Thoughts on Tire Plug Kits?

TJustin

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I am experimenting with wheeling w/o a spare tire. With this, #1 thing to me is I don't want to be a trail plug, or rely on those who carry spare tires. I am looking for a sufficient plug/patch kit that can get me off the trail when/if needed. Most kits I've found aren't much more than plugs and the associated install tools. They seem to me to be lacking to me. On the complete other end of the spectrum, I have located the Extreme Outback Products Ultimate Puncture Repair Kit, which is quite a bit more money, but am willing to spend it if it is worth it. I have inserted a link to it below. Concern I have is that patches are useless unless I can break the bead, or same with the valve stems, not worth it without the install tool. Thoughts, experiences or opinions on this?

Ultimate Puncture Tire Repair Kit
 
You can break a bead with a highlift jack. You won’t be able to patch a tire unless you can buff and clean the area which is hard to do on the trail. Replacing a valve stem is easy enough if you can get the bead broke. Get a decent plug kit from Amazon. I’ve carried one in my truck for years. I’ve plugged dozens of tires with it but never my own oddly enough. Make sure you have an air source even if it’s a cheap compressor. They are slower, but they do work in a pinch. I have an old Viair 450 I got from Toyo as a promo item years ago. It’s still kicking.

A plug isn't a good permanent repair. Though some do last a long time. Best option in to have a plug / patch combo installed asap to completely seal the injury. Plugs are good for getting home though.

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Also, that kit is overkill, and overpriced since you cant use the patches without a buffer, they wont stick to unbuffed rubber due to the slick mold release and uneven surface of the inner liner. You can get a decent plug kit for about $20-$30. Or a nice ARB kit for about $40. Search Amazon for lots of options.
 
I have used Safety Seal tire plugs and tools for 25-30 years. The tools are higher quality than most other kits and the plugs don't dry out in the box. ARB kits are good too, but I prefer Safety Seal.

The tools in the cheap Chinese kits are crap and the plugs will dry out and become useless before you can use them.

Kits like the $99.95 "ultimate" kit linked in post #1 are swell, but they are packaged for people with too much money who don't know any better. You can put your own kit together with higher quality items for fewer dollars.

Carry these too, just in case you wreck a valve stem:

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I understand many people hate this but I carry the $5 harbor freight kit. It's weakness are the tools. To solve this issue when you get the kit simply take the new tools and stick them in a vice and snap the handle off. It isn't difficult. When you go to use them grab locking pliers from your toolbox and you are good to go. It's a good alternative if you don't want to spend the money on the others. I also like that it is much more compact. For me it's something I rarely use and if I have something that I can make work to get me off the trail that's good enough. You can buy the higher quality plugs if they dry out, mine have held up for maybe 10 years in a ziploc so far.

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I’ve always used just the regular plug kits that you can get at any parts store. I’ve kept the plugs in a ziplock bag too and they’ve always been ready when I need them. The only real issue I’ve ever had with the kits is the glue dries up sometimes. Luckily it’s only happened when I‘ve gone to plug at tire at home, so I just use another vehicle to get more glue. I check the glue out every now and then and replace them if they are dried out.

Honestly, I never realized that a plug is supposed to be a temp fix. I’ve driven for years on a tire with a plug in it. :confused:

I like the idea of those emergency valve stems. I’ve never seen them before and will have to look into getting some of those.
 
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I understand many people hate this but I carry the $5 harbor freight kit. It's weakness are the tools. To solve this issue when you get the kit simply take the new tools and stick them in a vice and snap the handle off. It isn't difficult. When you go to use them grab locking pliers from your toolbox and you are good to go. It's a good alternative if you don't want to spend the money on the others. I also like that it is much more compact. For me it's something I rarely use and if I have something that I can make work to get me off the trail that's good enough. You can buy the higher quality plugs if they dry out, mine have held up for maybe 10 years in a ziploc so far.

View attachment 175746

I pulled the safety seal out of the larger plastic box and put it in a small bag - I can't speak to any quality differences (if any), but the size doesn't need to be a compelling reason.
 
I am experimenting with wheeling w/o a spare tire. With this, #1 thing to me is I don't want to be a trail plug, or rely on those who carry spare tires. I am looking for a sufficient plug/patch kit that can get me off the trail when/if needed. Most kits I've found aren't much more than plugs and the associated install tools. They seem to me to be lacking to me. On the complete other end of the spectrum, I have located the Extreme Outback Products Ultimate Puncture Repair Kit, which is quite a bit more money, but am willing to spend it if it is worth it. I have inserted a link to it below. Concern I have is that patches are useless unless I can break the bead, or same with the valve stems, not worth it without the install tool. Thoughts, experiences or opinions on this?

Ultimate Puncture Tire Repair Kit
A tire repair kit is good to have but won't do any good with a large sidewall cut. Please carry a spare (that matches your other tires). Don't be a burden to those that you travel with.
 
Safety Seal has a good reputation but still add a Colby vakve, more brown fuzzy strings, valve cores, and a valve core remover. Plugs can be used on the sidewall to get you off the trail (but not home on pavement) for a small tear with low tire pressure but a big enough tear may require "sutureing" the "wound" with wire or heavy Kevlar fishing line plus many plugs. How you do that without spending a lot of time and energy I don't know. Maybe someone here with real world experience can weigh in. Personally, I'd say just carry a darn spare.
 
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Personally, I won't go out without a spare AND a plug kit.

I use a LT255/85R16 as a "pizza cutter" spare with my metric 35's to save a bit of weight and bulk. I used to use a 33x9.50 BFG AT as my spare for 35's when that skinny tire was still being manufactured.
 
Safety Seal has a good reputation but still add a Colby vakve, more brown fuzzy strings, valve cores, and a valve core remover. Plugs can be used on the sidewall to get you off the trail (but not home on pavement) for a small tear with low tire pressure but a big enough tear may require "sutureing" the "wound" with wire or heavy Kevlar fishing line plus many plugs. How you do that without spending a lot of time and energy I don't know. Maybe someone here with real world experience can weigh in. Personally, I'd say just carry a darn spare.
We had a good friend slice the sidewall on 3 of his tires on the TO the trail in JV. I was able to plug 2 of them easily but the 3rd was a long slice. I carry a tool for stitching sidewalls which I used with a spare set of boot laces to get it to hold air along with a lot of tire plugs. I'd really rather not do that again. I helped a few others try it with heavy stainless safety wire. All wire does is slice right through the side wall quickly.
 
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