Flat Tire On The Road

[Steven@147]

We just had a flat tire on our truck, right rear inside dual (naturally had to be). We had gotten to our Campground, unhitched and set up. Was leaving CG to visit Wife's parents for Mothers Day and our Son. Noticed RR tire was reporting 1 PSI. Got to work removing the tire, had to kick rear tires with both feet to brake rims loose - stuck. Big screw in inside tire.

I always carry a tire plugging kit that has a reamer, multiple plugs and insert tool and our Viair compressor. Removed, plugged, installed, aired up and on our way again. Took a little while for the Viair compressor to air up the tire to 65 psi but was fine. You never know when you may have to fix a punctured tire on the road, so have the tools to get you going again. Get your rig to a safe place to work on the tire. We were in the CG.
You can always go to a tire shop later to have it checked but having the tools on hand can get you going again.

 

[traveldawg]

Nice that you were able to do this. I never thought about not being able to use a spare tire if you have a dually. What position would a spare on a dully be good for?

 

[Steven@147]

Nice that you were able to do this. I never thought about not being able to use a spare tire if you have a dually. What position would a spare on a dully be good for?

I could have put the spare on, same size but a different brand and thread pattern. Kind of a pain to get it out from under the truck. The spare is a steel rim and all the outsides are Alcoa rims. It will fit on any position on the truck it just wont report to the TPMS system, no TPMS sensor. It was just as easy to plug the flat tire and put it back on and I can watch it on TPMS.

Oh, get yourself a good pair of knee pads/guards (harbor freight) . Kneeling down on gravel or hot asphalt/concrete, is murder on your knees.

 

[Butcher]

As a former Flat-Rate mechanic, I would not have taken off the wheel. All of that could be done laying on your back. Beats screwing around with a jack, having the truck fall off the jack, screwing around with the lug nuts, and the worst part......putting all the tools back how the factory installed them.

 

[traveldawg]

Oh, get yourself a good pair of knee pads/guards (harbor freight) . Kneeling down on gravel or hot asphalt/concrete, is murder on your knees.

This is why I have a knee pad in each bay (my laziness and easy access). And I also keep a small blue tarp too for situations like this.

 

[4x4dually]

A plug kit will save you tons of heartache on the road for emergencies. I'll plug a tire and never look back. I've never to this day had a plug leak after installing it. I use a Blackjack kit.

One thing I still don't understand is why in the fruit salad does OEM's not put TPMS on the spare tires? I'd be willing to say that almost none of you can say you regularly get under your trucks and check the pressure in your spares. It just doesn't make any sense to not have that option from the factory. Maybe the new trucks do, but I've yet to see one myself that does.

 

[UGADawgs]

A plug kit will save you tons of heartache on the road for emergencies. I'll plug a tire and never look back. I've never to this day had a plug leak after installing it. I use a Blackjack kit.

One thing I still don't understand is why in the fruit salad does OEM's not put TPMS on the spare tires? I'd be willing to say that almost none of you can say you regularly get under your trucks and check the pressure in your spares. It just doesn't make any sense to not have that option from the factory. Maybe the new trucks do, but I've yet to see one myself that does.

Thanks! Just added the Blackjack to my wish list.

 

[4x4dually]

Thanks! Just added the Blackjack to my wish list.

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.

 

[Butcher]

The cost of the sensor and software is the reason why they do not put a TPMS sensor on the spare. The second reasons is most of the time, the sensors does not work unless they are 'woken up'. They turn on when the vehicle is driven [tires rotation]. The last time I checked, there is no rotation of a spare tire until it's installed. The cheap stuff that they sell aftermarket is not the same as the stuff OEM uses. BMW did use a spare tire sensor when they had spare tires. Most manufactures are dumping spare tires.

I can say 100% of my clients spare tires are all checked and the pressures adjusted during an oil service when I get done. 99% of the time when I first service the vehicle, the spare is too low to help you. 100% of the cars I have serviced in the past, are about 5-10% low due to pressure loss for the year.

 

[4x4dually]

The cost of the sensor and software is the reason why they do not put a TPMS sensor on the spare. The second reasons is most of the time, the sensors does not work unless they are 'woken up'. They turn on when the vehicle is driven [tires rotation]. The last time I checked, there is no rotation of a spare tire until it's installed. The cheap stuff that they sell aftermarket is not the same as the stuff OEM uses. BMW did use a spare tire sensor when they had spare tires. Most manufactures are dumping spare tires.

I can say 100% of my clients spare tires are all checked and the pressures adjusted during an oil service when I get done. 99% of the time when I first service the vehicle, the spare is too low to help you. 100% of the cars I have serviced in the past, are about 5-10% low due to pressure loss for the year.

That' makes sense. I never thought about the 'waking up' feature. Funny how the ones on my RV don't need woke up....but they are external where the battery can be replaced. Lots of engineering that cold be put into this to solve a problem....but the OEM's won't do it to save a buck.

 

[Butcher]

When TPMS systems started to trickle out [new Fed standards] the system was terrible. Lots of new problems. Eventually, all the problems were solved. The early sensors only lasted about 5 years before the battery went out. The batteries are not replaceable on the OEM sensors. Over time, I believe the sensor batteries last well over 10 years and probably 15. The cost of the sensors have dropped a lot too.

I suspect the aftermarket sensors do not have to meet the same standards that a manufacturer would have. Adding the additional weight on a rubber stem, lost sensors, etc would certainly cause some warranty issues.

Now that the dust has settled on these systems, there are no downfalls using it. I guess the initial cost and the regular battery replacement is the only thing.

