And no problems.

Just wanted you to know that.

Screw found in close to center was removed, and tire plugged.
Holding air for over a month on my daily driver.

 

Most of the tire companies say it can be done with no problems as long as it is not a sidewall issue.

 

I think the whole thing about not plugging runflats, is that after it has run flat, the sidewall is no good anymore, even after you plug and fill it back up. That or it can never run flat again.

 

I *believe* the issue is that there's no way to tell whether (and for how long) the tire has been used in runflat mode. If it's been run 50 miles with no air, you've compromised the integrity of the sidewalls. If you just have a screw in it but haven't lost air, or run flat, then it can be fixed like any other tire. The big question is will a shop do it for you.

 

Yep...same experience here.

 

nabeshin, eric- you guys bring up a good point indeed.

just because it can hold air does not mean it is reliable as a 'runflat' next time around. hell, a punctured beachball with some scotchtape can hold air...but
how reliable? wont know until the next blow out.

good luck out there.

 

The condition of the tire's innerliner would be the only telltale of how much head has been built up running in runflat mode. Any sign of an unsmooth innerliner - or rubber shavings inside the tire are signs of heat build up. Where a plug will fix the leak, but the tire maybe compromised beyond its repaired puncture.

Alex

 

I should have stated that the tire companies prefaced that with "provided the tire passes inner inspection".

 

I should have stated that the tire pressure never fell beyond 22psi. That because Ipressurized every morning before take off. Was a very slow leak

 

Exactly.............

 

Actually there is... According to Dunlop, you can inspect the inside and tell if the tire has been driven on. That being said, there is more to it than just plugging it and moving on. The tire must be pulled and inspected. If found ok, then it can be mounted and plugged.

 

Exactly

 

Actually, I think they want it patched from the inside with a vulcanized patch and not plugged from the outside.

This said, I had plugged two the runflats on my 2002 MCS and driven them for another 10,000 or 15,000 miles. They were never run flat. Both were slow leaks cause by screws that were caught before the pressure fell below 20 psi.

I carry a plugging kit and a compressor in the boot of my 2006 MCS but have yet to have to use it. Knock on wood.

 

A patch would be a difficult DYS. Though they're better than a plug, a plug is what a plug does.

 

an interesting essay on tire repair

http://www.dynaplug.com/repair.html

 

Good read, though sounds like spam... But none theless still satisfying.
Check please? And TY

 

Yesterday I found a small screw on the right front tire of my Clubman S. The tire pressure monitor light went on, but upon checking air pressure, the tire was still holding air at 30PSI. The tire had lost 6 pounds of air but was never run-flat (It was likely a very slow leak, losing 1-2 pounds of air per day).

Took it this morning to my friend (3 time MINI owner and owns an independent MINI shop) and upon close inspection he plugged it in from the outside (The screw was on the main thread). Plugged it in, recharged it and I was good to go 10 mins later.

Had the tire being driven on without any air on it all, he would not have touched it. At 30PSI I know the sidewall was not compromised in anyway so a decision was made to plug it.

The past year or so we have had tough luck with nail/screw encounters. Just last year I had to replace 2 runflats (They were fairly new BTW) because of unrepairable nail encounters in my 2005 MCS. Last time the nail was impaled in the inner sidewall.

I am glad we were able to repair this one. I was prepared to shell out another $250 for a new replacement.

 

Yep, ditto. had a screw in one, and a nail in the another tire. had them both plugged, and ran for another several thousand miles. would've went longer, but wanted to dump the RF's....

 

My screw was very small. Anything larger in diameter would have been a different story.

The amount of junk in our roads is mind boggling to say the least.

 

One might start to wonder if all of these sharp edges are purposely planted?
Ho yea! And those damned pot holes? Gonna start planting cannabis seeds in each and every one I see from now on. LOL!!!

 

Dude, in the past 2 years I have lost nearly a whole set of tires to nails and screws. Before that, I had not had a single tire incident in more than 10 years...

 

Back in 1985, my parents bought a new Cadillac with the Gold-Line "self sealing" tires. The idea was that when you pull out the nail/screw/whatever, a fluid seeps into the hole and hardens, sealing the leak.

Over the next few months, they picked up *three* nails in almost exactly the same spot on one tire - you could have covered all three holes with a quarter. The tire was fine after removing the first nail, and after removing the second nail, but when they picked up the third nail it was too much - the tire wouldn't seal properly and they had to replace it.

 

So, (sorry, new to runflats) - last night got the tire pressure warning when I was a couple miles from home. I parked and went inside, but this morning took it to the gas station and checked the tire pressure - the right front had zero pressure. I definitely drove on it, can't say how far. Should I not try to repair this? I see the nail, it's pretty small. Is it so much more dangerous to be running a repaired RF than a repaired non-RF?

 

Can't really give you advise except to say that something similar (screw not a nail) happened to my MCS. I had it repaired and have had no problems since. FWIW...I wrote about it in this forum.

 

I would suggest you get to a tire shop that can inspect the tire to make sure it hasn't been damaged.

There was a post here about a RF that actually completely came off of the wheel. Only thing left on the wheel was the sidewall. Consensus was that the runflat had failed.