Patched tire and long road trip/off-roading

Hey Folks,

I have a question for you experts. I recently had one of my tires repaired on my Tacoma after hitting a screw. I believe they used the patch method but I need to double check. Next month I plan to do a month long road trip from Texas to California. It'll probably be around a 6k mile trip. I do plan to drive down some rocky trails during this trip but nothing too extreme. From your experiences, do you believe it is safe to drive on that tire or should I get it replaced. The shop said I should be fine but to not air down. Also, I waited about 2-3 months to get the tire fixed because it was a slow leak, with that said, there were times when I got the pressure down to around 20 before filling it back up. I recently read that could weaken the walls of the tire. Last thing I want is to blow the tire in the middle of New Mexico or something. I'm assuming my shop would have told me though if they noticed some damage. Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

@TacomasRulefor100Alex I would replace it but that’s my personal opinion.

 

@project plan B Sigh.... yeah that's what I'm thinking. I just don't wanna fork up the cash right now to replace it. Better safe than sorry though I guess.

 

no correct answer

cant cover Every contingency

toooooooo much flex in either scenario is never good

tooooooo much flexion causes heat that could make either to fail

U could use the ' screwed ' tyre as a spare.................. a diff tyre to count on

good luck

 

Your truck runs on 100% used parts, where do you start? Whatever you do, enjoy your trip

 

20psi isn't aired down.

If you've got LT tires you can likely drive on the interstate for extended periods without issue at that PSI.

It's unlikely you'll have any problems cruising around with a plug.

 

@TacomasRulefor100Alex i know it sucks. Save it as a spare.

 

id rather patch than plug

yet at 75-80mph hiway summertime either could fail.................

 

If the patch is properly applied and stays stuck..... my concern is I have seen them work loose. Maybe due to poor glue or poor prep / application.

When I was in high school (mid-1960s) I worked in a service station. We plugged quite a few tires and never had a plug fail (that we knew of). Do tire shops still use plugs?

I was working in SoCal in 1968 and had a '65 Corvette. Forgot all about the plugged tire and ran it up to 135 mph for a short distance in the desert. Luckily it held.

But like you say, anything can fail. OP, you should be fine but I would check your tire pressure religiously just in case.

If you're concerned about it, run it as a spare as suggested. If you're really worried, get a new tire.

 

A proper repair includes a plug and a patch; some use a combo patch/plug.