Michelin Pilot Super Sport....Puncture Help!

[Get2Jaime]

Hi All,

First post, have a decent sized screw embedded in the rear wheel of my 911. It's in the centre of the tyre, diagonally sunk into some of the raised tread. Slow puncture at the moment.

Any of you have experience of these tyres being repairable or should I start searching for a replacement pair?

Appreciate the help, thanks

[bobsan]

if its in centre then no worries, get it patched at decent tyre fitters and forget.

[Perec]

Get2Jaime said:

Hi All,

First post, have a decent sized screw embedded in the rear wheel of my 911. It's in the centre of the tyre, diagonally sunk into some of the raised tread. Slow puncture at the moment.

Any of you have experience of these tyres being repairable or should I start searching for a replacement pair?

Appreciate the help, thanks

Is there anything special about these tyres? I doubt it. I have often had 911 tyres repaired in similar situations. The idea that a repair will result in a sudden catastrophe and fiery death is one put about by those with tyres to sell.

[Rockster]

Get2Jaime said:

Hi All,

First post, have a decent sized screw embedded in the rear wheel of my 911. It's in the centre of the tyre, diagonally sunk into some of the raised tread. Slow puncture at the moment.

Any of you have experience of these tyres being repairable or should I start searching for a replacement pair?

Appreciate the help, thanks

Unless the tire maker forbids it or the tire is deemed unrepairable by a reputable tire shop the tire can be repaired.

Often there is a hole size limit: quarter an inch is one diameter bandied about.

The preferred method is a patch/plug from the inside.

Briefly, the inner surface of the tire at the point of the puncture along with the puncture hole itself are prepped then a vulcanizing adhesive is applied and the patch with a plug to it (looking sort of like a mushroom with the patch the cap and the plug the stem) is applied and rolled out to effect an air tight seal.

You have to be careful. A punctured tire if driven any distance under-inflated can ruin the ability of the tire to hold air. Generally if the tire is separated from the wheel and any black dust comes out this is a sign the inner sealing surface has suffered some abrasion from running the tire under-inflated and the tire is junk.

Also, if the hole is too close to the sidewall or the nail/screw/whatever poked the sidewall just enough to damage the inner sealing layer of rubber, the tire is junk.

[Get2Jaime]

Thanks all for the prompt reply, sounds reassuring that a repair is possible. It was at 20PSI, but i've just blown it back up.

Ill aim to get it repaired and go from there. F1 Autocentres seem to be the cheapest at £285 a pop, worst case of course...any insight on other alternative retailers is appreciated.

[Shep911]

It depends how you drive it - if you drive it hard from time to time - track days etc, do you want to take the risk of it letting go vs £300?

If you potter about and enjoy the scenery or do the daily commute don't waste yer money on a new tyre as a repair will be more than adequate

Most specialists will happily complete a repair for you that will be durable and cost effective, but I doubt they'd guarantee performance if your slinging it round the 'ring.....

It's one one those you pays yer money moments.......

[Get2Jaime]

Shep911 said:

It depends how you drive it - if you drive it hard from time to time - track days etc, do you want to take the risk of it letting go vs £300?

If you potter about and enjoy the scenery or do the daily commute don't waste yer money on a new tyre as a repair will be more than adequate

Most specialists will happily complete a repair for you that will be durable and cost effective, but I doubt they'd guarantee performance if your slinging it round the 'ring.....

It's one one those you pays yer money moments.......

You are right Shep and very relevant, no short term plans to track the car and was hoping to get a few more miles out of the tyres just yet...will aim for the repair and see what they say.

[Shep911]

Ps super sports a bit of a good tyre for pottering haha

[rlw]

Shep911 said:

It depends how you drive it - if you drive it hard from time to time - track days etc, do you want to take the risk of it letting go vs £300?

If you potter about and enjoy the scenery or do the daily commute don't waste yer money on a new tyre as a repair will be more than adequate

Most specialists will happily complete a repair for you that will be durable and cost effective, but I doubt they'd guarantee performance if your slinging it round the 'ring.....

It's one one those you pays yer money moments.......

Not rising to the bait here so...........I had a puncture just as the OP has and got if fixed by the tyre shop opposite Porsche Byfleet (who suggested it.) Subsequently, the tyre did a few thousand road miles, a couple of trackdays and a Vmax day, regularly hitting 170+ mph on the latter. No problems, no insecurities, no worries. Get it fixed properly and it will be fine.

[996TT02]

If your repairer says it isn't repairable, or comes up with any nonsense, change your repairer, not the tyre.

Or change the tyre and send it to me.

[Angelus]

After having sat at 180 on the Autobahn last year, I found one if my tyres had a plug repair when I changed it. No problems though.

[Rockster]

Shep911 said:

It depends how you drive it - if you drive it hard from time to time - track days etc, do you want to take the risk of it letting go vs £300?

If you potter about and enjoy the scenery or do the daily commute don't waste yer money on a new tyre as a repair will be more than adequate

Most specialists will happily complete a repair for you that will be durable and cost effective, but I doubt they'd guarantee performance if your slinging it round the 'ring.....

It's one one those you pays yer money moments.......

Given the litigious nature of folks over here, if a tire shop fixes a tire the tire is good for whatever.

At one time I could not get a tire store to mount used but otherwise perfectly good lower speed rated tires on a lesser car while waiting for new tires to come in. This even though I assured the tire store owner I would not exceed the speed limit let alone come anywhere near the temporary tires' lower speed rating.

So, I seriously doubt if a tire store believed the tire would be sub-par with the patch it would patch the tire and let you drive away.

[Ozzie Osmond]

If the tyre hasn't been abused by driving on it at very low pressure, which will have overworked the carcase and overheated the tyre, I wouldn't worry at all. Such damage is usually visible inside when the tyre is removed in any event.

A puncture shouldn't damage the belting of the tyre and the "mushroom" plugs that are used these days are never going to work loose.