Tire Plug Strip Vs. Mushroom Plug Puncture Repair Kits
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- Опубліковано 24 вер 2024
- Tire Plug strip and mushroom plug tire repair kit comparison. This demonstration shows how each kit works with views from inside the tire. These kits are designed for tubeless tires and are generally used as an emergency and temporary puncture repair. I am only demonstrating how to use the repair kits. I am not endorsing or recommending the use of either of the kits as a replacement for a professional or permanent tire repair. If you find this video helpful, please subscribe to my channel.
Disclaimer:
Under no circumstances will Knobsdialsandbuttons be responsible or liable in any way for any content, including but not limited to, any errors or omissions in the content, or for any loss or damage of any kind incurred as a result of any content communicated in this video, whether by Knobsdialsandbuttons or a third party. In no event shall Knobsdialsandbuttons be liable for any special, indirect or consequential damages or any damages whatsoever resulting from loss of use, data or profits arising out of or in connection with the availability, use or performance of any information communicated in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of Knobsdialsandbuttons, it cannot guarantee against improper use or unauthorized modifications of this information. Knobsdialsandbuttons assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. Use this information at your own risk. Knobsdialsandbuttons recommends safe practices when performing any do it yourself repairs and or with tools seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of Knobsdialsandbuttons, no information contained in this video shall create any expressed or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage, or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or from the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not Knobsdialsandbuttons.
Shoutout to the camera man that’s inside the tire!
lol :)
😂
Ha jajaja
🤣🤣🤣🤣 it’s a good one. You just did my day
😂
Years ago, as a young hvac installer with with a growing family, I had plenty of duct tape on hand, but little cash. I once plugged a puncture by rolling a small strip of duct tape with it's adhesive side out, and jammed it into the hole with a small screwdriver. I drove on that duct tape tire plug over four months until I could afford the luxury of a decent used tire. It was still holding air when replaced.
That's the way rich people do it. I made a new tire repair outa fiber tape. It lasted til the car was sold.
I want to try that now 😂
Impressive!
Using the duct tape was smart when you had no plugs. It’s going to slow the leak down even if it doesn’t totally seal. I applaud you doing that. Being desperate is the mother of invention😂
Ledgend
The old style has been working for me over 60 years. Never has failed.
#teamsafetyseal 0:13
Which method is old
@@asmunique4513 ugly one
i bought mushroom type kit.. and wasted my hard earn money.. mushroom plug going inside after ride some kms..and start leakage
I've had bad luck with the mushroom style myself, but have a couple year old plugs done the old way that still seal perfectly. I'd personally stick with the old style.
Having spent my money on a neat little mushroom plug kit, I REALLY wanted to like it. However, after several years & several flats (tubeless motorcycle tires), the old sticky strips just work MUCH better (even though it doesn’t appear to be as elegant).
They work even better than a patch
@@rafars2246 I disagree, and that's based on what the manufacturers recommend.
I used the string and mushroom tips back in the early 70s when my job was strictly fixing flats. I used the hot patch glue on the tip of the mushroom gun so the rubber melted into the tire after two years never had a complaint.FWIW
Hi. Does the sticky strip damage the tire fiber??
With the mushrooms you lose all the air pressure but if you are quick with the strips you can save a lot which makes inflation easier !
Ive never seen those mushroom plugs but for me the Sticky stripes have never failed.
Sticky plugs hands down. Plugged over 50+, never a leak. When I was in construction with my dually, I'd plug flats all the time, when I went to buy new tires, I counted 36 plugs in all six tires, never did one leak.
Ditto here ... I do love going in for new tires and having the tire shop sales guy approach me saying crap like: "I have to tell you, we found dangerous plugs in your tires... blah blah.. always buy a new tire or pay us to plug them, buy a warranty ..blah blah...". I tell them, I PLUGGED that tire, my plugs work fine, don't upsell me.
36 lol
i bought mushroom type kit.. and wasted my hard earn money.. mushroom plug going inside after ride some kms..and start leakage
I do not belive you
We need to fix the roofers ,carpenters and hvac people who litter the ground of construction sites.
