ARGHHH a nail in my tyre! - DPChallenge Forums

Leica 18-56mm f/3.5-5.6 Vario Elmar-T ASPH

06/08/2009 03:08:34 PM · #1

Took the ickle brcx in for its service today and got some new pads for the front disks but got a shock when I was told the offside rear tyre has a nail in it and is unrepairable. Was quoted Â£150 squid and 2 days for a 'similar' tyre as (apparently) Dunlop have stopped making their SP 9000 Sports (225/35/17).

No problen I said, the tyres are newish and I purchased a lifetime guarantee for tyre damage so quick as a flash got on to the place that sold me the tyres only 2 be told the no quibble guarantee is only for 12 months but repairs are free for life - I bought the tyres on 28th May 2008 so am a little over a week out of the warranty.

The garage that serviced the car showed me why the tyre was unrepairable as the nail is 1/4 inch too close to the side wall to safely repair. If this other garage say they can repair the tyre should I trust the repair? and, would I have any chance of a heavily discounted tyre as I'm so close to the warranty period?

Oh, and on a plus note there have been builders in my drive for the past couple of weeks so when I got home went nail hunting amongst the gravel. No nails found but I did find my locking wheel nut removal tool so saved Â£30 for a new one (and can put the locking wheel nuts back on the wheels).

MAK

Leica M Monochrom

06/08/2009 03:09:23 PM · #2

Just photoshop it out, should be fine.

Leica 18-56mm f/3.5-5.6 Vario Elmar-T ASPH

06/08/2009 03:13:38 PM · #3

Originally posted by MAK:

Just photoshop it out, should be fine.

lol, very good Marac ;)

MAK

Leica M Monochrom

06/08/2009 03:17:57 PM · #4

seriously though mate, get a new one, no point taking chances with it IMO, the amount of miles you do n'all....

robs

Canon EOS R6 Mk II

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

06/08/2009 03:23:21 PM · #5

Yeah, don't risk a fix close to the sidewall as it might fail.... Might be better to replace a pair if the match is mush more expensive or you cannot get them to work in the guarantee.

Hassle the builders :-/

Greetmir

Nikon D60

Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS for Nikon

06/08/2009 03:24:35 PM · #6

IMO ... if another garage says it can repair it ... and that is covered by insurance ... I would trust it ... IF it is in the BACK.

Possible blowouts in the front wheels are NOT to be mucked with. If a tire rotation is possible then I would go with the "I can repair it" guys and take the refund from the insurance.

I would not EVER have a repair on a front tire that technicians told me was "iffy" because it was too close to the sidewall.

Of course ... if you want to disperse ALL doubt, a new tire is in order and may be in order if you don't always drive alone ... IYKWIM ... as in ... you would never forgive yourself for hurting someone else by saving a couple of hundred dollars ... IMO

As to the chance of a discounted "tyre" ( I guess you are brit) that would be up to the manufacturer and how much they want to please their customers and probably how much you threaten them that you will "spread the news" about such a close call on the "tyre" warrantee/guarantee ... IMO

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

06/08/2009 03:30:59 PM · #7

txs guys and yes, a new tyre is probs the best way to go however I'd then be thinking about a pair of rear tyres and adding a Dunlop SP9000 sport with 6mm to my 2 Michelin Sports with 2k miles left on them (front and rear are different sizes btw). Will wait and see what they say about discount tomorrow then ring the guy that did the service today as he said he'd price match (I used to work with him).

Derf

Canon EOS-7D

06/09/2009 09:36:16 AM · #8

A Nail is not going to damage enough to worry about...PUTTING THE PLUG IN is where you do the damage to CUT the cords to not harm the plug and have it sawed in half if you run the tire pressure really low. IF it is by the sidewall your ok if they do a hotpatch from the inside and do not ever use a Plug as that is where you need to do the damage to make sure the cords do not cut it. If it is not on the sidewall and it is a nail and not a huge piece of metal, the tire places are trying to play it so safe that there is NO possibility of a lawsuit. Run any tire low on air with a plug and you are asking for problems, at that point, the more cords you cut with reaming the tire, the better it is to not release under bad conditions.

If it was me, I would plug it, keep it on the back wheel and make sure the pressure is always ok. If it was my wifes car, I would have it hot patched. I would not buy a new tire IMHO.

If I owned a tire store and had a customer come in, I would tell him he needs a new tire and would not fix it...what if the dumba$$ runs it down to 5psi? Nothing will help that and the tire would probably shread anyway without any damage.....better not to have a lawsuit.

my .02 on why so many answers

Derf

Canon EOS-7D

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

06/09/2009 09:49:33 AM · #9

Originally posted by Greetmir:

............Possible blowouts in the front wheels are NOT to be mucked with. If a tire rotation is possible then I would go with the "I can repair it" guys and take the refund from the insurance.....

I agree, I would always keep it on the back, you should see me slide around corners on a normal basis in my little Camry. I have plugged over 200 tires and had pluged over a dozen "too close" to the side wall. Always put in the back and worn the driver about tire pressure and explain why. I have never lost tire pressure from one of my plugs. I have had slow leaks elswere on the tire and where I plugged a sidewall, a plug would then be dangerous if the tire is driven on very low pressure over time. You could loose the plug and the tire would go flat. (Not really the catastrophic fail you would think, but still could be dangerous)

Once again, a nail will not break enough cords to matter at all. A hotpatch will make it very safe. A plug is possible but you would want make sure to keep it on the back.

I am a computer tech but have done lots of engine changes, more alternator changes than I have fingers and toes, and a few hundred break jobs. I am no expert, but know what I am talking about. Just my .02

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS

06/09/2009 04:05:38 PM · #10

Txs for all the comment folks (are you in the trade Fred?). I had a decent talk with the peeps that sold me the set of tyres and even though they knew my concerns confirmed they could plug the nail damage, they even let me measure the legal limit to the edge of the tire and it was within the required parameters. The clincher for me was when I was told that if the plug does 'go' it could take up to a minute to deflate so I'd be prepared (apparently it doesn't act like a blow out).

My next purchase will be an ickle tyre pressure gauge so I can do daily checks :)

Strikeslip

Canon EOS-5D

06/09/2009 04:31:29 PM · #11

Sometimes you just cannot plyg a tyre

SteveJ

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM

06/09/2009 05:07:44 PM · #12

I wouldn't mess about with plugs etc. It would be two new tyres on the front, forget rotating. Even a rear deflation is serious on the motorway. I never gamble with tyres or brakes, my life and my familys lives are more important to me.

If Dunlop don't make that model of tyre anymore, they will have replaced it with a newer model that matches or exceeds the specs for that tyre.

Buy two new ones, try getting the orginal garage to replace the old ones under warranty. If they query it, ask them if they are willing to accept liability should anything happen ie, cover vehicle damage, claims for injury and God forbid, fatalities!!

Hope it works out for you:)

Message edited by author 2009-06-09 17:08:17.