Upon discovering a nail in your tire, don't shrug it off and keep driving. You and the tire are on borrowed time, and it will eventually go flat. A minor shift in the position of the nail or more wear on the tire can cause the air to start to seep out. A slow leak will leave the tire flat and you stranded.
Is It Safe To Drive With A Nail In Your Tire? The answer is simple: Yes you can drive A SHORT DISTANCE with a nail in your tire. However, the Nail must be REMOVED. You can't drive with a nail in your tire for a long period of time, it is not safe.
While the nail has likely punctured the tire, in many cases it's actually plugging the hole that it created. This means that while the nail caused your tire to start leaking air, it's also keeping it from deflating by causing air to leak out slower than it would if it had pierced it and fallen out.
If the nail is little and the tire is still retaining air, then yes, it is okay to drive with it in your tire. It's common for drivers to run over nails without even noticing it. If the nail is huge and the tire is losing air quickly, it's best to take it to a tire shop rather than try to fix it yourself.
If the leakage is slow, you may be able to continue driving for several hundred miles before you think about changing the tire. However, if the puncture is severe, you'll likely need to replace your tire immediately before driving on it further.
Nails. A nail in the tire can let out about 2-3 psi daily. Even two days with such an air leak may make the tire's performance much worse, or even make it dangerous to drive. If the nail stays in the tire tread, the loss of pressure will not be significant, but you shouldn't leave it like that.
And that's good, but every time your tire rotates, that screw is rubbing against the walls of the hole and making it a little bigger. That's not good for a couple of reasons: 1.) Your tire could blow out, and 2.) if the hole continues to grow, you run the risk of ruining the tire altogether.
It's one of the most unexpected—and unnerving—driving experiences: a tire blowout. And something as small as a nail in the road can be the cause. “It happens any time the air in the tire escapes at a rapid speed,” says James Solomon, a defensive driving expert with the National Safety Council (NSC).
Punctured tires will likely need to be replaced if: The puncture is more than a ¼ inch in diameter. There's a puncture in the sidewall or shoulder of the tire. You have multiple punctures that are less than 16 inches apart.
The plug can become dislodged from the tire, resulting in excessive air pressure loss and a potential blowout. This can be extremely dangerous, especially when going at high speeds. Driving on a plugged tire for long distances can also cause the tire to wear unevenly, which can lead to further damage to the tire.
How long does a patched tire last? Like with plugs, patches are said to last from seven to ten years or for the rest of the life of the tire. Again, this tire may not last if the installation goes poorly or there are issues with the location of the hole.
The best possible solution is to bring your vehicle to an expert for patching service. A professional can quickly find the puncture, remove the nail/screw, patch your tire, and refill your tire with air.
Punctures larger than a quarter-inch in diameter also can't be effectively and safely repaired. If the tire has a cut or gash, it can only be repaired if it's less than a quarter-inch in length. If the tire is worn and has less than 2/32-inch remaining tread depth, it is unsafe to repair and must be replaced.
A tire puncture greater than 1/4 inch (or 6mm) cannot be repaired. A new tire replacement is needed if a puncture exceeds this limit. Large tread punctures, irregular gashes or cuts exceeding 1/4 inch cannot be repaired.
United Tire & Service tells us the warning signs of a nail in your tire are: Clicking sound while driving. Tire slowly losing air. Physically see the nail.
If you're looking into having a puncture repaired on a tire, you're looking at spending on average between $10 to $20 dollars. The size of the puncture makes a huge difference and will determine the amount you will spend on getting your tire repaired.
Indefinitely. But as the tire wears down the chances are the screw will work it's wa further into the tire. Most reputable tire shops can repair the tire after removing a screw with no ill effect.
An average of 1/2 inch. It varies considerably with the tire casing design, tread depth and where the nail is trying to go through the tire.
Patching a tire is generally considered to be the most reliable repair method because it offers a permanent fix. A professional technician will remove the wheel from your car, take out the damaged inner liner, clean the area around the hole, and apply a vulcanizing patch over the hole.
Is It Safe To Drive on a Patched Tire? As compared to having a flat tire, a patched tire repair is better and safer. There are no safety concerns with a well-patched tire, and is actually the best way to handle flat tires. It is safe to drive on a patched tire regardless of how rugged or rocky the road gets.
You'll be able to see the nail in your wheel or even hear it making noises as your drive. You also may notice your tire losing air. When you notice that there is a nail lodged in your tire, it's best to put on your spare as soon as possible-even if the nail is lodged in tight enough that the air isn't leaking out.
If the nail or screw is strongly embedded into the tire's tread, there's no need to remove it at this time. Get out your can of Fix-a-Flat, follow its directions to connect it to your tire valve, and empty the entire contents of the can into the tire. You should see the tire visibly inflate.
It isn't safe and could lead to a dangerous blowout. A plug by itself, or a patch by itself, is not acceptable. But a safer tire repair, done to the RMA standards, can give you thousands of miles more use from your tire. Need your tire repaired by an expert?
A patched tire should carry the same pressure as it normally does, unpatched.