Tire Patching: Is It Worth It?

You can repair or replace a tire. Repairing it typically costs less, but there is a third option: patching. Patching costs the least of these, and it is similar to repair in that it fixes the tire and makes it usable again. However, a patch may not last as long as a repair, which begs the question, Is it worth it? The following info on tire patching will let you decide for yourself. 

Inflation Patches

This is what is more commonly known as "tire patch in a can." It will inflate your tire and seal the leak simultaneously as the pressurized air disperses the sealant from the can into the hole in the tire. An inflation patch is definitely temporary as it was only designed and created to get your car from where it presently is when you discover the leak to the nearest repair station. It can and does last longer if the leak is small, but it is not recommended that you drive a few thousand miles this way and pray that the inflation patch will last. 

Exterior Patches

There are car tire patch kits you can buy where you apply the patch to the outside of the tire where the hole or leak is. It utilizes vulcanized cement and a rubber patch, but you have to get it just right. That means starting with a perfectly clean tire, abrading the area around the hole or leak so that the cement and patch will adhere properly, and then applying the cement and patch while avoiding lumps and air bubbles. It is not the easiest thing to do, and if you get it wrong, this type of patch will wear and roll off like a band-aid after so many miles of rolling over the road. 

Interior Patches

Interior patches are the kinds of tire patches that the professionals do. There is no way for these patches to wear away or peel off once the process is complete. The patch job is entirely on the interior of the tire, which requires that the tire, the rim, and the wheel be removed from the vehicle, and then the tire has to be removed from the rim to apply the patch. Because the job is thorough and expertly done, the patch will last a very long time, often until the tire's tread is worn enough to replace the tire entirely. It costs just a little bit more than the kits you buy to do the job yourself but far less than replacing the tire with a new tire. 

If your tires are leaking or have a hole in them, bring it in for tire repair


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