TWO flat tires in the family this morning!

Nothing to do with tires just a spin out story. Sort of.

Some years ago I was driving to Billings MT for a Drs appointment the next day.
Took my drive to work junker which is 01 Dodge (not Ram) short box 4x4.
Now that's a 4 hour drive and the road conditions to and threw Crow pass were slippery with light snow.
I get past all that and it appeared to dry up so I lead foot it and set the cruise at 80 which is the speed limit on that road (interstate). 2wd
Well I failed to take into consideration that frozen moisture looks dry after it freezes.
I go over a bridge and the truck takes off doing burnies down in the median.
Around and around I go probably 8 times around.
I had to dig dirt out of the beads in all 4 tires, the crap I take shooting in the bed was gone, and half the seat was medically stuck in my ass.

I now own studded snow tires.

To answer a question of how some of that weird stuff ends up in a tire.
It's usually a rear tire that gets it.
The front grabs and flips what ever object and the following rear tire then gets impaled.

We have material on our back roads called Scoria.
It's fired dirt, clay and coal klinkers caused by ancient coal seams that burn out.
The stuff is actually ceramic like and can be quite sharp.
When it's wet, a sharp peice can puncture a tire and the only thing inside will be a pink grit.
It's used because the nearest gravel is 80-100 miles away and it's cheap.

Now, if I was like these damned fools that try to be kool by buying wide low profile wheels, little rubber band tires and lift kits, I would probably be dead.
 
meistermash said:
To answer a question of how some of that weird stuff ends up in a tire.
It's usually a rear tire that gets it.
The front grabs and flips what ever object and the following rear tire then gets impaled.
Click to expand...

Ha! I was pondering this exact thing... Both cases were rear tires... and it dawned on me! Shazam! The front tire flips it up, and the rear tire catches it! I had this ephiphany this morning!
 
Bongo Lewi said:
@Racer88 should change his alias to Baldy.

Those tires are used up.

I have the same issue. My ’21 Gladiator has 35’s on it. They are just about done. I want to replace them with Toyo or Nitto 35’s. I need five because I prefer to have a full sized spare. $2500. Ouch.
Click to expand...
I replace the Corvette's tires long before they are worn out as they are close to the unsafe stage (IE, around 5 or 6 years) - they are "only" $1582 right now.
 
You drive your vett faster than 5-10 under the speed limit?
Because the old boys around here that own them have no idea where the skinny pedal is. L ol

My Pontiac has about the same sort of suspension setup and takes speed rated tires if you want to go quick.
Plus folks think it's either a gto or ss or some thing boring with just a 6.
Well it does have a 6.0
But it was hailed out so bad some years ago so I drive it to work now when I am not driving the dodge.
 
meistermash said:
You drive your vett faster than 5-10 under the speed limit?
Because the old boys around here that own them have no idea where the skinny pedal is. L ol

My Pontiac has about the same sort of suspension setup and takes speed rated tires if you want to go quick.
Plus folks think it's either a gto or ss or some thing boring with just a 6.
Well it does have a 6.0
But it was hailed out so bad some years ago so I drive it to work now when I am not driving the dodge.
Click to expand...
I'm not old.
Plus, I'm a Montanan so "Slow" for us is 10 over what they laughingly call "the limit"
 
Racer88 said:
I took my flat tire to my tire shop. As I expected they took one look, shook their heads and said, "esta jodido" (it's fucked in Spanish). He'll order the new tires. I'll probably have them installed Thursday. Tomorrow both he and I are busy.

I just got done plugging my daughter's tire. Another amazing foreign object. It was a screw and it was LONG. I couldn't just pull it straight out. I had to unscrew it! This thing was ALL the way in... buried!

The plugging part went pretty easy. Reamed it. Put some adhesive on the plug and shoved it in. Trim off the excess plug. And test with soapy water. Done!

View attachment 38699
Click to expand...
I had a similar one last year. It was a deck screw. Of course, on my car with stupidly expensive tires. I got my trusty Dyna-Plug kit out. When I pulled the screw out, it had a 45 degree bend in it. It seems the screw went about half way in then turned making a straight/diagonal path. The Dyna-Plug couldn't follow the path of screw made, so it didn't work. It gets better. The tire was just under the limit to replace just one tire due to AWD. 4 new tires on order at $320 each.

It gets even better. 4 months later, my lovely wife decides to hug a curb and hit a sharp edge of a drainage gutter. Boom-pop, two inch gash in the sidewall. and a nice gouge in the rim. The manager at Discount Tire took pity on me and noticed that he somehow forgot to add tire coverage when I bought the tires. He refunded the cost of the replacement tire that I ordered and added coverage for all 4. Discount Tire has been good to me.