I learned to plug a tire with the sticky strip when I was a teenager and worked at a gas station 50 years ago, I still use the sticky strip today, never has failed.
#metoo
Just got a nail in my tire today. Watched this video and read the comments. Decided to go with the sticky strip kit. It worked like a charm! Sometimes the old way is the best.
The availlability is a key factor.
How do you know it’s best without a comparison to the other?
I must have done about 10-12 repairs with the sticky rope over the last few years on my various cars. I never had one fail, they always work for the life of the tire. They are very affordable and work great. I think I will stick with the rope, pardon the pun.
I think sticky traditional one seal better and it has been used for many years and proven.
I worked for sears automotive for a year and goodyearctires for almost 25 years and the sticky plugs do not work I don't know how many times I had to rerepair a tire with the sticky shoe lace in it and I never saw the mushroom repair In a tire.
@@andysierra6934 I'm a truck driver for 25+ years sticky always worked for me
Use rubber cement all over the plug before inserting.
@@andysierra6934 I don't work in a tire shop but I've probably used a couple of dozen over the last 25 years on my and my family's personal vehicles and they always seem to work well. I can only recall one that leaked and it was from a linear puncture from a flat piece of metal, not a nail or screw.
@@andysierra6934 I’ve done a number of repairs with ye olde sticky strip, no issues, even on the corners of the tire where tire shops don’t dare.
I used these sticky ropes for many years in Southern Africa.I had loads of punctures. Now living in the UK , the other day I had a puncture and I plugged it myself.
Then I went to a tyre place and asked them to change it to a mushroom type.
They refused to help because apparently these sticky ropes are illegal in the UK.
I told them that I could pull the rope out and insert the screw that had caused the puncture but they refused to have anything to do with me.
I think these sticky ropes are so good and so effective that the tyre repair people have somehow managed to make it law that they can’t be used.
These sticky ropes are very safe and have even plugged large holes on the side wall. You can keep shaving them in and have 5 of them plugging a garage hole.I would later scrap the tyre but these sticky ropes are just fantastic.
Same here big tire shops for liability will not use sticky plugs, in fact most will not fix the tire but rather you buy a new one or a set of tires. A few shops will do the dismount ,grind and patch cement. It's all about being afraid of being sued if the tire blow out.
Sticky-plugs or known as dynplugs are temp fixes to get you tire back in-service and then you suppose to take it to a professional tire shop for final analysis and fix, but where I'm at in the USA 99% of the people do not do that.
Had exactly the same experience.
You are so wrong .
Not legal in the UK on road going cars trucks etc motorcycles.
I think they exaggerated to make it harder for you to argue. But repair shops have definitely excommunicated the sticky ropes. My opinion is that it's because they can make more money on the preferred internal patch method.
If they are willing to do the mushroom type but not the sticky rope then I guess I'm at a bit of a loss? Except that guess they still make a larger profit from it than sticky rope?
@@cloveroak5492 The mushroom plug type are also illegal. Only legal is internal patch applied from the inside. Tire Repair Strips work just fine. But no tire shop will use them. Not UK or USA.
Had a sidewall puncture from rail road line (spike) in Consul, Saskatchewan. A trucking company used 3 plug strips to hopefully get us 90 miles down the road. No tire shops had our size tire, so we drove very cautiously and nervously another 1600 miles into Phoenix. Remarkable that the sidewall held up and the plug strips worked so well. Have a few packs of the strips on hand now. Cheers.
I did the same thing on my Ford Ranger when I was a teenager. Crammed 3 plugs in the sidewall lol. It worked until I could afford a tire. Not the safest thing but sometimes you got to do what you got to do.
I put two in the sidewall of my low profile tire after a vandal knifed it. Drove on it for years. It’s still there
It's a myth you can't repair sidewall damage. Profitable for tire shops.
Were they plugs, or strips?
you're tell me that not a single tire shop for 1600 miles didn't have your tire size?! god damn
I've used the mushroom plug on a rear Honda goldwing tire and rode it for over 5,000 miles with no problem at all.
