Straightforward question you might think. There's a nail in the tyre, slap in the middle of the tread, easy to fix.
But, and here's the catch, apparently here in Austria you aren't supposed to have punctures repaired in XL tyres. When I had one about 3 years ago, the garage said that they'd fix it, but I'd have to sign a waiver absolving them from blame in the event of an accident, and it seems the insurance company would get sniffy.
In the UK, it would never have been an issue - I'd just have had the puncture repaired and think no more of it. I personally have always assumed that, if the repair is done properly, there is no danger, and in my mind I'm happy to just get it fixed.
My cunning plan is to get the puncture fixed in Germany, thus avoiding the existence of any official record in Austria, and claim ignorance if the matter ever comes to light. After all, if I'd been driving a car with a puncture repaired quite legally in the UK, they (in Austra) could hardly hold that against me, or so I would hope.
Irrespective of what those amongst you think of the moral/legal aspects of doing this, my simple question is, do you think there are genuinely any safety issues involved in getting this puncture repaired? To put it in perspective, the tyre is a 205/55 16" 94H winter tyre fitted to my Saab Aero, Michelin Alpin PA4, bought new this winter and with around 12 months (i.e. two winters) worth of life left, which is why I'm not keen to just discard it & buy a new one.
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In UK the repairer would advise if ok to plug or not.
I've had a couple on Xantia, Michelin 205/65 16 IIRC, repaired that way.
Both were straight punctures by a screw or nail. The tech examined carefully for any collateral 'slash' damage to tread or carcase and thoroughly prepared inner surface before applying vulcanising solution and inserting mushroom type plug.
If dome properly pretty risk free I'd have thought but I'm not an expert.
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There is no problem with getting almost any tyre repaired (in this country anyway), so long as its repaired by a suitably qualified or skilled person with the correct equipment and techniques.
Such workshops are thin on the ground here and i haven't a clue where you would find one where you live.
You could ask around where people get tractor and lorry tyres repaired, chances are the same workshops offer similar services with car tyres, a commercial tyre depot would know where a car only place may not.
I'm not keen on getting any normal tyre fitter to repair damaged tyres at all, a specialist worksops will open the damage and examine for broken cords, then decide on the appropriate repair procedure, it might be a simple cold cure patch will suffice, or it might need a reinforced repair patch vulcanizing in together with fresh rubber to fill the void.
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I thought they plugged rather than patched?
Whichever, I'd have a puncture in the tread repaired and not worry about it. I wouldn't be quite so cavalier with the sidewall though.
Last edited by: No FM2R on Mon 3 Jun 13 at 13:31
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Extra Load, used be known as reinforced.
Higher weight capacity for a given speed rating and usually able to cope with higher pressures.
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>> There is no problem with getting almost any tyre repaired (in this country anyway), so
>> long as its repaired by a suitably qualified or skilled person with the correct equipment
>> and techniques.
>>
>> Such workshops are thin on the ground here and i haven't a clue where you
>> would find one where you live.
>>
>> You could ask around where people get tractor and lorry tyres repaired, chances are the
>> same workshops offer similar services with car tyres, a commercial tyre depot would know where
>> a car only place may not.
>>
>> I'm not keen on getting any normal tyre fitter to repair damaged tyres at all,
>> a specialist worksops will open the damage and examine for broken cords, then decide on
>> the appropriate repair procedure, it might be a simple cold cure patch will suffice, or
>> it might need a reinforced repair patch vulcanizing in together with fresh rubber to fill
>> the void.
>>
I've always assumed that reputable tyre-only outfits (or as close as you can get these days) would do everything you suggest GB, in terms of checking tyre, only repairing if safe, making appropriate repair etc. Are you saying that your average tyre specialist is not properly capable of doing this, in the UK at least?
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>> Are you saying that your average tyre specialist is not
>> properly capable of doing this, in the UK at least?
>>
My local commercial tyre outfit who also do car tyres as a side-line told me that tyre repairs that need more than a patch or plug have to be "sent away" for vulcanising and it is not cost effective for car tyres.
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Are you saying that your average tyre specialist is not properly capable of doing this, in the UK at least?
>>
The average tyre supply/fit centre will repair a nail hole by putting a larger version of a bicycle inner tube patch inside and thats about it, anything more serious needs specialist work, hence as Navy says they get sent away.
To one of the very few pro tyre repair outfits, where they are capable of major repair work, hot vulcanising of reinforced repair patches.
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>>My cunning plan is to get the puncture fixed in Germany, thus avoiding the existence of any
>>official record in Austria, and claim ignorance if the matter ever comes to light.
That's all very well, but now you've broadcast that on the internet it doesn't seem quite so clever. Think I'm overdoing it?
Just read this thread where somebody investigating an accident found evidence on an internet chat forum...
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=71031
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You're quite right MM, it's not a terribly clever plan! I'm a bit puzzled about it all really to be honest, as I really can't see an issue with getting a simple puncture, in an easily repairable location on the tyre (middle of the tread), properly fixed. Personally, for me, it's not a big safety issue tbh.
I guess the real issue here is that the car is Austrian registered. If I was a tourist, driving a UK registered vehicle, with a puncture that had been quite legally repaired to a proper standard in the UK, then I doubt it would be a problem in practice. In such a case, the car would obviously be being driven with UK insurance in place. In my case, driving an Austrian registered car, with Austrian insurance, I can see that ignorance of the "rules" (I hesitate to call it a law, as I don't believe it is) is absolutely no excuse.
I guess the right thing to do is to bite the bullet and cough up €120 for a new tyre despite the damaged one being less than half worn :-(
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Find yourself a garage that supplies second hand tyres in Austria they will repair anything im sure.
Even the sidewall with a tube patch if it's a pin hole as we used to do.!!
Me id repair pretty much anything your only sealing the hole in the tread so long as no serious cord damage it should be fine.
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>> Me id repair pretty much anything your only sealing the hole in the tread so long as no serious cord damage it should be fine.
Quite. A small puncture is nothing. What matters is damaged cords, a weakened carcase or badly cut sidewall. Especially if you go fast.
The more cynical sort of tyre person will tend to exaggerate the health and safety aspect and call almost any tyre illegal. You have to avoid these crooks when possible. But even good places are infected with this stuff. It's in their material interests after all.
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As long as it isn't near the sidewall - yes.
Minor damaged cords will have little effect in the middle of the tread where the tryre flexes little.
Sidewall - no.
The patches I have seen used are about 50mm in diameter with a tail which fills the hole and also happens to locate the patch centrally on the hole.
If it was at all risky the legislation would not allow it.
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>>If it was at all risky the legislation would not allow it.
Let alone insurance companies...
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Repairing a puncture in an XL tyre - would you? - Bromptonaut
