james90755

I found myself fixing my first flat yesterday in the woods.... and regretfully it was caused by a stainless screw... boring story I know. But it got me thinking about plugs.

Are tire plugs a permanent fix, assuming one uses high quality stuff like ARB?

Their manual says use only to get to a repair shop...

onvacation

Like it says, they are not, but think about it if they said it was, then boneheads using one and not having it hold up would complain. I have used good quality plugs over the years and when installed properly, some last the rest of the life of the tire without any leaking and some don't.

berg

Has been for me. Fix a Flat has been permanent, too.

Right rear went flat 6 months ago. Put in Fix a Flat and it hasn't lost one psi of pressure since I first filled it.

I don't even know what a repair shop can do with a puncture, put on a patch on the inside? Is that any better than a plug, really?

Flyin'Squirrel

modern day plugs should last the life of the tire as long as installation was proper.

use a generous amount of the goo on the plug.

you will see issues if there are many plugs in a single tire though, dont wanna go more than 2-3

whatroads

Tire plug kit and air supply are part of my standard tool kit. Like others have said, A hold plugged in the tread should last the life of a tire. Sidewall can be a different story. I usually move a plugged tire to the spare. If for no other reason, it gives the plug glue/cement time to set up.

RedneckJeep

If you use the right plugs, yes, they are quite permanent. Typically, plugs with fiber strands in them do not last. The good ones just look like a piece of rubber...because they are. They are made from a special vulcanizing compound that, when heated by normal tire temperatures, melt and essentially become part of the tire. Inside patches are not the way to go, because there is still a hole in the tread created by whatever punctured the tire. dirt and debris can get in the hole and work the patch loose. I've heard the argument about a plug tool breaking a radial belt, but it just doesn't hold water. It would have to be a mighty big hole to break an entire steel belt.....so big that the tire would be worthless to repair.

TINMAN080

[QUOTE=RedneckJeep;656899]If you use the right plugs, yes, they are quite permanent. Typically, plugs with fiber strands in them do not last. The good ones just look like a piece of rubber...because they are. They are made from a special vulcanizing compound that, when heated by normal tire temperatures, melt and essentially become part of the tire. Inside patches are not the way to go, because there is still a hole in the tread created by whatever punctured the tire. dirt and debris can get in the hole and work the patch loose. I've heard the argument about a plug tool breaking a radial belt, but it just doesn't hold water. It would have to be a mighty big hole to break an entire steel belt.....so big that the tire would be worthless to repair.[/QUOTE-X2 I've never had trouble with a plug and I've NEVER had a patch last.......

james90755

Seems that my opinion that plugs are good is in alignment with many. The ARB kit has a high quality reamer and plug insertion tool... plugs seem real good quality as well.

And if the rubber becomes one with the tire... I expect long term preformance should be good.

rlabbott

I keep hearing from those who know... that there are good plugs and not good plugs.
Can someone point me to a site where I can see the 'good' plugs and purchase them? Or tell me the name and the seller?

I see some that look like twisted pink rubber. I see some that look like black rubber with a metal spike on the end.

Which one do I buy without making a science project out of it

deconstructionist

I use/used plugs for years with absolutely NO problems. Over 400,000 on the truck...last set of tires went the full 50,000 miles (and only ONE tire rotation during that whole time!!!!) and I simply forgot just howwwwww manyyyyyyy times I had to plug: well, get the new tires on and take a peeksie in the old and counted 15 plugs in just ONE tire, 11 in another.

No gooooooo, no bonding agent other than what's on the plug itself.

Just DONT EVER plug a sidewall--- Save to maybe get you off a trail and to a shop: Sidewall repairs ARE truly the dangerous ones!!!!!!