I stopped by all the parts stores today (four of them) where all they had
were the flat inside patches and "rope" outside patches. Same with the big
box stores.

Looks like I have to get my patch plugs online, but I don't need a box of
five hundred. Five would do me well for the next couple of years or so.

Where do you buy small quantities of patch plugs to repair passenger car
tires?

On 10/24/2017 8:23 AM, Blake Snyder wrote:
I stopped by all the parts stores today (four of them) where all they had
were the flat inside patches and "rope" outside patches. Same with the big
box stores.

Looks like I have to get my patch plugs online, but I don't need a box of
five hundred. Five would do me well for the next couple of years or so.

Where do you buy small quantities of patch plugs to repair passenger car
tires?


If I assume correctly that the plugs you mention must be inserted from
inside the tubeless tire after breaking the bead and removing the tire
from the wheel, I believe I have the answer to both your questions:

a) you can't find smaller quantities because the folks that use them
(the most) are shops with the proper (read expensive) equipment. It's
not generally a DIY thing.

b) which would tell me that if I wanted or could go through the hassle
of removing the tire from the wheel and using these patches, I should
probably go a local garage that does tire repairs and offer to buy a
small quantity at a premium price. That's sometimes the cost of
indulging one's fantasies.

On Tue, 24 Oct 2017 08:45:29 -0500, in
aweb.com, Unquestionably
Confused wrote:

If I assume correctly that the plugs you mention must be inserted from
inside the tubeless tire after breaking the bead and removing the tire
from the wheel, I believe I have the answer to both your questions:

Yes. That's the only way to properly repair a tire at home or in the shop.

a) you can't find smaller quantities because the folks that use them
(the most) are shops with the proper (read expensive) equipment. It's
not generally a DIY thing.

The equipment to lift the vehicle, remove the tire from the vehicle, break
the bead from the rim, remove a tire from the wheel, patch it from the
inside after marking locations, check the static balance, and then put it
back is not expensive.

But I agree with you that many people don't have those tools, just as many
people don't have a table saw, or a drill press, or even a router or a
bench grinder, all of which are about the same cost for the tools.

b) which would tell me that if I wanted or could go through the hassle
of removing the tire from the wheel and using these patches, I should
probably go a local garage that does tire repairs and offer to buy a
small quantity at a premium price.

You're dead wrong.

It's so easy to change a tire that it can be more of a hassle to bring it
to the shop than it is to just change it at home, depending on how much
hassle you consider it to be to waste your time at a shop for such things
that can easily be done at home.

The only reason people don't change their own tires is simply that they
don't want to - which is fine. If I had a baby in the house, I'd have
someone else change the diapers too - but that's not because it's difficult
to do.

That's sometimes the cost of indulging one's fantasies.

I'd say your advice is extremely bad, since *none* of your assumptions are
even close to correct save for the one which is that most people don't do
it.

Just like most people don't paint their own houses, or that most people
might not maintain their own lawns or pools, I understood that well
*before* I asked the question, so your answer provided nothing new.

Who doesn't know what you seem to know, which is that most people don't
patch their own tires. Everyone knows that. You added nothing.

While I can find sources on the net for five patchplugs at a time, I was
asking for the best sources out there. I have been to the tire shops to ask
and they just give me a handful gratis, but I don't want that.

I just want to know if any of you know of a good source on the net for a
handful of patch plugs. If you don't know of a good source, there is no
sense in replying and wasting everyone's time.

On 10/24/2017 09:25 AM, Blake Snyder wrote:
I just want to know if any of you know of a good source on the net for a
handful of patch plugs. If you don't know of a good source, there is no
sense in replying and wasting everyone's time.

https://www.amazon.com/Tru-Flate-15-.../dp/B000CIUOVA

On Tuesday, October 24, 2017 at 11:25:13 AM UTC-4, Blake Snyder wrote:
On Tue, 24 Oct 2017 08:45:29 -0500, in
aweb.com, Unquestionably
Confused wrote:

If I assume correctly that the plugs you mention must be inserted from
inside the tubeless tire after breaking the bead and removing the tire
from the wheel, I believe I have the answer to both your questions:

Yes. That's the only way to properly repair a tire at home or in the shop.

a) you can't find smaller quantities because the folks that use them
(the most) are shops with the proper (read expensive) equipment. It's
not generally a DIY thing.

The equipment to lift the vehicle, remove the tire from the vehicle, break
the bead from the rim, remove a tire from the wheel, patch it from the
inside after marking locations, check the static balance, and then put it
back is not expensive.

But I agree with you that many people don't have those tools, just as many
people don't have a table saw, or a drill press, or even a router or a
bench grinder, all of which are about the same cost for the tools.

b) which would tell me that if I wanted or could go through the hassle
of removing the tire from the wheel and using these patches, I should
probably go a local garage that does tire repairs and offer to buy a
small quantity at a premium price.

You're dead wrong.

It's so easy to change a tire that it can be more of a hassle to bring it
to the shop than it is to just change it at home, depending on how much
hassle you consider it to be to waste your time at a shop for such things
that can easily be done at home.