When the tire stores refused to patch - even when the tire was under 6 years old - I have used the sticky strip method with rubber cement. One tire shop told me I had two punctures so close together that they were not allowed to fix it, and wouldn't say whether that was a company policy or a government "edict". I replied that I understood, that their business was "to sell tires", and the guy denied that, so I asked why does your sign state "XYZ Tires", you certainly do not sell washing machines !!! Anyway, I took the loose tire home filled it with air found the hole - a SINGLE hole, and used sticky strip method to patch the single hole, and it's been peachy for several years now.....
Tire shops always find some excuse as to why they "can't repair."
Just stick to sticky rope and DIY. even sidewall. Never fails. Tire shops and government edicts are done for profit only.
they don't give afuck about selling tires theyre probably payed hourly anyway... just dont want the liability of your 5 y/o cracking and dangerously patched tires
I have been doing many multi-thousand Km motorcycle adventure trips to remote locations like Alaska, Yukon, Labrador, etc... Tire puncture is the number one mechanical issue you are likely to encounter in rocky terrain! I also have used the sticky rope system for 35 years, but being a tool junky, we have tried to replace it many time with the "new" plug systems. We found that they are cumbersome to use, and their required tools take a lot more space and weight a lot more. We always return to the ropes, since it is dead reliable, simple and cheap. We even fix a 2" side wall rip once with many ropes. It was a temporary fix, but it got us out of the wood... Thanks for the GREAT video!
Thanks for watching !
Safety seal sells a truck tire repair kit where it uses 3 sticky ropes at once !!!! Shit really works ! 0:13
Used the plug type in 1967 when I started as an apprentice mechanic and NEVER had an issue with any punctures and saved people a small fortune on inner tubes or new tyres so if it was good over 50 years ago then good enough today 👍
I was still using them in the late 70s.They weren't made for radials.We used inner boots then.
I have used the sticky rope for 30 years and it has always been reliable. I do prefer the orange color ones they tend to be more sticky. I have even plugged sidewalls and made double plugs on big holes(not recommended but it can work) and had them hold. On a simple small hold they will easily last the service life of the tire. I honestly have no experience with the mushroom plug because I feel no need to try when the rope plug works great.
Me too. I have done sketchy side of the road repairs with the rope kit that lasted the life of the tire. Even plugged into the sidewall once and it held .
Yea those orange colored ones are the better ones, a company called safety seal are the best I've ever used. Their rep rolled up to our shop back in '95 on 4 tires absolutely covered in their plugs, sidewalls & all. He proceeds to take an ice pick to his tires, in the tread and sides and plugs them on the spot. We were sold and never used any other brand from then on.
@@jdruin1 I agree. I never used the glue and I don't cut the rope sticking out. The road will sort that out. The only problem is it can be hard to get the needle through the tire. I had to use my cordless drill a few times.
Same(except never orange ones yet)here. I have driven countless miles on plugs through tread. As for folks above plugging sidewalls,I never would unless I was in a remote place and it would be very temporary for a slow drive to a new tire. If my spare was along and good I'd probably put that on instead.
Thank you for the information about fixing sidewalls. I had a hole the size of a sewing needle in a sidewall on an otherwise perfectly decent tire, and everyone was saying it's impossible to fix? Seemed a bit bonkers to me, but it was my wife's car so I bought a new one to be safe. Glad to know my instincts were correct, and it can be fixed. Wonder why people get their panties in a wad about it.
We greatly appreciate you using a brand new tire and also showing us the inside view of the tire.😊
Yes I've been using sticky plugs for about 45 years & never had a leak from them . Always got the full life out of the tyre . Thanks
I’ve used the sticky rope at least a hundred times and it only failed once. I once fixed a tire with a mop string and some spray paint and it worked great. I used it like the sticky rope, I pushed it in with a screwdriver. A emergency repair in the middle of nowhere.
Great idea !
What were you doing in the middle of nowhere with a mop?
Used a mushroom plug a few years ago on a motorcycle trip to Scotland and I had to keep topping up the air every day till I got home. Decided to try the sticky worms so I pushed the mushroom plug into the tyre to make way for the sticky worm. I was shocked at how easy it was to push it through. Did the sticky worm thing and it held tight until the tyre needed replacing. At the tyre shop, it was interesting to see the inside where the repair had been made and the sticky worm had formed a nice head inside the tyre and had bonded itself to the tyre. Since then, I have done a few car tyres and they have always been successful and easier to do, so sticky worms do it for me and cheaper too.
