Keep Unrepairable Flat Tire?

[RG129]

My Model 3 w/ Aero's is only a month old with 1100 miles and I got a flat tire. I optimistically thought I could get back on the road quickly and tried to repair with slime, but it didn't work and I called Tesla Roadside and got a loaner put on.

My Service estimate includes a full replacement which I was expecting since I made a mess of the wheel with the slime. I'm wondering if it would be worthwhile to try and keep the tire when I go to my service appointment in a few days. The tow truck driver showed me the whole and seemed like a simple puncture (less than 1/4" and not near the sidewall). I assume the slime didn't work due to the acoustic foam, but could I clean out the slime and try to plug it with a tire plug kit and save it for later? Or should I not even bother and just cut my losses?

 

[TLLMRRJ]

You could just pull the foam out all together and take it to a normal tire shop to have them properly patch and plug the hole. I'd bet money you would never notice the difference in noise without the foam in that one tire. Save yourself the cash and the environment of an unnecessary new tire.

Here's a good video showing you how they properly repair a tire. Once you remove the gooey foam, it will be child's play for the tire shop.

 

[Mark57]

I assume the slime didn't work due to the acoustic foam, but could I clean out the slime and try to plug it with a tire plug kit and save it for later?

The foam blocked the slime from reaching the hole. Assuming the hole is not too big, you absolutely can plug a tire even with the foam lining intact. I've plugged many tires over the years and had a screw in my Model 3 two months ago. The big difference in a regular vs foam lining tire is it's very hard to push the plug in all the way to get it seated. In a non-foam lined tire the plug just pops right through past the belting. On the foam lined tire, it pushes into the foam lining and gives you the impression that it won't go farther, but it will. You've really got to get serious about pushing it in there. If you've ever plugged a tire, you'll know when it goes through. At that point, it's just like any other tire plug.

If you have a plug kit, I'd try to plug it without dismounting from the wheel. If it works, you save a lot of money.

 

[blissdancer]

The foam blocked the slime from reaching the hole. Assuming the hole is not too big, you absolutely can plug a tire even with the foam lining intact. I've plugged many tires over the years and had a screw in my Model 3 two months ago. The big difference in a regular vs foam lining tire is it's very hard to push the plug in all the way to get it seated. In a non-foam lined tire the plug just pops right through past the belting. On the foam lined tire, it pushes into the foam lining and gives you the impression that it won't go farther, but it will. You've really got to get serious about pushing it in there. If you've ever plugged a tire, you'll know when it goes through. At that point, it's just like any other tire plug.

If you have a plug kit, I'd try to plug it without dismounting from the wheel. If it works, you save a lot of money.

I keep hearing how difficult it is to plug a foam tire. I am a small, 72yr old woman so I wonder if plugging a foam tire is not an option for me? When I had a screw in the tire of my Prius I just kept putting air in it until I could get it fixed. I can do that with a form tire too right?

 

[ATPMSD]

1. Never use slime!
2. Plugging a tire with a form liner is no harder than one without it. But take it to the pros since,
3. The proper way to fix a tire is to patch it, not plug it. And patching is not much harder to do with a foam tire than a normal one.

 

[Mark57]

I keep hearing how difficult it is to plug a foam tire. I am a small, 72yr old woman so I wonder if plugging a foam tire is not an option for me? When I had a screw in the tire of my Prius I just kept putting air in it until I could get it fixed. I can do that with a form tire too right?

I've used to own both a 2010 and 2017 Prius Prime and have plugged the tires on both as well as a Toyota 4Runner. From experience, I can say plugging those non-foam tires was easier than the foam lined tire on the Tesla. It's all about the foam layer that's glued to the inside of the tire resisting when you try to push the plug in.

If you've never plugged any type of tire before, trying to plug a foam lined tire as your first try will be more frustrating. It takes a bit of hand and grip strength plus you have to get your body over it to help push it in. Even with dipping the plug tool and plug in silicone grease, it's hard to push all the way in unless you REALLY mean it.

You might consider a third party full size spare as opposed to assuming you can keep adding air until you can get it fixed. There may be a day when it's not a slow leak and you're stuck.

 

[Bouba]

You could just pull the foam out all together and take it to a normal tire shop to have them properly patch and plug the hole. I'd bet money you would never notice the difference in noise without the foam in that one tire. Save yourself the cash and the environment of an unnecessary new tire.

