Can you plug RUN FLAT TIRES? Answered.

[@joemelissabucik7689]

It helps to put rubber cement on the reamer and the needle and plug to help lubricate and make them go in a lot easier. It will also vulcanize the plug and tire together for an even better seal.

[@dennisward3089]

Smart!

[@goldwingconepatterns2565]

Exactly what I did. In addition I pulled up the ends of the plug as I was putting it in to help with that initial push into the tire.

[@julianneli8801]

Thank you. This video saved me $300. The tire shop tried to sell me new tire by saying run flat tire is not plugable.

[@72442conv]

I have been driving vettes and vipers for years, they all have run flats. I always have a tire plug kit in the car. I have plugged run flat tires dozens of times and I have NEVER had an issue. All these cars are run fast and hard. The idea that you can not plug a run flat is ridiculous. You put plugs on the threads, and there is essentially no difference in the thread portion of a run flat tire compared to a regular radial tire. All the difference in a run flat tire is on the sidewall, which makes no difference when using a plug.

[@BostonJoe620]

100% agreed!

[@225Savage]

Awesome ,good to know my z06 just got a flat tire and will plugging it soon.

[@razabokhari3960]

Just bought 7 series 2019 and had flat tire should I just plug it my self? Cause there is a nail stuck in the Center of the tire. Somebody told me run flat tires can’t not be fixed and I have to take it to BMW which is 1700 . Wats ur suggestion

[@72442conv]

@@razabokhari3960 Get a plug kit from your local auto parts store and plug it yourself. I have no idea who came up with the story that you cannot plug run flat tires. I have been plugging run flats for about 20 years, never had an issue. I used to live in Miami, and nails and screws on the road are a normal thing, there is all this construction going on down there all the time. If you could not fix a run flat tire, it would become very expensive, really fast... All my cars had plugs in them, most had multiple tires with plugs in them. From the 1999 HT Vette, 2002 Z06, 2006 Z06, 2008 Viper, 2009 ZR1, 2013 Viper GTS, and a 2016 Z06. All had plugs...

[@seminky5341]

I plug twice on my run flats both torn from the inside after less then 200km drive.

[@twoweelr]

Hey buddy. Good to see that someone else has some common sense. Rasps and plugs work great and save you lots of time and money. I carry them with me always. I keep a spray bottle of dish soap and water with a small drill bit and drill in place of the rasp. Saves you hands from the pounding.and doesn't damage the steel cords in the treads. 10 minutes and a flat tire is fixed. Use a rubber malet instead of your hands. When you get to be my age you'll appreciate it.

[@c-mcm3130]

Great idea. My 2 brothers had to push the darn thing in together lol

[@dmpi483]

What size drill bit?

[@dennisward3089]

You are a good man. This video just saved me $500 on a new sport runflat on my grand cherokee. Sincere thanks brother.

[@ShatzMusicGroup]

Unfortunately I replaced a tire today due to a nail so I paid close to $600...and NOW I'm seeing this. Well, I buy the kit for next time.

[@stevenlaubach7222]

I also use a little rubber cement on them plugs did allot or tire plugs last 15 years never had a leak yet. If im at home I also use a drill rather than that pain in ass reamer first then the reamer to make it easier. Great job!!

[@BostonJoe620]

Love the idea of the drill!! The reamer is a pain to start.

[@peterscanio8338]

Excellent demonstration of the run flat tire repair. thank you

[@johncarilli2227]

