Today I got a refresher course in plugging a flat tire. On the paxtonland van, I found a nail that appeared to be custom designed to murder tires. I had to buy a new kit of cement and plugs. I already had the tools needed but, there were no plug kits available without the tools (I.E.: plug inserter and reamer to clean the hole). Since the tires on the van are a bit heavier and thicker than most cars, it was far far more difficult than a regular tire. With regular passanger tires, this is a 3 minute job.
Since I had the complete kit, I decided to fix the tire right then and there. I pulled the nail out in front of Meijers service station, close to where the air compressor was. I got the spike out of the tire and it promptly gasped and deflated straight down to the rim. (eeeeew, tire air smell…) The reamer that came with the kit was utter junk too. I pulled the handle cleanly off while trying to remove it from the tire. That should have served as an omen. Unfortunately, it did not. I couldn not insert the plug with the poorly designed tool that came with the plug kit I bought. Flimsy and weak it would not even enter the hole, it promptly folded neatly in half under the pressure of trying to enter the tire.
Realizing that I could not fix the tire, I had to re-install the nail. Of course now, the hole was much, much larger than before due to my reaming (to roughen up and clean the hole). Air hissed as it escaped around the now enlarged hole in the tire. Indeed this was a sad state of affairs. I now had to choose to either drive home and use my older, more heavy duty plug inserter to fix the tire or, add insult to injury and go to a “real” service station and pay $10-20 for someone to “professionally” plug the hole.
I opted for driving home to plug it myself. So far, so good. Now, I have two more tires to do. One on the Buick and one more on the van. *sigh*
