I cut one of my rear Goodyear Bluestreaks on a piece of glass at 11 PM Sunday night last week on my way home from work. What a crappy time. 1st flat tire in 19 years of commuting to work, I guess I was due. Fast forward:
I had it patched at a reputable tire shop a few days later, the cut was rather small (1/4"). I put it back on and drove the car back home (I had towed & stored it at the dealership where I work) and thought all was ok. Today I went out in the garage and the tire had lost most of the air.
I took it back to the same tire shop and watched as they removed the patch that they had previously installed and attempted to replace it. They used their skills and materials to no avail. So I brought it home somewhat diappointed since the tire is only 5 weeks old and has about 700 miles on it. I called Roger Kraus Racing and asked if they had any magic to effect the repair on an otherwise good tire. The person I spoke with said that the normal patching procedure wont work because the inside of the tire is lacking the normal rubber liner that a typical street tire has, but he did offer an alternative that they have had success with.
Disclaimer:
I am only conveying what I did and am not reccomending this to anyone.
Maximum size of the cut must be no larger that about 1/4" and only on the tread surface, not the sidewall or close to the edge of the tire.
From the inside clean the area with lacquer thinner or "liquid tire buffer" do not use any abrasive to rough up the surface. Allow this to dry, then use Black RTV (no other color, he was quite specific) and spread enough of the RTV to form a thin film 1/16" inch and then us a "Tube Patch" (more flexible) and carefully place it on the area where the RTV was spread. Firmly press down, or use a small roller to squeeze out the majority of the RTV, leaving enough to form a bond. After removing the cellophane film that covers the top of the patch, seal the outer perimeter edge with a thin layer of RTV spread around with your finger.
Granted this does not make the tire "NEW" but if it will salvage the tire I'll be a Happy Camper. Time will tell.
Rick
Tire Repair
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