Outdoor Adventure USA

Last August I purchased a Powertank Tire Repair Kit from Larry as insurance in case I received a puncture on the trail. So far, I haven't had to use it for a trail repair.

However, this Mother's Day, I was doing my usual weekend inspection of my wife's Disco when I noticed her front passenger tire was pretty low - 22lbs (normally 35lbs). After looking it over I saw that a screw was embedded in the tread of the tire.

After first thinking that I'd have to run over to a tire shop to have it repaired, I then remembered that I had the repair kit in my truck and had a great opportunity to test out my gear. What an easy repair. The screw came out cleanly, and the kit performed as advertised. I'm very happy with the results - the kit is inexpensive and well worth the money.

One question, how often do you replace the repair plugs in the kit?

There are many great tire repair kits on the market. Each kit is slightly different.

For the plugs, I normally inspect mine and go from there, you'll be able to see if they need to be replaced or not. I think they have a large shelf life.

The biggest thing would be the glue drying out. The plugs will vulvanizise for a long time. You can replenis the the radial plugs at pepboys they sell the plugs, the glue. the rasp as well as the inserting needle. For more permanent repair its better to take the tire of and patch it from the inside with a radial tire patch. Scuff the inside of the tire apply glue and apply patch.
Is more permanent tire plugs can pull out.

Hardluck wrote:Last August I purchased a Powertank Tire Repair Kit from Larry as insurance in case I received a puncture on the trail. So far, I haven't had to use it for a trail repair.

However, this Mother's Day, I was doing my usual weekend inspection of my wife's Disco when I noticed her front passenger tire was pretty low - 22lbs (normally 35lbs). After looking it over I saw that a screw was embedded in the tread of the tire.

After first thinking that I'd have to run over to a tire shop to have it repaired, I then remembered that I had the repair kit in my truck and had a great opportunity to test out my gear. What an easy repair. The screw came out cleanly, and the kit performed as advertised. I'm very happy with the results - the kit is inexpensive and well worth the money.

One question, how often do you replace the repair plugs in the kit?

Unofficially, the self-vulcanizing plugs in the tire repair kits last a long time - I've had some for 10 years that still appear to be OK. I'll have to check with Safety Seal for the official word -

I am running a 31" BFG Mud tire with a Safety Seal plug in the Tread that I put in December 2006 while on a trip to Death Valley. It is still holding! Recently I put a plug in the side wall of the same tire just below the tread. That was about 5,000 miles ago. While I do not recommend driving on road with a side wall plug this one has held up very well. However, I risk a blow out every time I go anywhere now and the potential to rollover at highway speeds. This is one where the advise is "do what I say not what I did".

I have put as many as 6 plugs stacked into a sidewall slice to get back to camp. I have had it last just long enough to get off the dirt and some that lasted a few days until we were ready to go home. As a general rule, I try to fix a tire first. If I can't repair it and the spare goes on, then it is time to head out because I have no spare and I know I can't fix the other one.

Regards,
Tom

Patches are always better, but ive never seen a problem with plugs even on r compound tires at 100+ mph. At Willow Springs our Z picked up a screw and the driver pulled in and i plugged it and we are actually just finishing up one more session on these tires this coming weekend. We plugged it when it was brand new and ran about 4 full races on the same set of tires. I just plug my tires at home and call it a day.

I cut a sidewall on the Rubicon last year and repaired with 3 plugs from the Safety Seal kit. That tire ran well until replaced about 6 month later.

This is great information. thank you
David

Man I use that Powertank kit pretty regularly ... but for my dirt bike and ATV tires. I have not had a plug go flat or pull out yet and I have used quite a few. Great quality kit.