I do a lot of repairs, but having the equipment to break a bead on
a tire, storing it, screwing around with it, isn't on my list.
If I need that, I just go to a tire shop, where it's done quickly
and inexpensively.




The only reason people don't change their own tires is simply that they
don't want to - which is fine. If I had a baby in the house, I'd have
someone else change the diapers too - but that's not because it's difficult
to do.

That's sometimes the cost of indulging one's fantasies.

I'd say your advice is extremely bad, since *none* of your assumptions are
even close to correct save for the one which is that most people don't do
it.

Just like most people don't paint their own houses, or that most people
might not maintain their own lawns or pools, I understood that well
*before* I asked the question, so your answer provided nothing new.

I do all the above, except dismounting tires at home.





Who doesn't know what you seem to know, which is that most people don't
patch their own tires. Everyone knows that. You added nothing.

While I can find sources on the net for five patchplugs at a time, I was
asking for the best sources out there.

What makes a source the best? How many flats are you having? I've
had about two in ten years. One resulted in the loss of the tire.
The other one, I fixed with a string type plug, without taking it
off the car. That was many years ago, it's been holding fine.



I have been to the tire shops to ask
and they just give me a handful gratis, but I don't want that.

I just want to know if any of you know of a good source on the net for a
handful of patch plugs. If you don't know of a good source, there is no
sense in replying and wasting everyone's time.

You just said you have sources for five. How many is a handful?

On Tue, 24 Oct 2017 09:06:05 -0700 (PDT), in
, trader_4
wrote:

I do a lot of repairs, but having the equipment to break a bead on
a tire, storing it, screwing around with it, isn't on my list.

A lot of people have a lot of yard where having the lawn mower in the shed,
storing it, screwing around with it, isn't on their list.

A lot of people have a driveway where having the equipment to maintain it,
screwing around with the tarblack, isn't on their list.

A lot of people have a pool where having the equipment to test the
chemistry, vacuum the crud, and skim the bugs isn't on their list.

We all know this.
Those people should not respond if they don't know the answer.

If I need that, I just go to a tire shop, where it's done quickly
and inexpensively.

And people with lawns hire landscapers to mow it.
And people with driveways hire asphalt guys to tarblack it.
And people with pools hire a pool company to maintain it.

Those people aren't ever going to know the answer to any related question.
They can only guess.

I can guess too. I don't want to guess.
I'd rather learn from someone who has purchased & used the patches.

For example, now that I've done perhaps 25 patches, I *know* which I like
best, and it's the patchplugs - by far. I even know *why* I like them.

Do the others work.
Yes.

I do all the above, except dismounting tires at home.

That's fine as I *know* most people don't dismount tires just like most
people don't dig their own fencepost holes.

You don't have to *like* the task. I never said you did.

The only thing I'll say, since I've done plenty of tires, is that it's so
easy that anyone who complains that it's difficult hasn't ever done it or
is an idiot who can't figure out how it's done.

Likewise, anyone who complains that the tools cost too much is merely
proving they can't do the simplest of math problems spanning the time
period of the useful life of their tools.

The real reason people don't do it is that they don't like doing it, which
is fine. Nobody is forcing anyone to like anything.

Just don't make stuff up about the job.
Just tell the truth to yourself.
And to others.

a. It's easy and convenient to fix flat tires whenever you feel like it.
b. The tools are no more expensive than any others you have in the shop.
c. It just takes a little knowledge (which many people may not ever have).

What makes a source the best?

I can tell you the best source of pool chlorine in my area if you ask me,
and it's not the big box hardware stores.

I can tell you the best brand of chainsaw to buy and you're not going to
find that brand at Sears.

I can tell you the place in town to get whiteout, but it's not going to be
at Staples or OfficeDepot.

How do I know such things?
Because of two factors inherent with this thing called "experience":
.. I have bought the *wrong* stuff and suffered because of that
.. I have bought the *right* stuff and benefited from that.

Take for example the suggestion to path and plug. I've done it.
Everyone has done it. It's so easy to do that it's the first thing you'll
try.

But once I received a bona-fide patchplug gratis from a tire shop, I was
instantly *sold* on the beauty of the thing. It's a work of art, really.

It just *feels* great to patch plug so professionally beautifully.
How do I know this?

Because I have experience in all the methods of patching a tire.

I'm only asking for people's experience.
I don't need or want guesses.

I can guess as well or better than most of you can guess.
If this thread had zero bad answers, that would be a bonus.

How many flats are you having?

I have the wife, and kids and grandkids and nearby friends, neighbors and
relatives, where I fix their flats all the time for them, gratis.

I'd guess I'm fixing about 2 a year or so at this rate, but that's only an
average as I just last week fixed two slow leaks on the same neighbor's
car. So I can go though five patches in a year, but not more than that.

The problem is that I can't plan on how many patches I will need to do
since they come in when they come in. I, myself, get about 1 flat a year
only, and often I can go for three years without a flat, but then I can get
three in a year. You can't plan these things.

A lot has to do, I think, with the fact I recycle, where you can't believe
the stuff you have to drive over to dump a truckload of stuff. Another
thing is that I help everyone in the neighborhood. And I pull over on
shoulders at times, to help people who have flats.

