Whether a flat tire in Detroit can be repaired depends on where the damage is: a nail or screw in the tread can usually be fixed with a patch-plug from the inside, while damage in the sidewall or shoulder, or a tire that was driven flat, means replacement. Call Detroit Tire Shop at (313) 631-1567 with the tire size and where the puncture is.
Tire patch or tire plug: which one is the proper repair?
A plug pushed in from outside without taking the tire off the wheel is a roadside stopgap. The industry-standard repair takes the tire off the rim, inspects the inside, and seals the hole with a patch combined with a plug that fills the injury. That is the repair to ask for, because the inside check is how hidden damage from driving on low pressure gets found.
When is a flat tire repair not safe?
Ask for a replacement instead of a repair when the puncture sits in the sidewall or the shoulder, when there is more than one puncture close together, when the hole is larger than a typical nail, or when the inner liner shows a ring of wear from being driven flat. A repair in any of those places can fail at speed.
What should you ask before the repair?
Ask whether the tire will come off the wheel for the repair, whether the wheel will be rebalanced afterward, and whether the TPMS sensor is checked while the tire is off. If the tire cannot be repaired, ask to see the damage. Drivers from the 14 areas on the Detroit map can call ahead at (313) 631-1567.