Plug or replace?

[Pete McCluskey.]

Yesterday I was doing some work under the rear clip and noticed a nail stuck in a rear tire. Of course as soon as I pulled it out came the Hiss of escaping air. I jacked the rear and removed the wheel and it is waiting to go for repair.
My question is to plug or replace?
The tire is a Pirelli Pzero and has done only 6000 KLMs. It did not deflate on the car so has no wall damage. How confident would guys be driving with a repaired tire, given the speeds the GT40 is capable of?

 

[Mick]

Nail in my tire

Hey pete, I had a leak in the rear and just had it pluged. I hope it doesn't let go when we get to the track at Willowbank, Maybe 1st Wednesday of the this month.

Mick

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Mick, what is the story on Willowbank?

 

[Pat Buckley]

I would plug it. My experience with doing this has all been good.

 

[CliffBeer]

Pete, for general all around running on the street it shouldn't be a problem at all to just have the tire plugged. However, for any serious amount of track time where you'll be pushing the tire to anywhere close to its lateral g or rotational g force limits it would be best to replace. The puncture most likely didn't penetrate or damage any of the steel reinforcing bands (these are really what keeps a tire together at high speed) so structurally the tire is probably OK, however, the plug may loosen and come out at speed and you really don't want a flat at 140mph+. And, obviously, you want to replace in pairs...

 

[Mick]

Re: Willowbank

Pete, I'll give you a call when I get details.

 

[Bill Bayard]

Pete,

If you have concerns about plugging the tire, have the repairman put a radial

tire patch on the inside of the plug. You might want to think about

rebalancing the tire if you do this.




Bill

 

[Mark]

I had a rear plugged on my 911 over a year ago. No problems at all, but then I have not taken the car to the track, or driven particularly fast on the road with it.

 

[Ross Nicol]

I've been Racing all weekend on a slick tyre that went flat with a puncture at the last race meeting.The puncture was repaired by a patch on the inside of the tyre. Does require removal of the tyre from the rim though and rebalancing. this in my opinion is a better repair than a plug but the plug repair works well on treaded tyres. Also in my opinion these repairs don't create a safety concern for high speed driving but I suppose tyre retailers would have a different opinion than mine. I'll accept any punctured throw away (near new) tyres gifted to me though.
Ross

 

[Malcolm]

A repaired tyre is or should be fine so long as the puncture was not on the egde of the tyre ie where tyre wall meets tread. Your tyre guy should be able to advise what is best.

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Thanks guys, I'm going to plug, sorry Ross no gifts this time.

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

The tyre was plugged and patched on the inside by Bob Jane's T Mart at Mt Ommaney. The boys decided to do the inside patch without direction from me.
One look at the wheel and tire and they decided to do the best repair possible, as it was obviously from a high performance car.
Thanks guys.