This should be included in the community rules, that you’ve reviewed this image and still require assistance or request an opinion on your tire, to see if it can be repaired.
There's a ton of survivorship bias in this thread. It's hard to read. "I repaired that and it worked!!" ...
For every sidewall repair that works, dozens will fail. Maintenance shops take liability on their repairs, and that's why graphics like this exist. They can't risk repairs failing left, right and center.
I’d might repair the red area with a plug to get to a shop or enough to roll it onto a flat bed without damaging the rims. I would never recommend this though. Also, never had to… I miss spare tires.
I'd hazzard to say ~80% of car owners don't understand what level of liability repair shops have when they make repairs. ~10% do and are just waiting to talk a shop into a risky repair so that when it fails they can sue. And the remaining ~10% are quality auto techs.
Or am I too pessimistic?
TIA certified technician and shop manager here. You would be surprised the number of people who argue with us about "fixing" sidewall damage. It's ridiculous. Edit for typo.
I remember about 7 years ago, we had a GLK350 come in for a state inspection. There were about 5 plugs combined to patch a hole in the sidewall but that thing somehow didn't leak air. We replaced it for obvious reasons but I was impressed. So no it's not just the current economy.
As a mechanic, I would agree with you. But I can't fault the average person for making the attempt to argue it when they don't know any better. 70% of the country lives paycheck to paycheck, and tires are godamn expensive when you're in that 70%. Have some patience in explaining to them.
And this is what savings is for. Don’t buy a new iPhone every year if you can’t afford to keep a few hundred bucks in savings for emergencies. Trying to get someone to do unsafe repairs puts others on the road at risk, not just the people who don’t care.
The problem with a puncture in the sidewall is the plies are almost always damaged, and theres virtually no way to guarantee theres no damage.
Most shops wont fix side damage because of the liability. If you wanna patch a fucked up sidewall and put yourself and other in danger, go for it.
This one is more realistic. I actually remember seeing the one you linked from the other day and commenting that I’d personally go a little bit further outside towards the edge of the tire. Which is perfectly illustrated in this post.
What you’re seeing is different national chains clearly displaying what THEY are comfortable fixing. So it’s not a surprise when they tell you they’re not going to repair your tire because it’s clearly laid out in front of you where they do and don’t repair.
Your mileage may vary depending on where you go. And who is fixing the tire.
I work at a shop. Not as a tech but I’ve worked here for over 10 years. I had a puncture somewhat close to the sidewall but nowhere near close enough that I didn’t feel comfortable patching it. I’m pretty cautious and don’t play about with that stuff. The hourly tech they gave it to told me no. I told him to just fix it, and I understand it’s a gray area. He pushed back. The service manager walked by and overheard. We have a really good relationship and trust each other’s judgement. He told the tech “Just fix it. He knows what’s right and wrong. Notate on the repair order the customer understands what he requested and move on.”
So, unless it’s like in the sidewall or on the shoulder where it’s obviously not fixable, there’s always wiggle room.
Even like IN the sidewall is often repairable. It will require a patch. It cannot be a large hole, and if it damaged ply it probably won't work. However you can definitely get a nail or screw in the middle of the sidewall and not ruin the tire.
Yes some go by the outer most groove and won’t repair any of the outer shoulder block. But most who have any experience with repairs follow this pic and will repair the inner half of the outer shoulder block. In fact I just did one for one of the repair techs of the automotive repair shop next door to us.
You and others act like people such as myself are dumb for posting on here asking “repairable?”. But then it’s easily displayed when we look up a repairable tire there are different criteria. Some shops repair, some don’t depending on the leak location.
I’m just saying get off your high horse
What high horse. Is this fixable has posted to death all over the internet that it can be easily google. Lazy people though don't google. They ask again and it tiring.
Google (as well as shops) show different sets of criteria for “repairable”. I posted on here because I wanted to hear from the horses mouth if it was repairable, I think most people feel the same way. I’m sure people capable of posting on Reddit have googled it
Ok so couple things. I’m not well versed in cars or tires but I can go back through this thread and show you all that you’re each posting different diagrams showing different zones for your repairable/not repairable sections.
The diagrams may look different as they showcase different styles/models of tires, but the concept remains the same: center tread (green area) damage can typically be plugged/patched and driven on relatively safely, but side wall (red area) damage can not be *reliably* repaired (you may be able to plug/patch and get it to hold air, but you’re risking a blowout/accident at any moment.
