How big a hole can you repair in tire?

   / How big a hole can you repair in tire? #1  

catvet

Gold Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2005
Messages
252
Location
Hyde Park, Vermont
Tractor
Kubota L-39
End of day was fueling up when I heard this gurgling noise from rear tire. Appears I have a leak where a branch punctured it. I would estimate the branch to be 1/2" in dia.

I've read through some old posts about repair (I've never done it) but don't see any reference to how big a hole you can use a plug on.

I haven't removed the stick yet. Figured I'd wait and figure out what I was going to do. I do have the tire with the hole at the top.

Any suggestions appreciated.
 
   / How big a hole can you repair in tire? #2  
catvet said:
End of day was fueling up when I heard this gurgling noise from rear tire. Appears I have a leak where a branch punctured it. I would estimate the branch to be 1/2" in dia.

I've read through some old posts about repair (I've never done it) but don't see any reference to how big a hole you can use a plug on.

I haven't removed the stick yet. Figured I'd wait and figure out what I was going to do. I do have the tire with the hole at the top.

Any suggestions appreciated.


Tubed or tubeless? I've got a tire on a Ford 3000 with a slice about 3" long, all the way through the tire. I put a 4" x 6" boot on the inside witha 10" x 10" boot over that, a new tube and 2 years/225 hours later, she's still holding fine. I'd RATHER have a new tire, but this tractor gets all the really nasty work in our bush hogging business. Chances are it'll get cut up again sometime, so why buy a new one if a band-aide patch'll do? Not sure a plug will work on a 1/2" hole. A boot probably will. That will require dismounting the tire. (At least one bead) A boot is essentially a giant heavy duty patch.
 
   / How big a hole can you repair in tire?
  • Thread Starter
#3  
It's a tubeless tire.
 
   / How big a hole can you repair in tire? #4  
catvet said:
It's a tubeless tire.

I don't do tubeless tractor tires. Primarily because I run fluid in all of mine and I don't like fluid to bare rims. So, my personal experiences with plugs are only on truck and trailer tires. I've had several plugs to leak when the holes were larger than average. ("average" in this case would be a nail hole) I ran over a 1/2" lag bolt and punctured a truck tire a few years back. I TRIED to plug it. I used 3 plugs. It didn't stop the leak. I put a radial tire patch on the inside and still run that tire. It has at least 50,000 miles since.

There are a few "tire guys" on here from time to time. One of them will surely take up the issue in due time. THey can give you a professional's answer.
 
   / How big a hole can you repair in tire?
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Farmwithjunk,

Thanks. Appreciate the feedback. As you said hopefully a "tire guy" will pick up on this thread.
 
   / How big a hole can you repair in tire?
  • Thread Starter
#6  
Fixed the hole today (I hope) Turned out smaller than expected forturnately. From all indications the object which pierced the tire was a POINT OFF A DEER ANTLER. How weird.
 
   / How big a hole can you repair in tire? #7  
Ran over my pulpwood hook once, all the way too the handle. On a front tire (R-4's) I could stick my finger in the hole. Had a tube put in and haven't had any trouble since, been a couple yrs now.

David
 
   / How big a hole can you repair in tire? #8  
catvet said:
Fixed the hole today (I hope) Turned out smaller than expected forturnately. From all indications the object which pierced the tire was a POINT OFF A DEER ANTLER. How weird.
If it doesn't hold and you have a good tractor tire shop close that it to them. They should have a patch / boot that has a plug made on it. The tire shop that I use does a lot of tractors and log skidders. They have several different sizes of boot with different sizes of plugs made on. They put them in just like a regular patch with the plug out the hole and then cut the plug level with the tire. From what I understand, they work very well.
 
   / How big a hole can you repair in tire?
  • Thread Starter
#9  
Thanks for the suggestions and encouragement. Hopefully the patch holds.
 
   / How big a hole can you repair in tire? #10  
This may be old news but here it is anyway.

The large repair boot inside of the tire AND putting a tube in the tubeless tire should provide the best possible chance of holding air.

They no longer recommend tubes for tubeless automobile tires because at highway speeds it builds up too much heat which can cause the tire to fail but in a low speed tractor tire is should be OK.

Good luck.
 
 
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