Worlds tiniest nail found my tire!!

**greenmonster** · 08-13-07, 03:30 PM

Yesterday I was out at my bike...when I noticed a tiny lil shiny spot in the rear tire....so I got up close....yep, its the head of a small nail....it looks just like the head of one of those pins that come with new shirts. Very small. But I dont know how LONG it is!! It may even be a peice of stiff wire. It may not have penetrated, but who knows....I cant pull it in case it starts leaking and then have to ride it to get a new tire...and I dont plug bike tires. So...what to do...I may have to go to a stealership and THEN pull it out to see if it leaks and buy a tire right then and there which sucks since they cost so much. Tire pressure is at 35psi when its supposed to be at 41, which may be because of the nail or because...I cant remember last time I checked the air pressure! lol So, what would you do in this situation? Remove it at a dealer, or what???? Jeez....if yer gonna get a nail, make it a decent sized one ferchristsakes!!

**newgixxerchic** · 08-13-07, 03:33 PM

screws suck even more....

**OreoGaborio** · 08-13-07, 03:34 PM

pour a little bit of soapy water on the nail, see if it bubbles.

if it does you know you gotta pull it out & plug the tire.

If it doesn't, pull it out... if it starts bubbling then, plug the tire. if not, it's fine.

**mycirus** · 08-13-07, 03:39 PM

When I was on my trip I thought I had a nail in my tire. I was at a dealer and pulled it out there. Turns out it was a sharp rock. Put I had I not pulled it, it could have worked its way deeper and popped the tire as it wore down. So I am glad I pulled it and found it was nothing cause I kept thinking about it. So you are gonna have to pull it. Just do it at a safe place. (home or dealership). Also do you use safety wire. Thats what it could be.

Bruce

**greenmonster** · 08-13-07, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by OreoGitorio

pour a little bit of soapy water on the nail, see if it bubbles.

if it does you know you gotta pull it out & plug the tire.

If it doesn't, pull it out... if it starts bubbling then, plug the tire. if not, it's fine.

Doh!! Of course....spray on soapy water....why didnt I think of that? But.....when you say plug...you mean temporary-like til I can get to dealer for a new tire? Ive always heard that plugging bike tires is a no-no as a long term fix...honestly, its so small in circumference, I doubt a plug stem would even fit!! Yet, it will leak if its all the way through the tread. I'll try the soapy thing first. Thanks for the heads up! You dont happen to have any Dunlop 180's hanging around, real cheap, do you?

**greenmonster** · 08-13-07, 03:47 PM

Originally Posted by mycirus

When I was on my trip I thought I had a nail in my tire. I was at a dealer and pulled it out there. Turns out it was a sharp rock. Put I had I not pulled it, it could have worked its way deeper and popped the tire as it wore down. So I am glad I pulled it and found it was nothing cause I kept thinking about it. So you are gonna have to pull it. Just do it at a safe place. (home or dealership). Also do you use safety wire. Thats what it could be.

Bruce

Nah....definitely not safety wire, or a small rock....I tapped it with a small screw driver....sure enough, its metallic.....

**Degsy** · 08-13-07, 04:53 PM

Plug it. Before you plug it, you're supposed to ream a hole the right size for the plug.

FWIW, I have raced on plugged tires and ridden street on them. Never had a problem.

deeek

**Currently** · 08-13-07, 06:08 PM

Plug the bastid ... if it still leaks replace it.

FWIW, I have NEVER had a plug leak yet.

I will junk a tire as soon as it hits the wear bars but I will NOT junk a tire because of a plug.

**greenmonster** · 08-13-07, 07:18 PM

Do you use the standard pug...that "wick" type with the rubber glue used for car tires? Wouldnt a bike need the mushroom type that needs to have the tire unmounted to install? Those must be the safer of the two types...ya think?

I tried the soap water...didnt see any bubbles, but it may still leak when I pull it...I'll give it a shot and keep my fingers crossed. Thanks for the input!

**Josephd14** · 08-13-07, 07:40 PM

I patch mine from inside, little more work but oh well, If you diced you don't want it, and it's got lots of tread, I'll take it, make me an offer.. I'm sure you will have others on here that will take it off your hands..

**Rye** · 08-13-07, 08:11 PM

I guess I have to fix that too.

I've got a kit...but it's in Peabody...and I'm not

**Tricky Mike** · 08-14-07, 08:08 AM

Originally Posted by greenmonster

Do you use the standard pug...that "wick" type with the rubber glue used for car tires? Wouldnt a bike need the mushroom type that needs to have the tire unmounted to install? Those must be the safer of the two types...ya think?