All these places have "debris" on the macadem, which can lodge into the
treads.

But to directly answer your question, about five patches should last me
about a year or so where I don't want to store the sticky rubber longer
than that.

I've had about two in ten years.

Good for you!
That means you don't have nearly the experience that I do.
Lucky you!

One resulted in the loss of the tire.

That's a very *deep* and *emotional* topic for many.
Ever wonder why Goodyear and Schwab and America's Tire do "free" tire flat
repair?

Ka-ching!

All follow RMA recommendations, which will fail a tire if two patches are
on the same line, if they're too close to the edge, if there is fluff
inside, if the hole is angled at greater than about 45 degrees, if the
shape isn't easily patched, if the tread is worn down to a single wear bar,
if the rim isn't in perfect condition, etc.

I would *love* know what their failure rate is for the mom-and-pop who
innocently brings their tire to be fixed for "free" and they're left
holding a rim in one hand and a tire on the other because the shop will
almost always *refuse* to put it back on the car.

Then I'd love to know how many people buy whatever tire is in inventory at
the tire shop, because they just want to get the car back on the road (a
lot depends on their willingness to use the spare but they still need the
flat fixed at some point relatively soon so they cave in to the current
hard sell at the shop because it's a PITA to bring a car to the shop for
many people).

The other one, I fixed with a string type plug, without taking it
off the car. That was many years ago, it's been holding fine.

Surprisingly, they work just fine to hold the air in and to protect the
treads from doing further damage inside the thickness.

But you don't get the same satisfaction from doing the job right.

It's the same difference as making your own salad dressing with first-press
olive oil versus buying the slop in the grocery store made out of God knows
what.

Both work fine as salad dressing - but one is done right.
And that just feels right.

You just said you have sources for five. How many is a handful?

About a year ago or so, I went to a shop to ask them where to get the black
goop they put on the *inside* of the tire, and they gave me an almost
finished can of that, plus they dug their hand into their patchplug bin
when I asked what size they use most for passenger car tire flats.

Out came five patchplugs, which I used up during the ensuing year.
I don't want to ask for freebies again and they don't sell them.

On 10/24/2017 12:48 PM, Blake Snyder wrote:


We all know this.
Those people should not respond if they don't know the answer.

If I need that, I just go to a tire shop, where it's done quickly
and inexpensively.

And people with lawns hire landscapers to mow it.
And people with driveways hire asphalt guys to tarblack it.
And people with pools hire a pool company to maintain it.

Those people aren't ever going to know the answer to any related question.
They can only guess.

I can guess too. I don't want to guess.
I'd rather learn from someone who has purchased & used the patches.

For example, now that I've done perhaps 25 patches, I *know* which I like
best, and it's the patchplugs - by far. I even know *why* I like them.

Do the others work.
Yes.

I do all the above, except dismounting tires at home.

That's fine as I *know* most people don't dismount tires just like most
people don't dig their own fencepost holes.

You don't have to *like* the task. I never said you did.

The only thing I'll say, since I've done plenty of tires, is that it's so
easy that anyone who complains that it's difficult hasn't ever done it or
is an idiot who can't figure out how it's done.

Likewise, anyone who complains that the tools cost too much is merely
proving they can't do the simplest of math problems spanning the time
period of the useful life of their tools.

The real reason people don't do it is that they don't like doing it, which
is fine. Nobody is forcing anyone to like anything.

Just don't make stuff up about the job.
Just tell the truth to yourself.
And to others.

a. It's easy and convenient to fix flat tires whenever you feel like it.
b. The tools are no more expensive than any others you have in the shop.
c. It just takes a little knowledge (which many people may not ever have).

What makes a source the best?

I can tell you the best source of pool chlorine in my area if you ask me,
and it's not the big box hardware stores.

I can tell you the best brand of chainsaw to buy and you're not going to
find that brand at Sears.

I can tell you the place in town to get whiteout, but it's not going to be
at Staples or OfficeDepot.

How do I know such things?
Because of two factors inherent with this thing called "experience":
. I have bought the *wrong* stuff and suffered because of that
. I have bought the *right* stuff and benefited from that.

Take for example the suggestion to path and plug. I've done it.
Everyone has done it. It's so easy to do that it's the first thing you'll
try.

But once I received a bona-fide patchplug gratis from a tire shop, I was
instantly *sold* on the beauty of the thing. It's a work of art, really.

It just *feels* great to patch plug so professionally beautifully.
How do I know this?

Because I have experience in all the methods of patching a tire.

I'm only asking for people's experience.
I don't need or want guesses.


I'm truly impressed. You have a nice set of rules as to who can reply
to you and you also have experience patching tires. Not may of us have
your ability and yes, we are in awe of you.

I admit, I've never changed car tire. I just don't have your skills
and ability so I won't go beyond fixing bicycle tires. Well, not the
actual tire but the tube inside of it.

Thank you for sharing your wisdom.

On Tuesday, October 24, 2017 at 12:48:48 PM UTC-4, Blake Snyder wrote:


I do all the above, except dismounting tires at home.

