HazardSports

Tire Plug Drama!

This is another DiMy collection (Do-it-Myself). This is how I do it — not necessarily how you should do it. I am sharing my personal experiences, the products I use, and what has and hasn't worked for me over decades of dealing with punctured tires. I am not a tire technician, and this page is not intended to replace the recommendations of tire manufacturers, repair-product manufacturers, or trained tire professionals. If you choose to DIY (Do-it-Yourself), do your own research, read and follow the instructions for the products and tires you are working with, and decide for yourself what level of risk you are willing to accept. A great place to start that research is the TireIndustry.org website. Their tire repair information and video explain why damage that looks simple from the outside may require an internal inspection before anyone can determine whether the tire is actually a candidate for repair.

DiMy!

The tire plug video at the top of this page demonstrates how I have plugged car and motorcycle tires. I show the manufacturer's instructions from the plug kit in the video rather than presenting my method as the rule everyone else should follow. Some plug kits also include vulcanizing cement, which is intended to help bond and seal the repair. I use it when plugging a tire at home, but I don't carry tubes of cement in the car or in my motorcycle emergency kit. I have had them rupture and leak after being stored through the extreme heat cycles that cars and motorcycles can experience. That's my solution to that particular storage problem — not a recommendation to ignore the instructions that come with your repair kit.

Now for the part where my real-world experience and industry recommendations don't always line up. I have gone way too many miles on way too many plugs. I have even had four plugs in one motorcycle tire for thousands of miles. That is part of my story, not something I am recommending that anyone copy. Over decades of plugging tires, I have had relatively few plugs fail immediately, but I have also had plugs begin leaking again before the tire reached the end of its usable life. That experience is exactly why I don't treat a plug as something that can be installed and forgotten. My theory has always been that repeated heat cycles, tire flex, wear, and reduced tread eventually work against the repair, but that's my observation — not a technical conclusion. Industry guidance is much more conservative: an outside-in string plug does not replace removing the tire, inspecting it internally, and determining whether it can be properly repaired.

Location matters too. The instructions for the products I use and tire-industry guidance place limits on what damage should be repaired. The shoulder and sidewall are not places where I consider a plug an acceptable repair. Those areas flex and operate differently from the center tread area, and damage there can take the tire out of consideration for a conventional puncture repair. I once dealt with a shoulder puncture on a car tire only as a temporary situation to get us a short distance at very low speed to a service center, where the tire was replaced. I have never plugged or patched a sidewall. I've heard the stories too, but that's outside the risk I'm willing to take.

So don't blindly follow me. A roadside plug can be extremely useful when you're stranded, and it has gotten me moving again plenty of times, but stopping the leak and determining that a tire is suitable for continued service are two different things. A proper repair starts with determining whether the tire is repairable at all. Tire-industry guidance calls for removing the tire from the wheel, inspecting it internally, and, when the damage qualifies for repair, filling the injury and sealing the inner liner. My videos show what I do and the products I carry. Use them as part of your research, not as permission to skip your own.

Patches Are Not Just for Pirates

Once the tire comes off the wheel, we are in different territory. A patch gives access to the inside of the tire, but a patch by itself isn't the whole story either. This is where I lean much harder on the experts because inspecting the inside of a tire and deciding whether it should return to service requires more than simply finding the hole. Tire-industry guidance calls for the tire to be removed from the wheel and inspected internally before determining whether the damage is repairable. If you choose to tackle this yourself, research the tire manufacturer's requirements and the repair-product manufacturer's procedure rather than treating anything on this page as a substitute for professional tire-repair training.

The Plug-Patch Combo

This is the repair I want to explore next. A plug-patch combination attacks the puncture from both directions: the stem fills the path created by the object that punctured the tire, while the patch seals the inner liner from inside the tire. That basic concept is also consistent with tire-industry guidance for a proper repair of a qualifying tread puncture. But the important word here is qualifying. Taking the tire off the wheel gives me an opportunity to inspect the inside and see what was happening where I couldn't see it before. Location, size, angle, internal damage, previous repairs, and the requirements of the tire and repair manufacturers can all determine whether that tire should be repaired at all. When I make the plug-patch combo video, I'll share the product I'm using and exactly what I do with it — DiMy style — but I'm not going to turn my experience into a certification course. I'll show you my process, point you toward the experts and manufacturer instructions, and let you do the research necessary to decide what belongs on your own motorcycle or car.

Why You Need to Do Your Own Research

Here is a perfect example of why I keep saying to do your own research instead of treating my experience as instructions. The Tire Industry Association (TIA) and The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) call for a proper repair to include removing and inspecting the tire, filling the puncture injury, and sealing the inner liner rather than relying on an outside plug alone. Motorcycle tire manufacturers add their own guidance. Michelin describes the common outside-in wick or string repair as temporary and recommends having the tire inspected by a professional, while describing an internally installed mushroom-style repair as the more effective repair when the tire qualifies. Bridgestone says a motorcycle tire repair must use a plug and inside patch and specifically says a plug alone is not a safe repair. Dunlop says some motorcycle tire punctures can be repaired, but recommends a permanent plug-patch repair from inside the dismounted tire by a qualified tire shop or motorcycle dealer. Even then, manufacturers place their own restrictions on puncture location, size, tire condition, speed rating, number of previous repairs, and continued use after a repair. This is only an example of the information out there, not a complete list of every standard or manufacturer policy. That's why I share what I do and the products I use DiMy style, but I don't tell you what you should do with your tire. Research your specific tire, motorcycle, repair product, and manufacturer recommendations, consult the experts when appropriate, and make your own assessment.

DOT approved?

Even the term "DOT approved" deserves some research. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) regulates motor vehicle safety and tire standards, but NHTSA itself explains that it does not approve or certify individual motor vehicles or motor vehicle equipment. Manufacturers are responsible for certifying compliance with applicable federal safety standards. So when researching tire repairs, pay attention to who is actually making the recommendation — NHTSA, an industry association, the tire manufacturer, the repair-product manufacturer, or simply another rider sharing personal experience. They are not all the same thing.

Word on the street...

There is another side to this discussion too. You don't have to search very far to find experienced riders, mechanics, and other people who consider a properly installed wick or string plug sufficient and have ridden on them until the tire wore out. My own experience isn't far from theirs. I've put thousands of miles on plugged motorcycle tires and have had surprisingly few immediate failures. But personal experience and an industry-approved repair procedure are two different things. I have not found a major motorcycle tire manufacturer or recognized tire-industry organization that recommends an externally installed wick or string plug by itself as a proper permanent motorcycle tire repair. That contrast is another perfect example of why this entire website is DiMy rather than DIY instruction. I'm sharing what has worked for me, while also showing you what the experts and manufacturers say. Research both, understand the limitations and consequences, and make your own assessment for your tire and your situation.