Just wondering what everyone thought about this. Last summer I punctured my front-right tire with a nail, directly into the sidewall. I had a plug put in, and was advised not to drive too long on it, although many opinions on the net say otherwise. I can't afford new shoes for my car this year, but we've had such mild weather up in MN this year, I'm desperately wanting to get her out and drive.

Think it's safe? Or should I wait to put new tires on?

 

It's illegal here to plug // patch a side wall.

IMHO, get new tire(s)

 

I wouldn't do it. I have driven on a plugged tread with no problems- standard repair, but the sidewall is far more structural. It would be a shame to have it fail at speed and ruin that wheel before you got it stopped. Or WORSE...

 

You need a new tire. I ruined a tire the same way, and it was almost new.

 

I agree with everyone else. If it were on the treads not a problem but sidewalls are much weaker.

 

did a tire place put the plug on your sidewall? that's a big no no. Just like everyone else said no it's not okay to drive it with it in there.

 

it your talking sidewall= less the 1/2"inch up from footprint of tire.
then your ok. (must be in the tred) of the sidewall less then 1/2"inch from footprint!

a standard Radial tire is strongest right there. it is built to flex there
and will also have tred there.

but, if in just the smooth flat side of side wall...=NO NO (MORE THEN 1/2" UP)= Bad
there are No steel/glass belts there and tire could Rip open

most of your steel belts are in the foot print of tire, with the flexing sidewall Glassbelts mixed in and running up to almost 1 1/2 inch of side wall (in the tred cup of the side of the tire)

even if you have the Polyglass belted tire..(buzzword) your good.

alot of tire shops use only inner patches. some still use plugs. both do a good job.
has long has, the guy whos doing the patch/plug knows what hes doing.

if you want to use the tire up 2 to 3 years of life left in it. you can always Buy a Radial tube.
and install it and forget the Plug.
done alot of tires.. and alot of tires..(worked for ford) and i like firestone!!!

 

Thanks for the input everyone. I decided last year when it was plugged that I'd park the car until the tire was replaced, but had been told by several people lately that I would be fine to drive on it (which is why I came here for a more reliable source). If it were my daily driver with 75r tires (as opposed to my 35r), I would consider it. I would hate for it to not hold up as micktroup stated, and end up with a bent/broken rim.

Guess she'll be garaged for a while longer.

Edit: I should mention that the only reason I had it plugged in the first place, was to get the car back home in the garage, and NOT as a end all fix.

 

+1

I had two tires plugged on my truck. One road nail, one random scrap metal. Both in tread though. If it were sidewall I would have gotten new tire(s).

 

I had 3 plugs in my back right drag radial... That tire had the worst luck and got stuck with a screw, nail, and and piece of metal. I drove on the tire like nothing had ever happened. Even took it to the drag stri[ for 30+ more passes without any problems. Probably wasn't the safest thing, but I was a broke teenager at the time.

They weren't in the sidewall though. I think I would have replaced the tire if that were the case.

 

On my truck I got a nail in the tread part of the sidewall on a set of brand new tires, less than one month old, and only one shop in town would patch it. Everyone else said that it would not hold. This one shop said if any higher on the sidewall they would not touch it (too much flexing). They put a patch on the inside and it has held up since. I have had several other flats on this tire and had the prior patches checked the last time.
I have always been told you get flats easier on old wore out tires than on new but I must be the exception.