That's fine as I *know* most people don't dismount tires just like most
people don't dig their own fencepost holes.

The difference of course is that a hole digger is about the size of a
shovel, sits easily in the corner, and doesn't have to be mounted to
the garage floor. Tire changing eqpt is large, bulky and does have
to be floor mounted. And if I had the need to dig a bunch of holes,
I'd rent a power tool.




You don't have to *like* the task. I never said you did.

The only thing I'll say, since I've done plenty of tires, is that it's so
easy that anyone who complains that it's difficult hasn't ever done it or
is an idiot who can't figure out how it's done.

Likewise, anyone who complains that the tools cost too much is merely
proving they can't do the simplest of math problems spanning the time
period of the useful life of their tools.

It's not the cost, it's the size, bulkiness, they need to be mounted
to the garage floor. And then that you need to BALANCE the tires
after they are mounted. What's the point to having the eqpt to mount
tires, when that's only half of the process?




The real reason people don't do it is that they don't like doing it, which
is fine. Nobody is forcing anyone to like anything.

Just don't make stuff up about the job.

I didn't make up anything.



Just tell the truth to yourself.
And to others.

a. It's easy and convenient to fix flat tires whenever you feel like it.
b. The tools are no more expensive than any others you have in the shop.
c. It just takes a little knowledge (which many people may not ever have).

What makes a source the best?

I can tell you the best source of pool chlorine in my area if you ask me,
and it's not the big box hardware stores.

I can tell you the best brand of chainsaw to buy and you're not going to
find that brand at Sears.

I can tell you the place in town to get whiteout, but it's not going to be
at Staples or OfficeDepot.

How do I know such things?

The simple question was what makes a source for your patch plugs a good
one. You said you've gotten handfuls from local shops for free, you
said you know where to buy them 5 at a time online. So, what's the
problem? Without knowing what criteria are required, it can't be
answered.




Because of two factors inherent with this thing called "experience":
. I have bought the *wrong* stuff and suffered because of that
. I have bought the *right* stuff and benefited from that.

Take for example the suggestion to path and plug. I've done it.
Everyone has done it. It's so easy to do that it's the first thing you'll
try.

It's not my first thing. My first thing for a simple nail is a rope
type plug, without taking the tire off the car. Been there, done it,
it works.



But once I received a bona-fide patchplug gratis from a tire shop, I was
instantly *sold* on the beauty of the thing. It's a work of art, really.

It just *feels* great to patch plug so professionally beautifully.
How do I know this?

Because I have experience in all the methods of patching a tire.

If you're so experienced, why don't you know where to source the
patch plugs?

On Tue, 24 Oct 2017 16:48:44 -0000 (UTC), Blake Snyder
wrote:

On Tue, 24 Oct 2017 09:06:05 -0700 (PDT), in
, trader_4
wrote:

I do a lot of repairs, but having the equipment to break a bead on
a tire, storing it, screwing around with it, isn't on my list.

A lot of people have a lot of yard where having the lawn mower in the shed,
storing it, screwing around with it, isn't on their list.

A lot of people have a driveway where having the equipment to maintain it,
screwing around with the tarblack, isn't on their list.

A lot of people have a pool where having the equipment to test the
chemistry, vacuum the crud, and skim the bugs isn't on their list.

We all know this.
Those people should not respond if they don't know the answer.

If I need that, I just go to a tire shop, where it's done quickly
and inexpensively.

And people with lawns hire landscapers to mow it.
And people with driveways hire asphalt guys to tarblack it.
And people with pools hire a pool company to maintain it.

Those people aren't ever going to know the answer to any related question.
They can only guess.

I can guess too. I don't want to guess.
I'd rather learn from someone who has purchased & used the patches.

For example, now that I've done perhaps 25 patches, I *know* which I like
best, and it's the patchplugs - by far. I even know *why* I like them.

Do the others work.
Yes.

I do all the above, except dismounting tires at home.

That's fine as I *know* most people don't dismount tires just like most
people don't dig their own fencepost holes.

You don't have to *like* the task. I never said you did.

The only thing I'll say, since I've done plenty of tires, is that it's so
easy that anyone who complains that it's difficult hasn't ever done it or
is an idiot who can't figure out how it's done.

Likewise, anyone who complains that the tools cost too much is merely
proving they can't do the simplest of math problems spanning the time
period of the useful life of their tools.

The real reason people don't do it is that they don't like doing it, which
is fine. Nobody is forcing anyone to like anything.

Just don't make stuff up about the job.
Just tell the truth to yourself.
And to others.

a. It's easy and convenient to fix flat tires whenever you feel like it.
b. The tools are no more expensive than any others you have in the shop.
c. It just takes a little knowledge (which many people may not ever have).

What makes a source the best?

I can tell you the best source of pool chlorine in my area if you ask me,
and it's not the big box hardware stores.

I can tell you the best brand of chainsaw to buy and you're not going to
find that brand at Sears.

I can tell you the place in town to get whiteout, but it's not going to be
at Staples or OfficeDepot.

