How Long Does a Rubber Tire Plug Last?

[DeArabella]

Generally, a tire plug repair lasts only 3-5 months. A tire plug repair involves inserting a glue-coated rubber plug into the tire puncture using an awl to seal the leak. However, this repair method requires some grinding and enlarging of the puncture hole, and its reliability is relatively poor. Typically, after 3-5 months, the puncture may start leaking again. More details are as follows: 1. Regarding the three types of cold patch tire repairs (plug, patch, and mushroom plug). The mushroom plug repair not only offers the stability and reliability of a patch repair but also provides the erosion resistance of a plug repair. Therefore, when conditions permit, it is recommended to use a mushroom plug for tire repair. 2. Whether using a patch repair, mushroom plug repair, or plug repair, after a tire has been repaired 3-5 times, it should be replaced outright. Since replacing a tire alters the mass balance between the tire and the wheel rim, an unbalanced wheel can cause severe vibrations at high speeds, affecting driving safety. Therefore, a tire dynamic balance must be performed after replacing a tire.