Nobody wants to pick up a puncture and it’s almost guaranteed to happen at the most inconvenient time. It’s a frustrating experience, no more so than when the tyre that has picked up the puncture is practically new. But the debris that litters Britain’s roads isn’t biased and a nail in the road can puncture a brand new tyre just as easily as a well-worn one.
When a tyre is punctured it is often more cost effective to try and repair that tyre rather than replace it, especially if you’ve not long purchased the tyre. At All Round Mobile Tyres, we will always try to repair your tyre but that isn’t always possible due to the location of the puncture or condition of the tyre.
Location of the puncture
The rules for Puncture Repairs are set out in British Standard BSAU159. This standard defines the requirements for a safe Puncture Repair without compromising the Safety of the Tyre. To remain compliant, we are only able to carry out tyre repairs to the central ¾ of the tyre (known as the minor repair area). If the puncture is situated outside of this area it is deemed too close to the sidewall to guarantee a safe and lasting repair.
Size of the damaged area
Just because the puncture has occurred in the minor repair area, doesn’t mean it can be repaired. British standard BSAU159 also defines the maximum size of the damaged area in order to carry out a safe repair. If the damaged area is larger than 6mm, a repair should not be attempted, this is due to the damage that will have been caused to the structure of the tyre. Almost every tyre that has been pierced by a screw or nail will be repairable, however damage from larger items that have caused cuts and splits are unlikely to be suitable for a repair to be attempted.
Condition of the tyre
Before we carry out a puncture repair we a check the general condition of the tyre to make sure it is fit for repair. We will look at the remaining tread to ensure it has the legal requirement of 1.6mm across the central ¾ of the tyre. We will also examine the tyre for further damage, including sidewall bulging or exposed cords. We will advise you on our findings and discuss the best way forward with you.
Why runflat tyres can’t be repaired
Runflat tyres have reinforced sidewalls which means they can be driven on for a limited distance after picking up a puncture. This allows you to make it to safety, be that your home or your nearest tyre fitter.
Unfortunately, when a runflat tyre picks up a puncture it’s hard to tell if the reinforced structure of the tyre wall has been compromised, because the punctured tyre could have been driven on for an excessive amount of time or at unsuitable speeds. Due to the construction of the reinforced sidewalls of a runflat tyre it isn’t possible to inspect the tyre for this damage. For this reason, we cannot carry out minor repairs to runflat tyres as the tyre may no longer be safe to use. Tyre manufacturers also stipulate not to repair run flat tyres for these reasons.
The Myth of Sidewall Repairs
Almost every tyre shop and their websites will tell you that a tyres sidewall can’t be repaired, well this is only half true. The sidewall of a tyre can only be repaired using a technique called vulcanising repair. However in almost all cases this is simply not an economical repair due to the expensive tooling required, time taken to carry out the repair, and the poor success rate. Unfortunately a traditional repair can’t be carried out, because the sidewall is subjected to the most load and flexing when the tyre is in use. This means a repair patch applied to this area is far more likely to detach as a result of this increased movement, leading to tyre failure. At All Round Mobile Tyres we regrettably don’t carry out Vulcanising Repairs
If you have any concerns or questions regarding a puncture repair, give us a call, or even e-mail a picture of the damage, we’re more than happy to offer advice. Our details are on the Contact Us page.