patch repair or a tube. Each to their own but I can say from thousands of plug repairs that a good plug will repair a tire as wel as any other method, at a fraction of the hassle or cost. I carry a CO2 can for air and a plug repair set when I travel. We don't do plug repairs on sidewalls but the company had a tire that had over 500 plugs in it and was driven 20000 miles with no ill effects. | ||
| Gotj |
You mentioned Tech Plugs. Is this the supplier: http://www.techtirerepairs.com/ or is it another one? If it this one, they specify demounting the tire to properly repair it. Their method includes a plug and internal patch. They also authorize repairing a puncture in any part of the tire using their procedure. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
I used thi $3.99 kit V104 from this http://www.victorautomotive.net/pdfs/vic/vtarr1.pd f (Message edited by electraglider_1997 on September 27, 2007) | ||
| Bertotti |
I would actually be more inclined to change it because you road on it with a flat for a couple of days. No air means the flex point of the tire was changed. I don't know much about bike tires but with tractor trailer tires anything that has been run flat is unserviceable, same holds true for car tires. Bike tires, I don't know, but would rather error on the side of safety. Zippers are a bad deal in four wheeled vehicles. (Message edited by Bertotti on September 27, 2007) | ||
| Diablobrian |
The plug that failed was a rope plug, and I was not traveling at excessive speeds or acting the fool. On longer trips I carry plugs and a small 12v compressor to get me home since I cannot walk for help. If you are comfortable riding on the plug that's all well and good. I had never ridden any distance at all on a plugged tire before that incident (and I have been riding in one form or another since I was 12) I had always either replaced the tire or had it patched internally. I rode that plug against my better judgment and I nearly paid dearly for it. For me from now on plugs are only for riding home after getting a flat. I have absolutely zero confidence in them, and while I do take managed risks every time I ride that is one I don't need to take. I won't tell anyone that they can't plug their tires, I just don't consider a plugged tire to be permanently repaired. If you ride a flat for very long the friction caused by the flexing of the tire and stress on the internal belts can seriously compromise the tire's integrity. It should be replaced. If you must patch the "umbrella" type are the best. They are rubber and have a large head that keeps them from coming back out of the tire. However in some cases flexing of the tire carcass can shear the head off. At least that's what I was told by a tech at a local tire shop. | ||
| Thunderbox |
Actually Gotj. The proper procedure is as follows. Tech PERMACURE and PERMACURE II repairs utilize an exclusive nylon reinforced design that makes applying repairs easier - virtually eliminating cutting, resulting in less labor time and a durable, permanent repair. Tech’s unique cushion gum flows and cures into cracks and crevices and actually vulcanizes to the tire itself. PERMACURE II repair units are excellent for smaller injuries. PERMACURE and PERMACURE II repairs can be used in the crown, shoulder and sidewall areas of all radial and bias tubeless passenger, truck and off-the- road tires. PERMACURE and PERMACURE II repairs are designed to work equally as well for demounted tires and are effective repair units to use in the retreading process. They can be used as injury filler material and then can be backed up with the appropriate repair unit. Tech PERMACURE and PERMACURE II repairs can easily be applied using the Tech PERMACURE TOOL and NEEDLES. The exclusive tool design and needle eliminate cutting of PERMACURE repairs and makes applications into the tire easier. The PERMACURE TOOL comfortably fits the contour of the hand. Heavy-duty stainless steel needles will not rust and have a longer life. The PERMACURE TOOL features a tightening screw on one side that allows the tool to accept the truck, passenger or earthmover replacement needles. The Tech PERMACURE TOOL (CAT. NO. 925T) comes with a truck needle. (CAT. NO. 925E comes with E.M. needle). Note: Industry standards state that the tire should be demounted and repaired from the inside using insert and appropriate repair unit on the innerliner. That last part about industry standards is there to limit liability only. As I said earlier the tire people want you to buy a new tire. | ||
| Gotj |
Thunderbox, They also state the quotation below. It is presented as their standard, not an "industry" standard and includes demounting. Between our two quotes, Tech seems ambiguous about demounting. I gather that your shop's procedure does not include demounting. There is nothing in either your or my quote about needing a new tire though. I agree that dealers DO want to sell tires. I called an independent shop about patching a tire and they said they didn't do it. Can an individual get the Tech plugs or are the only a BtoB operation? Their plugs sound like a BIG improvement over the string plugs. "What is a Proper Tire Repair? Many countries throughout the world have published standards or recommendations for proper tire repairing. To ensure a proper tire repair: Your tire should always be demounted from the wheel and inspected for damage or unsafe conditions, which might make the tire non-repairable. The tire should then be repaired by removing the object that caused the damage, then drilling out the injury to remove all damage to the tire. Based on the size of the injury, your tire repair specialist will then determine how the tire should be repaired. Typically, a "nail hole" injury is any injury 1/4" (6mm) or smaller in passenger tires. Injuries larger than 1/4" (6mm) are considered to be "section repairs" on passenger tires. Injuries larger than 3/8" (9mm) are considered section repairs on light truck and truck tires. A proper tire repair procedure uses a vulcanizing rubber stem to fill the tire injury and the proper sized tire repair patch to reinforce the inner liner of the tire." | ||
| Thunderbox |
Hey I agree if the tire was or has any evidence of having been riden or driven flat it needs to be dismounted and checked. We do do that. If it has been detected when it is just a little low of air there is no problem as far as I'm concerned. The Tech site has a place to put in your zip and yes a dealer will be more than happy to sell to you. All you need is the tools (2) and some plugs and glue. We have never found a better plug than these. Many have aproached us with other products but haven't been able to deliver the same results. | ||
| Gotj |
"The Tech site has a place to put in your zip and yes a dealer will be more than happy to sell to you." We must be looking at two different sites. The only info page I found was a full-blown business inquiry (included business name, title, address, etc.). If it's not too much more trouble, would you please send a link to the ZIP code dealer search? | ||
| Hughlysses |
This thread has lapsed for over a month, but maybe I can resurrect it. I had a flat last Wednesday (~60 miles into a 250 mile trip) and had problems sealing it. I should state up front that I undoubtedly rode ~10 miles or so with a flat tire without realizing it. Important safety tip- if bike handles weird- STOP and look at tires. I started out with a Stop-n-Go plug which did OK for ~80 miles before starting to leak. Replaced that with a sticky rope plug which lasted for only ~20 miles before blowing out. Tried another Stop-n-go which went only about a mile. Finally used a sticky rope plug with glue (came with the kit) and it lasted to my destination, but started leaking on my trip home almost stranding me in the middle of nowhere. I limped to the next town on a Stop-n-go plug where my wife came and picked me and the bike up with a rented truck. A fellow BadWebber/RAN member (Jnance) gave me a slightly used tire which I had installed to get me home. I'd guess the major problem with this ordeal was the fact that the tire was hosed from being ridden flat for so long, but I really needed something to seal this thing long enough to get me home. Any additional info on the Tech plugs would be appreciated. |