I used to keep a jar with all the fun stuff I've pulled out of my tires. A aviation related rack hold down bolt, Electrician staples, regular nails, roofing nails, deck screws, drill bit, key ring... Roofing nails more than others, they seem to be real good at flipping into the tire. The drill bit was a double whammy. It snapped off and the loose end got the tire again 4 inches away, a two for one.
 
bkbrno said:
I had a similar one last year. It was a deck screw. Of course, on my car with stupidly expensive tires. I got my trusty Dyna-Plug kit out. When I pulled the screw out, it had a 45 degree bend in it. It seems the screw went about half way in then turned making a straight/diagonal path. The Dyna-Plug couldn't follow the path of screw made, so it didn't work. It gets better. The tire was just under the limit to replace just one tire due to AWD. 4 new tires on order at $320 each.

It gets even better. 4 months later, my lovely wife decides to hug a curb and hit a sharp edge of a drainage gutter. Boom-pop, two inch gash in the sidewall. and a nice gouge in the rim. The manager at Discount Tire took pity on me and noticed that he somehow forgot to add tire coverage when I bought the tires. He refunded the cost of the replacement tire that I ordered and added coverage for all 4. Discount Tire has been good to me.

I used to keep a jar with all the fun stuff I've pulled out of my tires. A aviation related rack hold down bolt, Electrician staples, regular nails, roofing nails, deck screws, drill bit, key ring... Roofing nails more than others, they seem to be real good at flipping into the tire. The drill bit was a double whammy. It snapped off and the loose end got the tire again 4 inches away, a two for one.
Click to expand...
Yeah, Discount Tire has been very good to me too. The military discount is just a bonus, I'd still use them even without the discount, But I will deny I ever said that if they ask 🤣
 
bkbrno said:
I had a similar one last year. It was a deck screw. Of course, on my car with stupidly expensive tires. I got my trusty Dyna-Plug kit out. When I pulled the screw out, it had a 45 degree bend in it. It seems the screw went about half way in then turned making a straight/diagonal path. The Dyna-Plug couldn't follow the path of screw made, so it didn't work. It gets better. The tire was just under the limit to replace just one tire due to AWD. 4 new tires on order at $320 each.

It gets even better. 4 months later, my lovely wife decides to hug a curb and hit a sharp edge of a drainage gutter. Boom-pop, two inch gash in the sidewall. and a nice gouge in the rim. The manager at Discount Tire took pity on me and noticed that he somehow forgot to add tire coverage when I bought the tires. He refunded the cost of the replacement tire that I ordered and added coverage for all 4. Discount Tire has been good to me.

I used to keep a jar with all the fun stuff I've pulled out of my tires. A aviation related rack hold down bolt, Electrician staples, regular nails, roofing nails, deck screws, drill bit, key ring... Roofing nails more than others, they seem to be real good at flipping into the tire. The drill bit was a double whammy. It snapped off and the loose end got the tire again 4 inches away, a two for one.
Click to expand...
I got on the Amazons and ordered a drill powered reamer for just such a situation.
And US made probes and insertion tools.
You couldn't get the reamer in or insertion tool to start correct?

Now I would be damned careful with a performance speed rated tire but for the regular tires I run on the van or pickups, it's fine.
My drive to work junker has had a plug in 1 tire for years.
Those won't go north of 150 though.

Has anyone tried those mushroom cap looking plug kits?
 
I just got home from getting the new Continental Cross Contact LX25 tires. What a HUGE difference. Mind you, my OEM Yoko Avids had 35k miles on them. And you acclimate to the old tires in terms of ride, noise, handling, etc. On the way home it was like a new car! LOL! So I've probably got 15 miles on them.... and so far, I'm very happy. Looking forward to driving in a good downpour! ;)
 
The Dynaplug makes the smallest possible hole in the tire. Not a big fan of making a small hole in a pressure vessel bigger. I have used them probably 10 times so far. This tire was the first one that it didn't work on.

It was probably meant to be. The screw was an RCH from the edge limit for repair. These are V rated tires low profile tires so not a good idea to have a repair there.

Plug and patch is the best way but good luck finding a shop that will take the time to do it that way.
 
In case it hasn't been said, AWD vehicles are sensitive to tires worn differently and different tread designs. So, the most difference an AWD system can tolerate is usually 3/32nds of an inch difference between any two tires. IOW, all tires should be within 3/32nds of an inch from one another.

