Long sharp object in front tyre (1 Viewer)

[popotla]

We are in northern Spain and this evening saw that a nail or something similar (it has a hexagonal head) is sticking at 90 degrees into the left front tyre, without loss of pressure. How far it's penetrated I cannot of course say, nor do I know how long it's been in there. It could have been there for some time without- if previously it had always happened to be hidden at the back or underneath - our having noticed it. Actually it's a bit puzzling. I would have thought that rather than allowing it to penetrate at 90 degrees, a tyre would just pass over a sharp object of this kind. Anyway, it's there.

I'd like to ask about this.

Is a repair (a plug?) going to be one hundred percent safe?

Assuming it's a tubeless tyre, should an inner tube also be put inside it after repair?

We have an unused spare but putting this on the front would mean that there'd be tyres with different tread depths in place (present tyres have run just over 13,000 kilometers).

Should I change round the tyres, putting the back ones on the front and this pierced one, when repaired, on the back ........... or keep the damaged and repaired one as a spare?

I would like to get this sorted tomorrow morning and in the meantime would much appreciate any advice. Thanks.

 

[Vipar]

Something like this? I had a new tyre fitted even though it was only 3 weeks old. My family and my safety come first. I use it as spare a to get me home. It was plugged . I will only drive at low speed though.

 

[Phill D]

my understanding is if its in the side of the tyre or close to the edge it cannot be effectively repaired.

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[David and Sally]

We are in northern Spain and this evening saw that a nail or something similar (it has a hexagonal head) is sticking at 90 degrees into the left front tyre, without loss of pressure. How far it's penetrated I cannot of course say, nor do I know how long it's been in there. It could have been there for some time without- if previously it had always happened to be hidden at the back or underneath - our having noticed it. Actually it's a bit puzzling. I would have thought that rather than allowing it to penetrate at 90 degrees, a tyre would just pass over a sharp object of this kind. Anyway, it's there.

I'd like to ask about this.

Is a repair (a plug?) going to be one hundred percent safe?

Assuming it's a tubeless tyre, should an inner tube also be put inside it after repair?

We have an unused spare but putting this on the front would mean that there'd be tyres with different tread depths in place (present tyres have run just over 13,000 kilometers).

Should I change round the tyres, putting the back ones on the front and this pierced one, when repaired, on the back ........... or keep the damaged and repaired one as a spare?

I would like to get this sorted tomorrow morning and in the meantime would much appreciate any advice. Thanks.

Picture please.

 

[Lenny HB]

If it is repairable they will fit a self vulcanising mushroom headed plug which will be safe.
If you fit the spare on the front, with the other tyre having done 13k km only 8k miles you won't notice any difference.

 

[MisterB]

Have a look on ebay for tyre repair kits. I think YouTube has some videos aswell.

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[Burgo]

I've had a few done here in Spain and none have ever failed or leaked at all. If its in the side it's scrap and if they can see the internal threads etc are compromised ditto. Otherwise if its in the tread they do as Lenny says and use a mushroom. If it was me I'd have them do it though, of course, YMMV as they say.

 

[DBK]

Based on the thread title have you run over a unicorn?

 

[pappajohn]

In Spain.... Who can say if its repairable.
In the UK.... not a cat in hells chance, its too close to the wall.

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[pappajohn]

Actually it's a bit puzzling. I would have thought that rather than allowing it to penetrate at 90 degrees, a tyre would just pass over a sharp object of this kind. Anyway, it's there.

Yes it is puzzling.....90° to what......tread or sidewall?

If it was 90° to the road, stood upright, of course it would penetrate the tyre.
If it was laid flat to the road it's reasonable to expect the tyre to roll over it or at most flick it backwards.

 

[Phod's]

Why would you want to RISK a repair.....as has been said, it's very close to the wall so not typically repairable.
Don't RISK it CHANGE it.............if not for your sake, everyone else that is on the road near you.
You know it makes sense!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Landy Andy]

In my option any uk place will not repair that. Whilst your away swap it with the spare, and get new tyre when you return. There is not enough difference in tread to be a problem.

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[TerryL]

Ermm. Guys, the picture on the second post is NOT the OP's problem, that's from Vipar - and I agree that's too close to the edge to repair.

popotla a picture would help but if the object is perpendicular to the tyre, be it tread or sidewall, it almost certainly has penetrated. You're lucky you don't appear to have a slow puncture but it may have sealed itself - thought, you don't have that self-sealing stuff in your tyres do you? Take it to a tyre repairer and see what they say - personally I never take chances with tyres, they're the only contact you have with the road surface. Meanwhile don't mess with it.

Until properly inspected you can't be sure of anything but at least some of the comments will give you some thoughts on whatever is found.

 

[bobandjanie]

I have had many tyre problems over the years on trucks, and normally when it's on the shoulder they wont repair it, ? but then it might be a short bolt. ?

Tyre prices are not that bad in Spain, norautos are reasonable a bit like halford's in the UK, or ATU in Germany, ? or put your spare on, and sort it out when you get home. ? Bob.

 

[Jasz]

If it's a nail, the leakage is likely to be very slow and is often not noticeable for a quite a while. A screw will let air out a little quicker. Either way it still wants repairing.

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[vwalan]

could put a tubeless insert in and put some oko tyre sealant . that should sort you out.
mind a patch and then sealant or a tube would work.
if you should get picked out when its mot time then fit the spare.

