Tyre repair options

O

Oosti

Member
Hi,
Took my car in to get the front right wheel checked after I noticed a slow leak.
They got back to me and said the tyre cannot be repaired due to a leak in the sidewall, and that I need to buy a brand new tyre.

it’s a Toyo AT2 and has low km’s on it and was wondering what are my options? I spoke to a friend who said you can get a tube and put it inside the damaged tyre… is thsi advised?
Thanks
 
linuxfan66

linuxfan66

Active Member
Oosti said:
Hi,
Took my car in to get the front right wheel checked after I noticed a slow leak.
They got back to me and said the tyre cannot be repaired due to a leak in the sidewall, and that I need to buy a brand new tyre.

it’s a Toyo AT2 and has low km’s on it and was wondering what are my options? I spoke to a friend who said you can get a tube and put it inside the damaged tyre… is thsi advised?
Thanks
Click to expand...
dont muck around with that crap. if its as sidewall hole, its illegal to use on the road if fixed. do you really want insurance on your butt if anything goes wrong from something this easy to detect and could contribute to an accident unambigiously?
 
shanegtr

shanegtr

Well-Known Member
Tyre repairs are covered under Australian Standard AS 1973-1993 Pneumatic tyres - Passenger car, light truck, and truck/bus - Retreading and repair processes. I don't have a copy of it but I believe it doesn't completely rule out repairs to sidewalls. The go will be to chat to someone who just does tyre repairs rather than a tyre dealer, if you can easily find someone that is. Some repairs will be more involved than others and most tyre fitters wont have the skills or equipment to do it, just easier to sell you another tyre.
 
2

2luxes

Well-Known Member
Have a look at the endless amount of tyre repair equipment for tread, shoulder and side wall patches and plugs for everything from push bikes to mining trucks on the Rema Tip Top web site then contact them and find out who does major repairs in your area. They will most likely be supplying the equipment they need.

Some sidewall punctures can be repaired depending on their size and location. They involve both internal patches, uncured rubber and vulcanising with heat.

These types of repairs can be expensive so that has to be weighed up with the value of the tyre to see if it is worth fixing.
 
smitty_r51

smitty_r51

Well-Known Member
I have a similar issue, the hole is tiny, think sewing needle in a tyre with 70% tread. No-one will touch it because it is in the sidewall.

Looked around for repairers as a mate who was a mechanic in Adelaide until he retired said he had the equipment to do it when he had the business but doesn't now, still couldn't find anyone who could. If you get somewhere let me know otherwise i am junking a perfectly good tyre for a new one
 
CTL

CTL

Well-Known Member
@2luxes is on the money. Good advice.

@linuxfan66 is just repeating internet myths. Show me which legislation says that all side wall repairs are “illegal”.

@Oosti I had two (2) Toyo AT2s repaired, both with side wall punctures caused by Mallee roots. Both were vulcanised patches. Cost $90 each but tyres had only 10K kms on them. Repairer was in Brisbane
 
Albynsw

Albynsw

Well-Known Member
Swaggie

Swaggie

Moderator
A gum tree branch went through my new MTZ years ago, had to Winch up a Spur around Dargo in 38 degree heat and we get to the top of the track and started to drive along the Ridgeline for a few hundred metres and i knew i had a flat. With the vehicle loaded with camp gear i decided to plug the inside of the tyre with around 4 plugs from memory, took it back to where i bought them, they patched it and it’s lasted years, even running them on 8psi at Robe for days
 
M

mikehzz

Well-Known Member
I had a straight through the sidewall small stake on an almost new Toyo AT2 and they repaired it at Arkaroola. Doug Sprigg said they only did it because it was small and went straight through between the belts. They put an inside vulcanized patch and you can't even see the entry point from the outside anymore.