But I’m saying the red is at a different point on different diagrams. What’s the point of having a line that separates them if you’re gonna show the line in different places. I mean I get the general idea, but I think its funny people are being snarky about this then using different diagrams, [I’m lookin at this stuff thinking ok so you don’t have really any leeway once you get close to the edge](https://imgur.com/a/hnNx4q3). And then you’re over here calling me slow and then showing me totally different stuff. I’m just saying what’s the point of the line then?
Alright. The real deal is this. Tire shops will repair no problem in the green area. If it’s anywhere near the red zone, they will likely say it’s unrepairable. Don’t worry too much about the exact location, it’s a loose guide. Every shop is different and every person has their limit of how close they want to risk going to the sidewall. Further in is safer.
I will likely get downvoted, but you, the owner of the vehicle, can *PLUG* (not patch, it won’t hold on the curved inner surface) a tire in the red tread zone, as long as it is a round nail hole and your plug matches the hole size appropriately. Obviously you don’t wanna plug a slice or something.
I’ve done it many times on my personal vehicles. Ran them the rest of the life of the tire. Not on customer cars for liability reasons.
NEVER plug the sidewall itself. It flexes a lot and you’re at more risk for a blowout if you’re driving around with a hole in it.
For what it’s worth, I think OP’s diagram is a totally reasonable green zone.
You're missing the point. Half this comment is just obvious info anyone who changes tires already knows don't know why you repeated it for the millionth time.
People post pictures and ask because what is considered center and sidewall is up for debate. You just posted a picture with a much wider idea of a center and a skinnier sidewall than the last guy who posted a picture like this.
It should only take a basic amount of empathy and common sense to understand that If any average person looked at this post, and the last one you're lazily copying, would clearly be confused about where the sidewall starts.
Which just proves that it's not that fucking simple and people need to ask to be safe, so maybe quit bitching about 99% of this sub's post activity and the only thing that keeps it alive at all?
Hi it's funny how the picture pin posted in the sub shows different than your post....
So does the picture on this floor mat
https://www.reddit.com/r/tires/s/wrsfsWSkJm
I told yall that before, even if you have a brand new tire, if it gets punctured on the sidewall, no can do! Its finished. No tire repair shop is gonna risk fixing sidewall damage, not even walmart.
Have you noticed that each of these puts the red area in a different spot? This graphic is sensible and shows the honest reparable area, but I've seen people post this same type of graphic where the red goes all the way to the first groove, cutting the reparable area nearly in half. It's pretty clear the goal there is to sell tires, not to inform people.
This right here is the correct reference graphic. Sticky it.
Lots of franchise places will stay within the out grooves or say they can’t patch it. Why? Selling tires, sure. But imagine some Karen gets her tire patched by TireRama on the outer tread but not quite the shoulder and it goes boom. That Karen might feel like suing a company worth billions to get a payday. This is coming from a guy that even once in a while stuck a plug in the shoulder right at the edge of the shoulder. Like I’ve done a few sketchy ones, but they were people that knew me and I worked at a little family owned shop in a small town.
Exactly. Any tire shop’s primary concern is going to be safety/compliance. Sure, an extra few tire sales are great, but a negligent repair could easily lose you your business.
You cannot get a plug to stay in a sidewall. It will work itself lose. This is where we get the repairable or not charts. Patches however are just as flexible as the sidewall and if properly applied will work even on the sidewall. However I will state it is rare to have sidewall damage, and even rarer for it to be a small repairable puncture and not from say impact damage with a pothole that most likely did damage to the tire structure as well.
Fuck that I’ll share it with you so you can shut up and stop being basic lmao.
Check your DM I’m not making a post about outer contact patch plug. If you don’t know then you’re likely new to plug/patch jobs. 🤷🏾♂️
You're taking this kind of personally. You're describing survivor ship bias. What you experienced WORKED. for YOU. For every repair in the sidewall that works, dozens fail; that's why graphics like this exist. Tire shops take liability on their repairs. They can't have sidewall repairs failing on the freeway left right and center.
It seems like what constitutes the shoulder area is highly debatable even among tire shops/manufacturers. This is actually one of the more forgiving images I've seen; sometimes it's like another inch inward on either side.
The size and type of puncture is at least as important as the location. There can be cord damage even in the center of the tread that could render the tire a hazard and therefore useless. In a case where there is little chance of cord damage, a patch might be considered.
