Skip to content
motorbeast logo
  • Autos
  • Audio
  • Bikes
  • Batteries
  • Detailing
  • Oils
  • Parts
  • Questions
  • Roof Boxes
  • Scanners

How Many Times Can a Car Tire Be Patched?

Written BySteve Riley Updated on19/01/2023

Can You Patch a Car Tire SafelyFlat tires will find you at the strangest of places…

How-many-times-can-a-car-tire-be-patched

Can You Patch a Car Tire Safely

Flat tires will find you at the strangest of places and you may not be in a position to replace your tires with new ones. Patching up tires is perfect for emergencies and is economical in the long run. Patches are perfect in sealing blowouts caused by randomly intrusive bodies like nails and glass shards, as well as slow punctures.

Table of Contents
  • Can You Patch a Car Tire Safely
How-many-times-can-a-car-tire-be-patched

Before you decide on whether or not to patch up your tire, it is paramount to check on the guidelines from the US Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA). If your tire is in good condition, patching it up in case of a puncture could carry it through to its original intended lifetime.

Most dealers’ advice is that tires shall not be patched more than three times, having one patch per one-third of the tire. There is, however, no officially set limit as to how many times you may patch up your tire as long as a few industry rules are observed;

  • Patches shall not overlap.

It is not safe to patch over a previously repaired area. If damage occurs in the same place, you may consider replacing the tire altogether for your safety on the road. While not overlapping, patches should not be done too close and if there are too many leaks close together, it may be time to replace the tire

  • Patching can only be done on the tread area.

No patching should be done on the shoulder and sidewall areas of the tire. There is too much flexing on the sidewall when the car is in motion and a patch cannot hold in this case. If you have a leak coming through the sidewall, you will have to replace the tire.

  • If the tread is too worn out. If your tire tread is too worn out, then patching is not a solution and you do not need any quick fixes. You will need to replace it with a tire in good condition.
  • The damage is ¼ inch in diameter (6 mm) or less. It is prohibited to patch damages that are any larger than this. Gashes greater than this will require replacing your tires. Cuts that go way deeper, past the steel belts, render the tire unreliable and unsafe and should be disposed of.

How difficult is it to patch a car tire?

Patching a tire will require you to put in quite some physical work. It does not require professional expertise but will require you to carefully adhere to the guidelines given as well as put in some physical effort into the procedure. For people who are handy and more of Do-It –Yourself kind of people, changing and patching tires is not a difficult In some cases, to reinforce the patch, you may plug and patch at the same time.

Steps in Patching a Tire.

It does not take much time to patch a tire. You will need about thirty minutes, mainly because of all other processes. If you take the tire to a tire repair shop, they will take much less time as they are better equipped and of course, well trained to do this.

Remove the tire

To inspect the tire for the source of the leak and to begin the patching process, the tire has to come off. This is why it is important to keep your jack in the trunk at all times.

Find the leak.

If the leak is as a result of a direct puncture by a nail, screw or something similar, then it is easy to locate. If not, have a look at the tire and look out for any visible tears or puncture marks on the tire. If nothing is visible still, put your ear close and listen for the quiet hissing of escaping air. Pump up the tire and try to fill it up to help with this. If none of these help with locating the leak, pour soapy water on the tire surface and watch for where it bubbles.

Fixing the Patch.

With the tire detached and leak located, next step is fixing the patch. You will need to detach the tire from the rim too. The patch is fixed from the inside of the tire, so you cannot avoid this step. Precision and care is required in the patching process;

  • Clean out the area around the leak and ensure there is no grit and dirt. If an air die grinder is available, you may use this. Buffs out the area well after cleaning it to enable the patch adhere well.
  • In your puncture repair kit, there will most likely be vulcanizing cement. Apply this to the area you buffed and allow it to dry out.
  • Take out the patch and push its pointy end through the hole, from the inside. You may need pliers or another gripping tool to push it out and pull on the pointy end from the outside on tread. The patch will stick on to the inside from the sticky end. You may trim off the top from the tread if it is too long.
  • To ensure there is no air leaking into the patch and loosening it, flatten it out, with a roller if possible. You may also use a sealant glue to reinforce it.

