Patching Drag Radials?

uhoh5.0 · Feb 1, 2007

I have a set of Mickey Thompsaon ET Drag Radials and I guess since they are so soft I have picked up 2 nails. Is it ok to patch a drag radial? I have heard that a patch is better than a plug? I'm sure this has happened to people a lot, and I don't use them on the street much, but everytime I do I pick up a nail

BennyBlown2v · Feb 1, 2007

Short answer, NO. You never want to run on a patched tire PERIOD. Once ANY tire is patched it loses its speed rating. Some places claim they can patch to a satisfactory level to maintain speed rating, but it's BS.

SaleenGT2001 · Feb 1, 2007

i would say yes. i patch tires all the time at work and i dont see why it would hurt anything. i would not trust a plugged tire but a patched one will be fine. FWIW i have ran a tire that was PLUGGED in the sidewall to over 150 mph.

007 · Feb 1, 2007

Patches work great. I punctured a brand new pilot sport after about a week. Was pissed. Now after 20k that tire is bald. I did burnouts, ripped on it etc. no probs

BennyBlown2v · Feb 1, 2007

The idea is that a tire that is patched/plugged (or however the hell you wanna fix it) is not going to be as structurally sound as a brand new, never punctured tire. Having a tire blow out at the end of the 1/4 mile, or even 1/8th mile could prove disastrous.

Sure it will work, but is it worth risking your car and health? Not imo.

SaleenGT2001 · Feb 1, 2007

when a new tire costs over $350 i'll deal with a patch

JayC · Feb 1, 2007

Here's what I have used with never a problem. http://www.patchrubber.com/tire_repair/1piece_plugs.html

uhoh5.0 · Feb 1, 2007

Well, the reason I ask is because I just bought a new set of Mickey ET drag radials 275/40-17 two weeks ago. Last week I picked up a screw in the passenger side and today, a nail in the drivers side. And to top it off, I was planning on taking them off today. I just hated to think that you would have to toss a set of drag radials after 2 weeks, damm

Jinx · Feb 1, 2007

Hmmmmmmmmm that's a tough one, $350 for a new tire, or run the risk of a blowout at high speed and spend Mega $$$$$$ (if you wreck) for suspension repair, possible body work, new paint, new headlights, cracked windshield, air bag replacement Etc. and then still have to buy a new drag radial

04YELLOWGT · Feb 1, 2007

If its a DR I assume you drag you car. There is no way in hell I would run a patch on my car when Im drag racing it. Honstley I dont think I would patch a tire at all. I would rather spend the extra dough to get a new good tire than to risk a blowout with a patch.

My cousin has an Explorer and had one of her tires patched....long story short a week later it blew, luckily she was only going 30 mph.

Rickey_Bobby · Feb 1, 2007

I don't think I have ever owned a tire without a patch...
Due to my work and all the construction around my house I have picked up my fair share of crap in tires.

I have been running a patch in one of my BFG DR's for about 1K miles and a plug in my front tire since the first day I got it. No problems yet.

Granted the right thing to do is replace the tire, But for $300+ I'll take my chances.

TonyG · Feb 1, 2007

I put a plug in one my ET drags, after it got a hole on the first day that I used them. After a few burnouts, the plug just seemed to melt into the surrounding tire, and now you can't even tell where it is. The tire has been through over 40 passes with no problems, and actually leaks less than the other slick (which has no holes). I check air pressure before/after every pass. If the plug fails, the tire would leak and I would catch it before it could do any harm.

I also plugged a Nitto drag radial, and I haven't needed to add air to that tire in over 8 months. 25 psi rock solid.

I've also plugged regular radials, but they would always leak. They never "blew up" while I was driving, they just developed slow leaks. And those are the times that I would bite the bullet and get new tires.

ADRENLN · Feb 1, 2007

geeeez, these dr's pick up nails too easily...that sucks.

LaserRed01GT · Feb 2, 2007

On a street tire a plug or patch (tire experts will say a plug is better) will be just fine. But with the relatively soft compound of a DR once they get a hole in them the general consensus is to just get a new DR. It's not worth the risk.

Patch it and do a huge burnout, at least they will die a good death!

PULMEOVR · Feb 2, 2007

I'm still on the stock Goodyears. Both tires on the passenger side have plugs in them. I wasn't about to buy two new tires, when they could be plugged and still work fine. I know these aren't drag radials, but take it for what it's worth.

SaleenGT2001 · Feb 2, 2007

LaserRed01GT said:
(tire experts will say a plug is better)

i believe you have it backwards. a patch is MUCH better than a plug. to patch a tire you must break it down and then inspect the inside for damage due to low air pressure. i have never had a problem with a patch from the hundreds (yes, hundreds) of tires i have repaired at work. a patch will be just fine

LaserRed01GT · Feb 2, 2007

SaleenGT2001 said:
i believe you have it backwards. a patch is MUCH better than a plug. to patch a tire you must break it down and then inspect the inside for damage due to low air pressure. i have never had a problem with a patch from the hundreds (yes, hundreds) of tires i have repaired at work. a patch will be just fine

Nah, I meant it just the way I typed it. Tires that are inflated with normal atmosphere attract and retain moisture inside the tire. This is the leading cause of breaking down the adhesive on a patch. When patches first became popular, all the tire chains were payed to promote them. Then the false rumor spread that patches were somehow better than a plug. Just the opposite is true.

If the overlay, belt package, and liner are properly cleaned and "roughed", a plug is superior to a patch anyday.

SaleenGT2001 · Feb 3, 2007

i have seen too many plugs leak. i will stick with the patches

Will Smith · Feb 3, 2007

ok first things first. everyone is right here with all the techinicallities. Yes patch or plugging a tire uins the speed rating. What I do recommend doing is using a Patch-plug. Not just one or the other. The patch plug if u don't know is like a flat patch with a spike sticking out of the middle to fill the void left in the tire as well. It will last longer than the tire period. I have run my old set of DR's with a patch in them at 15psi without a problem. I do know how expensive tires are and everyone keeps bringing up the fact of a blow out and some super 200mph crash. I would say get the thing patched and u will be fine. There is a reason the gov't have disallowed the use of plugs in dealerships but continued to allow patches. casue they know they function as intended without a problem.

PATCH FOR THE WIN!!

SaleenGT2001 · Feb 3, 2007

the patch plug is what we use at work. when i refer to a patch tahts what i'm talking about

Patching Drag Radials?

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