AutoBanter - View Single Post - How do I decide if these five tires are holed too close to the sidewall?

**FromTheRafters**

explained :
> On Thu, 22 Dec 2016 22:13:52 -0500, Ed Pawlowski > wrote:
>
>> On 12/22/2016 8:29 PM, Frank Baron wrote:
>>
>>>> In the past 20 years I can
>>>> think of three tires needing repair.
>>>
>>> Wow. I seem to have at least one a year, and sometimes more (lately).
>>
>> I drive about 22,000 miles a year and the worst case is to add some air
>> a couple of times. Present car has 25,000 miles and for the first time
>> I had to put air in one when the TPM went of when it was 7 degrees one
>> morning.
>>
>>
>>
>>>
>>> If flats were as uncommon as you seem to feel they may be, then why hasn't
>>> the spare tire gone the way of the dashboard oil pressure gage?
>>
>> Ah, it pretty much has. Many cars have a can of air now.
>>
>>
>>
>>> I don't know any guy who would call someone else for something as simple as
>>> changing a tire though. It almost takes longer to make the call to AAA than
>>> it does to change the tire yourself. Even if it didn't, you'll be waiting
>>> for the truck to arrive far longer than it takes to change the tire.
>>
>> It was dark, about 35 degrees and raining. Took the guy about a half
>> hout to show up and do the change. Meantime I shopped in Home Depot.
>>
>> The first time was a dozen years ago. I ran over a body bolt and it
>> made a big hole in the sidewall. Car was about two months old. I took
>> the other car to work. Dealer came over, took the tire off and mounted
>> a new one, put it back. No idea how long it took them but I lost no
>> time. Had to pay for the tire, of course.
>>
>> When I was a teenager driving a '53 Merc with either used tire or
>> recaps, I changed many tires. Found a better way.
>>>
>>
>>
> In 44 years I've had 5 tires go flat "on the road" 3 of those on one
> trip due to faulty valve stems (on the PT Cruiser on PEI), 1 due to a
> cinder in the black hills of the Dakotas at -40 on the '69 dart, and
> one on a sunday afternoon on the '63 Valiant (with no bumpers so I had
> to jack it by the trunk lid.) I've had a few go flat on the driveway
> that could be aired up and driven to the shop.
> I've never had one damaged to the point it was not repairable due to
> running flat. Both of the ones that failed flat on the road were down
> low enough on tread that I ended up replacing the full set shortly
> later.
> I'm a former auto mechanic and I won't "patch" a tire in the field
> unless I have to.
> I patched a lot as a kid on the farm (tube type on wagons) and bikes,
> lawn tractors etc., and a LOT in the shop as a mechanic.

One time as I was crossing some railroad tracks, I heard my tire going
phtt phtt phtt phtt with every rotation. I pulled over and put on my
spare. Took the tire to a shop to see what happened and to get it
repaired if possible. The object which punctured the tire was found
inside, it was a spark plug.