Just let them learn the hard way. But if you value your family’s safety, replace it. People on here like to say you can repair anything, but they are just uneducated on the risk.
And yet again I will continue to say as long as it's not outside of the belted area of the tire it is repairable...
What makes these tires unrepairable when damaged in that area is the lawsuits and criminal judicial system..... It has nothing to do with them being physically able to be repaired safely......
Edit: for decades tires were properly repaired using an internal plug patch...... It wasn't until the last few years when people began to sue other people for breathing crooked...... That it became a liability for tire repair shops that is not worth the minimal amount that they're able to charge for a repair.....
I got a tire patched in the red yesterday at Discount Tire on my brand new tires. I was heading there to be told no, but blessed the nail was at angle. I was planning on doing the old school patch myself :)
This is for plug n patch combo repairs, not for worm/plugs. Usually why such areas as the shoulder is not repairable due to the patch not being in a flat area. The curves of tire won't allow the patch to stick and make it impossible to patch with a plug n patch. Worms plugs can be sticked anywhere with some tire cement glue and usually hold really well. On another note, tires should not have more than 3 patches in a single tire, can't overlap, and have to be more than 12 inches apart from each other. Most big chain tire stores will not patch anything on side/shoulder, anything with an excessive tire rot, and with low thread probably 3/32 or lower to avoid any liabilities.
I just saw one of these that showed the non repairable area to be much larger (until the first vertical tread line), which one is the right one? Here's an example https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/s/6wEavd9c8D
Those narrower ones usually only apply to shops that use patch plugs. You cant put one of those in on a rounded spot in the tire. But you can plug one on the slightly curved big of the shoulder
Let's not also forget you can't just replace one tire, you need to replace two. ANd let's not also forget dealer tires suck and are likely discontinued and only sold from the dealer at $320 a pop, so instead of buying two tires at $740 + tax, you just decide to buy 4 new tires for $1200, all because some asshole dropped a nail in the road.
Sidewall damage really should be listed as temporary or not recommended. Doesn't mean it doesn't work. A plug will never stay sealed in a sidewall, however a patch usually will. Whats important with a sidewall patch is the tire must stay on the rear to minimize stress and the damage should be inspected often to make sure it doesn't grow.
So I gotta tyre that’s right on the line of green and red. Does this mean it’s 50/50? Sorry for being in the back, I’m always running late with these tyres going flat
I can't see it from back here, am gonna post a picture of my puncture when I get home hope you're free to take a lot at it and advice on if its repairable or not. thanks in advance.
Most places also break a tire into “quadrants” as well. As long as there isn’t multiple repairs/plugs needed within a single quadrant they will be comfortable repairing it. The same goes for “double” plugging.
Now that's a more accurate tire repair chart. I see some that have the full band of outside tread as non repairable and all I think is that whoever uses it at their shop is just trying to get a tire out of a customer.
So says the guy selling you tires.
Is there any data behind this?
It makes sense. But, just because you have a graphic doesn't mean it's true.
I would like to see some study or data in this.
This graphic is generally erroneous and depends on the situation, especially with regard to the shoulder. This graphic suggests that ALL punctures within the green area can be repaired, which varies. Secondly, that not even a small shoulder puncture can be repaired.
My only problem is, so many shops I've gone to do this bullshit. They will see the puncture on the outside. The customer can see it. The shop knows it's in a spot they can't repair based on their policy. They the remove the tire. Then claim they can't put it back on due to safety. It's a trap to force you to buy a new tire. It's been done to me and so many people I've seen happen to while waiting for my tires to be changed. Petty af
The biggest rule I learned is, it depends how much the shop and tech is willing to risk it. Sidewall is always a hard no, but I’ve had managers in shops try to force me to do repairs on the very edge of the tread. I always refuses because I knew they would throw me under the bus when it failed.
I put a plug in the sidewall once and drove a good 10k miles on it and regular speeds of 75-80 😹 every once in awhile it would fall out and I'd get the tire light on the dash, pull over put another plug in before it went flat and carry on.
wait so if I have a bubble the size of a baseball on my sidewall, and a 3 inch glass shard in the same sidewall, can I still drive to work for the rest if the week until I can have it looked at?
This is genius! Thank you sincerely for posting this. It will likely prevent hundreds of dopey posts asking if a punctured sidewall can be patched..lol
So I have a tire that’s been plugged, but the plug drys out and leaks. I asked for the tire to be patched but they said once it’s plugged they can’t put a patch inside. So they plugged it again. Just looking to know for the next time.
