nail in front tire of 987
 

noticed a none leaking nail in my front tire of the 987s...can regular repair stations fix this or should i take it to the p dealer.....i think i know the answer already but any experiences and imputs would be welcome :)

scycle2020- I think they are going to tell you to replace the tire, because it is speed rated, and if repaired, it voids the speed rating. They might say you need to replace both tires on the front end, but you should be OK with just replacing one of the two, since your mileage is probably pretty low. The good news is that it was your fronts, they cost less than the rears (smaller). I am guessing they are the Michelin's. Check Tire Rack's pricing. I think they are about $280.

scycle2020:

Pricing at Tire Rack for a 235/40/18 is:

$173- Continental
$242- Michelin

Also check Costco, some of the forum members here have been successful there too.

You can have the tire fixed. While the above statement may be true about speed rating, if you're just driving at regular highway speeds then this is no issue. I had a small nail hole fixed (to do it right they have to take the tire off the rim and fix from the inside) and have had no issues with the repair.

Just another option for you. I used an independent Porsche repair shop to get it done (and they even did it at no charge, great customer relationship management!).

Here is some info from the PCA web-site:


A tire expert will need to look at it to be able to tell you if they have been successful fixing one like it before, and if so how. If you do have a tire shop around town that can do that, make sure they have done Z rated, low profile 18" tires before. Otherwise just replace it. If the other rear is low for tread depth, you might as well replace the pair.

I don't know if you use the car on the track, but if you do, I would not run a repaired tire there. Repaired tires tend to fail (deflate) at high speeds because of the centrifugal force that causes the tire to grow at speed. This tears the patch or releases the plug, depending what they did to fix it.

Joel Reiser - PCA WebSite - 5/7/2003

My experience same as donv's.
When I bought my car both rear tires (18" Conti's) had nails in them. One of them has been run-flat, cutting the innerliner, and had to be replaced. A tire dealer experienced with high-performance and racing tires patched the other tire on the inside and so far, 2 yrs later, no problems.
The biggest issue is that not all tire shops have the right eqpt. to handle ultra-low profile tires. Some will try without the right mount/dismount machine and beat the crap out of your wheel in the bargain.
I don't track my car, so high-speed problems are not an issue for me, but would agree that tracking a repaired tire is not a good idea.

The safest thing to do is of course, replace the tire. If you want to plug it/patch it that's your perogative, but no one is going to warrant the work.

scycle2020, another thing to consider is how many 32's you have remaining on the other tire, that you are planning to keep, because if it is worn, and you do actually replace the tire (with the nail in it) you could be setting yourself up for an undesirable stagger. A new tire will have about 10/32's.

I doubt that this will actually be a problem, since your car is a 987, but how many miles are on the fronts?

only 1600miles...the car is essentially new..and 1600 gentle, break in miles!!!! :ah:

Hi,

As already mentioned, if using the Tire for General Use, Plug AND Patch the Tire - see:http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/testing/ncap/Tires/pages/TireMaintRepair.htm

If intending on Tracking the Car or even lots of Spirited Street Driving - Replace the Tire. $200-$300 for a new Tire, as difficult as it is, just doesn't stack up to lots of Bent Sheet Metal and People if it lets go suddenly at Speed. Hope this helps...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

I guess I should had that in the back of my mind when I was doing 150mph+ on my patched rear tire the other day. Oops.

You can safely patch the tire if the nail is in the tread (i.e. not sidewall)...no need to incur the cost of replacement. Use a reputable performance tire company and they will remove the tire and install a speed rated patch. If they are good, they will warrant their work. Cost about $50.

I have done so twice in the past, and even subsequently tracked the car with no issues. I would have zero concerns for street use only.

It would be more of an issue to have 2 tires on the same axle with different levels of treadwear.

Porsche dealers sell tire insurance, and are thus motivated to hold the line on the "cannot patch"issue.

Chris C Atlanta, I have not heard of this Porsche Tire Insurance. How much does it cost? What does it cover? How do you purchase it? Thanks.

Called Road Hazard Warranty...ask the F&I guy at your dealer. Think it was about $400 but dunno I was laughing too hard to hear his full pitch.

From Michelin website...........
 

There is a good chance that your tire can be repaired if:
1. The tire has not been driven on when flat
2. The damage is only on the tread section of your tire
3. The puncture is less than 1/4 inch

Have an authorized tire dealer or mechanic remove the tire from the wheel and inspect the tire from the inside. This inspection is absolutely necessary because internal damage is not visible while the tire is mounted.

The proper way to have a tire repaired is to patch the tire from the inside. If you are offered a plug repair--refuse! Plug repairs do not involve taking the tire off the wheel for a proper inspection. A plug is simply inserted into the punctured area. Plug repairs are not reliable and can cause the tire to blowout. Insist on a full inspection and patch repair on the inside of the tire.

Hope this helps.......

Personally, I value my family's and friends' safety (and my own) to the extent that I just accept the cost of a new tire for a flat as an insignificent part of the operating cost of owning a Boxster;i.e. depreciation, insurance, maintenance, gas, etc. :)