How do I know such things?
Because of two factors inherent with this thing called "experience":
. I have bought the *wrong* stuff and suffered because of that
. I have bought the *right* stuff and benefited from that.

Take for example the suggestion to path and plug. I've done it.
Everyone has done it. It's so easy to do that it's the first thing you'll
try.

But once I received a bona-fide patchplug gratis from a tire shop, I was
instantly *sold* on the beauty of the thing. It's a work of art, really.

It just *feels* great to patch plug so professionally beautifully.
How do I know this?

Because I have experience in all the methods of patching a tire.

I'm only asking for people's experience.
I don't need or want guesses.

I can guess as well or better than most of you can guess.
If this thread had zero bad answers, that would be a bonus.

How many flats are you having?

I have the wife, and kids and grandkids and nearby friends, neighbors and
relatives, where I fix their flats all the time for them, gratis.

I'd guess I'm fixing about 2 a year or so at this rate, but that's only an
average as I just last week fixed two slow leaks on the same neighbor's
car. So I can go though five patches in a year, but not more than that.

The problem is that I can't plan on how many patches I will need to do
since they come in when they come in. I, myself, get about 1 flat a year
only, and often I can go for three years without a flat, but then I can get
three in a year. You can't plan these things.

A lot has to do, I think, with the fact I recycle, where you can't believe
the stuff you have to drive over to dump a truckload of stuff. Another
thing is that I help everyone in the neighborhood. And I pull over on
shoulders at times, to help people who have flats.

All these places have "debris" on the macadem, which can lodge into the
treads.

But to directly answer your question, about five patches should last me
about a year or so where I don't want to store the sticky rubber longer
than that.

I've had about two in ten years.

Good for you!
That means you don't have nearly the experience that I do.
Lucky you!

One resulted in the loss of the tire.

That's a very *deep* and *emotional* topic for many.
Ever wonder why Goodyear and Schwab and America's Tire do "free" tire flat
repair?

Ka-ching!

All follow RMA recommendations, which will fail a tire if two patches are
on the same line, if they're too close to the edge, if there is fluff
inside, if the hole is angled at greater than about 45 degrees, if the
shape isn't easily patched, if the tread is worn down to a single wear bar,
if the rim isn't in perfect condition, etc.

I would *love* know what their failure rate is for the mom-and-pop who
innocently brings their tire to be fixed for "free" and they're left
holding a rim in one hand and a tire on the other because the shop will
almost always *refuse* to put it back on the car.

Then I'd love to know how many people buy whatever tire is in inventory at
the tire shop, because they just want to get the car back on the road (a
lot depends on their willingness to use the spare but they still need the
flat fixed at some point relatively soon so they cave in to the current
hard sell at the shop because it's a PITA to bring a car to the shop for
many people).

The other one, I fixed with a string type plug, without taking it
off the car. That was many years ago, it's been holding fine.

Surprisingly, they work just fine to hold the air in and to protect the
treads from doing further damage inside the thickness.

But you don't get the same satisfaction from doing the job right.

It's the same difference as making your own salad dressing with first-press
olive oil versus buying the slop in the grocery store made out of God knows
what.

Both work fine as salad dressing - but one is done right.
And that just feels right.

You just said you have sources for five. How many is a handful?

About a year ago or so, I went to a shop to ask them where to get the black
goop they put on the *inside* of the tire, and they gave me an almost
finished can of that, plus they dug their hand into their patchplug bin
when I asked what size they use most for passenger car tire flats.

Out came five patchplugs, which I used up during the ensuing year.
I don't want to ask for freebies again and they don't sell them.
Well Blake, I've likely fixed as many tires as pretty well anyone
else on this list (24 years in "the business") - but I don't have room
for a tire machine at home, and at my age I'm not relishing dismouting
and rmounting tires on alloy rims with a set of spoons. I know I can
do it - I've done it before when necessary and would still do it if I
HAD to - but generally I don't HAVE to any more - so I don't. I DID
break the bead on my wife's Taurus wheel to clean up a bead leak on
the weekend by using a scissors jack under the frame of the truck -
but when I got a small puncture in my Nokian snow tire on the truck, I
just dropped it off at my local Nokian dealer and took advantage of
the free repair feature of their road hazard warrantee. Dropped it
off on the way to the office and picked it up at lunch.
I have access to a tire changer - about a 20 minute drive away - and
that's where the plugs I source end up - for use by my friend who owns
the farm. - and where I can do repairs if I NEED to on a weekend or
holiday.

Usually it's just more convenient to have someone else do it and pay
the price.

On Tue, 24 Oct 2017 15:25:09 -0000 (UTC), Blake Snyder
wrote:

On Tue, 24 Oct 2017 08:45:29 -0500, in
raweb.com, Unquestionably
Confused wrote:

If I assume correctly that the plugs you mention must be inserted from
inside the tubeless tire after breaking the bead and removing the tire
from the wheel, I believe I have the answer to both your questions:

Yes. That's the only way to properly repair a tire at home or in the shop.

a) you can't find smaller quantities because the folks that use them
(the most) are shops with the proper (read expensive) equipment. It's
not generally a DIY thing.

