Tire Patch or Plug

hairysasquatch · 04-27-2026, 05:39 AM

Are you driving on a patched or plugged tire right now? Please answer in the poll.

hairysasquatch · 04-27-2026, 05:43 AM

Asking because I found my driver's side front tire pancaked right before a road trip last Friday. I got it filled with my portable tire inflator and drove it to a tire shop where they found a 3/4" shard of what might have been a drill bit in the tread of the tire. They plugged it and I was good to go. No issues on trip.

corndog · 04-27-2026, 06:11 AM

Plugs are temporary.
Patches are permanent.

Yes

3

PatchSentinel · 04-27-2026, 06:43 AM

Yes, there is always at least one tire that seems to develop a need for a repair, always caused by some type of road debris. I particularly dislike it when this happens on a brand new set of tires, or tires that are less than two years old.

Not a fan of driving around with a tire defect, even if the repair is supposed to be "safe."

Siberian13 · 04-27-2026, 07:11 AM

All my tires are in great shape.

ssbledsoe · 04-27-2026, 07:30 AM

Is this something poors do???

JosieD · 04-27-2026, 07:35 AM

I just got all new tires in September. We did have to take my mom's car 2 weeks ago for a patch. She got something in her tire on the turnpike.

hairysasquatch · 04-27-2026, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by corndog

Plugs are temporary.
Patches are permanent.

Yes

3

I think the terminology might vary but mine was supposed to be permanent. It survived 6 hours of freeway driving including a half hour stretch on one of the most pothole-infested roads I've ever driven.

TheHeel · 04-27-2026, 09:26 AM

Right now, no.
I have in the past though.

asujbl · 04-27-2026, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssbledsoe

Is this something poors do???

Accurate

eastbayak · 04-27-2026, 01:21 PM

I've previously had a tire patched by AAA (hit a nail near PCH-1/I-10) and drove to Costco the next day to buy a new tire.

Bosoxfan5990 · 04-27-2026, 01:34 PM

Absolutely not.

discodanman45 · 04-27-2026, 01:37 PM

You get a flat tire, you just buy 4 new one's. Even if the tire is 1 day old when it gets a nail in it. Don't be cheap!

Siberian13 · 04-27-2026, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by discodanman45

You get a flat tire, you just buy 4 new one's. Even if the tire is 1 day old when it gets a nail in it. Don't be cheap!

Jublees approved

asujbl · 04-27-2026, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by discodanman45

You get a flat tire, you just buy 4 new one's. Even if the tire is 1 day old when it gets a nail in it. Don't be cheap!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Siberian13

Jublees approved

It’s just good advice

PoPCulture · 04-27-2026, 05:10 PM

Sometimes you can't patch a tire. You just got to buy a new one. Actually, that's always the case. Never patch, buy new.

asujbl · 04-27-2026, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PoPCulture

Sometimes you can't patch a tire. You just got to buy a new one. Actually, that's always the case. Never patch, buy new.

Well played

hairysasquatch · 04-27-2026, 07:00 PM

Patched tire is holding air and doing fine. I will buy a new set when my schedule opens up after Memorial Day weekend.

corndog · 04-27-2026, 07:37 PM

Patches are permanent.
They will last the life of the tire.

There is zero reason to buy a new tire because it has a patch.

A plug is a DIY temporary fix until the tire can be patched.

SinneD · 04-28-2026, 12:21 AM

As someone that works at a mechanic shop, we only plug tires. Haven't used a patch ever in 6 years of working here.
Although, you can technically do it, we aren't allowed to plug a hole close to the side wall of a tire and or plug a tire down to its wear bars approximately (2/32nds).

Sent from my phone using Tapatalk

hairysasquatch · 04-28-2026, 05:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SinneD

As someone that works at a mechanic shop, we only plug tires. Haven't used a patch ever in 6 years of working here.
Although, you can technically do it, we aren't allowed to plug a hole close to the side wall of a tire and or plug a tire down to its wear bars approximately (2/32nds).

Sent from my phone using Tapatalk

Hole was in tread. They said they couldn't repair a sidewall hole.

Boo · 04-28-2026, 06:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hairysasquatch

Hole was in tread. They said they couldn't repair a sidewall hole.

Probably an irate student getting back at you

PatchSentinel · 04-28-2026, 08:54 AM

I have an all-wheel drive car, and there is something to having all four tires be at the same tread wear levels for the drivetrain and/or for alignment purposes. You need to stay on top of tire rotations as well. So that's why a single tire repair irks me, because it isn't always ideal to put on a new tire depending on the tire wear. At least that's what I found out the last time I read the manual.

hairysasquatch · 04-28-2026, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boo

Probably an irate student getting back at you

I think it was more likely my neighbor's contractor tossing a broken drill bit near my driveway, but possibly. I have ny head on a swivel with the semester winding down. Some very bad grades have been earned.

Boo · 04-28-2026, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hairysasquatch

I think it was more likely my neighbor's contractor tossing a broken drill bit near my driveway, but possibly. I have ny head on a swivel with the semester winding down. Some very bad grades have been earned.

