# Can my tire with a nail in it be repaired? (pic)

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/can-my-tire-with-a-nail-in-it-be-repaired-pic/153244>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [November 21, 2019, 4:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/can-my-tire-with-a-nail-in-it-be-repaired-pic/153244 "2019-11-21T04:51:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![asthmatic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/58956e/32.png) [@asthmatic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asthmatic)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2019, 4:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/can-my-tire-with-a-nail-in-it-be-repaired-pic/153244/1 "2019-11-21T04:51:22Z")

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I got a tire pressure warning, so I went to my local NTB, and they said that the location of the nail in my tire means that it can’t be repaired. When I googled it, it seemed less clear that it’s not repairable. I’d appreciate your input! thanks 🙂

 ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/d/c/dc5c0be3e733278212d45f9103f883c1c4f4f35c.jpeg) tire.JPG

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**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2019, 5:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/can-my-tire-with-a-nail-in-it-be-repaired-pic/153244/2 "2019-11-21T05:22:55Z")

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That looks to me like it goes through the belt and should be repairable. Close though. That tire doesn’t look to have a lot of life though so I would be reluctand to pay for a repair. I would probably just put a plug in it and replace it before any long trip.

I know that these days, a plug isn’t considered a proper repair,but I have driven many thousands of miles on plugged tires with never a failure. The worst that has ever happened was one that developed a slow leak.

My rule of thumb is that if a tire is less than half worn, I get it patched, more than half worn I plug it.

If nobody wants to ride with me, that’s OK. I like the silence.

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**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2019, 5:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/can-my-tire-with-a-nail-in-it-be-repaired-pic/153244/3 "2019-11-21T05:24:05Z")

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Tire puncture repairs should only be performed between the outer tread groves of the tire, the shoulder area is not repairable.

Repair guide line are shown in this link; [https://www.ustires.org/system/files/Puncture\_repair\_handout\_17.pdf](https://www.ustires.org/system/files/Puncture_repair_handout_17.pdf)

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**Author:** ![CapriRacer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/capriracer/32/22_2.png) [@CapriRacer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/CapriRacer)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2019, 1:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/can-my-tire-with-a-nail-in-it-be-repaired-pic/153244/4 "2019-11-21T13:46:41Z")

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2 thoughts:

1. The rules say that is not a repairable area and any tire shop that repairs that tire would be doing so at their own legal risk - and most won’t do that.

2. Technically, it’s a matter of risk. A repair there is less likely to fail than one nearer the shoulder - and even though the actual rate of repair failures is small, the consequences can be HUGE!! So many tire shops try to avoid those risks.