Updated · Tires
Location matters most
Repairs are limited to the tread, the part that touches the road. The sidewall flexes with every turn of the wheel, and so does the shoulder, where tread meets sidewall. A plug or patch in either spot can't hold up to that movement.
If a nail went in at an angle and comes out in the shoulder, the tire is usually done, even if the entry hole is in the tread.
Size and shape of the damage
A long cut from road debris may lose air slowly, but that doesn't make it something a plug can seal safely. These are past repair:
- Holes larger than 1/4 inch (6 mm) across
- Cuts, gashes or tears instead of a round puncture
- Punctures so close to an old repair that they would overlap
- An earlier repair done wrong, like a plug in the sidewall
Driven flat
A tire driven with little or no air gets crushed between the wheel and the road. That damages the inside: you may see a crease or a ring around the sidewall, or find rubber dust inside once it's off the wheel. Even if the outside looks fine, that tire is no longer safe.
That's why it pays to stop soon when a tire goes flat. A short, slow drive to a parking lot is safer than working on a car beside highway traffic, but every extra mile costs the tire.
Bulges, cords and worn tread
A bulge can blow out without warning. If you see one, get to a safe spot, put on the spare, and don't drive on that tire again. Other signs a tire is finished:
- A bulge or bubble on the sidewall, a sign the inner structure has failed
- Steel or fabric cords showing through the rubber
- Tread worn to 2/32 inch, where the wear bars sit flush; put a penny in the groove head first, and if you can see all of Lincoln's head, it's worn out
- Damage to the bead, the edge that seals against the wheel
Age and the Texas sun
Rubber ages even on a tire with plenty of tread. Heat and sun speed that up, and in North Texas the first sign is often fine cracks in the sidewall or between tread blocks. The four-digit date code on the sidewall shows the week and year the tire was made; 2321 means the 23rd week of 2021.
Many carmakers suggest replacing tires at around six years old regardless of tread. If yours is past repair, we can bring a replacement tire and install it where the car is, or put your spare on so you can get going.