As I was installing my rear splash guards on the Z today, I noticed what appeared to be nails in each of the rear tires. After I buttoned everything back up, I took the car down to Discount Tire to have them patch up both tires. Luckily when both piece's of metal were pulled from the tires, there was no leakage as they had not gone all the way through. I was curious to see what you would all do in the same situation. Plug the tire or patch the tire. My thanks to Sonny at Discount Tire for the free inspection and service.

 

If you didn't ask them, Americas/Discount tire will have a little display describing how they repair a flat.

In short it is both plugged and patched. A plug to fill the puncture and a patch to seal it.

http://www.rma.org/newsroom/release.cfm?ID=233

 

If it didn't go all the way through, then there's no need to plug it. You could patch the inside in the vicinity of the nail if you're worried about it tearing through.

 

+1. No need to tear into your tire in order to plug it when it hasn't been "penetrated"

 

Use Bondo to seal and hide the hole.

 

You can plug a tire without removing it from the wheel.

A patch is more involved and expensive.

I have had good luck with both techniques.

 

They are all safe unless your tires have no tread but for my car I plug and patch.

 

A patch is only like $10 more per tire so get the higher quality fix of the two.

 

^ thats not 100% accurate. Re balance is a must at my shop no matter what.

 

Nothing worse than putting nice shiny $$$$ wheel's lips on the machine just to patch a tire, but it's worth it. If you dont trust the tire shop, plug it and get back on the road.. but be sure to get by your trusted shop to get a proper patch. If I was in the middle of nowhere and there was only some gas station for miles, I'd ask for a plug only. They would probably insist on a patch, but if you explained the potential of them buying a new Volk wheel, they would probably agree to plug. Even then, tho.. some of those guys go ape **** opening up a hole for a plug, I suppose thats where the danger of a tire separating would come from.