 

[pappajohn]

but then it might be a short bolt.

I picked one up like that.
Front tyre and I could feel it through the steering wheel hitting the road at around 20mph.
Swapped for spare then levered out the 'bolt'.
Strangest thing I ever saw..... An M12 hex head and short 'tec screw' thread, not long enough to penetrate.

 

[pappajohn]

could put a tubeless insert in and put some oko tyre sealant . that should sort you out.
mind a patch and then sealant or a tube would work.
if you should get picked out when its mot time then fit the spare.

Come on Al, you should know never to put a tube in a tubeless tyre.
The inside of a tubeless tyre is too rough for a tube and it will wear through eventually.

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[vwalan]

Come on Al, you should know never to put a tube in a tubeless tyre.
The inside of a tubeless tyre is too rough for a tube and it will wear through eventually.

known them be ok for years .
thats the trouble today a fuss is made about anything.

 

[bobandjanie]

I picked one up like that.
Front tyre and I could feel it through the steering wheel hitting the road at around 20mph.
Swapped for spare then levered out the 'bolt'.
Strangest thing I ever saw..... An M12 hex head and short 'tec screw' thread, not long enough to penetrate.

I have had the same, normally on tri axle trailers, the first wheel flix it up and the second wheel catches it, ? if I managed to get back I would always get the bolt or screw out before jacking it up, because like you say your lucky and it hasn't gone through. ? Bob.

 

[popotla]

90 degrees to what? A good question. 90 degrees (approximately) to the tread.

Of course I don't know the length of this nail or whatever it is but if it's long it couldn't very easily have been stood upright. My suspicious mind did wonder if it was deliberate.

I would post a picture but it's now dark (and stormy).

"YMMV"?


In Spain.... Who can say if its repairable.
In the UK.... not a cat in hells chance, its too close to the wall.

In my option any uk place will not repair that. Whilst your away swap it with the spare, and get new tyre when you return. There is not enough difference in tread to be a problem.

I didn't actually say how close to the wall it is but it is about 1.5 to 1.8 cm from the edge of the tread.




If it's repairable, maybe I should use the new spare and keep this damaged one as the spare.

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[popotla]

Why would you want to RISK a repair.....as has been said, it's very close to the wall so not typically repairable.
Don't RISK it CHANGE it.............if not for your sake, everyone else that is on the road near you.
You know it makes sense!!!!!!!!!!

The photo on this thread isn't a photo of my tyre.

 

[pappajohn]

I didn't actually say how close to the wall it is but it is about 1.5 to 1.8 cm from the edge of the tread.

A lot of tyre repairers are taking it to extremes (in my opinion) and only repair if in the centre ⅔ of the tread width.

 

[HandyAndy]

That looks from here like it shouldn't have been repaired Vipar
BRITISH STANDARD...
"Tyre repairs for cars and vans are only permitted in the central 60% to 70% of the tyres nominal width known as Area T"

For eg...
a 205 wide tyre
70% of this width = 144mm
This tyre is repairable within 72mm of either side of the tyre centre line.

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[AXO66]

This little fella jumped a ride in our rear left in portugual this year. Given the wear on it’s head it had been round and round many, many times. No loss of pressure, luckily, just saw it returning back to the van one day.

Tyre plugged for £15.

Tyre place would not replace with spare as has a different tread as a different (cheaper) make . Size and load rating just the same. They said against their law.

Must be somthing to do with different grips on same axle...hmmmmmm, maybe if a Ferrari in race mode, but a lumbering tranny, with electronic stability controls and other gizzmos?

 

[pappajohn]

Tyre place would not replace with spare as has a different tread as a different (cheaper) make . Size and load rating just the same. They said against their law.

Wonder what happens with car drivers. Most cars have a space saver spare wheel as original equipment.
It resembles a motorbike tyre more than a car tyre, next to no tread depth and has a speed rating of 50mph/80kph.

 

[Spriddler]

I used tyre gloop sealant as an emergency repair when on a camping tour in Spain last year on my motorbike. Not only did the tyre place refuse to plug the puncture as it was too close to the sidewall but they charged an extra 30 Euros for the half an hour it took them (whilst I was there) to clean all the sticky gloop off the wheel. Obviously I don't carry a spare on the motorbike and changing a tubeless m/cycle tyre at the roadside is simply not possible. I did try on one occasion and had to get a friendly motorist to run his tyre over the bike tyre sidewall just to break the bead but I couldn't get the new tyre on and during 50 years of biking I've changed dozens of tubed m/bike tyres easily.

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[HandyAndy]

Wonder what happens with car drivers. Most cars have a space saver spare wheel as original equipment.
It resembles a motorbike tyre more than a car tyre, next to no tread depth and has a speed rating of 50mph/80kph.

They probably have a homologation cert for it so it's the "exception to the rule" as they say... like with most stupid laws

 

[gus-lopez]

next to no tread depth and has a speed rating of 50mph/80kph.

And also a maximum distance of 50miles or 80 kms.

 

[pappajohn]

And also a maximum distance of 50miles or 80 kms.

Believe me, the last time I used one it wasn't on for one mile.
When you have 235/60 18s on three corners and a motorbike tyre on the other its embarrassing to say the least.

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