Flat Tire On The Road

**Steven@147** · 05-17-2022, 04:51 AM

Yeah OK, the proper way is a plug patch but just a plug has always worked for me, unless the hole is too big. The plugs I use has this god awful black sticky stuff on them, hard to get that stuff off your hands.

Another reason I didn't put the spare on is, it's a NEXGEN brand tire and they are terrible. The ones the truck came with new started thread separation at @ 15K miles. When I sprang for the new Michelin tires I only bought 6. Six was enough of a bite. I'll run on a plugged Michelin rather than a NEXGEN. But the spare is there if one of my Michelins is too bad to fix. If this is the case the spare will get me to the nearest tire center.

How many pickups have we all seen with "stuff" falling out of the bed onto the road? Screws, nails, metal, rebar, all kinds of crap!!

I don't know how the TPMS works on Ford or GM but the Ram 1 ton TPMS is a monitoring system only, no lights, no warnings, it will not alert you to a tire going down. You have to cycle through the dash screens to the tire screen to see if the tires have the proper air pressure. I can't get the wife to do this every time she drives the truck. She always sets the screen to the MPH. I don't know why Ram did it that way but they didn't do us any favors if we have Wife incumbered drivers. Love you honey!!

I do check the truck and RV spare tire pressures once in a while but not every movement. If I put a spare on I'll check the pressure and air up or down if necessary. For the truck, the air pressures for the front and rear would be different anyway, ambient 65 in the rears, 80 in the fronts, Ram recommended door jam placard. I suppose I could get two more TST sensors and put on the truck and trailer spares.

**Steven@147** · 05-17-2022, 05:18 AM

A question not related to my original post. I was just thinking after I had my tire issue - On a dually - If you had to get a new tire, same size and weight rating and maybe brand, as all the others, talking only dual's now,, and couldn't get your original tire for what ever reason, would you run a tire with a different thread pattern next to another one on a rear dually? Or you have to replace one of your tires and the others have lots of miles on them, now you have one new tire and one old next to each other.

Now some might say never do this, but you can't get your original tire. Buy two for the same side next to each other? Now you got different thread patterns, right to left. Or if you are in a worst case, say a Michelin next to a Cooper on a dually. Some of these tires are getting hard to find with out of stock with limited resupply and all.

What would you do?
Me, I would do whatever I had to, to keep going. I would stay with the same brand of tire if I could. But I would run a different thread pattern next to each other. Now not a thumpy tire next to a rain or mud and snow. Same size and weight rating just a different thread pattern now. I wouldn't like it but what are you going to do?

**Butcher** · 05-20-2022, 09:39 AM

@Steven@147 If your Ram does not have a warning message, you do not have a TPMS system. You have a TPIS system.

As for dually's and mixing tires. Size matters. All the tires should be the same size. The best way for this to happen is the same brand. Forget about tread. Size matters. You do not want to have a tire that does not measure the same. The size printed on the sidewall does not matter too much. All manufactures are slightly different. Don't think mixing new and used is worth it either. Sure, if you are trying to get off the road, have at it. If you are replacing tires, do it right.

As important as tires are and if you indeed have a 1 ton and are using the truck as it should, I would not want to skimp on tires. So much could happen with your vehicle and if you have a trailer, that sounds like even more of a problem.

As for comments about plugs, there are no right answers, we all have valid opinion and what works for you may not work for others.

One thing for certain, I have never seen a person on the side of the road break down a tire to patch it. I would have no problems plugging a tire on the side of the road to get me off the road ASAP. I would certainly do it without removing the wheel if I could. The only real way this will happen is if you have a TPMS system that will give you plenty of warning to pull over before damage is done to the tire. Usually tires with small leaks are damaged well before the driver knows. No plug will fix that kind of damage

**PTParker** · 05-21-2022, 03:00 PM

Originally Posted by 4x4dually

What's even better is being able to find the hole without taking the tire off the truck. Just push a plug in it, add air, and drive away.

You can always take it to a tire shop and have them grind the backside of the plug off and put an actual patch on after you get done with your trip if you are so inclined to do so. Some won't trust a plug. Some tire shops won't patch a tire with a plug in them either. Lots of opinions. Like I say, I've never had one fail.

I used to use plugs all the time, but have had two fail, and like 4x4dully said, most tire shops won't use them any longer because of that. I have not considered it but will probably get me a kit for emergency use, but I would definitely get a boot put on as soon as possible!