Recently Drive Over A Nail? 4 Tips To Fix Your Tire

Did you drive over a nail on the road and now have a hole in your tire? If so, know that you don't have to go out and buy a whole new tire. As long as the hole is not in the sidewall of the tire, it is possible to repair that puncture hole and save the tire. These tips will help you do it with a plug patch.

Mark The Hole

The first thing you should do is mark the hole with a grease pen on the outside and inside of the tire. It will be harder to find the holes once the nail is removed, and having the hole marked will help you find it later. Thankfully, the grease pen marks come off the tire very easily when you're finished. Now you can remove the nail using some pliers. 

Widen The Hole

A plug patch kit will actually recommend that you widen the hole that was caused by the nail since you need to make room for the plug patch. It will help to use a small screwdriver and put it in the hole to determine which direction the hole is going. Knowing if it is straight through or if it is at an angle will help ensure that you widen the hole at the right angle. The plug patch will recommend a specific drill bit size to widen the hole, so attach the proper drill bit to a power drill and make the hole bigger, as odd as that may seem. 

Buff The Inside

The inside of the tire is going to need to be smooth for the plug to seal properly. It will help to buff out the inside of the tire to make it smoother since there will likely be a lot of rubber sticking out from the hole. You can then apply some rubber cement to the inside of the tire where the surface is now smooth.

Apply The Plug Patch

Now you are ready to insert the plug patch into the hole. The trick is to actually insert it from the inside of the tire. You should be able to stick the plug patch through the tire so that you can grab it with your pliers. The base of the patch will then rest against the inside of the tire where you applied the rubber cement, and form a solid seal with the tire. However, a sealer should still go over the patch on the inside to finish it off. Use a razor blade to trim the plug patch on the outside, and you're finished.

If you don't feel confident repairing your tire on your own, stop by a tire repair shop for help.


Share