TT Tire Question

[EricEdwards]

On our most recent (and to date longest) trip, we were on our return leg. When we were getting ready to leave Moab, UT, I noticed the rear-most left tire on our 30KQBSS was low. We live in California and are used to access to air and water at every gas station. (It's state law in CA). Apparently in Utah, there is no such requirement because every gas station we checked between Moab and I70 had no air. We reluctantly got on the I70 west and drove slower than normal until we got to Green River. The tire was low - not flat - so we opted to drive. Before we got to Green River, my wife call ahead and found a truck stop that had air.

I filled up the tire, but could hear the air escaping. I'm making a short story long, but I drove over to the big rig side to the service bay and had the tire plugged. I had a nail embedded in it and they were able to repair the tire.

After that long back story, here is my question:

Since a TT tire's pressure is much higher than cars, at 80 psi, do I trust the plug job? It held air the rest of our trip back to Southern California and has sat in my driveway for a few weeks and shows no sign of losing air.

[CurtPutnam]

If it was plugged properly, it should hold? Where are you in your tire replacement cycle?

I see a Viair 12v air compressor in your future.

[Blackrock]

I would never trust a plug on a high speed tire in fact I really don't like to plug any tire. I have plugged tires on my UTV and added green slime.

It really doesn't take much more time to fix it right. If I were you I would pull it off and have it patched properly.

[llr]

Did they plug it? Or dismount it and patch the inside?

Inside patch should be good, plug maybe.

[EricEdwards]

Originally Posted by CurtPutnam

If it was plugged properly, it should hold? Where are you in your tire replacement cycle?

I see a Viair 12v air compressor in your future.

The trailer is 1.5 years old and has been driven a hair under 5k miles. After our latest trip I checked for wear and all 4 tires look really good. When it's parked, I keep the tires covered. As you know, the SoCal sun is a tire killer.

About the air compressor...I have one, but didn't have it with me.
I bought a new tow vehicle shortly before our trip and apparently didn't transfer everything over. Oops. I didn't trade in my old truck. I have teenagers - no sense in selling/trading in a running vehicle that's paid for when I'll have two additional drivers soon. Point is, I didn't HAVE TO clean out my old truck because I'm keeping it.

[EricEdwards]

Originally Posted by Blackrock

I would never trust a plug on a high speed tire in fact I really don't like to plug any tire. I have plugged tires on my UTV and added green slime.

It really doesn't take much more time to fix it right. If I were you I would pull it off and have it patched properly.

I don't know how they fixed it. I was walking my dog in the field behind the truck stop and my wife was getting us coffee. I do know that they took the wheel off and took it inside the shop. They had a big rig in there at the time, so I couldn't pull in. They pulled a floor jack out to remove the wheel and brought it inside.

I read that the green slime will screw up the TPMS?

[EricEdwards]

Originally Posted by llr

Did they plug it? Or dismount it and patch the inside?

Inside patch should be good, plug maybe.

I don't know. I was walking my dog behind the shop and my wife was getting coffee. I didn't pay attention to how they fixed it. I normally do, but my dog required my more immediate attention. Lol.

It might be worth leaving early on my next trip and taking it to be patched properly. I'm only going to San Diego, so it's not a big deal to be delayed a couple of hours before we get on the road. My rig is just too dang hard to park to make a special trip just for the tire.

[MtBiker]

I have used plugs in a few tires over the years. Never have I had a problem with one.

[Riich]

I know this is an old thread already but after reading it I had to reply.

You drove on the tire while it was low. I know you drove slower, but the bottom line is that you drove on it, and driving on a low tire creates a whole lot of heat that does damage to tires. You have it plugged so no air leaks out, but in my opinion that tire more than likely suffered damage that is going to be a future blowout. Blowouts cause damage. I would change the tire.

[whj469]

Not worth the risk. If you had a blowout, how much damage would that cause? My fiver's tires are 110# and I would not plug.

[NJKris]

I had two plugs in my high speed Corvette tires. You were allowed up to 3. Only problem is, for every plug, your max speed rating in the tire had to be dropped one level. They had a 'Y' speed rating originally (rated up to 186 mph top speed). Two plugs meant I had to drop down to 'V' rating (149 mph top speed). So I kept my speed below 149 mph until I was due for brand new tires. Back to 186 mph baby! So I'm guessing if these tires can handle 2 plugs, so can my trailer tires.

edit: What whj said about 110 psi tires is a little different story, I would maybe follow his advice. My Corvette tires are only 40 psi, and my trailer tires are 50 psi.

[dannyabear]

You should not use the old timey plugs on a tire that carries more than 30 psi. Reasoning is that they leak a tiny amount of air internally and that air gets between the plys/layers of rubber, resulting in at first a small blister, advancing to a bubble and finaly a blowout