I've been using the sticky type strips for 30 years without fail. Make sure to use rubber cement and also make sure to cut majority of excess on the exterior of course. Additionally, a little trick I've learned...I also will light a match or use a lighter, applying the fire to the strip after cutting it. Let it burn for just 30 seconds only then blow it out. I've found this method really bonds the gooey strip to the rubber tire better, almost like vulcanizing it. I've never had a failure.
make sense
Good idea, thank you
Sounds good and makes sense.
Fire melts rubber. 👍🏻
I just use my handy heat gun to "melt" and smooth down the sticky strip after trimming it down. I use a blunt tool (of appropriate size) to kind of pack it down a little more as it starts to cool.
i have just bought a tyre repair kit off amazon for £26 so that my son can repair the countless nails and screws we get flats with. each time costing £20. believe this or not between the families 4 cars we had had 14 flats in 2 years cosing us £280 plus one tyre that was destroyed as it was a side wall flat. fingers crossed after wathing this video i will start to save money...thanks for the demonstration
I always carry rope seals and a mobile air compressor in all of my vehicles. Trained my wife and sons how to find and repair punctures. I got a timberlock screw in one of my new Yokohama Geolandar tires on my truck, rope seal has been in there for 3 years and no leaks
I have used the sticky strips on cars, as well as cruiser & speed bikes, and it's always been a permanent fix that has lasted the life of the tire even without the glue, i currently have one on the rear tire of my motorcycle 😂
me too
I have never used glue, never was taught tonuse glue, somebody help me out, i just think the rubber cement is a bad idea and would make the plug itself less sticky and more useless
I have always used the Strip Plug. If things are really ugly, you can always install more than one in the same hole. This may not be long lasting however it's enough to get you home. Cheaper than a tow truck.
That's for sure !
I've always used the strips on my cars with great permanent results and I decided to keep a repair kit and small 12 volt compressor in my Honda helix motor scooter trunk for an emergency encounter since it has tubeless tires but I also have a mushroom repair kit but have never used it. After seeing everyone's comments and experiences of using both types I took notice to the stem surface of each and would conclude that the inserted stem of the strip plug appears to have a much rougher type surface area that would most likely grab into the tire tread and stay secure for the life of the repair better than the mushroom plug's smoother stem design that others repeatedly reported had eventually pushed back inside the tire causing it to fail, while no one had reported this happening with a strip plug repair.
I'm a sticky rope(dog turd) bloke myself. I had heard about the mushroom kits and people saying they were better but I havn't seen them before. After watching this, I can confirm that I'll be sticking to the dog turds. The installation of the turds maintains a very useable tyre pressure so the repair can be made if you have no access to air. The mushroom kit looks to allow air to escape quite quickly whilst changing from the spike to the inserter though that may be able to be done better. It also looks to be a little more fiddly during the process. That, and you can stack the turds for larger leaks. I also only use the rubber cement until I run out of whatever came with the kit, then I just dont use any. they will seal with or without it and still outlast the tyres.
Never seen a mushroom plug like this but looks much cleaner. I’ve had 100% with sticky strips for 25 years. The first kit I bought in the 90’s didn’t even have cement - you were to just push the strip in bare (it was still sticky) and pull the tool out to trim the excess, still held fine. The cement makes them much easier to install as it acts as an initial lubricant. I think a cement would make a lot of sense with the mushroom but would gunk up the insertion tool pretty bad.
The mushroom plug does look pretty neat. The strip plug does turn into a ball on the inside after some mileage, they work very well, have done 100s, they normally last the life of the tire.
Iv used the mushroom plugs at least once a day for 7 years now as I work for a breakdown company and they are brilliant
Im choosing the “Sticky tire plug” definitely! The rubber cement helps fill any tiny microscopic gaps, as well as glues the strip to the rubber of the tire.
I've noticed that the glue functions more of a lubricant than anything else
I used the mushroom head 60 years ago when it was powered by air only at a Sears Auto repair and tire store. It was great and never failed. I recently found one power by a spring and bought the kit for home and on the road use. I’ve used the rope over the years and always kept a kit in my trailer and pickup. It also has never failed.