The equipment to lift the vehicle, remove the tire from the vehicle, break
the bead from the rim, remove a tire from the wheel, patch it from the
inside after marking locations, check the static balance, and then put it
back is not expensive.

But I agree with you that many people don't have those tools, just as many
people don't have a table saw, or a drill press, or even a router or a
bench grinder, all of which are about the same cost for the tools.

b) which would tell me that if I wanted or could go through the hassle
of removing the tire from the wheel and using these patches, I should
probably go a local garage that does tire repairs and offer to buy a
small quantity at a premium price.

You're dead wrong.

It's so easy to change a tire that it can be more of a hassle to bring it
to the shop than it is to just change it at home, depending on how much
hassle you consider it to be to waste your time at a shop for such things
that can easily be done at home.

The only reason people don't change their own tires is simply that they
don't want to - which is fine. If I had a baby in the house, I'd have
someone else change the diapers too - but that's not because it's difficult
to do.

That's sometimes the cost of indulging one's fantasies.

I'd say your advice is extremely bad, since *none* of your assumptions are
even close to correct save for the one which is that most people don't do
it.

Just like most people don't paint their own houses, or that most people
might not maintain their own lawns or pools, I understood that well
*before* I asked the question, so your answer provided nothing new.

Who doesn't know what you seem to know, which is that most people don't
patch their own tires. Everyone knows that. You added nothing.

While I can find sources on the net for five patchplugs at a time, I was
asking for the best sources out there. I have been to the tire shops to ask
and they just give me a handful gratis, but I don't want that.

I just want to know if any of you know of a good source on the net for a
handful of patch plugs. If you don't know of a good source, there is no
sense in replying and wasting everyone's time.
The big question is WHY DO YOU WANT TO BUY THE DAMNED THINGS ONLINE?
Buy them locally from local tire repairshop. If they want to give them
to you, contribute to their coffee fund.

I know from personal experience that "snyder" translates to
"stubborn" - but the condition isn't incurable or terminal.

On Tue, 24 Oct 2017 21:20:41 -0400, in
,
wrote:

The big question is WHY DO YOU WANT TO BUY THE DAMNED THINGS ONLINE?
Buy them locally from local tire repairshop. If they want to give them
to you, contribute to their coffee fund.

You bring up a good question.

There are so many tire shops, that in a day, I could likely collect, for
free, a five-years' supply.

Truth be told, I'm embarrassed to get the freebies.
I'd rather pay for them.

Nonetheless, the real answer to my question is that nobody knows any better
than I do, since anyone can do a google search (and I already did that
before I asked the question).

I can't find them locally for sale in small quantities.
So the only way to buy them is on the net.
Ebay, Amazon, and others sell them.

I was just asking whose is best.
I suspect, like car batteries, they only have very few manufacturers so
maybe it doesn't matter in the end.

But I would be just guessing at that.
And I don't like guessing.

replying to Blake Snyder, Iggy wrote:
I'll 2nd Unquestionably Confused. No patches make your tire bulletproof and
they weren't originally made to be so either, you wouldn't be patching them.
Use both the rope and the interior patch and each repaired leak will outlive
the tire.

--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/mainte...s-1148258-.htm

On Tue, 24 Oct 2017 15:14:14 GMT, in ,
Iggy wrote:

Use both the rope and the interior patch and each repaired leak will outlive
the tire.

This is good advice. It doesn't answer the question, but it provides an
alternative which would negate the need for the question. I agree.

I've done that "plug and patch" method which works well, especially after
investing in a tire knife (which is flexible skiving blade to flush cut so
that it cuts "more flush" but it's never perfect).
http://kextirerepair.com/product-images/parts_lg/929.jpg

When I used the long rubbery plugs in addition to the flat patch, that made
a prettier patch, with slightly less "bump" but I don't have any more of
the long rubbery plugs.
https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/xtra-seal-5344/agriculture-hd-parts---accessories-19818/agricultural---construction-20126/tire-repair-20137/patch-plug-repair-kit-17475/insert-repairs/12114/4869847

When I tried that same method with the stringy "rope", it was much harder
to cut the rope sticking out on the inside of the tire well flush. So the
patch had a slight hump. No big deal, of course, but it's not perfect.

The "patch & plug" method you propose is the *only* method that you can
purchase at the local auto parts stores, and local big box hardware stores,
I agree.

But I picked up a handful of those patchplugs from a tire shop who handed
them to me gratis and I fell in love with them. I'm sure if I asked again,
they'd give me another handful, but I don't want that.

I just want to find a nice source for patchplugs either locally or online.

Here are some examples:
http://www.blackjacktirerepair.com/patch-plug-combi-units
https://www.amazon.com/Tru-Flate-15-296-Plug-N-Patch-Rubber-Integral/dp/B000CIUOVA
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Xtra-Seal-Universal-Combination-Tire-Plug-Patch-Repair-31-13-381-/162313768524

I am just asking if any of you have experience with purchasing the best?
--
BTW, this video is hilarious: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZ-dkv8cMjQ

On 2017-10-24, Blake Snyder wrote:

I am just asking if any of you have experience with purchasing the best?

