Tyre repair

[mengo]

Hi all,

I discovered a nail in rear driver tyre yesterday night. It is Pirelli P.zero 275/30/R20 runflat tyre. I drove about 40 miles since then and tyre didn't lose any pressure. I am even not sure when it happened. It is almost new tyre with 3000 miles. Nail is very close to side of the tyre wall and it could be possible that, structure is still intact. Would appreciate your thoughts on my options. Thanks

1. Buy new tyre - expensive option, around £250
2. Buy used tyre - found one in ebay with 6mm depth for £85, possibly unsafe
3. Try to get it fixed - most garages won't fix runflat tyres, especially when a nail on side. Perhaps, can find a garage to fix it, but not sure about safety. Thanks in advance.

Apologies for rotated photos as I couldn't upload them correctly.

[LordGrover]

I wouldn't drive on that and it's not repairable.
Only option is to buy new IMO.

[mygoldfishbowl]

Just pull the nail out. Its only gone through the rim saver.

[bompey]

New tyre, the expensive option if that was me.

[Deesee]

mygoldfishbowl said:

Just pull the nail out. Its only gone through the rim saver.

100%

[Demelitia]

mygoldfishbowl said:

Just pull the nail out. Its only gone through the rim saver.

I’d normally have said the same off the top of my head but for some reason I can’t help but think there’s the possibility that it’s hit the carcass of the tyre and been deflected off to where it’s ended up; there isn’t that much rubber thickness there after all.

[Mr Tidy]

I really wouldn't want to run that tyre after a repair, even assuming you could find somewhere willing to repair it!

Judging by the size you've stated I'm guessing it's on a fairly high-performance car, which makes it even more of a "No" for me.

[helix402]

No 1. The tyre is scrap.

[Chubbyross]

There’s no way I’d be on the motorway on that.

[Ninja59]

New tyre that one

[andygo]

Scrap the tyre.

Keep the nail, big ones like that always come in handy!

[rallycross]

The tyre is scrap.

[Osinjak]

mygoldfishbowl said:

Just pull the nail out. Its only gone through the rim saver.

+1

[Leptons]

Demelitia said:

I’d normally have said the same off the top of my head but for some reason I can’t help but think there’s the possibility that it’s hit the carcass of the tyre and been deflected off to where it’s ended up; there isn’t that much rubber thickness there after all.

You’ve never looked at a run flat tyre have you? They have very thick sidewalls plus the already mentioned rim protector.

Pull the nail out and if it doesn’t hiss forget all about it.

[98elise]

Leptons said:

Demelitia said:

I’d normally have said the same off the top of my head but for some reason I can’t help but think there’s the possibility that it’s hit the carcass of the tyre and been deflected off to where it’s ended up; there isn’t that much rubber thickness there after all.

You’ve never looked at a run flat tyre have you? They have very thick sidewalls plus the already mentioned rim protector.

Pull the nail out and if it doesn’t hiss forget all about it.

On the rear that's what I would do.

[austina35]

if you keep that tyre, just let me know which motorways you'll be using for a while. that way I can use an alternative route so you don't delay me when it goes wrong......

[Demelitia]

Leptons said:

Demelitia said:

I’d normally have said the same off the top of my head but for some reason I can’t help but think there’s the possibility that it’s hit the carcass of the tyre and been deflected off to where it’s ended up; there isn’t that much rubber thickness there after all.

You’ve never looked at a run flat tyre have you? They have very thick sidewalls plus the already mentioned rim protector.

Pull the nail out and if it doesn’t hiss forget all about it.

I have, that’s precisely why I said what I said. Just because it’s not leaking air right now after such a short space of time, that doesn’t mean it hasn’t damaged the structure of the tyre.
The nail exits through the rim protector but enters further up on shoulder. People saying to carry on using the tyre are assuming the nail went in to the tyre parallel to the rim face as it is now, rather than more perpendicular to it and then bouncing off the sidewall reinforcement.
Either one is as likely and I just don’t see any reason to take the risk of driving on a compromised tyre.

We don’t know if the structure of the tyre is visible in the puncture from the pictures we’ve seen, nor if there’s been damage to it. Without further information it seems fairly poor form to be so cavalier with someone else’s safety, especially when there’s no real advantage to doing so.
At the very least I’d be having a very good inspection of the damage before making a decision.

[bluezedd]

If it was mine, I'd take a blade to it between the two points the nail is sticking out of, then see what the damage is underneath.

[Pica-Pica]

Osinjak said:

mygoldfishbowl said:

Just pull the nail out. Its only gone through the rim saver.

+1

Yes it looks very much like it has gone through the rim saver. I had a large chunk torn into my rim saver (Pirelli). It is a whole chunk of rubber there. I drove for some time until I changed them when I went from 19” to 18”. I cannot suggest what you should do, but I would.
Over-inflate the tyre by, say, 50 kPa.
Reset TPMS and note reading as you drive on a safe route. Repeat, until you are sure you are not losing air.
Then, UNDER inflate the tyre, and repeat.
Reinflate to standard pressures, reset, and keep an eye on it.

ETA, a passing thought. There is a large gap between calliper and wheel, I would guess 17” is the standard size rim there?

Edited by Pica-Pica on Saturday 18th January 11:45

[jamei303]

Get a new tyre, but before disposing of that one dissect it and analyze the internal damage, and then report back here.