What has been your experience with Tire Plug Kits?

[Jewel]

What has your experience been with tire plug kits? I'm especially curious about the rope vs. mushroom type of kits. I carry a rechargeable tire inflator so I'm not concerned about CO2 cartridges, but I would like to get a quality kit.

 

[Dansy]

I have a rope and used that in the past, I will be getting a plug type this Spring.

I have a Fantech inflator. For me, plugging is normally a temporary measure.

 

[2dogs]

I pull trailers a lot, and most of my experiences have been using the rope type. Mushroom types were, for me, more difficult to get a good seal. If you have to use a plug kit on a vehicle, as soon as you can, get into a tire shop and have it repaired properly. Good luck.

 

[canamjhb]

I pull trailers a lot, and most of my experiences have been using the rope type. Mushroom types were, for me, more difficult to get a good seal. If you have to use a plug kit on a vehicle, as soon as you can, get into a tire shop and have it repaired properly. Good luck.

I agree. And I will go a step further. I would only plug a motorcycle tire, on ANY motorcycle, as a temporary, emergency fix. Then I'd search out the nearest place to REPLACE the defective tire. I know plugs can work OK and an inside tire patch is better. But my worry level would always exceed the price of a new tire... Jim

 

[Gwolf]

I carry several packs of the CO2 because I was running two 15 inch light truck tires on the back of the Harley that I had just before the Spyder.
Found that the glue tube that comes with the puncture repair kit does dry out and become useless over time, and it should be changed out at least annually, and maybe put 2 glue tubes in the kit if you are going on a long ride several days or weeks outside your normal riding territory.

 

[Mrmikey]

I've used the rope type a few times but never on a bike, knock on wood, and had great success. I remember when I was younger and worked in a garage pumping gas I'd fix the odd flat; back then, that's all we used, never broke the tire down.
I've heard bad things about the mushroom type, the most common being the size of the hole you have to make to get the plug in.
As @Gwolf said, the glue dries out even if the tube isn't opened, so the last kit I bought uses a lubricant to help insert the rope instead of glue. I've not used it yet, hopefully never will. LOL.

 

[djh3]

Agreed the mushroom type depending on kit, the hole can be large. Like most things there are different types of those mushroom ones. When I was teaching auto tech a few years back I think we found that those type were the only ones tire manufactures "recommend". Personally I have had good results from the rope type , provided they are the rope looking jobs coated in a sticky rubber. Heck I have put those in and sealed without glue. Even a patch "should" not be installed with in like 1/2" of sidewall.