Puncture Repair

[Steve B]

Woke yesterday to find I had a punture in rear tyre - all I could see was the top of a big screw which had gone in. I tried to change the wheel but after undoing all the nuts it still wouldn't come off, in the end I had to contact Lexus Roadside Assistance (RAC) who came within 45 mins to sort it out. The RAC mechanic had to use 2 club hammers and knock the wheel out to free it. Apparently it is a common fault with alloy wheels that they weld or stick to the casing - so make sure that your covered by RAC or similar or have a big hammer with you just in case. Good bit of news is that puncture can be repaired for £7.00 :D

[kev dood]

do you not have Z rated tyres then on your car? I thought all the IS's were?

If so, then you are not allowed to repair punctures in them!!

[Parthiban]

i thought you can repair any tyre as long as the puncture is within the correct region and you havent had too many repairs already

[Rob]

i work with a guy that used to do the wheel/tyre repairs for the exclusive dealerships in the north of UK - that includes RR, ferrari, aston etc and there was never any problem with fitting plugs to the tyres, even Z rated ones

After speaking to him i have also found out that if u have a puncture on the corner ( not in the side wall!!!!!!!) where a plug can not be fitted, that there is an approved repair, they cut out a little square on either side of the puncture and use a molten rubber compound, this is applied to both side of the tyre under pressure, it then forms a solid plug in the hole and in the cut out areas, after it has cured the area is shaved to match the original profile of the tyre, believe it cost about £20 to do - better than paying £130!!!

Oh BTW to avoid the sticky alloy wheel syndrome, next time the wheels are off ask them to apply a little copper grease to the mating areas, you wont get any probs then!!!

[Steve B]

My puncture was in the middle of the tread and they said it is perfectly legal. They said they can't repair punctures to the side wall or if it is too close to the outer edge - but mine was okay. I had two punctures in my previous car and both were repaired the same way with no further problems. Hopefully I won't have any further problems. Just remember your club hammers.

[kev dood]

well bugger me backwards, you learn something new every day.

I thought and had been LED to believe that high speed rated Z etc tyres could not be repaired anywhere on the tyre.

Glad I now know otherwise - will save a lot of cash! Ta guys - :iraqi-info-minister:

[Steve B]

I don't know about the 'bugger me backwards thing' I'm not really into that, but glad that I might save you some dosh in the future. :D

[Kavey]

Good bit of news is that puncture can be repaired for £7.00 :D

Who is that from? Did RAC do the repair?

I've been really lucky and never had a puncture yet on nay car I've driven :luck: but I'm sure it'll happen soon...

[Steve B]

It was from a local tyre dealer 'Wheelgame' in Tadley Hampshire, about 6 miles north of Basingstoke, Hampshire.

[Parthiban]

all branches of kwik-fit do the repair too dont they

they charge £5.95 if i remember correctly