@Albynsw, the Vic roads link refers to radial ply passenger car tyres whereas my 4wd tyres are radial LT grade. The original standard, AS 1973-1993 Pneumatic tyres says that the "structural integrity must be maintained". Doug Sprigg seemed to know the standards and rules inside out and back to front and was very careful about doing my repair because he mentioned the fines that he could have reigned down on him for doing the wrong thing. It's certainly a grey area that suits the tyre manufacturers by automatically attracting a new tyre sale. My repair cost around $90 as well.
 
LongRoad2Go

LongRoad2Go

Well-Known Member
Ingenuity, craftsmanship and quality - a bespoke tyre. I reckon people in Paddington would pay big money for them just as ornaments. ;)
 
Chatty

Chatty

Well-Known Member
Sidewalls on LT tyres are repairable if there is no structural damage to the tyre. But a lot of places won't do it because they're a hassle and they can't be bothered. Plus, there's airways the risk of being sued if something goes wrong.
And, give me an iron clad definition of "no structural damage".
But, don't just stick a tube in it and hope for the best - get a 4WD tyre expert to have a look.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CTL
linuxfan66

linuxfan66

Active Member
Chatty said:
Sidewalls on LT tyres are repairable if there is no structural damage to the tyre. But a lot of places won't do it because they're a hassle and they can't be bothered. Plus, there's airways the risk of being sued if something goes wrong.
And, give me an iron clad definition of "no structural damage".
But, don't just stick a tube in it and hope for the best - get a 4WD tyre expert to have a look.
Click to expand...
So in short can sidewall damaged be repaired is “it depends”, “its complicated”, and finding someone who will do it
 
Last edited:
B

boobook

Well-Known Member
It seems pretty clear to me reading the vicroads law that sidewall repairs are not legal. Having said that I'd do it every time to get back to civilisation.

People may not realise that there is the tread, sidewall and the area in between called the shoulder. Many people may call that the sidewall, many the tread. Most of the spikes rom mulga etc I've had in deserts are in that area. It's probably the most vulnerable area and is repairable.

Google Image Result for https://emphasysnta.blob.core.windows.net/site-content/tyre--1-.jpg

www.google.com
 
2

2luxes

Well-Known Member
linuxfan66 said:
So in short can sidewall damaged be repaired is “it depends”, “its complicated”, abs finding someone who will do it
Click to expand...
As I said in.my first post, ring Rema Tip Top in your State. They know all the tyre repair services that use their products and what type of repairs they do.

At my last home north of Sydney, they gave me the phone number of their mobile rep.for my district. He turned up in front of my house in a huge truck that had everything from tyre changing machines to tubes of glue in it.

I now live in a small out of the way location about 600 ks away. Just before last Christmas, I needed a few more things so I rang their Sydney office and sales outlet. This time they sent what I wanted by mail.

In their business, they would have to know all the regulations for tyre repairs in all States so ring the one in your capital city.
 
linuxfan66

linuxfan66

Active Member
im gonna ask: has anyone here got an answer from authoritative legal advice source on the legality of sidewall repairs. its clear there ambiguities here. and possibilities of legal loopholes under specific circumstances(LT may not count as passenger radials).
 
Rusty Panels

Rusty Panels

Well-Known Member
It would appear that there are no hard and fast laws regarding tyre repairs at least in NSW and I haven't seen anything for the other states either. It looks like the only laws regarding tyre repairs are "The Laws of Physics". If you can repair tyre damage or convince someone else to repair it then there's nothing stopping you from driving on that tyre. Good luck convincing your insurance company when you roll the car at 20kph on a roundabout though.
 
discomatt

discomatt

Well-Known Member
I spiked a new tire a few years ago, a very expensive muddy, had about 300km on it, had a hole in the side wall about 10mm long, took it to 3 tire shops who all do repairs, one of which I know the guys well after using them for over 10 years, all 3 same response, NO was the answer every time, its illegal we can't do it not even for a spare due to possible internal damage to the ply that is impossible to determine
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top