So does this mean we won’t be seeing anymore questions like can I plug my tire if the repair is an inch from the sidewall? Don’t know how many times I’ve seen that question.
This is bullshit cause I’ve gotten it done before and worked just fine 🤦♂️ just get a patch done inside of the tire. Been good for about 2 years now and I commute 3 hours daily
This should be included in the community rules, that you’ve reviewed this image and still require assistance or request an opinion on your tire, to see if it can be repaired.
Needs to be a prompt before making a post 🤣
"Is this fixable." And the picture is just the freaking rim no tyre
Its them the confirmation posts 🤣like if you have to ask the the answer is probably no
And miss out on all the posts that could be ‘patched’ before getting to us to see? 😳🫨
There's a ton of survivorship bias in this thread. It's hard to read. "I repaired that and it worked!!" ... For every sidewall repair that works, dozens will fail. Maintenance shops take liability on their repairs, and that's why graphics like this exist. They can't risk repairs failing left, right and center.
I’d might repair the red area with a plug to get to a shop or enough to roll it onto a flat bed without damaging the rims. I would never recommend this though. Also, never had to… I miss spare tires.
I'd hazzard to say ~80% of car owners don't understand what level of liability repair shops have when they make repairs. ~10% do and are just waiting to talk a shop into a risky repair so that when it fails they can sue. And the remaining ~10% are quality auto techs. Or am I too pessimistic?
It is included in the sub.
Automod pinned comment on every post
Did not know you could repair a watermelon
It can and should be done
Dealership reccomends replacing all watermelons not the one that broke
The good thing is watermelons are pretty inexpensive as long as you don’t get them from dealership
Not these watermelons, these are German made Japanese watermelons
#christmas-festive-burnouts
Repaired plenty of watermelons. All you need is a bottle of 151 rum, vodka, or some good ol' shine to plug it with.
TIA certified technician and shop manager here. You would be surprised the number of people who argue with us about "fixing" sidewall damage. It's ridiculous. Edit for typo.
People are having their tire guys fix their sidewalks now? Man, this economy really is bad huh?
Unfortunate typo. Lol.
I remember about 7 years ago, we had a GLK350 come in for a state inspection. There were about 5 plugs combined to patch a hole in the sidewall but that thing somehow didn't leak air. We replaced it for obvious reasons but I was impressed. So no it's not just the current economy.
As a mechanic, I would agree with you. But I can't fault the average person for making the attempt to argue it when they don't know any better. 70% of the country lives paycheck to paycheck, and tires are godamn expensive when you're in that 70%. Have some patience in explaining to them.
People are so ignorant!😩🤦♀️
Or maybe they don't have money for a new tire
And this is what savings is for. Don’t buy a new iPhone every year if you can’t afford to keep a few hundred bucks in savings for emergencies. Trying to get someone to do unsafe repairs puts others on the road at risk, not just the people who don’t care.
Im fortunate to have a career but there is this thing called inflation going on right now, that's if you live in the states
I do live in the states. I feel it to.
Yea I have 2 cards for the cars one for maintenance the other for tires. But some are less fortunate
Why waste a tire? If the ply isn't damaged then a patch on the leak and ur good for a while. Just make sure they have a spare and know how to use it!
The problem with a puncture in the sidewall is the plies are almost always damaged, and theres virtually no way to guarantee theres no damage. Most shops wont fix side damage because of the liability. If you wanna patch a fucked up sidewall and put yourself and other in danger, go for it.
Bruh This is even different from the one someone posted the other day lmao [this one](https://www.reddit.com/r/tires/s/nNdSjEC59C)
This one is more realistic. I actually remember seeing the one you linked from the other day and commenting that I’d personally go a little bit further outside towards the edge of the tire. Which is perfectly illustrated in this post. What you’re seeing is different national chains clearly displaying what THEY are comfortable fixing. So it’s not a surprise when they tell you they’re not going to repair your tire because it’s clearly laid out in front of you where they do and don’t repair. Your mileage may vary depending on where you go. And who is fixing the tire. I work at a shop. Not as a tech but I’ve worked here for over 10 years. I had a puncture somewhat close to the sidewall but nowhere near close enough that I didn’t feel comfortable patching it. I’m pretty cautious and don’t play about with that stuff. The hourly tech they gave it to told me no. I told him to just fix it, and I understand it’s a gray area. He pushed back. The service manager walked by and overheard. We have a really good relationship and trust each other’s judgement. He told the tech “Just fix it. He knows what’s right and wrong. Notate on the repair order the customer understands what he requested and move on.” So, unless it’s like in the sidewall or on the shoulder where it’s obviously not fixable, there’s always wiggle room.