That will be disputed through the school and changed.

View Poll Results: Are you driving on a patched or plugged tire right now?
Yes	5	23.81%
No	15	71.43%
Not sure	0	0%
IDGAS	1	4.76%
Voters: 21. You may not vote on this poll

04-27-2026, 05:39 AM	#1
hairysasquatch Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: In the Woods, Central NY Posts: 37,799	Tire Patch or Plug Are you driving on a patched or plugged tire right now? Please answer in the poll. __________________ I am going signature-free

04-27-2026, 05:43 AM	#2
hairysasquatch Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: In the Woods, Central NY Posts: 37,799	Asking because I found my driver's side front tire pancaked right before a road trip last Friday. I got it filled with my portable tire inflator and drove it to a tire shop where they found a 3/4" shard of what might have been a drill bit in the tread of the tire. They plugged it and I was good to go. No issues on trip. __________________ I am going signature-free

04-27-2026, 06:11 AM	#3
corndog BODA Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: From a table in McDonalds, with lovely fake flowers on it. Posts: 19,113	Plugs are temporary. Patches are permanent. Yes 3 __________________ He has no rival, He has no equal.

04-27-2026, 07:11 AM	#5
Siberian13 Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Posts: 81,640 shiller13	All my tires are in great shape. __________________ Took their ball and went home

04-27-2026, 06:43 AM	#4
PatchSentinel Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 1,285	Yes, there is always at least one tire that seems to develop a need for a repair, always caused by some type of road debris. I particularly dislike it when this happens on a brand new set of tires, or tires that are less than two years old. Not a fan of driving around with a tire defect, even if the repair is supposed to be "safe."

04-27-2026, 07:30 AM	#6
ssbledsoe Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: At least 500 feet from DB11 Posts: 29,939 ssbledsoe ssbledsoe	Is this something poors do??? __________________ Drew Bledsoe is a better QB than Patrick Mahomes

04-27-2026, 07:35 AM	#7
JosieD Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 35,241	I just got all new tires in September. We did have to take my mom's car 2 weeks ago for a patch. She got something in her tire on the turnpike. __________________ #TEAMConnor #TeamLeoneez Day of Breakfast successful! Thank you! instagram: @oldschoolboxbreaks

04-27-2026, 09:26 AM	#9
TheHeel Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 16,199	Right now, no. I have in the past though. __________________ Be All You Can Be - https://www.goarmy.com 48,230, 52,879, 40,400, 4,780 Pending Deals:

04-27-2026, 01:21 PM	#11
eastbayak Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 17,608 eastbayak	I've previously had a tire patched by AAA (hit a nail near PCH-1/I-10) and drove to Costco the next day to buy a new tire.

04-27-2026, 01:34 PM	#12
Bosoxfan5990 Member Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: MA Posts: 15,903 rossisportscards	Absolutely not. __________________ X & IG: rossisportcards. Bethel Johnson & A. Vinatieri. "A Goldin Shower of sorrow and regret." -ninjacookies (11/25/24) "never did, never will" - Delta5 (9/25/24)

04-27-2026, 01:37 PM	#13
discodanman45 Member Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: CA Posts: 10,108 danch27	You get a flat tire, you just buy 4 new one's. Even if the tire is 1 day old when it gets a nail in it. Don't be cheap! __________________ Always looking for rarer Rik Smits cards and cards from the 2014-15 Spectra Global Icons set. Send me a message!

04-27-2026, 05:10 PM	#16
PoPCulture Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: In the Goldilocks Zone Posts: 8,870	Sometimes you can't patch a tire. You just got to buy a new one. Actually, that's always the case. Never patch, buy new. __________________ Short Print

04-27-2026, 07:00 PM	#18
hairysasquatch Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: In the Woods, Central NY Posts: 37,799	Patched tire is holding air and doing fine. I will buy a new set when my schedule opens up after Memorial Day weekend. __________________ I am going signature-free

04-27-2026, 07:37 PM	#19
corndog BODA Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: From a table in McDonalds, with lovely fake flowers on it. Posts: 19,113	Patches are permanent. They will last the life of the tire. There is zero reason to buy a new tire because it has a patch. A plug is a DIY temporary fix until the tire can be patched. __________________ He has no rival, He has no equal.

04-28-2026, 12:21 AM	#20
SinneD Member Join Date: Aug 2022 Location: Nor-Cal Posts: 1,744 irsus-60	As someone that works at a mechanic shop, we only plug tires. Haven't used a patch ever in 6 years of working here. Although, you can technically do it, we aren't allowed to plug a hole close to the side wall of a tire and or plug a tire down to its wear bars approximately (2/32nds). Sent from my phone using Tapatalk __________________ Please have a look at my eBay for other items not yet listed here!

04-28-2026, 08:54 AM	#23
PatchSentinel Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 1,285	I have an all-wheel drive car, and there is something to having all four tires be at the same tread wear levels for the drivetrain and/or for alignment purposes. You need to stay on top of tire rotations as well. So that's why a single tire repair irks me, because it isn't always ideal to put on a new tire depending on the tire wear. At least that's what I found out the last time I read the manual.