I have done this many times, front AND rear tires, yep even on my BMW run flat. I took my BMW to a local mechanic and asked them to put a plug in a nail hole... he refused saying “you can’t plug run flats.” I explained to him that the tire never lost air but had a very slow leak with the nail still embedded... he refused. Disgusted, I proceeded to purchase a kit at Harbor Freight then proceeded to repair that “expensive” tire that mechanic wanted to replace by selling me a new tire, probably another run flat! Had the tire been flat loosing all air and driven in that condition, I could agree the tire could have interior damage and plugging after that may not be wise, but the tire never lost more than 5 lbs and the warning alerted me to add air so the tire was never forced to rely on the thick interior wall to continue driving. I was quite pissed since that mechanic typically was afraid to hear my reasoning and typically did what his limited understanding told him. So if you have a tire that is loosing air, typically a slow leak and the warning light comes on, do not allow the tire to flatten AND UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE DRIVE IT IN THAT CONDITION WITHOUT KEEPING AIR IN IT AND KEEP IT FULLY INFLATED BEFORE LOCATING THE NAIL OR WHATEVER IS CAUSING THE LEAK and as long as it IS SMALL ENOUGH (nail or screw hole) THAT INSTALLING A PLUG WILL REPAIR THE LEAD AND CONFIRM NO LEAK REMAINS ... IT IS CERTAINLY WORTH THE MINIMAL COST A NEW TIRE IS NOT NEEDED. BTW... I don’t think I will replace any RF ever but replace with a standard tire since that extra cost is a marketers fool idea!

[@BostonJoe620]

Agreed. Maybe he’s thinking of liability but to me if the customer understands and signs off then he’s off the hook.

[@ryane9370]

You sound pretty stupid cotton plugs are meant to be used in non-radials tires such as ATV tires because they’ll allow moisture into the tire which is fine for ATV tires but passenger tires have steal belts causing them to corrode. So congrats you’ve ruined your tire

[@awdrifter3394]

@@ryane9370 How long would it actually take to corrode the tire tho? I have plugged a (non-run flat) tire early in it's life, and I actually got another 20k miles out of it before it was replaced.

[@xnot7e]

I just paid bmw 425 bucks for a new tires with a tiny leak..damn

[@cifey]

Much easier to get the plug in with lower psi but For run flats I guess you just need to whack it in.

[@notoco1199]

Good to use a little bit of rubber adhesive over the plug before it goes in.

[@starbucksjunkie]

Blew a run-flat on an out of town trip and had to be towed to the dealership to get it replaced. Had to scrap the trip. This would have saved me so much time and hassle if I’d known and had had the proper tools. Headed to Autozone right now to be prepared should it happen again. Thanks so much!

[@Alex-lc1bv]

Isn't the point of a run flat to let you drive a while longer so you don't have to be towed?

[@billiebobbienorton2556]

My late husband would often ream the hole, make it larger and shove the plug in there..... He was such a lover...... 😂

[@spark9615]

This is exactly how I plug it too but it can only be done on the front tires without taking the tire off the car. I have also plugged run flats with no problems as long as the puncture is on the tread.

[@BostonJoe620]

I’ve done this on the back as well. Just harder to access without the ability to turn the wheel.

[@RobertLeBlancPhoto]

Nice work. Thanks! We just bought a new BMW and it's good to know I can plug any holes myself if need be.

[@OliverAragonesPTRP]

Thanks a lot for that quick video. The whole saying run flats cannot be fixed with tire plugs is crap. I helped me out.

[@BostonJoe620]

Awesome. Glad it helped!!

[@mark6020cc]

I plug a runflat tire on my 08 civic si pirreli p7 runflat tires and i did not see any issue or what so ever

[@mattpeterson553]

Helpful video -- I'm about to try to plug a run-flat on my BMW. Having said that, that's the tread pattern of a Contintal DWS, and unless I missed something, they are not run-flat tires.

[@klosowskisiemens1407]

Nice and very clear explanation how 2 do it! Greatings from Poland bro!

[@BostonJoe620]

Nostrovia!!!

[@dsc-nr5zy]

Glad I saw this video. Ran over a screw with a run flat and when I tried to remove it, it started leaking air. Promptly drove around for a mile so the screw would plug the hole again and I'm going to Auto Zone first thing in the morning to get a plug kit. 🔌👍🏾

[@BostonJoe620]

David, hope you made out well!!

[@dsc-nr5zy]

@@BostonJoe620 still holding air just fine 👍🏾 I used to plug/patch tires for customers all the time when I worked at a gas station long ago so it's not an unfamiliar thing for me.

