The worst has happened—you had an accident on the road and your tire is flat. The first thing you’re thinking is probably “Can this be fixed? Or do I have to buy a new set of tires?”
In this post, we outline:
- When a Tire Can Be Repaired
- When a Tire Must Be Replaced
You’re in luck! Your tire can be repaired if:
1. The damage is 1 inch or more from the edge of the tire shoulder/sidewall where the internal steel belts begin. Repairs can only be done on the center tread/crown area (indicated on the image above) because this is where a patch repair will hold.
2. The puncture is smaller than 1/4 inch in diameter on a passenger or light truck tire. According to Tire Industry Association (TIA) standards, the maximum allowable injury size in a passenger tire is 1/4” (or 6mm) in diameter.
3. The damage is not on a previously repaired area. It is important that tire repairs don’t overlap with other repairs to prevent tire failure.
**Some speed rated tires have repair limitations.
Repairing Tread Damage and Punctures
These above types of tire damage are repairable and can be taken care of at your nearest Wonderland Tire service center. To properly repair tires, a technician must:
1. Remove the tire from the rim to be thoroughly inspected.
2. Inspect the condition of the tread, sidewall, bead, and injury area using a tire spreader in adequate lighting.
3. Probe the injury area to determine the angle and location of the injury.
4. Drill out the damage with a carbide cutter.
5. Buff the tire’s inner liner.
6. Fill the puncture with a vulcanized rubber stem.
7. Seal the tire injury from inside using a patch.
Find a tire technician near you.
Your tire cannot be repaired and must be replaced if:
1. The damage is on the sidewall of the tire. A tire sidewall cannot be repaired because a patch will not hold—the sidewalls are flexible and they do not contain the cords that the tread does.
2. It has a bulge on the tread or sidewall. Repair cannot be done on a tire bulge because the damage is internal. This internal structural damage to the tire can’t just be fixed with a patch or plug––when the cords inside the body of the tire are broken, it’s beyond repair.
3. Serious damage has occurred after a car accident, like tread separation, zipper rupture, or other large punctures. When your tire damage includes the underlying belts coming apart, your tread will come apart from the tire and repairs cannot be done.
4. The tire has been run low on pressure, causing inner liner cracks or signs of inner liner damage.
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