Tire Repair Opinions Sought - Subaru Enthusiasts Car Club of the Sierras

LetItRev · 2005-07-10, 07:02 PM

Last night I heard this sound coming from my rear left tire. It was consistent with the sound of a rock in the tread. I couldn't find a rock so I removed the wheel today and discovered a screw in the tread.

It is located about dead center on the Falken Azenis tread. The screw was at a slight angle and came out easily with some pliers. The length is about 3/8" with a diameter of approximately 1/8". I checked pressure about a half hour after removing the screw and detected no pressure loss.

I am wondering if I need to take this to a tire shop tomorrow and have it checked. I am curious if this was deep enough to cause damage. It may be a different story if I put the wheel back on the car and begin driving.

Any advice on good tire shops for flat repairs? Something near South Meadows?

Dean · 2005-07-10, 08:21 PM

How much tread depth left on the Azenis, and how deep do you think the screw went? If A >= B you are done. No worries. If B > A, then all they can do is patch a hole that isn't there.

khail19 · 2005-07-10, 09:27 PM

I've had several instances where I've pulled a nail out of my tire with no leakage afterwards. Always with fairly new tires though. The one time it caused a puncture I was glad it did. The flat made me look closely at the tire, which was worn to the cords on the inside edge. That nail probably saved me from a blowout on the freeway or something. Those were also the fastest wearing tire I've owned (ContiSport 2 with around 8,000 miles on it), although I'm sure the excessive camber wasn't helping.

LetItRev · 2005-07-11, 08:39 PM

I put the tire back on the car after it held it's pressure for 24 hours. I have it inflated to 50 pounds. I'll see what it says tomorrow.

Thanks for sharing the theories/experiences.

zpeed · 2005-07-12, 08:30 AM

Try soapy water to detect a small leak.

Nick Koan · 2005-07-12, 08:40 AM

Yeah, it might be a slow leak.

BTW, if you find a good tire place down here, let me know. I still have a flat I've been too lazy to fix.

MikeK · 2005-07-12, 09:12 AM

I had a puncture repaired at Big-O once. They pulled the rubber off the rim and put a patch on the inside of the tyre. It cost me about $12.

sperry · 2005-07-12, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeK

I had a puncture repaired at Big-O once. They pulled the rubber off the rim and put a patch on the inside of the tyre. It cost me about $12.

Usually if it's just a nail or something, they can just do a plug w/o even taking the tire off the wheel.

Dean · 2005-07-12, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sperry

Usually if it's just a nail or something, they can just do a plug w/o even taking the tire off the wheel.

Plugs can be bad, because they often use a pointy rasp/file thing to "clear out" the hole for the plug. This often greatly increases the amount of damage to the steel and nylon belts/plys in the carcas of the tire.

On a 50K street tire where they use salt on the roads, I might get a plug to keep the salt water away from the steel, but on a 10K high performance tire in our climate, I'd just have it patched on the inside. If you can get them to put some of the black rubber cement type compound they use for the patch into the hole from the outside, all the better.

LetItRev · 2005-07-12, 02:04 PM

I drove the car today. No pressure loss. I'm still crossing my fingers.

khail19 · 2005-07-13, 06:17 AM

You should be fine if it hasn't leaked by now.

LetItRev · 2005-07-13, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by khail19

You should be fine if it hasn't leaked by now.

I'm beginning to feel that way. I will still carry a full size spare and tools to quickly change the tire for a few more day though.

Nick Koan · 2005-07-13, 10:56 AM

I've had flats that take more then a day to even show up.

Granted, I wasn't checking the pressure with a gauge constantly, but it would take 4-5 days to lose 10psi or so.

doubleurx · 2005-07-13, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nKoan

I've had flats that take more then a day to even show up.

Granted, I wasn't checking the pressure with a gauge constantly, but it would take 4-5 days to lose 10psi or so.

My 911 has a slow leak in one of the tires. It takes a couple weeks just to lose a couple PSI. Even when it sits all winter long it doesn't get completely flat.

MPREZIV · 2005-07-14, 06:48 AM

In my professional opinion, NEVER plug a tire! Patches are okay, but plugs only make matters worse.

If anybody here in Reno needs a tire fixed, feel free to swing here by Nissan. I know we're Subi people, but I work at Nissan, and I'd be glad to help out. Ask for Cory. Costs about $12.

In fact, any kind of maintenance or repairs, we can't do any kind of warranty work obviously, but I'd be glad to offer good work from a reputable shop. Alignments, tires, A/C work, anything but body repairs!

LetItRev · 2005-07-14, 11:24 AM

Hey Cory,

Thanks for that generous offer. If I continue to have issues with this tire I will give you a call.

As of now, I think the screw never made it through the tire. It's still holding pressure.

MPREZIV · 2005-07-14, 01:02 PM

No problem dude!

2005-07-10, 07:02 PM	#1
LetItRev R.I.P. Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Reno, Nevada Posts: 501 Car: 2004 WRX	Tire Repair Opinions Sought Last night I heard this sound coming from my rear left tire. It was consistent with the sound of a rock in the tread. I couldn't find a rock so I removed the wheel today and discovered a screw in the tread. It is located about dead center on the Falken Azenis tread. The screw was at a slight angle and came out easily with some pliers. The length is about 3/8" with a diameter of approximately 1/8". I checked pressure about a half hour after removing the screw and detected no pressure loss. I am wondering if I need to take this to a tire shop tomorrow and have it checked. I am curious if this was deep enough to cause damage. It may be a different story if I put the wheel back on the car and begin driving. Any advice on good tire shops for flat repairs? Something near South Meadows?