Re-attach your wheel.

Once the patch is well affixed, all that needs to be done is reattach it, inflate it and get back on the road. For as long as the patch is well fixed, you should have no cause to worry as you drive. However, if you feel there is any concern, pass by a reputable tire repair shop at the earliest and have it inspected.

How long can you drive on a patched tire?

Once a tire has been patched, if done well, it is expected that it will live out its remaining lifespan or even outlive it. You can drive on it as long as you need to with no fear of it coming off. Patching a tire will not cost you any more than $10. This is a worthy investment especially if the tire is new or in very good condition and has not put in much wear on the treads. If your tire is well worn out, there is no need patching it. Full replacement will be your safest and most reliable option.

Is it safe to drive on a patched tire?

It is perfectly safe to drive on a patched tire. If you are doing extremely high speeds, like in case of race cars, it is best to replace your patched tire at the earliest possible after patching. Always check with the tire dealer or the USTMA on set standards for tire repairs before putting your tires out for repairs, to ensure everything is done the right way.

Flat tires are an annoying and inconvenience to drivers, patching and plugging tires is an easy and convenient way of taking care of flat tires. They should not be considered permanent solutions. If you cannot afford to replace your tires after a puncture, do not stall your car. Patch your tire and put the car on the road as you plan around replacement.

Post Views: 30
Post Tags: #Tires

Related Posts

  • The Best Tires for Ford Escape
  • How to Remove a Flat Stuck Tire
  • Best Tires for Ford Fusion
  • Low Profile and Regular Tires: Which Is More Durable and Reliable?
  • What Is The Difference Between Summer And Winter Tires
Engines keep changing. New technologies emerge that make them more fuel...
tannoy-vs-klipsch-which-brand-has-more-premium-quality-floor-standing-speakers
A set of good quality floor standing speakers can quickly transform...

Car Vacuum Cleaner

SaleBestseller No. 1 ThisWorx Car Vacuum Cleaner - Car Accessories - Small 12V High...
ThisWorx Car Vacuum Cleaner - Car Accessories - Small 12V High...
$29.99
Buy on Amazon Price incl. tax, excl. shipping
SaleBestseller No. 2 Hand Held Vacuuming Cordless Rechargeable-10K PA Strong Suction...
Hand Held Vacuuming Cordless Rechargeable-10K PA Strong Suction...
$39.99
Buy on Amazon Price incl. tax, excl. shipping
Bestseller No. 3 FRESMOL Car Vacuum, Portable Car Vacuum Cleaner High Power...
FRESMOL Car Vacuum, Portable Car Vacuum Cleaner High Power...
$29.99
Buy on Amazon Price incl. tax, excl. shipping

Last update on 2023-02-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Hyundai Vs Toyota Reliability
Two top quality Japanese cars that are both reliable and trustworthy.
The P0128 is a less common problem in vehicles. It is...

Affiliate Disclosure

We are an affiliate. We hope you like our recommendations! Just so you know, we may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this website. Thank you for using our links, it helps to grow our website.

  • Privacy Policy
  • Affiliate Disclosure
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Statement

© 2023 MotorBeast Motorbeast.Org

Manage your privacy

To provide the best experiences, we and our partners use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us and our partners to process personal data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.

Click below to consent to the above or make granular choices. Your choices will be applied to this site only. You can change your settings at any time, including withdrawing your consent, by using the toggles on the Cookie Policy, or by clicking on the manage consent button at the bottom of the screen.

Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Statistics

Marketing

Features
Always active

Always active
Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
Manage options
{title} {title} {title}
Manage your privacy
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
Manage options
{title} {title} {title}
Scroll to top
  • Autos
  • Audio
  • Bikes
  • Batteries
  • Detailing
  • Oils
  • Parts
  • Questions
  • Roof Boxes
  • Scanners
Search