How to Repair a tire

Punctured tires can easily be repaired without the need for a spare. Keep a patch kit in your trunk for this possibility. As long as you know these simple instructions, you can repair a tire fairly quickly. Tire plugs aren't permanent solutions, but they give you more time to get to a mechanic.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Pliers
• Patching kit

1. Find the puncture on the tire. Remove any foreign object that may be stuck in the tire. Use pliers to pull the object out in the same direction as the tire's tread. Mark the location of the hole so you'll be able to find it after pulling the offending debris out.

2. Use a car jack to raise the vehicle and remove the wheel if the puncture is difficult to access or your safety is in danger in your current location.

3. Take the rasp included in your patch kit and quickly insert it and remove it from the hole. This roughs up the hole so it will take cement better.

4. Cover the plug included in the kit with cement. Use the insertion tool to stick the plug inside the hole, leaving about 1/2 inch of the plug outside the tire.

5. Pull the insertion tool straight out quickly, leaving the plug inside.

6. Cut the plug so that it's flush with the surrounding tire tread.

7. Have the tire internally patched or replaced when you get a chance--plugs aren't permanent fixes.

Tips & Warnings

• Tires with less than 1/16 inch of tread should be replaced. Don't attempt to repair holes in the sidewall of a tire or large lacerations in the tread. Blowouts cannot be repaired.