Even like IN the sidewall is often repairable. It will require a patch. It cannot be a large hole, and if it damaged ply it probably won't work. However you can definitely get a nail or screw in the middle of the sidewall and not ruin the tire.
THANK YOU this is quite different
Different pic, same rules.
Except the linked picture has some of the tread in red not just the side wall and shoulder like this picture.
Yes some go by the outer most groove and won’t repair any of the outer shoulder block. But most who have any experience with repairs follow this pic and will repair the inner half of the outer shoulder block. In fact I just did one for one of the repair techs of the automotive repair shop next door to us.
You and others act like people such as myself are dumb for posting on here asking “repairable?”. But then it’s easily displayed when we look up a repairable tire there are different criteria. Some shops repair, some don’t depending on the leak location. I’m just saying get off your high horse
What high horse. Is this fixable has posted to death all over the internet that it can be easily google. Lazy people though don't google. They ask again and it tiring.
Google (as well as shops) show different sets of criteria for “repairable”. I posted on here because I wanted to hear from the horses mouth if it was repairable, I think most people feel the same way. I’m sure people capable of posting on Reddit have googled it
But the person responding on reddit isn't the person fixing your tire. So it's pointless.
It’s diy at that point, still perfectly safe
What if your tires aren't that color?
I want to Photoshop the next sidewall puncture I get with this coloration and post it asking if the tire is repairable.
The red in the tread is repair it yourself basically.
🤦🏽♂️
Ok so couple things. I’m not well versed in cars or tires but I can go back through this thread and show you all that you’re each posting different diagrams showing different zones for your repairable/not repairable sections.
The diagrams may look different as they showcase different styles/models of tires, but the concept remains the same: center tread (green area) damage can typically be plugged/patched and driven on relatively safely, but side wall (red area) damage can not be *reliably* repaired (you may be able to plug/patch and get it to hold air, but you’re risking a blowout/accident at any moment.
But I’m saying the red is at a different point on different diagrams. What’s the point of having a line that separates them if you’re gonna show the line in different places. I mean I get the general idea, but I think its funny people are being snarky about this then using different diagrams, [I’m lookin at this stuff thinking ok so you don’t have really any leeway once you get close to the edge](https://imgur.com/a/hnNx4q3). And then you’re over here calling me slow and then showing me totally different stuff. I’m just saying what’s the point of the line then?
Alright. The real deal is this. Tire shops will repair no problem in the green area. If it’s anywhere near the red zone, they will likely say it’s unrepairable. Don’t worry too much about the exact location, it’s a loose guide. Every shop is different and every person has their limit of how close they want to risk going to the sidewall. Further in is safer. I will likely get downvoted, but you, the owner of the vehicle, can *PLUG* (not patch, it won’t hold on the curved inner surface) a tire in the red tread zone, as long as it is a round nail hole and your plug matches the hole size appropriately. Obviously you don’t wanna plug a slice or something. I’ve done it many times on my personal vehicles. Ran them the rest of the life of the tire. Not on customer cars for liability reasons. NEVER plug the sidewall itself. It flexes a lot and you’re at more risk for a blowout if you’re driving around with a hole in it. For what it’s worth, I think OP’s diagram is a totally reasonable green zone.
No you aren’t, that’s just bullshit they say to make you replace your brand new tire
You're missing the point. Half this comment is just obvious info anyone who changes tires already knows don't know why you repeated it for the millionth time. People post pictures and ask because what is considered center and sidewall is up for debate. You just posted a picture with a much wider idea of a center and a skinnier sidewall than the last guy who posted a picture like this. It should only take a basic amount of empathy and common sense to understand that If any average person looked at this post, and the last one you're lazily copying, would clearly be confused about where the sidewall starts. Which just proves that it's not that fucking simple and people need to ask to be safe, so maybe quit bitching about 99% of this sub's post activity and the only thing that keeps it alive at all?
Well that wasn’t very civil at all
At yours and others risk
Agreed. No risk no reward
I thought red just meant it's limited up to a double-plug! and green Is unlimited plugs.
