Hey Scotty!,
Looking for some advice here. I've got a 2002 Toyota Camry (222,000 miles, still running solid), but I just noticed I’ve got one nail in each of the rear tires. Both are stuck between the center and edge of the tread — no bulges or leaks yet that I can tell, but I haven’t pulled them out to check for air loss either. To the best of my knowledge, they've been there for over a month, and I haven't lost a bit of air.
A couple of questions:
-
Is it safe to plug/patch both tires, considering the age of the tires? (They were installed at 201k miles in Dec. 2023)
-
Or am I better off just replacing the rear tires altogether?
-
Should I be worried about a blowout if I keep driving with them for a bit? I'm worried because I have a long commute and put well over 15k miles a year.
I’d rather not throw money at tires unless I have to (these tires look like they have good tread), but I also don’t want to risk safety or damage to the car.
I've posted the pictures here: https://postimg.cc/gallery/ZRgr9GX
Appreciate any insight from the pros here. Thanks in advance!
— David De Jesus
I’ve got one nail in each of the rear tires
They look like screws. One hex head and one philips.
Anyway they both looks repairable. I'd patch or plug them.
Stop driving through construction sites LOL.
Safety wise it's always better to replace the 'damaged tire'.
However, that's not the most common practice as tires are expensive so plugs and patches are frequently used. The tire should be dismounted from the wheel and inspected before deciding what to do.. you have 2 punctures. As long as the tire's belts aren't damaged, I'd have the tire shop patch it from the inside , check for leaks and drive away.
@hixster do people patch tires from the outside?
@imperator lol no, but plugs can be inserted from inside or outside. I get your point tho.. IMO, patching from inside is better that plugging from outside.
@hixster I agree patches are better, and I think the modern patches are actually a patch and plug all molded into one piece. Applied from the inside. That being said, I've heard of the DIY plugs with the vulcanizing adhesive lasting 100's k miles.
Thanks for the advice, everyone! I'll have my local shop patch them.