This blows. They only have about 23 passes on them and the right rear got punctured last night. Can it be safely patched from the inside or am I going to have to buy tubes now? Can I just use a tube for this side?
Thanks
DC

how bad is it? I wouldn't tube one side, both or nothing. I have patched slicks in the past and it held but probably not the safest thing in the world.

I would say it's a pretty good puncture (what ever that means). I guess I could tube them until the next set. This sucks!

I would like to hear more more about trying to patch it.

I took mine o a tire shop and had it vulcanized(if thats how you spell it )

Believe it or not most class racers will simply put a plug in them. You wouldn't think so but it works quite well.

They make a tire patch that looks like a golf tee from a driving range. Lots of them being used from what I have been told.

It sucks, but just get a new one Chris

Rickster

I've run a plug, no problems; but I also run tubes.

I've plugged my last three(!!!) sets without ANY problems.I went over 25 yrs without a flat,I guess things have evened out!!

new tire: $200
patching old tire: $20

Not ending up on your roof because you were a cheap a$$ and tried to reuse a screwed up tire to save a few bucks: PRICELESS!!!!

Buy a new slick and move on. JMHO ofcourse

IMHO if done correctly I see nothing wrong with fixing it but then again I do not have $$$$$ to burn so I do what I have to.

I have plugged them for years...no issues!!!! I have even plugged them between rounds.

I had gone for years with out a flat, but that changed last year. I had 5 flats in less than 1 year. 3 at Bristol!!!! Front tire at English Mountian, the rest were rear. I ran tubes in the rear until this set, which I mounted tubeless. I put the new tires on and ran 4 passes at Pinks All Out, then went to Clay City and between 1st & 2nd round sunday (15th pass on new slicks), got a rock cut. Plugged it and went 10.406/127.xx on next pass. I will patch it before I race again though.
I hate flats.
Brian Dunnigan

I'd use a patch plug and be done with it.It will work just fine.

I got a long piece of copper wire in a slick at Sunshine and used the "glue on" type patch that goes inside the slick. Still good over a year later.
IIRC, you grind the area around the puncture till its smooth. Apply the glue/patch then light on fire!

If your running race tubes(natural rubber) now take it to a good tire shop, preferably one that does large truck and heavy equiptment sales also, and have them fix it They will probally patch the tube and look at the tire to see if it is damaged enough to nead a boot or patch on the inside so it won't cause another hole in the tube Make sure they inspect the inside of the tire If your running the slicks tubeless, like I do, you can have the tire patch on the inside or use a plug as long as it is not torn up on the inside of the tire so bad that the plug won't hold air. If it is not a simple puncture in the tire you can still have it repair with patch on the inside or a boot your decision One of the other comments already made where about class racers keeping a plug kit in there tools, I know several class racers that have set SS and stock NHRA class records with plugged tires because they where limited on time to make the back up run at a divisional race when they had the flat

i've been 5.6's in the 1/8th with plugs in both rear tires..never a problem

something to think about is that the slicks do have an oil in the rubber and may make using a patch difficult, id go with tubes if the tire is not torn or not too big of a puncture

I'm a chicken, when I punctured a brand new slick last summer(8" long threaded rod laying on Norwalk's race surface ) on the 2nd pass I waited til I had the money to buy a new slick. I tried for a year to sell that slick for $20 and ended up throwing it away. It really sucked since I race on such a tight budget but I'm a freak about safety. Sounds like the plugs/patches work pretty well though.

Any of the slick manufacturers will tell you to never repair a slick with either a patch or a plug. I have patched a slick in the past, the trick is NOT grinding on the inside surface of the slick. I cleaned it really, really good many times with laquer thinner and let it dry. The patch held for over a year until I changed slicks but then again it's NOT recommended.

while my old coronet was not in your league (12.0's 1.65 60 foot) I ran over something on the way to the track, had to sit by the air compress between rounds, won the entire even, drove my big butt trophey home on a slick going down, took the tire up to the local gas station, they did the roughing up the inside, used somekind of glue and patch kit and hit it w/ a torch. Lasted that season and one more before I sold the car. They were M/T ET streets.

I had a nail go through a 28x12.5 ET Street on my car several years ago and did not have tubes in them at the time. I used a normal plug like I use on my lawnmower. Ran it for a long time after that, until the tire was worn out, and never had any problems.

Patch the inside and use a heat gun to vulcanize it never failed yet. Also never have seen a tire plug installed correctly fail? I have used them dozens of times on tires subjected to tremendous loads.I believe in safety first so if cut is bigger the 1/4 in get rid of it if not patch plug it or tube it. and don't run under 12 lbs of air if they are a street rated tire

We plug them all the time without issue whatsoever.