Tyre date codes

[Domdom]

Nope - you can have them for free...

In about five years time.

Isn’t 5 years the end of useful life for a tyre anyway?

 

[Wozzaaah]

even then the internal ribbing of the tyre can chafe through/thin a tube enough for it to deflate.

Bob

Used to see that a lot.

 

[RWD3M]

Isn’t 5 years the end of useful life for a tyre anyway?

Good lord no, just run-in!

 

[Pete.]

Are they a permanent repair or simply a get you home solution?

I carry them with me on my bike and I've used them many times (in my own tyres and helping others). I've never had one fail, and if you try to pull one out with pliers it'll probably snap, as I have found when doing a separate tyre-off repair with a proper mushroom patch. I had one which I could remove easily when another puncture caused the tyre to deflate and I rode it to a service station. By the time I pulled in the tyre was just about too flat to ride on and quite warm by then, as well as being near it's end of natural life anyway so the carcass was quite thin. I plugged it, rode it home then decided to remove the tyre for a better one. That was when I found I could pull that plug out.

I think the main thing with them is that they aren't a BS approved repair so they can only technically be considered temporary, but they are a pretty robust repair if they are fitted well.

 

[Trevorleach]

I do as well. Given the small contact patch, the awful state of UK roads, our extremely variable weather patterns, oh and the fact I kind of value being alive, yeah. Premium tyres are not a luxury to me. DIY puncture repair strings are also not for me.

What I have found with cheaper tyres is they are noisy. My Skoda came on 4 new Matador Hectorras which gripped well but damn near deafened me. Allegedly made by Continental but on checking they are owned by Continental, nothing more. Michelins are a full 3db quieter than the nearest rival, which is basically half as noisy.

I do use the same guy for all things tyre related. Sensible bloke, won’t do dangerous stuff but hates wasting money. He does sell Chinese tyres as well as the more premium brands but doesn’t force them down anyone’s throat. Cheaper than kwiknkrappy too. Won’t fit tubes, won’t repair dangerous punctures, doesn’t get involved with part worn stuff and the icing on top is that he has the Hunter 4 wheel alignment system.

I know everyone makes their own choices but a well driving car is no much more pleasant for me.

My current tyres are Contis, bought at two years old still with the pimples on, 1ks worth for 150 quid, right chuffed I was so chuffed I got 4 more for 200quid and stuck them on refurbed rims ready to go.

I have found if the car is 4x4 of any description, but especially land rover it is happy on anything black and round.

 

[Greeves246]

Not relevant to most but tyres rated V or above cannot be plugged. When I was working we had to fit new tyres to any bike we were selling that had been repaired with a plug. Don’t get me started on Puncturesafe, Slime etc.

 

[Keithmac]

Not relevant to most but tyres rated V or above cannot be plugged. When I was working we had to fit new tyres to any bike we were selling that had been repaired with a plug. Don’t get me started on Puncturesafe, Slime etc.

We routinely repair motorcycle tyres, the correct plug bonded into the tyre will bring it safely back up to speed rating..

 

[Pete.]

We routinely repair motorcycle tyres, the correct plug bonded into the tyre will bring it safely back up to speed rating..

View attachment 418816

Those are the type I have in the workshop. If a tyre comes off for any reason, the string plug gets pulled/drilled out and one of those goes in.

 

[armalites]

Are they a permanent repair or simply a get you home solution?

I've done thousands of miles with strings in tyres even in pretty quick cars driven hard.

I fixed a JCB loadall tyre that had been driven over a piece of iron gate post that was stickin up in a field. I literlly put 6-8 strings in there. The tyres were due for replacement but that tyre still held air absolutely fine bearing in mind that JCB was regularly lifting 3000-4000kg

 

[armalites]

I do as well. Given the small contact patch, the awful state of UK roads, our extremely variable weather patterns, oh and the fact I kind of value being alive, yeah. Premium tyres are not a luxury to me. DIY puncture repair strings are also not for me.

What I have found with cheaper tyres is they are noisy. My Skoda came on 4 new Matador Hectorras which gripped well but damn near deafened me. Allegedly made by Continental but on checking they are owned by Continental, nothing more. Michelins are a full 3db quieter than the nearest rival, which is basically half as noisy.

I do use the same guy for all things tyre related. Sensible bloke, won’t do dangerous stuff but hates wasting money. He does sell Chinese tyres as well as the more premium brands but doesn’t force them down anyone’s throat. Cheaper than kwiknkrappy too. Won’t fit tubes, won’t repair dangerous punctures, doesn’t get involved with part worn stuff and the icing on top is that he has the Hunter 4 wheel alignment system.

I know everyone makes their own choices but a well driving car is no much more pleasant for me.

So many people take the cheapest option they have no idea how a decent tyre feels or sounds. For my V70 bottom end is probably as low as £40-50, I've been running Yokahama Blue Earth for the last 3 sets, they are about £90-95 but they ride really well and they last. I did have an issue with some cracking on one set and Blackcircles gave me 60% discount on a new set after I sent them pictures.