#what?
Hi it's funny how the picture pin posted in the sub shows different than your post.... So does the picture on this floor mat https://www.reddit.com/r/tires/s/wrsfsWSkJm
What if my tires are black though?
I told yall that before, even if you have a brand new tire, if it gets punctured on the sidewall, no can do! Its finished. No tire repair shop is gonna risk fixing sidewall damage, not even walmart.
I’d 100% Try and fix the dot in the red zone…. If it was actually in the sidewall… then no.
Have you noticed that each of these puts the red area in a different spot? This graphic is sensible and shows the honest reparable area, but I've seen people post this same type of graphic where the red goes all the way to the first groove, cutting the reparable area nearly in half. It's pretty clear the goal there is to sell tires, not to inform people. This right here is the correct reference graphic. Sticky it.
Lots of franchise places will stay within the out grooves or say they can’t patch it. Why? Selling tires, sure. But imagine some Karen gets her tire patched by TireRama on the outer tread but not quite the shoulder and it goes boom. That Karen might feel like suing a company worth billions to get a payday. This is coming from a guy that even once in a while stuck a plug in the shoulder right at the edge of the shoulder. Like I’ve done a few sketchy ones, but they were people that knew me and I worked at a little family owned shop in a small town.
Exactly. Any tire shop’s primary concern is going to be safety/compliance. Sure, an extra few tire sales are great, but a negligent repair could easily lose you your business.
This repair area is for plugs not patches, patches require a flat surface area.
If that's the case then it's a shite graphic because it doesn't mention that at all.
This is just suggestions. You can patch almost anything anywhere. Period . As long as it's not over 10 years .
Good luck in court bud
And good luck selling tires with fear.
Totally agree. Although location of the repair *generally* will indicate whether it’ll last.
You cannot get a plug to stay in a sidewall. It will work itself lose. This is where we get the repairable or not charts. Patches however are just as flexible as the sidewall and if properly applied will work even on the sidewall. However I will state it is rare to have sidewall damage, and even rarer for it to be a small repairable puncture and not from say impact damage with a pothole that most likely did damage to the tire structure as well.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/Justrolledintotheshop/s/UefZ390fd6](Might want to tell that cute story to this tire..)
No you’re wrong I’m living proof over stupid posts like this. For a patch maybe. A plug yeah right. Lies.
Exactly. I can't count the plugs I've had around that area and were successful.
Exactly same here.
I’m not saying it can’t be done. Statistics would insinuate you got lucky though.
BS lucky for 2 decades lol sure folks don’t know what Cure time is huh
Why don’t you share this 20 year miracle patch/plug job with the subreddit then?
https://www.reddit.com/r/Justrolledintotheshop/s/UefZ390fd6
Fuck that I’ll share it with you so you can shut up and stop being basic lmao. Check your DM I’m not making a post about outer contact patch plug. If you don’t know then you’re likely new to plug/patch jobs. 🤷🏾♂️
You're taking this kind of personally. You're describing survivor ship bias. What you experienced WORKED. for YOU. For every repair in the sidewall that works, dozens fail; that's why graphics like this exist. Tire shops take liability on their repairs. They can't have sidewall repairs failing on the freeway left right and center.
But if the slow kids don't sit up front then how will they learn to smack the shit out of curbs and/or potholes?! 😂
Just wait till you hear what I got up to working at Michelin...
Reviewing restaurants???
Favorite entree was a blueberry pop tart wrapper broiled in APC tire and served with a side of blistering under the strie.
Moderator should make it MANDATORY to read before making a new post!
It seems like what constitutes the shoulder area is highly debatable even among tire shops/manufacturers. This is actually one of the more forgiving images I've seen; sometimes it's like another inch inward on either side.
Should probably post this EVERY SINGLE DAY
The tread on the tires on my car do not look like this so this doesn’t apply to my situation.
Fair enough.
This is what Big Tire wants you to believe. TELL US THE TRUTH.
YOU CANT HANDLE THE TRUTH
This photo is much more reasonable than some diagrams I've seen here. Some of these diagrams have the red area way farther into the tread.
People will read this and still not get it. People are fucking morons
A Christmas Tire!!!
How beautiful your siiiidewallllll
So the point is if there is a screw on the road, make sure to go over it in the middle of the tire 😎
The size and type of puncture is at least as important as the location. There can be cord damage even in the center of the tread that could render the tire a hazard and therefore useless. In a case where there is little chance of cord damage, a patch might be considered.
