A tire breakdown on the go can indeed cause several troubles for you if you are in a hurry. Although the patch method seems to be the choice of many people, it does not apply to all punctures.
If you are having this problem, scroll down immediately. We’ve compiled all the information you need under one incredibly detailed insight, which is waiting for you to discover.
How Close To Sidewall Can A Tire Be Patched
The sidewall has never been an ideal part for applying hole patching. If the gap is 1″ pouring up, you can consider some measures to overcome or hold out temporarily until support is available.
Within 1″ of refills, any remedial efforts will be pointless, and you’ll need to buy a new tire to replace it.
In the below section, we have compiled the most specific information about the three types of surface damage you will encounter. These include sidewall, deadly wounds, and possible solutions. Scroll down for more information!
Understanding Sidewall Patches
It’s best to learn more about the parts on the tire surface and their role in order to understand how serious the hole is.
If you look at the surface of this product, you will realize it consists of shoulders, crowns, and sidewalls. Inside it, sidewalls are located on either side of the tire to maintain the product shape. Shoulders firmly cover the crown. The hardest parts are the crowns, whose main role is contact and traction.
We want to remind you about these sidewalls more than other parts. They have a fairly smooth surface, consisting of many layers (depending on different models and manufacturers).
Structurally, most manufacturers use polyester as the main ingredient. Some places even reinforced the product with another layer of nylon. That’s why they give the entire tire an incredible amount of stability.
Still, it is the above structural features that make the punctures on the sidewall become fatal to the entire product. Once this part is damaged, it is impossible to repair it. In this case, your only choice is to remove the old one and replace it with the new one.
Deadly Wounds
Regardless of the product’s model, the closer the puncture is to the sidewall, the slimmer your hope of repair. The sidewalls’ steel rings are difficult to repair, making the damage more fatal.
However, Once it’s 1″ or more away from the sidewall, you can safely find a remedy.
If you try patching a tire near the sidewall, you won’t be able to seal the holes completely. The humid outside air entering will destroy the tire quality from the inside. Once this goes on for a long time, tread separation is likely to happen unexpectedly to your vehicle.
Indeed, you may still be reluctant to take urgent measures. But this can only help your vehicle operate, and there is no guarantee of the distance behind.
The performance of the car also decreased significantly. You will find out the decline in smoothness besides the decrease in speed.
See more: How Long Does It Take To Patch A Tire
Possible Solutions
Sometimes, it is impossible to be able to find out relevant replacement parts on your journey. These extreme circumstances will force you to use a patch (or plug on the sidewall) or continue with a flat tire.
If you were in that situation, what would your options be? Our advice is to use temporary remedies until you reach the nearest auto repair station for those who are still wondering.
Driving for too long with a damaged tire will decrease the driving experience. Besides the decreased speed, the feeling of vibration is also another trouble it cause you.
This also causes minor damage to the overall performance of your tires. Though some tires with minor damage are still repairable and working properly, you might need to throw them away if you insist on moving on a flat tire.
We suggest you cover them with a plug or a patch when the puncture is found at a safe distance from the sidewall. Considering tires with better bearing capacity will also reduce mid-road failures of this product.
If the hole is in the sidewall, all efforts to fix it are futile. It would be best to try to move to the nearest repair station and replace it with a brand-new tire.
How To Fix The Sidewall Damage?
Let’s start by removing the tire from the wheel. Then, you need to use specialized tools to disassemble the fixing nuts.
After successful disassembly, check for holes and remove every stuck object (such as screws, dead branches, or nails). Completely remove the air in the tire and give a little cement to the plug.
Next, you need to clean the puncture and refill its air. After applying a sufficient amount of sealant to the plug’s center, plug it in to complete the patching process.
Cut the excess ends of the plug on the outside, then reinstall the wheel and inflate the product. The last step you need to complete is fixing the nuts and shooting the tire to the wheel tightly.
See more: How Much Does It Cost To Patch A Tire
FAQS
How Long Can You Drive on a Patched Tire?
Our answers are sure to amaze you! A patch, if done properly, can last from 8 to 1 year. But the quality and durability will go down if you do this measure many times.
This measure will not guarantee you the same performance, speed, and smoothness. You would still face the risk of blowouts and damage along the way. Therefore, you should consider getting a new tire for the safest travel experience.
Can You Patch A Tire On The Side Of The Road?
If you are facing this problem, it would be best to combine patching with another reinforcement measure.
Patches can be helpful with punctures that are easy to fix but are not so effective on the tire side. Therefore, the best way is to insert an extra tube inside the wheel to maintain the product shape in the best way.
How Fast Can You Drive On A Patched Tire?
If you patch your product properly, it can still give you the ideal speed experience. Specifically, you can hit 80 mph with a patched product.
Our Final Thoughts
We surely do not expect to encounter vehicle problems during their journey. Once that happens, understanding and mastery of the new approach is the key to solving your problem quickly and efficiently.
Through this article, we believe that the answer and all the problems related to it are no longer a headache for you. See you in the next articles.
