Puncher repair kits

Did you get all of the screw out first??

It may have snapped off in the tyre tread thus preventing the plunger to work.


Cheers Kev

Well after using a drill on it I wouldnt drive on it anywhere.

You could have damaged the cords and the steel belt which may or may not

let go spectacularly and will be much worse than a PUNCTURE.


Cheers

Plugs are not considered permanent fixes anyway according to the Cooper 4wd Drivers guide I was reading yesterday.

Hi Carl
We never rely on our plug sets that we take when heading bush. We always carry Tyrepliers ,good quality tyre levers and rubber mallet as well as a complete variety of patches. There have been a couple of times when plugs were not enough and had to take the tyre off of the rim for a patch.

It comes back to our Boy Scout days, and Be Prepared for anything.

Cheers

Stephen

"Puncher" repair kit??????

Carl,

As the known destroyer of tyres that I am, I can offer this advice. From the way you’ve described it, you’ve no doubt managed to poke a hole through the tread section of the tyre. Believe it or not, these are the hardest punctures to get under any circumstances and it’s normally only a tek-screw or a fine jewellers screwdriver (a long story) that will manage to penetrate the steel belts.

The most important thing to remember when using a plug kit in a tread puncture, as opposed to a side wall penetration, is to have everything ready to go. It’s imperative that you keep an eye on the offending article as it’s removed so you know the exact direction/path that it penetrated the tyre. As the steel belts and Kevlar cords will slide back to their original position once the offending article is removed, unless you follow the exact track in, you may as well be trying to drive a knitting needle through 2mm plate!

Some of the plug kits come with a lubricating grease to assist the reamer (my description) in sliding between the belts for a plug puncture. If you’ve got a puncture through the tread while close to home or civilisation, I’d always take it straight to a tyre place for repair. If the offending item is steel, like a nail, screw or jewellers screwdriver, I’d recommend sliding the reamer in beside it while it’s still in the tyre. Then pull out the offender and push the plug in along the reamer on exactly the same track using the reamer to lever apart the belts. Once you’ve got the plug in, carefully slide out the reamer before doing the 180 degree twist and removing the plug tool.

There are two types of reamer you’ll see on the market. One has a fairly aggressive edge, almost serrated. Others, like the ARB, are smoother and have less vicious edges. On a tread puncture, use the less vicious reamer. It’s only to slide in and part the belts. A serrated edge one will catch and bend both wires and cords and that’s a no-no. Either reamer will do on a sidewall puncture. Tread punctures are a bastard to deal with and best left to the professionals unless you’re well away from home

The secret is matching the path of the puncturing object. Hope that helps.

Mick.

Tek screws only create a small hole, and I'll assume you had a tread puncture (sidewall punctures on Cooper ST are very easy to plug because of the thin sidewall).

There are two common thicknesses of plugs. I carry both - the thinner ones are the very long black ones you often find on the Bushranger stand at the 4wd shops. I cut them in half and use the reamer as little as is required to enable the plug to be inserted.

Plugging tyres has a long learning curve to get good reliable repairs. Its good to watch someone who is well practiced with the use of plugs. There are lots of kits out there requiring different glues/ lubricants and tools. I've found kits using glue to work the best.

was the tyre deflated? very hard to penatrate a deflated tyre - it needs to be pumped up

Thanks everyone for all the advice. No matter how much you think you know, there is always more to learn.

I should have mentioned that between the LC, spares and caravan, there are 12 matching alloy wheels and tyres.

Mention was made of tyre levers and although I have done steel rims with them, always thought they rip alloy to pieces? Are there special levers for alloy wheels?

I recognise the point about using a drill, an indication of my level of despiration. To my suprise the tyre repair guy used a reemer on a drill to enlarge the hole.

The DVD on how to repair tyres is a great idea.

So my conclusion is that with training they can be used and the training was what letmedown. Thanks