Here's a good video showing you how they properly repair a tire. Once you remove the gooey foam, it will be child's play for the tire shop.

That video looked like a thorough job...I wonder if my local tire shop would be as good?

 

[UncertainTimes]

Discount Tire was able to plug my foam tire. They just cut a section out. Not a big deal.

 

[RoyC]

1. Never use slime!
2. Plugging a tire with a form liner is no harder than one without it. But take it to the pros since,
3. The proper way to fix a tire is to patch it, not plug it. And patching is not much harder to do with a foam tire than a normal one.

What to do when you get a patch instead of a plug. I called local service station hoping to get a patch on front left Aero with a screw in it. I wanted to make sure they had the pucks to lift it and could deal with the foam. “Fix a tire“ is barely out of my mouth when he says “pull it into the full service lane” and hangs up. I was also hoping to rotate them if they had the pads. I want the tire fixed so I drive a mile to the station, guy meets me, tells me to turn the wheel, “I see it, get this before the rain gets too heavy”. I accept that I’m going to get the plug, not the patch but also realize that this was standard operating procedure. So at least I ca drive awhile, but what are the risks with the patch. I’ve got 25K on the tires but they still look pretty good, I’ll probably get to 30. Will a patch last that long or should I get it patched?

 

[ATPMSD]

What to do when you get a patch instead of a plug. I called local service station hoping to get a patch on front left Aero with a screw in it. I wanted to make sure they had the pucks to lift it and could deal with the foam. “Fix a tire“ is barely out of my mouth when he says “pull it into the full service lane” and hangs up. I was also hoping to rotate them if they had the pads. I want the tire fixed so I drive a mile to the station, guy meets me, tells me to turn the wheel, “I see it, get this before the rain gets too heavy”. I accept that I’m going to get the plug, not the patch but also realize that this was standard operating procedure. So at least I ca drive awhile, but what are the risks with the patch. I’ve got 25K on the tires but they still look pretty good, I’ll probably get to 30. Will a patch last that long or should I get it patched?

Plugs work and have been used for many years, patching is the preferred method. You should be fine, just keep an eye on it and don’t worry. I suggest going to Discount Tire for a rotation and for new tires when you are ready. You can also have a more thorough discussion with them about plugs versus patches.

 

[RoyC]

Plugs work and have been used for many years, patching is the preferred method. You should be fine, just keep an eye on it and don’t worry. I suggest going to Discount Tire for a rotation and for new tires when you are ready. You can also have a more thorough discussion with them about plugs versus patches.

So I went to Discount Tire to get the plugged tire patched and rotate my tires. To my surprise, they would do neither. Service person said they are “not allowed” to service plugged tires: can’t patch them because boring hole for plug lets water, dirt into belt, weakening tire. Can’t even rotate them. I don’t know if this is a stance of the local shop or a state wide law, but it’s certainly surprising. fortunately I’m expecting to replace my tires fairly soon so I’ll just gut it out till then but I sure would hate for a new one to get a puncture!

 

[Bouba]

So I went to Discount Tire to get the plugged tire patched and rotate my tires. To my surprise, they would do neither. Service person said they are “not allowed” to service plugged tires: can’t patch them because boring hole for plug lets water, dirt into belt, weakening tire. Can’t even rotate them. I don’t know if this is a stance of the local shop or a state wide law, but it’s certainly surprising. fortunately I’m expecting to replace my tires fairly soon so I’ll just gut it out till then but I sure would hate for a new one to get a puncture!

Don’t you just miss inner tubes

 

[ucmndd]

So I went to Discount Tire to get the plugged tire patched and rotate my tires. To my surprise, they would do neither. Service person said they are “not allowed” to service plugged tires: can’t patch them because boring hole for plug lets water, dirt into belt, weakening tire. Can’t even rotate them. I don’t know if this is a stance of the local shop or a state wide law, but it’s certainly surprising. fortunately I’m expecting to replace my tires fairly soon so I’ll just gut it out till then but I sure would hate for a new one to get a puncture!

The big chains are EXTREMELY risk averse because our legal system is broken and they’re huge targets. So they just flat-out refuse to touch anything even slightly out of the ordinary.

Find a local mom and pop shop.

 

[ATPMSD]

“not allowed” to service plugged tires

This should answer the question of to plug or patch. The right answer is if you must plug consider it a temporary solution until you can have it patched.