Plugging tires ATV / UTV

Noticed my son has nail in tire on UTV.. not loosing air but haven't pulled it yet.
I used to plug most my own car truck tires in days before all the radial stuff and road hazard programs. I know most all the shops here do the patch inside thing on newer type tires. Been couple years since I plugged anything of my own.
I don't know much about these tires on UTV other than their pretty low pressure. Wondering if any your guys out there gotten way with just plugging UTV or ATV tires? My older brother who is cheaper than me and more willing to cobble stuff.. He told me he just plugged his shot some fix flat in it went on his merry way.. He also has pile junk tires next to his pole shed that didn't always work on LOL The mans wife and kids are hard on tires.
Anyway The boy he is leaning towards doing that plug it, shoot in fix flat and drive it.. Tire only has around 500 miles on it still basically new. He just don't want have to take it off machine and go to shop with it???
What do most here do? Plug or patch inside?

Mac

Im the world's biggest fan of tire plugs....including truck tires that hold 100# of air. I plugged my ATV tires also. It may be the best solution as they are very flexible and I'm not sure a patch would even hold.

We plug racing tires which are very thin and they hold.

Use a rope plug with glue, push it in and twist it to form a knot on the inside and you should be good. I'd skip the fix a flat because if you do need to patch you don't want all that mess inside your tire.

(twist after its in)

Have 2 tirez on my utv with plugs in them. I wouldn't do ifaflat but might and the green slime.

And under 500 milez sounds like my luck both these tire got flats and repaired within 2 weeks of me buying new tires. That was 3 years ago now and haven't had a flat sence.

tire plugs work great in low pressure tires.
Do not use fix a flat , you will not need it and your tire guy will not hate you.
instead of fix a flat, when you buy your plug kit get a 12 volt inflator and keep both on the rig

My atv has 28 plugs in the tires, guys around here are pot growers you know, they like to nail the roads.

I've never heard good things about fix a flat or the slime stuff, if you have to make a second plugging or patch..I've never used it myself.. Is the fact that the tires do flex so much I was most concerned with plugging it.
This nail is small and is right next to a lug. What I do think of as about good place to plug tire as any.

Mac

You only need to take one side off to patch. Can buy patchs at a parts store. Use 60-80 grit sand paper around the hole on the inside. Wash it good with acetone. Let the acetone dry. Apply glue and let it dry completely. remove the backing off the patch and stick it on. dont touch the glue on the patch or the tire. mash the patch on good with a screw driver handle.

^^THIS^^

I plug everything from a brand new Load Range E radial on one of my work trucks to ATV tires to dozens of plugs in my backhoe tires.

My two front backhoe tires were shot, they had more than a dozen plugs each but, what killed them was dry rot. I bought two new tires to mount on my rims and my tire guy couldn't do it. Somebody had used a bunch of Fix-A-Flat or slime or whatever prior to my owning the machine and it it rock hard, sharp and jagged. I ended up having to buy new rims...not cheap. I hate that stuff!

Started using the green slime with the kids bikez and sons motorcycle tire the goatheads would play heck on them and found that on utv tirez the slime stops those slow leaks. We use the tar covered twisted plugs that you can buy at Walmart

I've fixed tires most all my life and this is the best setup yet. Push the plug all the way in until just the ends are showing, then pull it back out and cut it. That way you have 4 strings in the hole.

Danny
I've peeled a lot them small tires off the rim using screw driver or the old jack handle irons, flat bars.... Even drove up on some them like the guy in video. I broken more than one bead using the old bumper jack put the base up against rim. Them jacks are killers and I still got one here use for certain things..I patched the old tire tubes lots rubber waders, but never just put patch inside of tire. Was mostly just thinking be more lazy and just plug this tire so didn't have to pull wheel off machine, then tire off the rim. I might even have some plugs and tool. I know got can glue here and patches too.
Plug kits are cheap enough and kid should get one leave it right on machine.

Part this I haven't mention is dang kids 37 years old don't think ever plugged a tire. So I'll be standing watching him do this not actually doing it myself. He has fought tires off his boat trailer wheels while I watched..them we weren't fixing they got replaced mounted new. So he has been there done that part.

Mac

Use what Gary showed and it will work fine. I prefer the T handle model for ease of installation using the same plug.

As long as it’s a nail/screw puncture and not in the sidewall, I’ve plugged truck and ATV tires without problems. If it’s a gash, I bring them in for a patch.


I’ve never used fix a flat, and I’d have to be in a bind to ever use it. I imagine a big mess on the inside, but I have no experience with it to know if that’s the truth.


I use the reamer and split tip hand tools with T handles. A kit with tools and a half dozen plugs are half the cost of a tire repair shop here.

Need professional help? PM me, I've become a world class professional tire repair man the past two weeks, specializing in roofing nail punctures

We plug tires, no problem. We plugged a four wheeler tire the other day and it still leaked, so we put another plug next to that one and it’s holding air ! We put spray tanks and feed on it and so for so good! We plugged my son n law tire, a few months ago, it’s a 10 ply, so we drilled it and plugged it and it is still holding! But, you plug at your own risk!

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/BK_7101620
These tapered drill bits are handy helping get a plug thru steel belts.

Tire slime and plug. It just works. Dead batteries and flat tires are the bane of this farmers existence. I counted awhile back and I’ve got over 80 tires and well over a dozen batteries to deal with on all the different equipment. I keep an air compressor to big to steal, tire plugs, slime, valves and valve stems in truck at all times. 2 sets of jumper cables and generally at least a six pack of Busch beer on ice. Ratchets straps, hitch pins, log chains, pry bars, oil, water, anti freeze, gear oil, gas, power steer fluid, extra pack of smokes, chew, nuts and bolts, 10lb. Sledge, zip ties, funnels, grease, leaf blower, extra t shirt....loaded for bear...and still gotta run to the shop sometimes lol!

Every farmer I know around here uses green slime in their ATV/UTV tires. It works.

I've plugged many tires, they all held so far. I'd plug it, it's cheap, what's the worst that could happen?, you hafta do it again? bring it to a shop? Try the cheap fix first...

Green Goop is great for bicycle tires.

Plugs and slime keep em going

I keep plugs and tool on the quad, and an old bicycle tire hand pump under the back seat of the truck.

Well looked around couldn't find any my old kits. So went across street to O'Reilly's got a new plug kit.. And yes there is really an O'Reilly's across the street from my house..When they were deciding where to build the store they saw all the junk in my yard so figured was good spot. Actually have 4 parts houses with in walking distance sad to say.
Anyway got a plug kit and watched the boy plug his first tire. Don't recall my old plug tool being like a pinch deal. Thought it was more a J-hook kind thing. So he had just bit trouble getting plug to pop off tool, but he gotter done.. Was still holding air after hour sitting. Test will come Saturday when he take machine on trail run fundraiser for volunteer fire department to west of us.

So here is the nail in the tire can see small bubbles. He washed the machine before he plugged the tire so was some soap there.



Way longer bugger than I thought it be looks to be siding nail.



The plug before I trimmed it down so is maybe half inch sticking out now.



So we will see what happens.

I appreciate all the good input.. We didn't shoot any slime or fix a flat in it. Can always play that card if have to fix it again..
Also planning to maybe put a small plug kit right on each machine. We were 26 miles out when I noticed the nail in his tire. Next time may leak flat getting 26 mile back to camp.

Mac

Good job!! It should hold!

My kit fits in an anmo can along with the a 12 volts air conpresser.

Yep. I plug.