Tires nail in tire

[edkinct]

well after moving brush and wood all day, i parked the tractor and heard a hissing noise, turned out to be a nail in the front tire, pulled it out and plugged it with a standard CAR tire plug, the long black sticky kind. Is this a safe fix for a tractor tire? Just wanted to get something in there before all the air was lost.
Thanks
ED

 

[Bedlam]

I would imagine it will be OK Ive done it. a better fix would be a round internal patch, but if you have to break it down that far , you might consider a tube.I know people don't like tubes. but its much easier to break one side of the bead down and remove and patch a tube and tuck back in and redo the bead. In my opinion.At this point if you did put in a tube I would make sure the plug is cut flush inside the tire, or pull it out and put a round patch there to keep dirt etc from coming in.
I'm sure there will be people posting now about slime etc.Which is fine, but to me bead breaking isn't that hard.
But I wouldn't worry about the plug unless , possible cut it almost flush so in turns it wont get pulled out.
Luckily a flat on a tractor, is safer than going 70 miles an hour.
Hope this helps.
Al

 

[kentrodngun]

Considering the low speed tractors operate at, the tire will be fine. Heck, I still use those type of plugs in my car tires in a pinch. I lost count of how many nails & screws are embedded in my tractor tires (although they're usually in the lugs). I leave them be as long as the tires aren't leaking. Don't give it another thought - that is, unless it leaks

 

[Bird]

I've used that type of plug in car, tractor, and riding mower tires. I was one of those who insisted on breaking a tire down and putting a patch on the inside for many years. But most tire places I know of will still patch the inside on request, but if not requested, they use the plug and guarantee it the same as if they'd put a patch on the inside. In fact some claim the plug is even better than the inside patch, especially with steel belted tires. The theory being that moisture and dirt can still enter the hole from the outside if it was patched on the inside, while the plug effectively plugs or fills the hole so nothing can get in from the outside in addition to keeping the air from getting out.

I was fixing flats when the first new cars came out with tubeless tires and I used some of the earliest plugs, including some that were not very good. That's the reason I stayed away from plugs for many years, but I believe the modern type of "plugs" are very good.

 

[crabjoe]

Don't worry about what that plug. Like someone else said, it's on a low speed vehicle.

The only times I've every thrown plugs was on my Mustang. That happened because the plug was in the rear tire and I was doing burnouts. Because of this, I use to carry a large supply of plugs with me at all times. I could plug a tire in less then a min flat. Well, that was when I had the Stang. Man do I miss that car!

I still use plugs. In fact, my Jeep, Camry, and Ram all have plugs in one or more tires. Haven't had a problem with any of them. Now if I could only keep my better half from drive, I'd probably never have to plug a tire. For some reason, it never fails for her to pick up a nail.

 

[Highbeam]

The front tire of my CK30 has a plug in it right now that's been there for at least a year of mowing, digging, and clearing. I can't imagine doing it any other way. I jsut plugged a mower tire last weekend.

Truly amazing how well they work.

I don't cut the plugs totally flush with the tire since I am afraid of pushing the plug in as much as I am about it blowing out. I follow directions and leave a slight bit of plug standing proud of the tire.

 

[edkinct]

Thanks for your help, its plugged and still holding air.

 

[ToadHill]

My son put a hole in the front tire on the DK35 about 2 weeks after I brought it home. I plugged it with a string patch and it hasn't lost any air in the last 3 years.