I tried the soap water...didnt see any bubbles, but it may still leak when I pull it...I'll give it a shot and keep my fingers crossed. Thanks for the input!

I'm plagiarizing my own PM's:

The most common plugs look like this:

This is not what you want...

This is what you're looking for:

I actually managed to dig them up here, but they do seem to be available elsewhere:
AA Lead-Wire Minicomby Repair Units (1 in / 1/8 in (3mm)) (Box of 20) (15-612): All Tire Supply Company AA Lead-Wire Minicomby Repair Units (1 in / 1/8 in (3mm)) (Box of 20) (15-612): All Tire Supply Company

If you look at the pic, there's a little metal rod... that goes through the nail hole from the inside of the tire... It allows you to grab it with some pliers and yank it through, but you have to prep the rubber first... just like a bicycle tube patch if that's familiar... you clean the snot out of the area around the hole (on the inside of the tire). Then rough it up with some sand paper... REALLY get it good, you don't want any shiny spots. Then add a thin film of vulcanizing fluid (just glue, basically) and let it dry for 15 minutes or so... You did read the label on the can, right? RIGHT!?! There's a protective cover on the base of the plug... peel that off... The base is sticky and when it comes in contact with that dry vulcanizing fluid it sticks like a motherbitch... Actually sticks on a molecular level or sometihing. It's pretty serious. Once it bonds... pretty much instantly, you cut off the excess plug sticking through the tire (that piece of metal is only an inch or so long). It really is all about the install... when you get it right it really fuses itself to the tire. Next time I do it I'll write up a photo-tutorial... and a use at your own risk disclaimer

**greenmonster** · 08-14-07, 08:52 AM

Originally Posted by Rye

I guess I have to fix that too.

I've got a kit...but it's in Peabody...and I'm not

LOL!! I sure am keeping you busy!

**greenmonster** · 08-14-07, 08:57 AM

Mike...thanks for the great info. Yep, thats the plug I was thinking of....that mushroom head style from the inside. Ive heard theyre the best for plugging bike tires. Thanks for the link...I can get all the necessary stuff there, or maybe check with GBM or some stealership locally. Shit...Ill probably have to have them do it cuz I sure dont have one of those tire removal/mounting rigs!

Mark

**greenmonster** · 08-14-07, 09:08 AM

Originally Posted by Josephd14

I patch mine from inside, little more work but oh well, If you diced you don't want it, and it's got lots of tread, I'll take it, make me an offer.. I'm sure you will have others on here that will take it off your hands..

Joe...I'll let you know how it goes. That plug should do the trick tho cuz the hole is so small to begin with. Like a girl I used to date...LOL. Anyway, if not, I'll post a pic of the tread depth and you can decide if you want it....

**AndyC** · 08-14-07, 09:13 AM

Hey Mark,
Unfortuneately I've found a few metal items that decided to enter my tire, too (nail,drill bit) I've used the auto style types - since that was what I had. They held up both times without any problems. I have since then purchase a Proggressive set that has the mushroom type plugs and keep it on the bike.
Usually I don't like to plug motorcycle tires - it depends on the amount of tread and the location of the plug. Both times I put at least 600 miles on the tires after the pluging.

Andy

**Tricky Mike** · 08-14-07, 09:33 AM

Originally Posted by greenmonster

Shit...Ill probably have to have them do it cuz I sure dont have one of those tire removal/mounting rigs!

Mark

It's a drag, but unfortunately they're not likely to do it for you... for a couple of reasons.
1. They're in the business of selling $200 tires, not $2 plugs.
2. While I do it all the time with my tires, I don't lose my business if one of my plugs fail... they have a huge problem on their hands if one of theirs does.

If I remember correctly, I once called GBM looking for the plugs themselves and got read the riot act.

PS- you don't need one of those fancy rigs... just lift the bike with your bridge crane. Everyone has a bridge crane, right?

**Jayspeed** · 08-14-07, 06:52 PM

To have your tire removed by a shop so you can go plug it and bring it back to be mounted doesn't seem better than the financial burden to just buy a new tire. I just found a screw in my rear tire today(I'm never riding my bike to a job site AGAIN)and was thinking about plugging it. I guess the stab in, twist, pull type kits are no good on bikes?

**Currently** · 08-14-07, 07:01 PM

That is what I use ... if it leaks then replace the tire.

Haven't got a leak with that type in over 20 years ... car and bike

**Jayspeed** · 08-15-07, 04:16 PM

Originally Posted by Degsy

Plug it. Before you plug it, you're supposed to ream a hole the right size for the plug.

FWIW, I have raced on plugged tires and ridden street on them. Never had a problem.

deeek

Degsy, what style plug have you had this success with?

Worlds tiniest nail found my tire!!

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