2005-07-10, 08:21 PM	#2
Dean Señor Cheap Bastarde Real Name: Dean Join Date: May 2003 Location: $99 Tire Store Posts: 9,294 Car: $.04 STI Class: Fast,Cheap & Reliable=STI Deal, did somebody say Deal? Oh, Dean, yeah that's me.	How much tread depth left on the Azenis, and how deep do you think the screw went? If A >= B you are done. No worries. If B > A, then all they can do is patch a hole that isn't there. __________________ I am a Commodore PET --- Now get off my lawn you kids...

2005-07-12, 08:40 AM	#6
Nick Koan JDM Cowboy Real Name: Nick Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Somewhere Posts: 8,642 Car: 2015 Mazda 3	Yeah, it might be a slow leak. BTW, if you find a good tire place down here, let me know. I still have a flat I've been too lazy to fix. __________________ While a standard engine is powered by a belt connected to the crankshaft, a turbo engine runs on its own exhaust steam, making it more energy efficient. -- CNN

2005-07-13, 10:56 AM	#13
Nick Koan JDM Cowboy Real Name: Nick Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Somewhere Posts: 8,642 Car: 2015 Mazda 3	I've had flats that take more then a day to even show up. Granted, I wasn't checking the pressure with a gauge constantly, but it would take 4-5 days to lose 10psi or so. __________________ While a standard engine is powered by a belt connected to the crankshaft, a turbo engine runs on its own exhaust steam, making it more energy efficient. -- CNN

2005-07-14, 06:48 AM	#15
MPREZIV Token Real Name: Le Stig Afrique? Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: sitting next to a big yellow box Posts: 3,589 Car: 2001 Impreza 2.5 RS Class: 05 TDSP No, I won't work on your car. F your car*	In my professional opinion, NEVER plug a tire! Patches are okay, but plugs only make matters worse. If anybody here in Reno needs a tire fixed, feel free to swing here by Nissan. I know we're Subi people, but I work at Nissan, and I'd be glad to help out. Ask for Cory. Costs about $12. In fact, any kind of maintenance or repairs, we can't do any kind of warranty work obviously, but I'd be glad to offer good work from a reputable shop. Alignments, tires, A/C work, anything but body repairs! __________________ "...these condoms have a topical anesthetic to reduce sensitivity, so you can last longer. What a paradox. You can't feel a thing, but you can f*ck for HOURS..."

2005-07-10, 09:27 PM	#3
khail19 EJ205 Real Name: Khail Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Reno, NV Posts: 1,769 Car: 2016 VW GTI Meets? We have meets?	I've had several instances where I've pulled a nail out of my tire with no leakage afterwards. Always with fairly new tires though. The one time it caused a puncture I was glad it did. The flat made me look closely at the tire, which was worn to the cords on the inside edge. That nail probably saved me from a blowout on the freeway or something. Those were also the fastest wearing tire I've owned (ContiSport 2 with around 8,000 miles on it), although I'm sure the excessive camber wasn't helping.

2005-07-11, 08:39 PM	#4
LetItRev R.I.P. Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Reno, Nevada Posts: 501 Car: 2004 WRX	I put the tire back on the car after it held it's pressure for 24 hours. I have it inflated to 50 pounds. I'll see what it says tomorrow. Thanks for sharing the theories/experiences.

2005-07-12, 08:30 AM	#5
zpeed EJ251 Real Name: Nat S Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Reno, NV USA Posts: 743 Car: 06 S2000 Class: RNP & PDX	Try soapy water to detect a small leak.

2005-07-12, 09:12 AM	#7
MikeK Captain Turbo Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Reno Posts: 3,318 Car: 05 STi	I had a puncture repaired at Big-O once. They pulled the rubber off the rim and put a patch on the inside of the tyre. It cost me about $12.

2005-07-12, 02:04 PM	#10
LetItRev R.I.P. Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Reno, Nevada Posts: 501 Car: 2004 WRX	I drove the car today. No pressure loss. I'm still crossing my fingers.

2005-07-13, 06:17 AM	#11
khail19 EJ205 Real Name: Khail Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Reno, NV Posts: 1,769 Car: 2016 VW GTI Meets? We have meets?	You should be fine if it hasn't leaked by now.

2005-07-14, 11:24 AM	#16
LetItRev R.I.P. Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Reno, Nevada Posts: 501 Car: 2004 WRX	Hey Cory, Thanks for that generous offer. If I continue to have issues with this tire I will give you a call. As of now, I think the screw never made it through the tire. It's still holding pressure. Last edited by LetItRev; 2005-07-14 at 05:11 PM.

2005-07-14, 01:02 PM	#17
MPREZIV Token Real Name: Le Stig Afrique? Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: sitting next to a big yellow box Posts: 3,589 Car: 2001 Impreza 2.5 RS Class: 05 TDSP No, I won't work on your car. F your car*	No problem dude! __________________ "...these condoms have a topical anesthetic to reduce sensitivity, so you can last longer. What a paradox. You can't feel a thing, but you can f*ck for HOURS..."

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