I can tell you an "inside patch" is not the answer.

My experience:

I got a flat on the way to work. Stopped at one of many of the 'gas
stations' which still had tire service and told them, "a heated inside
patch", only! They tried twice, then did a 'plug'. The plug worked!
The 'inside hot patch' did not! I went on my way with a single
"plug".

nb

On 24 Oct 2017 15:56:50 GMT, in ,
notbob wrote:

I can tell you an "inside patch" is not the answer.

My experience:

I got a flat on the way to work. Stopped at one of many of the 'gas
stations' which still had tire service and told them, "a heated inside
patch", only! They tried twice, then did a 'plug'. The plug worked!
The 'inside hot patch' did not! I went on my way with a single
"plug".

nb

In the olden days, they use the flame-vulcanized patches, but that's before
my time AFAIK. They might still use heat vulcanization, but I read every
RMA document I could and I have many times talked to the RMA reps, where
they never recommended heat-cured patch processes to me.

The correct process is pretty simple though and works just fine.

1. Inspect the tire for the myriad things that can fail it.
(Note that this can't be done without removing the tire from the rim.)
2. Prepare the tire using all the normal methods.
3. Patchplug the tire from the inside (and test).

It's so easy to do right that the main reason people don't do it at home is
simply that they don't want to, which is just fine, but those people who
don't do it won't have the answer to the question.

Anyone can just guess.
I can guess even better than most people.

But I wasn't asking for a guess.
I was asking for experience.

On 24 Oct 2017 15:56:50 GMT, notbob wrote:

On 2017-10-24, Blake Snyder wrote:

I am just asking if any of you have experience with purchasing the best?

I can tell you an "inside patch" is not the answer.

My experience:

I got a flat on the way to work. Stopped at one of many of the 'gas
stations' which still had tire service and told them, "a heated inside
patch", only! They tried twice, then did a 'plug'. The plug worked!
The 'inside hot patch' did not! I went on my way with a single
"plug".

nb
The only "approved" repair for a tubeless steel belted radial tire is
a plug-patch. Period.

Yrs, a plug will stop the leak, and it will "get you by" - but it can
cause carcass failure down the road. A plug plus an inside patch is
better than just a plug - but a lot more work to do it right than just
using what is designed for the job -

replying to Blake Snyder, Iggy wrote:
Oh I know, I was just throwing out an idea that really is just as good and is
essentially what the pros do...I do not at all agree with the pros in overly
reaming the hole, their plugs go in entirely too loose for me. I've gone years
with no leaks on those push-in plugs, they've been successful for decades.

Just make sure you're going to actually do it right and not just slather
Vulcanizing Cement all over. You must buff, cement and over-seal like the
pros. Meaning, don't get just the plugs in your link and instead go for the
complete kit -
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Xtra-Seal-T...AVF Z&vxp=mtr

--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/mainte...s-1148258-.htm

On Tue, 24 Oct 2017 18:44:11 GMT, in ,
Iggy wrote:

Oh I know, I was just throwing out an idea that really is just as good and is
essentially what the pros do...I do not at all agree with the pros in overly
reaming the hole, their plugs go in entirely too loose for me. I've gone years
with no leaks on those push-in plugs, they've been successful for decades.

You bring up a great point in that I always feel bad that I have to *widen*
a hole just to put in a patchplug.

The patchplugs have a steel insert so they can go into pretty small holes,
but the process uses a reaming tool that makes the belt edges smoother than
they would be if you didn't use the reaming tool.

Like you, it always seems a little counter productive if you're trying to
fix a hole, that you first have to make it bigger.

But what you're really trying to do is smooth out the belts and to make the
hole more uniformly the "right size" for the patch plug.

I do agree though that it's sort of like cutting someone open just to
remove a splinter in that you have to *harm* the tire before you can fix
it.

Just make sure you're going to actually do it right and not just slather
Vulcanizing Cement all over. You must buff, cement and over-seal like the
pros. Meaning, don't get just the plugs in your link and instead go for the
complete kit -
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Xtra-Seal-T...AVF Z&vxp=mtr

I like *that* 20-patchplug kit because it comes with the hard-to-find black
inside goop that you paint over the inside of the repair!

It also comes with the softener that you use before buffing, which is
chemically matched to everything else by being all of the same brand.

I don't use the softener because I don't see how it does anything but make
it a *lot* less work for scraping away the surface layer (which is critical
for a tire shop where time is money).

But I would use the black inside goop to seal everything up nicely!

On 10/24/2017 11:45 PM, Blake Snyder wrote:


Like you, it always seems a little counter productive if you're trying to
fix a hole, that you first have to make it bigger.


Why is is counter productive? You refine the edge so the plug sticks
better and you also increase the surface area to adhere to. Stop and
think for a moment and you see the benefits.

On Tue, 24 Oct 2017 15:39:25 -0000 (UTC), Blake Snyder
wrote:

On Tue, 24 Oct 2017 15:14:14 GMT, in ,
Iggy wrote:

Use both the rope and the interior patch and each repaired leak will outlive
the tire.

This is good advice. It doesn't answer the question, but it provides an
alternative which would negate the need for the question. I agree.

