Tracking a Patched Tire
 

I unfortunately found a screw in one of new tires for the second time in the 4 months. I was wondering if running a patched tire is a safe on track? I don't want to buy a new tire yet again.

I personally wouldn't but I know people that do. What kind of tires and what kind of car and track are we talking about?

Patches should tolerate racing tire heat and deformation fine. My concern is hole plugs. I've asked multiple tire repair shops to use patches without plugs and they refuse. The argument is that if the steel belts get wet, they'll rust without a plug.

Weird, I've never seen a shop use a plug with a patch.

They are Nitto NT05s on my FD on a road course. I would never run a plugged tire on track but I thought a patch may be okay.

I wouldn't-

Ouch, that sucks man!! If you do run it, I'd like to hear how it works for you.

Where is the damage on the tire? If it is not near the edge of the tread, then "maybe". If the hole is near the edge/sidewall, then "never".

It should be able to be patched because the hole in right in the center of the tire not on a contact patch but in a channel.

I got a hole in my new so2s more than 6 years ago. Had it pluged and patched. It has held up fine to many track days and general driving. Tires are now worn and the patch looks better than the tires. When they did it, they made me sign a waiver saying that the speed rating was void on the tires. I have since done 160 a few times on them.

I've run street tires that had the patch with integral plug, on the track just fine. America's Tire uses a great patch & plug and the guy adds rubber cement to the patch part. It seals quite well.

It's a rubber plug. Be sure to check it for leaking with windex. And make sure it'll hold consistant pressure.

I'm going on track in 3 weeks so I'll have time to make sure it holds pressure. I think I'll give it a shot.

I've also run my FD on a patched and plugged tire in probably half a dozen HPDEs. It was an S02 PP in fact. The guy who did the work was an SCCA Club Racer and seemed to think that it would hold up fine, but did make me aware that the speed rating was now void. I still have the tires on the car several years later (and it is getting time to finally replace them).

Good luck,

-bill

I dropped the tire off today and was told the speed rating was void. He also said he wouldn't track it though these guys do not have race experience, on top of that the place I normally go to wasn't able to do it because they used a plug with an epoxy patch instead of a full rubber patch/plug which he said would be needed for track use.

When I serviced racing tires at the track we plugged allot of tires with no issues. This includes Bias Ply slicks and steel belted DOT radials. As long as the hole was in the tread cap an not on the side wall or on the transition from the cap to the sidewall this was a good repair. We used Radial Tire plugs and glue from Tech Supply....not the cheap stuff they sell at autoparts stores.

I have personally raced on plugged tires - Hoosier Dirt Stocker - in the rain. It was even on a road course - oval - Gateway International. No problems and no leaks. I never go racing with out a plug kit in my tool box and access to compressed air.

We never had any luck with patches and did not use them. It was too time consuming to get the mold release off of the inside of the tires and unless you do the patch will not work. There is not enough time at the track to do this.