What is the Principle of Car Tire Repair?
3 Answers
Car tire repair involves sealing the inner liner of the tire. Below is an introduction to related tire repair methods: Hot Patching: Apply hot patch adhesive to the sanded area and attach the hot patch to the inner liner of the tire, pressing it firmly with your thumb. To prevent the rubber from melting and sticking to the iron when heating the hot patch with an iron, place a layer of newspaper over the hot patch. Use an electric tire heating tool to heat and press the patch for 3 minutes. Cold Patching: Lightly sand the inner liner of the tire to roughen it, making it easier for the cold patch to adhere. After sanding, apply cold patch adhesive to the sanded area and let it dry slightly. Attach the cold patch and use a roller to press it back and forth, ensuring a tight bond between the cold patch and the inner liner.
Last time I had a nail in my tire, I used a plug repair. The roadside shop mechanic took an awl and inserted a rubber string soaked in adhesive into the puncture. The principle is simple—the rubber string expands upon contact with air, sealing the hole tightly. It was done in minutes without removing the tire. However, this emergency method isn't long-lasting, so I later went to a professional shop for a patch repair. They had to remove the tire, grind the leak point, apply special vulcanizing glue, attach a rubber patch, and then use a press to heat and fuse it. Nowadays, there's a more advanced method called mushroom plug repair, where a nail-shaped rubber plug passes through the tread and locks inside, combined with a patch for double security. Note that the repair location shouldn't be too close to the sidewall, and holes larger than 5 mm are not recommended for repair.
As a driver who frequently takes long-distance trips, I pay special attention to tire repair techniques. The principle is essentially to isolate the air leakage point, and the methods are divided into cold patches and hot patches. The common cold patch method is the rubber patch bonding method, where the inner side of the tire is roughened, glue is applied, a rubber patch is attached, and then pressed firmly with a roller. Hot patching requires heating and vulcanization equipment to allow rubber molecules to re-crosslink, making it more durable but time-consuming. The mainstream method now is the mushroom plug technique, which works similarly to a wine cork—a rubber cylinder passes through the puncture hole, with an internal umbrella-like structure expanding to seal it, and the external part is trimmed flat. However, after patching, it's important to frequently check tire pressure, as the mushroom plug repair location is prone to slight slow leaks.