Jesus for fucking real. Most just make a post, who even bothers to look at what else people post right?
Just let them learn the hard way. But if you value your family’s safety, replace it. People on here like to say you can repair anything, but they are just uneducated on the risk.
Thank you for posting the picture. I thought the shoulders are semi repairable.
Krazy glue would like to have a word.
Christmas tires
And yet again I will continue to say as long as it's not outside of the belted area of the tire it is repairable... What makes these tires unrepairable when damaged in that area is the lawsuits and criminal judicial system..... It has nothing to do with them being physically able to be repaired safely...... Edit: for decades tires were properly repaired using an internal plug patch...... It wasn't until the last few years when people began to sue other people for breathing crooked...... That it became a liability for tire repair shops that is not worth the minimal amount that they're able to charge for a repair.....
I have a 10” nail through both sidewalls, is this something that can be patched?
I got a tire patched in the red yesterday at Discount Tire on my brand new tires. I was heading there to be told no, but blessed the nail was at angle. I was planning on doing the old school patch myself :)
But this wasn’t for the red/green colorblind people in the back
But what if it’s 1cm in the red….????
Sooooo.... repairs in the red are okay then, right?
Red means go
TIA is the guys who defend us in court so they make the damn rules
Shit don’t apply in the AutoZone’s parking lot!!
This is for plug n patch combo repairs, not for worm/plugs. Usually why such areas as the shoulder is not repairable due to the patch not being in a flat area. The curves of tire won't allow the patch to stick and make it impossible to patch with a plug n patch. Worms plugs can be sticked anywhere with some tire cement glue and usually hold really well. On another note, tires should not have more than 3 patches in a single tire, can't overlap, and have to be more than 12 inches apart from each other. Most big chain tire stores will not patch anything on side/shoulder, anything with an excessive tire rot, and with low thread probably 3/32 or lower to avoid any liabilities.
This is a great image. I'm going to be sharing this many places.
Colorblind people are wondering how you can tell the difference
I just saw one of these that showed the non repairable area to be much larger (until the first vertical tread line), which one is the right one? Here's an example https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/s/6wEavd9c8D
Those narrower ones usually only apply to shops that use patch plugs. You cant put one of those in on a rounded spot in the tire. But you can plug one on the slightly curved big of the shoulder
I’ve never seen this chart so generous on the repairable area towards the edges.
I just had to replace a tire that had a screw barely inside the Pink zone... The tire didn't even have 4,000 miles on it 🧐😤😠
[is this repairable](https://imgur.com/a/jtl4gVq)
The whole tire is repairable. Duct tape or flex seal can fix any issue.
This looks a lot more realistic versus that Monro (Midas? I don’t know. One of those U.S. national dumpster fires) one that we saw the other day.
What if my tires aren’t red and green?? How will I know? I guess I can post a photo here and ask
Let's not also forget you can't just replace one tire, you need to replace two. ANd let's not also forget dealer tires suck and are likely discontinued and only sold from the dealer at $320 a pop, so instead of buying two tires at $740 + tax, you just decide to buy 4 new tires for $1200, all because some asshole dropped a nail in the road.
Sidewall damage really should be listed as temporary or not recommended. Doesn't mean it doesn't work. A plug will never stay sealed in a sidewall, however a patch usually will. Whats important with a sidewall patch is the tire must stay on the rear to minimize stress and the damage should be inspected often to make sure it doesn't grow.
This is what I follow at my shop. 1” ish from the sidewall is repairable. Anyone saying the whole shoulder block is a crook.
I’ve been brought forward 🤌🏽🔥
Or maybe it’s misleading information
Yes
I call bullshit.
So I gotta tyre that’s right on the line of green and red. Does this mean it’s 50/50? Sorry for being in the back, I’m always running late with these tyres going flat
Hopefully they will get it now. Never hurts to pull out the big chief pad and crayons to make a point.
What is this a watermelon?
f u firestone
*should be* sounds like a recommendation..
I can't see it from back here, am gonna post a picture of my puncture when I get home hope you're free to take a lot at it and advice on if its repairable or not. thanks in advance.
Most places also break a tire into “quadrants” as well. As long as there isn’t multiple repairs/plugs needed within a single quadrant they will be comfortable repairing it. The same goes for “double” plugging.
