Who plugs tires?

[DarkBlack]

And here I thought it was common knowledge. Guess it's not.

Anyway, tire manufacturers, the DOT, the Tire Industry Association, USTMA, and others have pretty much all agreed on what constitutes a legal repair.

There must be lots of easily obtained information on the subject, but I'm not into spoon feeding so you're on your own for the specifics.

Seriously?
Spoon feeding information?

You can’t seriously think the Tire Industry Association are federal law makers.
New law. You’re not legally allowed to fix your tires. You must buy new ones.

But seriously, what law are you aware of that says you can’t repair your tire with gummy worms?

 

[WinterDeere]

There must be lots of easily obtained information on the subject, but I'm not into spoon feeding so you're on your own for the specifics.

Not so difficult. Found this, with about 2.5 seconds spent on Google:

Are tire plugs legal? Yes, plugs are legal, but they are not USTMA-approved as permanent repairs.

Source: Nail in Tire? Guide to Tire Repair, Plugs, Patches & Fixes.

 

[Eagle1]

Not so difficult. Found this, with about 2.5 seconds spent on Google:

Are tire plugs legal? Yes, plugs are legal, but they are not USTMA-approved as permanent repairs.

Source: Nail in Tire? Guide to Tire Repair, Plugs, Patches & Fixes.

USTMA = U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association

Not an entity for law making, their advice may useful or useful for their membership

 

[paulsharvey]

And here I thought it was common knowledge. Guess it's not.

Anyway, tire manufacturers, the DOT, the Tire Industry Association, USTMA, and others have pretty much all agreed on what constitutes a legal repair.

There must be lots of easily obtained information on the subject, but I'm not into spoon feeding so you're on your own for the specifics.

None of those have regulatory power over a passenger vehicle.

 

[Alan W.]

One of the local tire shops had a new sign up showing a tire tread and the areas they could patch and couldn’t.
I asked the owner about it because they had always plugged or patched tires anywhere on the tread.
He told me their insurance company sent it along with policy changes prohibiting them from varying from their instructions.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

None of those have regulatory power over a passenger vehicle.

Maybe it's time for me to read up on the subject again.

It's possible that I've been brainwashed by reading Tire Business over the years

 

[Eagle1]

Legalese aside I understand why no tire business would consider a plug a permanent repair. I have had a few fail some due to my own incompetence. Patches are better but can fail as well. If I replaced every tire that was poked or cut by something it would never end. I have repaired many tires in one day after trip summer trip to and into a local creek or 3.
Most plugs installed will last the lifetime of the tire, including ones I patched on the way home from the tire store. Life on the remote dirt roads here.

Sidewall patches can work and I use them on slow speed machinery with no issues. Would never recommend it to anyone other than myself, I do it and am the one to suffer if it goes wrong.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

Lots of conflicting info out there.

One search did indeed claim that a plug fix was illegal, but that was an AI generated answer, just like many that claimed the opposite.

The most logical (and non-AI) answers were found by searching "Can a tire repair be illegal". Not that I dug very deep on the subject.

 

[rontaki]

I think the legal aspect is for commercial repairs vs DIY.
Of course the tire shops want to cover their rear..tires.
Similar to having an electrician wire your house vs doing it yourself. Not saying which one is better, that depends on many variables.

 

[paulsharvey]

Now, I absolutely understand a tire company not covering the tire after Any damage repair.

Anyways, sure, plugs work, patches do too, both have their limits.