[alavandar]

Originally Posted by Captain Slow

Alavandar my friend,
You are absolutely right. Now it might seem like pocket change, but when you are fresh out of collage without a job spending 4,000 on a tyre doesn't top the priority list.

ha..ha.. Nu, shto dorogoi drug, ochin pravilno. (oh yes, dear friend, very correct.) Yes , like any machinery, we can run a car with repairs provided we understand the limitations imposed on the operating envelope and remain within the safety margins.

[choombak]

If you have a sidewall rupture/puncture, do NOT repair it. It is highly dangerous. There is no other explanation, or solution.

The Michelin XM1+ on my Palio had a sidewall puncture (actually more than one), which I got repaired from a local tyrewallah, who charged me a bomb, put some patches internally, and used the glue stick externally. However, the patches did not hold, and they got loose, plus the air leaked at a lesser rate (3 units/day).

Yesterday, I took it to Lokamanya Tyres on Karve Road (Pune), and Mr. Kulkarni gave me some ideas on dealing with sidewall punctures:
* It is almost impossible to get a sidewall puncture, as this portion of the tyre never touches anything. It can get cut, but not a pinhole puncture. He also indicated most local tyreshops put pointy needles in the water which causes sidewall punctures - so instead of 1 puncture to fix, you have 5. Especially true on highways, where you are left with no choice. He also indicated a large number of sidewall puncture cases come to him in the last few months, where a bad repair leaves no option but to purchase a brand new tyre.
* He told me to keep a spare tube, and in case a puncture happens, ask the tyrewallah to merely change to the spare tyre, or put the tube in the tubeless tyre. Avoid getting the repairs done as much as possible, since a large amount of malpractice happens.
* A "mushroom patch" can be applied for shoulder (boundary of the sidewall and main tyre, or near the boundary on the sidewall), but this needs to be done by the authorized tyre dealer, and not a local shop. Additionally, a mushroom patch will not fit if the puncture has been repaired, since the repair glue is a sticky mess, and the hole gets larger. So it is best to keep it unrepaired, and take it to a reputed tyre dealership.

I know a large amount of his advice comes from his years of experience dealing with tyres, and need not be the 100% truth (for eg., not all local tyre shops are cheats). However, given his reputation, I'd say there is some interesting and wise advice there.

Here is a shot of my punctured sidewall...darn! this one was tossed for recycling...

[patil]

A new technology popularly known as mushroom patch has come for the side wall punctures and cuts. My Goodyear Assurance had a side wall cut on its and I was using tube in it.

Recently my friend who owns a wheel alignment shop went to Chennai for MRF training. There he was trained to use the mushroom patch and the apparatus to fix it. He got a couple of mushroom patches for me and fixed one on my sidewall cut without the required apparatus. The patch has fixed perfectly and I am now using the tyre as a tubeless tyre. So now I am very happy with the results and am least bothered about side wall punctures or small cuts.

[aditya@pune]

This is really a nice and welcome information from you. I already have one Apollo tyre sidewall cut. I was planning to buy new one. i will save some moeny for something else in my car.

[sgiitk]

There is only one way of fixing a side-wall puncture - replace the tyre. Even more critical with Radials since the side-wall is soft and flexes much more.

[choombak]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

There is only one way of fixing a side-wall puncture - replace the tyre. Even more critical with Radials since the side-wall is soft and flexes much more.

I have seen your same stance, and I agree. However, there is this talk about
"mushroom patch" that holds up the sidewall, which I haven't tried. Given the stresses and temperatures on the sidewall, I'd say if this patch has a glue that does not melt at higher temperatures, AND has the same flexibility of the sidewall, will it hold up. Seems the shape is like a mushroom - the patch and plug combined in a single unit. However, it needs to be done at the authorized tyre shop, with trained professionals.

[sgiitk]

Mushroom patch will not be advisable in a sidewall. It is only for the tread area.

[choombak]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

Mushroom patch will not be advisable in a sidewall. It is only for the tread area.

Interesting, and thanks. The information on mushroom patch is spotty as well, I tried doing a web search, and it did not come up with anything from any tyre manufacturer.

[contact.nitin7]

In a recent event at Noida, Some one punctured all my tyres from the side wall using something pointed, and left me in a helpless situation at half past in the midnight, that too in Dense Fog.

Eventually I had to call a friend and change the tires one by one getting it repaired.

The incident happened in Sector 37 and For every tire, now what I needed was a Tube, No Petrol Pump opened, No Service Available, due to sever cold, this happened on 21st Jan.

This Guy at location enclosed at Sector 49 Red Light, small shop on the left.
2 screenshots attached.

He charged very nominal 300/- INR for a tube and fitment.

[pganapathy]

Am just curious. Is the car running fine on those tyres now. Ask because one thing I would be concerned about is any small metal bits of threading comng loose from the punctured holes and damaging the tube.

Did you ever figure out who punctured your tyres and why.

[rajeshchand]

Was your car parked in an authorised parking lot or roadside, this is the sole reason i keep looking for an authorised parking lot wherever i go and resist myself from just parking and moving. Tyres are one, even there are guys who find fun in scratching the whole vehicle with sharp objects.

I am quite sure that you might not be getting the comfort that you used to get while driving on tubeless radials.