Flat tire reparable?

[Kevin Warnock]

My curb side rear tire has developed two pinhole leaks in the sidewall, about 3 inches in from the tread. I have scraped the sidewall many times when parallel parking, so maybe I caused these leaks.

The tire service man said it's illegal for him to patch these leaks, and said I have to buy a new or used tire.

Is it true it's illegal for him to patch a sidewall leak?

Is it legal for me to patch such leaks?

Even if it's legal, is it advisable?

I am working on the conversion at my house, so I only drive it about perhaps 100 miles a year, mostly in town at low speed. I was planning to get four new rear tires once the conversion is done, but I don't want to get them now since the clock will start ticking on them once I do.

I saw the leaks and you can't see the holes in the rubber, but when you spray soapy solution, there are bubbles, so there are leaks.

Finally, what about something I could spray into the tire to fix these leaks, like that canned product they sell for passenger car tires?

Thanks,

Kevin Warnock
http://KevinWarnock.com - my blog

[luvrbus]

It is not illegal but a waste of time and money the sidewalls flex so much a patch or a plug won't hold been there done that,but a plug will get you by for a short time 

good luck

[Chopper Scott]

Been there done that also on my Tundra. Had a small puncture in the sidewall and had it fixed twice. It held for awhile the second time but I finally had to replace it.

[Len Silva]

As long as you know that it will only have low speed, local use, could you put a tube in it?

[bevans6]

There is probably some rule somewhere that makes it illegal, but regardless no one likes to patch sidewalls, I've never met a tire guy that would, probably just for liability reasons.  If I knew that I wasn't going to actually use the tire, I might go so far as to pull it and try to vulcanize a patch inside over the pin leak areas, but I'd have to have a lot more time than money.  I'd either ignore it till I needed to drive the bus and get a usable used tire then, or just bite the bullet and do that now.  Knowing me, I'd just ignore it as long as I could.  How long does it take to leak down to where you have to fill it again?

Brian

[artvonne]

  If you do anything put a tube in it. Anything else on a sidewall is a waste of time.

  and honestly, its likely not a puncture as much as internal tearing/ply seperation to the sidewall. The lesson is to not touch curbs.

[junkman42]

Sorta kinda  ot!  We had a rash of slow sidewall leaks around here and as it turned out  a bunch of high school terrorist were punching a hypodermic needle in sidewalls!  Talk about the urge to committ a  capital offense!  john l

[happycamperbrat]

haha!! My answer for everything temporary is usually fix-it-flat!! The tire pros hate me when I change the tire though 

[Kevin Warnock]

Will flat-fix-it work with a huge bus tire? How many cans would I need?

Do the tire pros hate you because the tire inside is now filled with some nasty compound?

I would love to be able to spend $15 for some cans and forget about this problem.

Thanks,

Kevin Warnock
http://KevinWarnock.com - my blog

[happycamperbrat]

Honestly, Kevin I have never used it on a bus tire...... but Ive never had a flat bus tire either. I would certainly try it though. Ive done it enough on my cars over the years. The reason the guys hate me when I take the tire in to be changed is because they have to clean all that stuff off the wheel when they change the tire and so it takes a little longer. In your situation I would try 2 or 3 cans and see it that does the trick. After you put some in the tire see if the air stops coming out and drive it a few miles around, then check again. You can then add more if needed, but this stuff expands inside the tire (it is like a super duper expanding foam) so you spray some, drive some to make it mix real good and get warm inside, then check it.

[MEverard]

With so much at stake, I wouldn't even consider trying to fix it. Even at slow speeds, what is gained if something unavoidable happens and the tire blows. I wouldn't want to be stranded in the city waiting for a tow. The tube sounds good, or maybe a cheap used tire. I personally wouldn't put a used tire on my bus, but I definitely would not use a tire that I know had a sidewall leak.

Good Luck,

Mike

[Hi yo silver]

Since it's on the rear, what about a recap? Todays caps aren't your dad's caps. Truckers run 'em all day long. Personally, I don't like the canned Fix-a-Flat, or whatever it is. I used it once, years ago, and when I installed a new tire months later, the wheel had started to corrode. Must be some caustic stuff in it. Good luck.
Dennis 

[mugsytrpt]

Kevin,

I would stay away from the fix a flat.  I have put used virgin tires on my bus and have not had a problem.  I would not put them on my front steer axle, but on the drive axle or tag they are not a problem and will save you big bucks for it to sit in your yard.  I only put 5k to 10k at the most on my bus per year.  At that rate new tires would dry rot and crack before I wore them down much.  Does not make sense to me if i can find a nice used tire.  I have two on the drive axle right now that I bought used.  Just drove the bus from GA to Miami Fl with not one bit of trouble.  Good luck.  Sorry for the long post.

James

[harpold700 3]

Ditch the sidewall leaker, tire shop should have a good take off for 150 bucks. At that price you should get enough tread to run out and have a good casing for when your ready to re-tire. Have booted many side walls on log trailer and they will last a while, but not worth your time on a coach. Oh ya... most shops will not even entertain a sidewall boot. Plug in sidewall? NO.   Gord.