Flat tire advice needed

[dirtlvr]

So as luck (or lack of) would have it, with only 323 miles on my truck I've got a screw in the tire tread and am slowly losing pressure. With a full size spare, what do you guys do in this situation? Plug or patch the tire with the screw and use that as the spare? Or buy a new tire?

Thanks!

 

[JasonSTL]

If it’s in the tread, plug it and keep driving. If it’s in the sidewall/edge of tread I’d plug or patch and make it my new spare.

 

[LuckyKnuckle36]

So as luck (or lack of) would have it, with only 323 miles on my truck I've got a screw in the tire tread and am slowly losing pressure. With a full size spare, what do you guys do in this situation? Plug or patch the tire with the screw and use that as the spare? Or buy a new tire?

Thanks!

Normally I wouldnt worry about a plug but with such low miles (no wear) on the tires swap it with the spare and have the plugged one as a spare...

 

[dirtlvr]

I just added a picture to the original post. It's in the tread, but in an interest place. Can you plug a hole that's actually in the tread block like that? And if so, any particular type of plug or just what my local auto parts store has?

 

[fordfreek]

Have your favorite tire shop put a good quality plug in it and run it. Just a small hole, it should be fine. Sucks that it's a brand new tire.

 

[dirtlvr]

Thanks guys!! This forum is so great. I'm off to buy a plug kit.

 

[10SpdsOfFury]

What I always do with my new vehicles is take them straight to discount tire and buy the certificates (road hazard) for the tires, I think it was $20 a tire. That gets you free rotation and balance and flat repair and if they can’t fix it you get a new tire.

 

[AutoXRacer]

Tire shops no longer use plugs due to liability...
They now only do patches.

Personally I would plug it and keep driving on it.
Plugs work, nothing wrong with them. But corporate tire shops no longer use plugs.
They can charge you more for a patch.

If you plug it, make sure to use truck tire plugs which are a little heavier duty.

 

[dirtlvr]

Just plugged it. A few of my local off road buddies recommended this kit (below) from NAPA. It was a whopping $5. It took two attempts with the plug because it was at a funky angle, but it's holding air. Thanks again everyone!!

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/BK_7101033?impressionRank=1

 

[MDJAK]

To those who suggested swap with spare, I’ve seen it said around here, don’t know if true, but spare doesn’t have TPM and is not balanced. True or false?