I've done that "plug and patch" method which works well, especially after
investing in a tire knife (which is flexible skiving blade to flush cut so
that it cuts "more flush" but it's never perfect).
http://kextirerepair.com/product-images/parts_lg/929.jpg

When I used the long rubbery plugs in addition to the flat patch, that made
a prettier patch, with slightly less "bump" but I don't have any more of
the long rubbery plugs.
https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/xtra-seal-5344/agriculture-hd-parts---accessories-19818/agricultural---construction-20126/tire-repair-20137/patch-plug-repair-kit-17475/insert-repairs/12114/4869847

When I tried that same method with the stringy "rope", it was much harder
to cut the rope sticking out on the inside of the tire well flush. So the
patch had a slight hump. No big deal, of course, but it's not perfect.

The "patch & plug" method you propose is the *only* method that you can
purchase at the local auto parts stores, and local big box hardware stores,
I agree.

But I picked up a handful of those patchplugs from a tire shop who handed
them to me gratis and I fell in love with them. I'm sure if I asked again,
they'd give me another handful, but I don't want that.

I just want to find a nice source for patchplugs either locally or online.

Here are some examples:
http://www.blackjacktirerepair.com/patch-plug-combi-units
https://www.amazon.com/Tru-Flate-15-296-Plug-N-Patch-Rubber-Integral/dp/B000CIUOVA
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Xtra-Seal-Universal-Combination-Tire-Plug-Patch-Repair-31-13-381-/162313768524

I am just asking if any of you have experience with purchasing the best?
I buy mine from my local tire repair outlet (local garage that used
to be owned by my brother) I'd buy them from the company I used to
work for, but they've changed hands twice since I left and are farther
away. I know they are using good stuff because they buy it from the
same guys I bought them from for 20+ years in the business.

Buying online you have no idea what crap you are buying. Same with
buying from big box stores - you only KNOW it's the cheapest they
could buy.

On Tue, 24 Oct 2017 21:25:33 -0400, in
,
wrote:

Buying online you have no idea what crap you are buying. Same with
buying from big box stores - you only KNOW it's the cheapest they
could buy.

I agree.
That's why I asked.

On Tue, 24 Oct 2017 13:23:26 -0000 (UTC), Blake Snyder
wrote:

I stopped by all the parts stores today (four of them) where all they had
were the flat inside patches and "rope" outside patches. Same with the big
box stores.

Looks like I have to get my patch plugs online, but I don't need a box of
five hundred. Five would do me well for the next couple of years or so.

Where do you buy small quantities of patch plugs to repair passenger car
tires?

I've used cylindrical, rectangular and rope type plugs. They all work as long as you run
the plug tool (or reamer) in the hole coated with fresh glue, and coat the plug with fresh
glue. I've plugged 8 or 9 tires that way, and all lasted the life of the tire.
So IMO it doesn't matter what type you use. The rope-type seems to be easier to insert.

On Tue, 24 Oct 2017 12:48:16 -0500, in
news
I've used cylindrical, rectangular and rope type plugs. They all work as long as you run
the plug tool (or reamer) in the hole coated with fresh glue, and coat the plug with fresh
glue. I've plugged 8 or 9 tires that way, and all lasted the life of the tire.
So IMO it doesn't matter what type you use. The rope-type seems to be easier to insert.

I think it's interesting that we *all* have had the *same* experience with
the outside plugs, in that they all lasted the life of the tire.

I never said that's the reason for removing the tire to patchplug.

My main reason is that once you've done a patchplug, you just *feel* better
about the job. Especially if it's for your daughter or your wife or your
neighbor.

You don't feel like you did the job right when you only do an external
repair, because you can't technically do it right without at the very least
looking at the inside of the carcass to see if it's damaged.

It's sort of like the difference between a real oak desk, and an plywood
desk with just an oak veneer on the outside.

Am I the only one who feels that way?

On Tue, 24 Oct 2017 13:23:26 -0000 (UTC), Blake Snyder
wrote:

I stopped by all the parts stores today (four of them) where all they had
were the flat inside patches and "rope" outside patches. Same with the big
box stores.

Looks like I have to get my patch plugs online, but I don't need a box of
five hundred. Five would do me well for the next couple of years or so.

Where do you buy small quantities of patch plugs to repair passenger car
tires?
Have you tried approaching your local tire repair shop????

On Tue, 24 Oct 2017 21:14:51 -0400, in
,
wrote:

Where do you buy small quantities of patch plugs to repair passenger car
tires?
Have you tried approaching your local tire repair shop????

I feel embarrassed because they give me the patchplugs for free.

Blake Snyder posted for all of us...



I stopped by all the parts stores today (four of them) where all they had
were the flat inside patches and "rope" outside patches. Same with the big
box stores.

Looks like I have to get my patch plugs online, but I don't need a box of
five hundred. Five would do me well for the next couple of years or so.

Where do you buy small quantities of patch plugs to repair passenger car
tires?

Are you the same guy who wanted the thread on valve stems?
How to fix bead breakers?
Other nym shifting stuff?

--
Tekkie