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How to Repair a Tire
Patching a Puncture
Did you find a nail in your tire? Don’t worry — Totten Pond Automotive in Waltham, Massachusetts can help! We may be able to repair the tire so you can avoid the costs of a replacement, but only if the damage passes a few checks first.
A few conditions will immediately rule out a tire for repair. Does your situation meet either of these criteria?
Is The Tire Flat?
Once you notice a nail in your tire, don’t remove it! It may be serving as a plug to prevent air from leaking. If a tire loses a significant amount of air pressure, it can’t be repaired. The first step to a successful repair is catching the damage early. You don’t want to drive on an under-inflated tire and weaken its structural integrity permanently.
Has the Tire Been Repaired Before?
Maybe you haven’t had the best luck when it comes to avoiding road debris. If the tire has been repaired once before, it’s best to replace it instead of patching it. We wouldn’t want you to leave our shop with a weakened tire that’s susceptible to a dangerous blowout.
Your next step is to get to our experts for further inspection. We check a few more aspects of the tire’s condition before performing a repair!
Assessing the Damage
Once we have your vehicle in our care, our technicians take a closer look at the damage to determine if a patch will work. The good news with nails is that they usually fit within the criteria for repair, as the damaged area may be smaller than ¼ inch in diameter. Large tears, gashes, or cuts can’t be safely repaired.
Another thing we’ll want to check for is where the nail punctured the tire. If we see that it struck within the tread area, we can move forward with repairs. When nails puncture on the sidewall or close to the edge of the tread, a patch won’t make up for the loss of structural integrity. You’ll need a replacement instead.
Make the Call
Do you have a nail in your tire? Call the experts at Totten Pond Automotive in Waltham, Massachusetts to see if it can be easily repaired!
Totten Pond Automotive | (781) 890-5525 | 511 Totten Pond Rd. Waltham, MA 02451
