No question an internal patch properly affixed is best, but when that just
ain't possible a plug is far better than the hole itself or the nail that
made the hole. Always good to have some cold-plug repair in your pit kit.
FWIW, I've pushed external plugs into tires a number of times, never with a
problem. That includes race slicks. That includes race slicks I then put on
a race track (not just one minute on an autocross course). They always held.
I once ran over a hood pin in the paddock, one of those two-prong bobby-pin
kind, and left two side-by-side vampire holes in my tire an hour before my
race. People told me then you could not plug a race slick. Bushwah! Plugged
'em both, went out and did the race. Never lost air. Ran the tire for
several events thereafter until it went to cord. That's not the only time I
ever plugged a slick either.
BTW, to do it right, you don't just shove the plug in dry, or even with a
little squeeze out of some wimpy tube of cement; I carry a bottle of rubber
cement and drown the plug in that first. Amazing how well it works.
--Rocky Entriken
-----Original Message-----
From: Brian Berryhill <brianberryhill@flashmail.com>
To: autox@autox.team.net <autox@autox.team.net>
Date: Friday, January 26, 2001 2:03 PM
Subject: Re: Need one last opinion before i buy, STS Tires (beating a dead
horse)
>You mean RE71's last long enough to get a nail puncture? :)
>
>I've had at least 3 nails in my various tires... I caught all of them
before
>they were flat since I check my pressures regularly and had them fixed.
>
>But I'm curious: What's the best type of tire repair? An interal patch or
>an external plug glued in? The last place I went to and requested a
>"patch", they ended up sticking a plug in it and gluing it in, and tried to
>convince me that once the glue cures, it will never come out, plus it keeps
>water out from rusting the steel belts. What does the Tire Rack do? And
>whats best for a tire used in autocrossing?
>
>Brian
>
>> Dan,
>>
>> That's a good question. The RE71 is a discontinued tire, so availability
>> will become an issue at some point. We have good stock in most sizes now,
>> but that's bound to change.
>>
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> William Loring
>> www.tirerack.com
>>
>> >
>> > William,
>> > The question I would have is:
>> > Down the road if I have a nail puncture or something that means getting
>> > another RE71, will they be available?
>> > Thanks,
>> > DanD
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