While using a car, you will face unexpected flat tires. At this point, you won’t have a dedicated toolkit available to do the troubleshooting.
Yet, you can still fix this problem temporarily by plugging in the tire. So, how to plug a tire without a plug kit? The following article will guide you step by step to perform these operations.
Things To Prepare: Tire Plug Kit Instructions
To perform temporary tire plugging, you need to prepare the following kit:
- Screw
- Rubber
- Pliers
- Glove
- Glue gorilla
- Sharp knife or scissors
- Compressor
You should choose the best tire plug repair kit for your car. They will help you perform flat tire troubleshooting faster and more efficiently. Once you have all the necessary tools, you can troubleshoot your car’s wheels.
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How To Plug A Tire Without A Plug Kit?
Step 1: Locate the puncture
In the first step, you need to identify the locations of air leaks on the tires. Removing the wheel will make it much easier to check for air leaks. To do this work, the preparation of a carjacking kit will be necessary for you.
One of the most common methods that you can use to detect air leaks on your wheels is to use soapy water to cover them. This mixture will consist of 20% soap and 80% water. After spraying the solution on the wheel, watch for bubbles to appear on the wheel.
However, you will need more time to prepare soapy water in an unexpected incident. One of the other simple ways you can use is to listen and feel.
- Listen: Put your ear close to the wheel and hear the hissing sound coming from this part.
- Feel: Use your hands to bring each position of the wheel. It twill help you detect where the gas is escaping.
Step 2: Remove the object
After determining the locations of air leaks on the tires, you must remove all objects from the car’s wheels. The AutoZone tire plug kit will include specialized pliers that you can utilize for this task. Use pliers to pull nails, screws, and sharp objects out of the wheel.
Step 3: Drill a hole
It is one of the most important to prepare the plug. This process will enable roughening the inner surface well and widening the holes quickly.
Now, you need to use the professional tire plug kit screwdriver and press it into all the holes. While your holes are smaller in diameter than a screwdriver, the other tool you will need is a hand drill. Use a screwdriver to drill the edge in the hole.
Step 4: Prepare the plug
In this step, you must prepare the plug with old rubber pieces. Use a sharp knife or scissors designed earlier to cut the rubber pieces. To fit the rubber pads into the holes without breaking or tearing, cut them to ensure the right thickness and length.
Step 5: Insert the plug strip
In this step, use gorilla glue to completely cover the plug that has been inserted into the holes previously. Also, applying this glue to the screwdriver tip will make it easier to hit the spot.
Next, you need to use force and stab hard to move the rubber part down the hole. Do this quickly once the plug is halfway inside the tire. Then it would help if you used a knife or pliers to cut off the excess rubber from the wheel.
Step 6: Fill Tire & Check for Leaks
Once the plug is entirely in the tire, wait a few minutes for the gorilla glue to dry completely. Next, inflate your tires with an air compressor to check for air leaks on your wheels. Once your tires are secure, you can remove the jack and travel to the nearest repair center.
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Is Plug A Tire Without A Plug Kit Safe?
Plugging tires safely on highways is a temporary solution to getting your tires back to air pressure. As a result, you can move your car a short distance before going to the nearest auto repair center.
You expect this temporary solution to only work in the short run. These tire seals all have their life expectancy. When you travel long distances, it will shrink and create openings from the same puncture sites.
Also, all the plug vs. patch tire repair guides tells you that you should only plug in the tire when the puncture is less than 1/4 inch in diameter. Plus, you won’t be able to do this on the sidewalls of the tires.
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Can You Put The Tire Twice In The Same Place?
To see if you can put a tire twice in the same place, you need to determine the extent of its damage. Severe damage will prevent you from performing this operation.
Also, when the puncture diameter is more significant than ¼ inch, your tire can explode anytime. Hence, it is not suitable for you to plug in the tire.
FAQ’s
Is a plugged tire illegal?
Plugging in a tire would be okay with the law in all states. This method will help the driver to move the car to the nearest car repair center. It wouldn’t pose any danger if they traveled short distances.
What is the difference between tire plugging and tire patching?
Tire plugging is the solution to a temporary drop in tire pressure. It only takes a few minutes for you to make this work. This method will apply to holes less than ¼ inch in diameter.
To start, you need to use old rubber pieces to seal the holes in the tires. This process will allow you to travel a short distance to the nearest car repair center.
Tire patching, on the other hand, is a tire repair method that applies if you have enough specialized kits. The patches you use can seal holes larger than ¼ inch in diameter. It’s more efficient than plugging in a tire.
However, both methods are temporary solutions to your tires. In case your tires are too old, changing a new tire is much more efficient than plugging in and patching it.
Can you plug tires with glue?
Yes. You can use glue in combination with rubber to seal the holes. You can choose common patterns from our gorilla glue, Loctite glue, and Proline glue. In particular, each type will have different characteristics, such as:
- Pressure resistance ability
- Dry time
- Stickiness
It would help if you did not choose glues that tend to harden after drying. Its brittleness is very high, and the bonds between the tread and the seal will soon loosen as you move. So before choosing any type, you need to understand their characteristics.
Does plugging the tire in the sidewall position have any effect on you?
No. You should not install the tire in the side wall position. By improperly sealing the puncture in these locations, your tires will inflate and air will escape outside. When it does, it will put the car’s driver in danger and other damage that you can’t foresee.
How can a tire be plugged in without removing the wheel?
You will need a car jack to perform tire plugging without removing the wheel. At that time, you can raise your car to the right height to perform tire plugging. It only takes a few minutes for you to get this done.
Final Words
Hopefully, the article will help you answer the question: “how to plug a tire without a plug kit?”. Tire plugging is the most effective temporary solution that can help you fix flat tire problems quickly.
Thanks to that, you can move your car to the car repair center in time.
Notably, punctures larger than 1/4 inch on the sidewalls are only available for safe operation with a plug kit.
A guy who graduated with honors with 2 college degrees Ferris State University & Austin Peay State University.After finishing school, he specialized in researching and testing tires, rims as well as brakes.Especially he has a love for off-road vehicles…