[@sulutkin]

Thumbs up absolutely from here in Finland

[@martinwinkler7634]

Why are you beating the plug tool with you hand ? Steady pressure gets it in. Your also supposed to turn the plug 1/2 -3/4 of a turn to ball it up inside the tire before you pull out the tool.

[@dennisnorton3418]

Thanks Joe, great video from the UK.

[@BostonJoe620]

Thank you Dennis! Greetings from the US!!! So cool that things like this put us in touch!!!

[@shiloh5199]

In theory, the runflat tures are supposed to seal when punctured by an object.

[@rovert1284]

The damage to a run flat when used deflated is to the inside. Guess the distance driven could determine if the tyre really was OK to be repaired but I'd ditch it if I'd used it deflated.

[@demep.airless]

awesome video, thank you for the effort

[@interstategar]

Most of the time these plugs work. Sometimes over time they can develop a slow leak. That's when you go to a tire store and have them install a patch.

[@BostonJoe620]

I’ve probably done about 30 in my lifetime and only had one develop a small leak after.

[@jeffleung2594]

If reaming with the reamer tool is difficult, can I use an electric drill with a suitable bit to do same

[@mayivega3115]

11:14 am- Have a BMW with run-flats. One small nail-should I tell them to PLUG or to PATCH?

[@oldolfmann8927]

Cut the extra off unless you want it to get pulled out right away

[@rayvortines]

I plugged a hole in a runflat this weekend. Will this be ok to use the same tire until i actually need to replace in another few years? My tread is still good.

[@SB-yq8uo]

Nice video. Just had the exact same problem

[@pmlonewolf68]

Thanks Boston Joe! Your video saved me a god-knows how much money as a lot of places around me wont even touch a run-flat with a puncture (I guess its not profitable enough!) - I followed your video and am happy to say that the tire is 100% perfect again - very much appreciated! ps. I dont know who would down vote this video (unless they sell new tires maybe?)

[@BostonJoe620]

Glad it helped Patrick M!!

[@sharebear8800]

Ignorant people that have been programmed to belive that what they are being taught is true, thats the person who would dislike

[@agi66322]

Fully agreed. I appreciate Joe's courage to do this for himself and spread this good news to others. It does not make sense at all why we cannot repair rft without running for loo long on flat.

[@baqadoesauto9219]

Can I do this on a performance vehicle? The tires are very expensive and I drive the car once a year.

[@bmwlane8834]

Those poor hands....hammer hands! Lol

[@mflanagan6398]

I also use adhesive

[@yfung4140]

Boss, well done !

[@tetedure1769]

Two publicity right at first : ( too much pub is scrap a very nice vid. thanks to your time. Every opinion is good, so i will take your in my pocket and see. you talk a lot buddy... But you do your thing, and so i will too. Ciao.

[@twosencefromcleveland6084]

really good, but your hand must really be sore. BTW, the "Blackjack" plug kit is far superior to any other I have seen. It costs more, but is well worth it. I keep it at all times.

[@BostonJoe620]

It was, lol!! Great tip on the Blackjack kit. I’m gonna try them next time I buy a kit!!

[@moosshabaz90]

Thanks for sharing. Really appreciated. 👌

[@bm4305]

Thank you that was helpful

[@BostonJoe620]

Glad it helped

[@princep1398]

Good video, have you heard about putting tire slime in the tire beforehand so that the moment the tire is punctured the sealant/rubber mixture seals it automatically? I saw a demonstration in a video where he drills a hole in the tire with an impact driver and rotates the tire and the slime seals it up instantly.

[@BostonJoe620]

Very interesting.

[@72442conv]

Never use tire slime is you have TPMS sensors in the tires, all modern vehicles do now. The slime will get in the electronics and kill the sensors, at least that is what happened to me. The plug will hold air with nothing additional needed.

