Tire Leak Help!

[Mungrin]

ok,i finally got my 18s back on my Lex and i notcied that on my right tire there is a leak on the side of the tire.Its so so so tiny but if u go very close to it u can hear the hissing.Now i know when the hole is on the top of the tire it can be patched but on the sides its over but im saying its soooo small.These tires are expensive and i have to get a new one for such a tiny tiny tiny little cut?Is there no other way?? I cant afford another tire.

thx

[steviej]

You are correct in that if the leak/hole is on the tread that it can be plugged and if it is on the sidewall it is hopeless.

It is not a matter of a small leak anymore.

1. It is a matter of convenience. That ever so small hole is a weak spot in the rubber will allow air to constantly leak out. You then have to constantly air the tire back up. Your tire will never be at a constant air pressure. This will effect fuel economy, ride quality and handling.

2. It is a matter of safety. That leak is a spot in the rubber where there is structural weakness. This has major potential for bigger problems should you hit a bump or a pothole......flat tire. It also has major potential to become a bigger leak at high speeds as the rubber heats........BLOWOUT at HIGH SPEED.

Your safety and the safety of the travelers around you are worth more than what it would cost to replace the tire.

I suggest not using a "Fix-a-Flat" type of remedy. These canned products are supposed to be used to get you to safety when you have a flat tire. Then the tire should be fixed appropriately. Fix-a-Flat treated tires are not intended to become daily driver tires.

If it were my tire, I would replace it.

steviej

[mo.miner]

One thing that must be said here is that everyone is assuming that we are talking about radial tires.

Radial tires are about all that is available now because they are superior to bias ply in many areas.

However, radial tires can only be repaired if the puncture is in the tread area.

If the puncture is in the corner of the tire, that is in the transition area between the tread and sidewall, then this repair is questionable. I have tried to patch/plug a corner puncture but never been successful.

If puncture is in the sidewall of a radial tire, no reputable dealer will try to repair this area. This is one of the few shortcomings of radial tires.

The only other shortcoming that I know of radial tires is that when pushing them to the limit, they dont make alot of noise (squell-sp) and warn the driver like the old bias/ply tires. They just break away without any noise warning.

Other than that, radial tires are the greatest invention since bottled beer.

Ex-tire engineer

(who loves Michelin donuts...)