Maybe a dumb question, just got a screw in one of my dunlop direzza and track day is next month. Will they allow a tire that is repaired on the track? These bastard are 1 week old.

 

I remember reading on Chin's website that plugged tires were a no-no.
I know I've done it though!

 

I've plugged a tire that I used at the track when I was running showroom stock back in the 80's. I don't advise it but it can be done if you know how to do it.

I've also put a patch on the inside of a race tire, again I had to do it to get a race in. Goodyear doesn't recommend it and in fact its in their top three things you should never do to a race tire. That tire was a Sports 2000 race tire and those cars don't weight a lot and I felt ok doing it. In this patch i used the old trick of putting some of the rubber cement on the hole and lighting it on fire for a couple of seconds to heat it up and then slap on the patch.

 

when a tire is repaired, it loses its speed rating. most clubs don't allow repaired tires on the track. ultimately it depends on the club or the facility.

 

Beyond any sanctioning body requirements for tires, the unfortunate truth is the use of a tire plug could result in a sudden tire failure. Recognizing this and knowing that it could result in a serious accident, injury or death puts the cost of replacing a tire in perspective.

 

This.

 

Thanks guys, that's what I have been reading. Well, I guess I will have a back up tire now.

 

Bump for a good topic.

 

I've ran a plugged tire for about 300 miles on track, it held together. Lap times probably suffered a bit when I thought about it but I got comfortable with it. I ran it in the rear, I would not run a plugged tire on the front. The tire had so much life in it I couldn't bare to trash it, if it had less life in it I would not have run it.

 

Last fall I got a rivet in one of my 615's and contacted Falken to ask whether it was safe to repair the tire, how best to do the repair, and whether the repair would void or reduce the speed rating, as I had been led to believe. Their response was that repair with a combination of plug and patch would be safe for light track duty, particularly since, in my case, the tire is 3/4 worn and therefore would only be on the track for a couple more days anyway. Regarding the speed rating, he said that the speed rating is based on the tire's construction and tread compound, and would not be affected by the repair. He said that some companies use the "reduce the rating by one category" formula basically as a way to cover their butts. A very interesting conversation, with the bottom line being that there is no hard and fast rule at all on this issue among the tire makers themselves and it may well come down to the rules of the governing body you race or drive under.

 

I did it once (got a screw just the day before and no available tire replacement around)...
and the patch in the inside saved my sorry a$$... because the "rubber plug" was gone by the end of the first session... probably pulled out under braking.