Flat tires are a result of road debris that get stuck, resulting in leakage. Moreover, if this happens, it is crucial to utilize your skills to plug it. But, how to plug a tire?
All you have to do is locate the puncture, repair and ream the hole. Further, giving your tire the functionality back. Plugging a tire will get you back on the road in a matter of minutes.
If you want to go through the details, make sure to read through the entire article!
A Guide on How to Plug a Tire
Stuck with a flat tire? Consider reading through this guide to understand better the steps involved in plugging a tire. However, before starting to repair the tires, check to see if your spare time is functional. If so, then you can skip this entire process and mount it onto your car!
The Preparation
Once you have a flat tire, you will need to remove it from the vehicle. However, if you do not have the basic knowledge, you can look through the owner’s manual. Further, take out the tire-repair tools that your vehicle came with.
Before you begin, make sure to park your car away from traffic. In case you cannot, do not try to do this on your own! Consequently, call a professional to replace the tire safely.
Locating the Puncture
Once you have removed it, examine it by spinning it around. Further, you will be able to locate the puncture. However, you need to go through the sidewall and entire tread to locate the point.
It is where the leak started! Moreover, the puncture can be from road debris that got embedded in your tread. Thus, making the answer to your question about how to plug a tire very easy!
Make sure not to pull the stowaways out! It is crucial to locate the object that pierced the tire before working on it. Moreover, having a floor jack will make your job easier. Here’s a guide for you if your floor jack cannot hold the pressure.
Marking the Puncture
You can cut a piece of tape and mark the location of the insertion. Further, making sure to align it exactly below the spot! After that, you need to use a marker to draw the exact position of the puncture.
You may wonder about the relevance of this step; however, it is a crucial one! Besides, this marking will help you find the hole once you have taken the object out. It will help you know exactly where to perform your repairs.
Remove the Object
The puncture might have occurred if your car had sturdy off-road tires. Nevertheless, this is when you remove the annoying little object. Moreover, you might need pliers from your toolbox to carry out this operation.
In most cases, the tire will have a nail or a screw that caused the puncture. Therefore, it is likely to have jammed in there. Thus, making it harder to pull out.
Take a closer look at the type of debris stuck to your wheel. Is it a screw? If so, then you can use a screwdriver to unscrew it. However, before starting to take the object out, you need to make sure of certain things.
Your tire needs to be on a flat surface. Further, this surface needs to be stable and without any slopes. Why? Because, without you being careful, your punctured tire can roll off into traffic and cause accidents!
Clean Out the Hole
Once you have removed the object, there could still be small debris stuck in the hole. Therefore, to clean it, you need to get a rounded tool that can easily move around in the hole. You may take out the object in your plug kit matching that description.
Consequently, push it into the hole to rough it out. Further, moving it in a motion that can instantly clean it. It is an important step before you know how to plug a tire.
It would help if you continued this for a few seconds to get the best results. However, you may find it frivolous, but this is crucial to get your tire repaired.
Preparing the Plug
In your kit, you will find worm-like equipment that you will need to thread. Moreover, start by peeling one. Once you have peeled it off, you need to use another tool from the kit.
This one has a giant needle on one end and is called the plugging tool. Further, using it to thread the worm to create a plug. In case you cannot get the worm through the tool, you can pinch one end.
You need to make sure that it is completely in the center of the tool.
Plugging the Puncture Hole
The final and the most important step of the whole process is to stick the plug in the hole. The threaded worm in the plugging tool goes into the hole! Moreover, as it goes in a few inches, you need to apply pressure.
It will ensure that both of the equipment sinks into the hole properly. Further, push it in to see only half an inch of the plug sticking out. Consequently, it would help if you pulled the tool out using a single motion.
Once you have taken it out, you will see the plug secured in the hole. Moreover, you cut off the ends and make the ends invisible. Make sure to cut it close to the tire! And, that is it, you have successfully plugged your tire.
Filling the Tire with Air
Even though you have received your answer on how to plug a tire, your work is not over yet. Once you have secured the plug, you can go ahead and fill the tire with air. Moreover, make sure to fill it to the required tire pressure.
After that, you have to mount it and secure it.
Endnotes
It is easy to plug a tire only if you have the right tools. Moreover, it can help you in emergency cases where your spare tire is not usable.
After reading through the steps of how to plug a tire, you can now take it up as a DIY project!
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