Some shops can shave new tires to match the height of the rest, if you ever ruin a tire and don't need to buy four new tires.
 
Last edited:
It'sMe said:
In case it hasn't been said, AWD vehicles are sensitive to tires worn differently and different tread designs. So, the most difference an AWD system can tolerate is usually 3/32nds of an inch difference between any two tires. IOW, all tires should be within 3/32nds of an inch from one another.

Some shops can shave new tires to match the height of the rest, if you ever ruin a tire and don't need to buy four new tires.
Click to expand...

Yep. And if you use a spare, you have to put it on the back.
 
Racer88 said:
I just got home from getting the new Continental Cross Contact LX25 tires. What a HUGE difference. Mind you, my OEM Yoko Avids had 35k miles on them. And you acclimate to the old tires in terms of ride, noise, handling, etc. On the way home it was like a new car! LOL! So I've probably got 15 miles on them.... and so far, I'm very happy. Looking forward to driving in a good downpour! ;)
Click to expand...
I've heard great things about the Conti Cross Contacts. I think that new tire smile will last quite a while.
 
Last edited:
meistermash said:
You drive your vett faster than 5-10 under the speed limit?
Because the old boys around here that own them have no idea where the skinny pedal is. L ol

My Pontiac has about the same sort of suspension setup and takes speed rated tires if you want to go quick.
Plus folks think it's either a gto or ss or some thing boring with just a 6.
Well it does have a 6.0
But it was hailed out so bad some years ago so I drive it to work now when I am not driving the dodge.
Click to expand...
FWIW, I got a text from my step daughter yesterday "We saw an orange blur on Prospect today"

The Vette is Daytona Sunrise Orange

I also just bought a new RV and the salesman (Retired deputy sheriff) and I were standing around talking while the service guy was getting the hitch set up, and I mentioned to him that I was playing with the paddle shifters in the truck the other day, shifting u at redline, and watching the tach for the upshifts when I heard my checkbook screaming in fear - I looked at the speedometers and was going 85 in a 55 in 4th 🤣

On the way home i thought - great, I just told a retired officer that I was going 30 over in a 55 zone. Call me Sammy Hagar because I Can't Drive 55.
 
bkbrno said:
The Dynaplug makes the smallest possible hole in the tire. Not a big fan of making a small hole in a pressure vessel bigger.
Click to expand...

The problem with the Dynaplugs (as I've discovered) is that they're TOO thin. The reamer bends EASILY. Ask me how I know. It's too thin. And the plugs are a big pain in the ass. The metal penetrator tips break off. It's a seemingly elegant "deluxe" solution, but it's actually worse than the cheap normal plugs. I've been greatly disappointed by the Dynaplug system. Expensive and ineffective.
 
I have had to run two plugs in to seal up a hole made by a screw instead of a nail. 90% of what gets my tires are nails. Yes the plugs leave the brass tip rolling around in the tire (it it breaks off. The tip should be pushed all the way.

I hope they didn't cheapen up the device since I got mine. I have pushed HARD on mine and no hint of bending. They are very proud of the plugs on Amazon now, that for sure. They used to be $7-8 for a 5 pack. Now they are $24. Way to run a business boys, make your tool as shitty as possible and 3x the price of plugs. Sorry I suggested it.

Before I got the Dynaplug, I took a tire to a local shop. I specifically asked for them to dismount the tire and patch, plug it and balance it, I will pay for the job to be done right. They swore on the Holly Bible that was the only way they did things. It was on a heavy fast SUV and I wanted it done right. They said one hour. I came back at the end of the day, 5 hours later, and the tire was still sitting where I set it. Oops,we forgot. Watched him plug it. Ran the biggest fucking reamer he had into the tire and used two plugs to get it to seal. Not because the nail made a big hole but because he reamed it ten sizes over. Never dismounted it, never patched it. Just a big hole where there was a small hole and a plug. I could have done that myself in 5 minutes at home. That will be $25 sucker. Never went back to that place.
 
bkbrno said:
Yes the plugs leave the brass tip rolling around in the tire (it it breaks off. The tip should be pushed all the way.
Click to expand...

No... it breaks off BEFORE I get it inserted.

bkbrno said:
I hope they didn't cheapen up the device since I got mine. I have pushed HARD on mine and no hint of bending.
Click to expand...

Mine bent EASILY. I would not consider myself a "brute," either. And the handle is poorly designed when it comes to offering leverage to push the reamer and the plugs through. Very uncomfortable, actually.

It's an "elegant" system. I like elegant. I don't mind spending good money on it. But it has to work. The Dynaplug system simply doesn't work.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top