Did you recently run over a screw or nail with your vehicle? Are you now worried that you'll need to get a whole new tire? You may be able to have the tire repaired. This is what you need to know about saving a punctured tire on your vehicle.
Remove The Foreign Object
The first step will be to carefully remove the item that punctured your tire. If it is a screw, you'll be able to use a regular screwdriver to remove the screw by unscrewing it. If it is a nail, you will need to get some pliers to grip underneath the head of the nail so that you can pull it out slightly, and then use a claw hammer to get it the rest of the way out. Try to avoid damaging the rubber around the place that was punctured as best as you can.
Use A Reamer Tool To Enlarge The Hole
It may seem counterintuitive to make the hole larger in order to fix it, but it is a necessary part of the process. This can be done with a specialized tool known as a reamer tool. It is a metal post that has sharp edges, and you insert it into the hole and give it a twisting motion. This will make the hole slightly larger and give the repair shop a clean surface to make the repair.
Use The Rubber Strip And Insertion Tool
You'll need a rubber strip designed for patching a hole in a tire and a special insertion tool specifically for this job. The insertion tool has an eyelet that you put the rubber strip halfway through. Then, apply rubber cement to the outside of the entire rubber strip. You will then push the strip through the hole using the eyelet tool, making sure to leave about an inch worth of the rubber strip sticking out the tip of the tire. Then, quickly pull back on the insertion tool, which will rip through the rubber strip on the inside of the tire.
Trim Off The Excess Rubber Strip
All that is left to do is trim off any excessive amount of the rubber strip from the outside of the tire, and the repair will be complete. The rubber cement will help the rubber strip bond with the tire, and it will work well enough to prevent the need to purchase a brand-new replacement tire for your vehicle.
To learn more, contact a tire repair shop.