Tire Plugs

mark · Jun 15, 2012

Is there much difference between tire plugs/patches and kits? i.e. it there any significant difference between the $10 kit I can get at O'reilly's and the more expensive offerings for ARB and the off-road shops?

Is there much difference between the re-fill plugs?

Anyone got any tips/tricks? I've actually never done one before, never even had the tools, but I got one pin-hole in a tire that I want to stuff so i figured it was time.

:beer:

Eric · Jun 15, 2012

They are a good temp fix to get you off the trail!

That being said I have known someone to put over 6 plugs in a sidewall hole on his DD and still drive it around for about 3 weeks before going into the tire shop to get a new tire. The tire shop freaked out when he drove it in. Many of this driving was at 70mph over passes and all over puget sound. I think several of those where just cheap harbor fright plugs.

mark · Jun 15, 2012

This is off-road only. I know a fair number of guys with a ton of plugs in their wheeling tires, and no real issues.

Just wondering about quality.

crash2 · Jun 15, 2012

We no longer use plugs at work due to liability(lawers)...

Although patch plugs really are a better fix than a plug...

crash2 · Jun 15, 2012

mark said:
This is off-road only. I know a fair number of guys with a ton of plugs in their wheeling tires, and no real issues.

Just wondering about quality.

Cain used to wheel with like 15 plugs in one of his 44's :haha:

crazybluerider1 · Jun 15, 2012

From my experience age and storage has much more to do with how well they work then brand. If they are all dried out and covered in dirt from sitting in your tool box chances are they aren't gonna work worth a ****. If they are stored in a good zip lock or Tupperware box they seem to last a lot longer and stay nice and gooey.

I've had pretty good luck with the ones I've been getting from a company called blackjack but the only real reason I use these over the local Napa one is that I get them easily through work.

:redneck:

boxboy · Jun 15, 2012

I have a small fishing tackle box, I cut all the dividers out and store everything for tire plugging in it. I have found having a good set of plug tools is key... i good rasp (sp?) or what ever it is call to clean out the hole really good and then a good strong plug tool (I have broken some of the cheaper ones). The plugs them selves I bought from Walmart. Oh and I also have a couple tubes of that patch glue... I wet the hole and the plug real good before insertion.:;

one of my Irocs sports about 10 to 15 plugs :redneck: oh also a good knife or some cutting device to trim off what hangs out so you don't just rip the plugs out 5 times in a row in the outlet mall :looser:

:hi:

Duck Dodgers · Jun 15, 2012

My first day ever over at Naches a few years ago, brand new BFG MTR's couple of weeks old, I ran and broken branch through the side wall. Someone in the group had an ARB plug kit took 3 or 4 plugs to fix it but it held. Ran the rest of the week aired down to 12lbs and came all the way back to Bellingham fully loaded with all our camping gear and then ran the tire for a few more weeks before I got a replacement. :awesomework: A year later picked up a nail in the top of the sidewall in the same dang (new replacement)tire and plugged that one too. Both plugs held just fine. Temporary fix :awesomework: Long term.....nawww

WA-Wheeler · Jun 15, 2012

Temp fix they we great. Get a good set, I ave a trail gear one that's pretty nice, oly like 40 bucks too:awesomework:

Fordzuki · Jun 15, 2012

x2 on the patch/plug. Wurth makes good ones. I just used one on my rear tire of the new dd after somehow getting a house key through my tire.. :eeek: I pulled the tire to plug it and found it was already plugged once before.. it's a back tire, I ain't skeered. :redneck:

ain'tstuckjustresting · Jun 16, 2012

I worked at a shop that used a lot of the Safety Seal brand plugs. They worked very well and come with good quality tools.

I have a wally world kit in my toy that works in a pinch but there is no comparison to the good ones.

japerry · Jun 29, 2012

I have a tire plug in one of my rear tires. Its been there for almost 2 years now and 3000 miles on it. I don't plan on changing it out anytime soon.

They were from Napa.

Avanteone · Jun 30, 2012

To answer your question: In my experience, yes the style that come in the ARB kits are much better than the auto parts store style plugs. They are thicker, stickier, and more spongy. They seem to fill the types of trail damage holes that we end up with on the trail better than the thinner/harder style I've used from auto parts stores.