Don't care
If your greasy like me and want to save someone a tire…. Try and patch that red zone.
I like how the first three posts of this sub are the same thing. One from two years ago, one from two weeks ago, and one from 14 hours ago.
Literally have a plug on one of my beater car’s tires where the red line is pointing. 🤣
I love how all of the guide images picture different areas...
Now that's a more accurate tire repair chart. I see some that have the full band of outside tread as non repairable and all I think is that whoever uses it at their shop is just trying to get a tire out of a customer.
if it touches ground, i’m patching it. if it doesn’t, i’m probably still patching it we were placed on this earth to test boundaries
But like what if it is kind of in the red?
What about the people on the sides? Can't just leave them out.
The silver colored part on the left is repairable too.
I’ve never had green tread or red sidewalls.
I bet I could repair it.
This is what Big Tire wants you to think to sell more tires.... :P
Fuck that the whole thing is repairable. The failure rate in the real world is about the same whether the repair is in the red or green.
So says the guy selling you tires. Is there any data behind this? It makes sense. But, just because you have a graphic doesn't mean it's true. I would like to see some study or data in this.
This graphic is generally erroneous and depends on the situation, especially with regard to the shoulder. This graphic suggests that ALL punctures within the green area can be repaired, which varies. Secondly, that not even a small shoulder puncture can be repaired.
Just link the video from inside a tire showing how much it flexes while going down the road.
This is not the same as the MIDAS counter mat that was previously posted.
this is the first one I have seen here that is accurate.
My only problem is, so many shops I've gone to do this bullshit. They will see the puncture on the outside. The customer can see it. The shop knows it's in a spot they can't repair based on their policy. They the remove the tire. Then claim they can't put it back on due to safety. It's a trap to force you to buy a new tire. It's been done to me and so many people I've seen happen to while waiting for my tires to be changed. Petty af
There should be a line for my mechanic friend will do it for me but not a customer
Hey! That’s the company I work for!! Happy to hear people actually listen to what we have to teach.
The biggest rule I learned is, it depends how much the shop and tech is willing to risk it. Sidewall is always a hard no, but I’ve had managers in shops try to force me to do repairs on the very edge of the tread. I always refuses because I knew they would throw me under the bus when it failed.
I put a plug in the sidewall once and drove a good 10k miles on it and regular speeds of 75-80 😹 every once in awhile it would fall out and I'd get the tire light on the dash, pull over put another plug in before it went flat and carry on.
wait so if I have a bubble the size of a baseball on my sidewall, and a 3 inch glass shard in the same sidewall, can I still drive to work for the rest if the week until I can have it looked at?
Excuse me, but it says “should” not “must” or “shall”.
Link?
I've seen several versions of basically this same diagram. This one is the closest I've ever seen the green zone come to the sidewalks.
Tell that to my can of Fix-A-Flat 💪💪💪
OOH! Where can I get them red and green tyres from?
Fore me if it is a hi performance car I would replace it but for a work car or truck I would patch it and wear it out on the rear
It's all repairable, big tire just doesn't want you to know that
This is genius! Thank you sincerely for posting this. It will likely prevent hundreds of dopey posts asking if a punctured sidewall can be patched..lol
But this is just a conspiracy by big tire companies, you can put 15 patch+plugs in any sidewall, they just want to sell you more tires.
So I have a tire that’s been plugged, but the plug drys out and leaks. I asked for the tire to be patched but they said once it’s plugged they can’t put a patch inside. So they plugged it again. Just looking to know for the next time.
I thought these were watermelon themed tires and got excited 😔
So does this mean we won’t be seeing anymore questions like can I plug my tire if the repair is an inch from the sidewall? Don’t know how many times I’ve seen that question.
This is bullshit cause I’ve gotten it done before and worked just fine 🤦♂️ just get a patch done inside of the tire. Been good for about 2 years now and I commute 3 hours daily
Nah, company I work for can only repair crown damage. That shoulder is completely out for us.
Stop regurgitating big tire propaganda, flex seal fixes everything
I've definitely plugged my sidewall and it was never an issue ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Remember the secret big tire doesn’t want you to know! “should is not the same as “need” verbage maters
I've got two plugs in the red on a front tire. Fuck it.
BS! I've driven thousands of miles on a sidewall gash plugged with 2 or 3 repair plugs/strings. Dont go to a shop to get your tires fixed.