Help with Unrepairable Flat Tire
 

All,

I've recently discovered a nail in my drivers rear tire. The air leak is slow - taking a few days for the tire pressure light to tell me it's low after filling to 35 psi. I took it to 2 places who say it is unrepairable due to the proximity to the sidewall. I really don't want to buy a new $300 tire when these are about 1/2 way through their life. I'm not tracking or driving the car aggressively.

Does anyone have any suggestions to stop/slow down the leak on my own? I thought about that fix-a-flat stuff but read that is horrible for the tires and corrodes the rims.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

If 2 places told you it is not repairable do you really think its smart to just dump some fix-a-flat in it? Flat tires are verry annoying but sh*t happens. Is $300 worth your safety?

Not to mention it will ruin your TPS. Replace the tire. Personally, I would replace both rears if they are at 50% tread.

You'll have to shop around but it can be repaired with a vulcanizing tire patch. The big chains wont repair it if it is less than 1" from the edge of the tread. If you don't drive fast it really shouldn't be a problem.

Any suggestions on where to find a place that will do a vulcanizing tire patch? Are these going to be some shady auto places that I don't think I should trust with my car?

Doesn't have to be shady, just look for a smaller shop in your area that has a good reputation. Doesn't have to be a tire shop, just a good quality repair shop with a tire mounting machine.

Used to be they wouldn't repair it if it was IN the sidewall...

Amazing how they won't repair it now with 1"...soon it will be 2"...then 3"....then not at all...just buy a new tire yo...

Motorcycle shops are good about "looking the other way" if you slip them a $20.

And they are used to being careful because you damage a motorcycle wheel, it's over.

If it's a hole near the sidewalk you can fix it yourself with the kits sold at auto stores. I've fixed 2 holes near the sidewall. The tool that comes with the kit isn't the easiest to use.

This "too close to the sidewall" has become a racket for the big stores to force you to buy a new tire. "In" the sidewall is dangerous, an inch or more away from the sdiewall is not. They know if you are loosing air and they refuse to patch it you might break down and buy a new tire. My 350 had patches in all the tires, and if you don't track your car, just daily driving, you should be fine.