[@Patriot41776]

I’ll be adding plug kits and small compressor to each car. Thanks and hit chowdafest for me! Thanks killa

[@inthestix100]

The down side to using a tire plug especially on a high speed rated tire is this, The injury clearly made it to the inside of the tire so it has cut through the belts of the tire. Introduction of the reamer (Tire Plug Tool ) further damages these belts, ( possible belt separation down the road ) That is why plugging a tire is normally considered a last resort in any case but more so if the tire is a performance tire designed for high speeds. Punctures in the shoulder or side wall can not be repaired safely even with a patch. If you have plugged a tire properly it is always prudent you watch for signs of belt separation for the remainder of the time it is on your vehicle. Divots in the rubber on the sidewall that have a gutter appearance in the area of the repair or even a slight bulge in the sidewall is an indication of tire separation. If you see these signs it is time to get that tire off the vehicle. Last thing you want is a compromised tire blowing out especially when your passing other vehicles or traveling at high speeds. Many manufactures will not honor the integrity of the speed rating once the tire has been repaired even with the least intrusive repair where it is patched inside. If you use the aerosol tire repair foam you can expect the tire shop will refuse to repair the tire at all and will require the tire be replaced, Not only that but it can also damage your pressure sensor as well. This might not be an issue if you live in a major city but if your like me living in a remote area, Specialty tires like expensive low profile speed rated tires have to be ordered in and in some cases takes a lengthy time to arrive. Best to avoid using the foam repair kits all together. Plugs work great to keep the air inside the tire but they can cause serious hazards down the road.

[@YusufIslam1]

Fantastic video!! Defo giving this a like!

[@aidadergalstanian3713]

Helps a lot excellant

[@annehayes2374]

Looking good Tominsky!!!

[@andytseros7724]

I did not get mine from Wal maaaat!!

[@johnsn10]

Didnt you sell the corvette?

[@BostonJoe620]

I had two. jK. I made this video while I still had it.

[@dalmuir100]

Cheers for that very helpful

[@RJ-wj2tb]

Great video 👍🏻

[@t.p8783]

Thanks for your helpful video . What's your view on mushroom plugs ? I repaired a puncture with one just the other day. Apparently it is said to be 'better' ?

[@BostonJoe620]

Never used them because I’ve never had a tar plug fail. You have my interest peaked so I’ll probably look into them.

[@t.p8783]

Boston Joe 620 Thank You. Will be very interesting to know.

[@JS-xi5nk]

The mushroom plug are better. They are like a plug and a patch all in one. It's all I use.

[@Unknown-vw8jk]

That tire is continental Dws all season but its not RUN FLAT

[@solarsystem7047]

Thank you

[@DS-wl1xw]

Good to know, smitty built makes a nice plug kit with metal handles in a nice canvas case. Pretty sure I purchased for less than 30 bucks. Got one in all my service trucks and personal vehicles

[@TheTradeTalkpodcast]

Yes

[@whyg6703]

Thick Boston accent. Born and raised here

[@NotJustALineCook]

Always love to ream the hole

[@bobtaylor60]

They will not repair a RFT for a reason. You cannot always tell whether the inside wall of the tyre has been damaged by driving on it while flat. The plugs that you show in the video are great to get you home, but you should buy a new tyre. Anyway, they only last a short while before they start to leak again. I hate RFT's so much, that I changed all of mine to non RFT's. I can now repair the tyre properly by taking the tyre off and internally plugging it from inside, or get a garage to do it.

[@BostonJoe620]

Bob, I hear ya but I will always try before I spend the $300+ to replace not to mention that it will be x2 if someone is ants to maintain even tread on a set. The one I did in that video lasted the life of the tire afterwards. Even if its only a small percentage that it works i’d do it again.

[@umit307]

Sory my friend but i try that one ,dosent work hafe to be from inside.

[@richardspencer2473]

Informative. A hammer may be a good addition to the process.

[@yneshAshanti]

American amateur youtubers seriously have the longest winded intros ever.

[@BostonJoe620]

LOL. I know that I'm long winded and over explain. LOL

[@naohsoaps]

Hi i sent you a message in instagram as well. What is the tool used to do this i have a bmw as well and all tore place stated they cant place a plug but i have to get a new tire which cost around 400