Now if I can only get my clients to add air when the light comes on, it would be great. So many cars I see have the light on with a low tire pressure. When I ask, they say that the light has been on for several weeks. WTH? The manufacturers did their job, they are not going to have the tire air pressure service team stopping by to add air in your tires. It's not like the Weathertech commercials.

 

[4x4dually]

Now if I can only get my clients to add air when the light comes on, it would be great. So many cars I see have the light on with a low tire pressure. When I ask, they say that the light has been on for several weeks. WTH? The manufacturers did their job, they are not going to have the tire air pressure service team stopping by to add air in your tires. It's not like the Weathertech commercials.

LMAO. I hear ya. It's like the CEL on our GMC Sierra pickup. The ignorant thing is on so much I've learned to ignore it.

 

[WhittleBurner]

The best way to repair a tire can not be done on the road. If you have a new tire and don't want to replace it take the tire to a shop that does plug patching. The problem with a plug is it doesn't seal the inside of the tire. A patch wouldn't seal the outside of a tire which can allow moisture to get in and rust the belts. A plug patch is installed from the inside. The pug and patch are all one piece. Push the plug through from the inside pulling the patch up to the tire and sealed up.

 

[4x4dually]

The best way to repair a tire can not be done on the road. If you have a new tire and don't want to replace it take the tire to a shop that does plug patching. The problem with a plug is it doesn't seal the inside of the tire. A patch wouldn't seal the outside of a tire which can allow moisture to get in and rust the belts. A plug patch is installed from the inside. The pug and patch are all one piece. Push the plug through from the inside pulling the patch up to the tire and sealed up.

Plug patch combos are definitely the best way to fix one in my opinion as well...but I've never had a regular plug leak either as stated. A proper plug will vulcanize to the tire inside and out around the hole. I don't see the reason to add the extra expense of re-fixing a fix after the fact unless you are just absolutely se on 'peace of mind'.

 

[SGT ROC]

We had a flat, at home after a trip, last year on the camper. I took it, and the spare to a local guy (semi related) and asked for the spare to be put on the aluminum wheel for use on the road. The tire with the hole was plug-patched and placed on the steel spare. Would I run that tire as a normal on road tire? Absolutely! But I don't need to so it's a really good spare now. I have also never had an issue with plugging a tire on any of my vehicles and using them for years. In the case of the camper, with the extra tire pressures and weight, I wanted the plug-patch.

 

[ajg617]

The best way to repair a tire can not be done on the road. If you have a new tire and don't want to replace it take the tire to a shop that does plug patching. The problem with a plug is it doesn't seal the inside of the tire. A patch wouldn't seal the outside of a tire which can allow moisture to get in and rust the belts. A plug patch is installed from the inside. The pug and patch are all one piece. Push the plug through from the inside pulling the patch up to the tire and sealed up.

Even with a great plug, with the coating on the inside of the tires (almost teflon like) it is hard to get anything to vulcanize to it. Going back to the 1960s-70s, the shop I worked at would never plug a tire per owner's orders. Dismount, wire brush with drill, rubber cement, light with bic lighter and extinguish, place patch, use roller to secure. I'm sure plugs and cement have advanced but I can see why the plug/patch combo is the recommended repair.

 

[SGT ROC]

Even with a great plug, with the coating on the inside of the tires (almost teflon like) it is hard to get anything to vulcanize to it. Going back to the 1960s-70s, the shop I worked at would never plug a tire per owner's orders. Dismount, wire brush with drill, rubber cement, light with bic lighter and extinguish, place patch, use roller to secure. I'm sure plugs and cement have advanced but I can see why the plug/patch combo is the recommended repair.

The plug patch was installed exactly as you say. I worked in a garage while in high school. That's the way we did them then too, although we had Zippo's.

 

[ajg617]

The plug patch was installed exactly as you say. I worked in a garage while in high school. That's the way we did them then too, although we had Zippo's.

You're right - had to be a zippo in my pocket - no Bics yet. Matches worked also

 

[MoonShadow_1911]

A plug kit will save you tons of heartache on the road for emergencies. I'll plug a tire and never look back. I've never to this day had a plug leak after installing it. I use a Blackjack kit.

One thing I still don't understand is why in the fruit salad does OEM's not put TPMS on the spare tires? I'd be willing to say that almost none of you can say you regularly get under your trucks and check the pressure in your spares. It just doesn't make any sense to not have that option from the factory. Maybe the new trucks do, but I've yet to see one myself that does.

Should I be ashamed to admit that I regularly check the pressure in the spare on both the truck and the trailer? [emoji13]

Right now, I check both as part of my pre-trip departure checklist, when we are going in a trip father than 400 miles, one way, or at the beginning of the season.

When we start full-timing, I'll be checking both before we leave a location that we have spent 30 or more days at, or after (approximately) 30 days of short stays.

When I was taking flying lessons, that was the one thing my flight instructor beat into my skull. Safety checks aren't for anyone else but your peace of mind (and the FAA/NTS. It's on you too make sure the aircraft is safe to fly. You are not in the military and don't have a Crew Chief and maintenance crew going over the bird, so it's up to you! I kind of carried that lesson on to most of the rest of my life, even though I never got my pilots license (to dang expensive to fly for pleasure).

 

[rjr2AL]

I filled my trailer tire fast to 65 psi VERY quickly with a, RIDGID 18V Cordless Digital Inflator (Air Compressor). The Inflator & BATTERY has a Lifetime Free Replacement Gaurantee. Battery Fits the family of RIDGID Tools . Available at Home Depot.