Link please?
i used the mushromm for 100 year and never hag any flat tire, even my grafather iused it
I have used mushroom around 120 years, and the tire is still good
I eat mushrooms and make me see I new tires😂😂😂
@@Jorge-fy2ndalways a good trip bro?
I got a flat on my front tire of my motorcycle out in a rural area many years ago. This was before cell phones. Had to walk a few miles to a house to ask them if I could use their phone. The guy told me I didn't have to. He went to his garage and picked up a hand tire pump and a few sheet metal screws. He rode me back to my bike. Found the hole. Screwed in a screw and pumped up the tire. IT WORKED! Loved the clicking sound as I rode home. It held air til I got home and stayed inflated for some time til I was able to get another tire. He wouldn't take any money for helping me. I always kept a few screws and a small bicycle pump in my bag on my bike after that.
That sounds almost counterintuitive to what's supposed to work.
I drilled out a small puncture in a lawnmower tire and put a small screw in the hole about 10 years ago. I covered the threads of the screw with roof pitch I had on hand. I did it as a temporary fix, but since it held air, I forgot about it. It finally started leaking last year and I plugged it with a rope strip type.
@@GLHS592You can actually buy vacuum tyre repair screws now which do a similar job. Remove the nail or screw and then screw the vacuum tyre repair screw into the hole. Very quick temporary repair.
Absolutely.......
Despatch rider for thirty one years covering over 100,000 miles a year and always carried a foot pump as well as a handful of small stubby drywall screws. Great for a quick fix on the go and had several which lasted for weeks.
I have used all the plug kits and inside patches ( working in repair shops) never had a problem with any of them. The inside patch is the best if you can break the tire down.
Inside patches makes a thump noise while the tire is rolling! Use a plug!
Hey WOW man, that's totally awesome, you might offend an Italian if you're riding beside them, but seriously folks, my problem with the inside patch plug is that on vehicles that drive in the landfill and jobsite get holes often and sometimes close to each other and staples, I have used the inside ones on the side and corners intill we can get the tire, and its sometimes hard to get them to come back in, so use discretion.
Never had that problem.@@donraptor6156
I have only used the mushroom plug type tyre repair, but i can say it has been as equally as effective on both my car & motorcycle (tubeless in both cases) & without applying any glue to it, fantastic bit of kit ! 👍
I have tried both. The sticky works better because of the rubber cement. The mushroom will get pushed into the tire as you roll over uneven ground
But it actually doesn’t get pushed into the tire…. I use them on my semi and have some in my drives with 80K miles on them….
If you knew literally ANYTHING about tires, you’d know the rubber cement has zero to do with keeping the plug in the tire.
Somewhere I read that the mushrooms weren't recommended for hyway use, I think it was Myers or Gemplers after I had a failure with one I didn't try it again, but I think some of these things require more preparation, I haven't had much luck with the "mono fill" (looks like blue shoe lace with grey gum under wrapper), but I'm sure they work if follow procedures, my favorite is the brown radial string plug, my kit came with a cup of something that seemed to be petroleum jelly, when it ran out I refilled it with Freylube, I also use a rotary rasp on a drill if the plug won't go in but have considered trying a ratchet strap to help it.
I carry mushroom plugs on my motorcycle with compressed air cartridges. Figured it’s easier to carry with less potential to make a mess in the bag. I considered them as a way to get out of a jam. Haven’t had to use them yet. Hopefully won’t have to. Figured I’d cross that bridge if it ever come up.
@@sjfk1306 I've see you in another comment section on a video similar to this and you've copy-pasted this message lmao.
@@sjfk1306 your right it's whatever the strips already have and not the cement i believe the cement stays outside when your pushing in the strips
I just bought two plug strip kits for the RV. I have used them for longer than I care to remember and never had an issue.
I've only every used the sticky strips but have done so many, many times both with and without the cement and not a single one has ever failed for the remaining life of the tire, so when someone tells me I NEED to take it to a shop to have it done" properly" I just smile and say "right".
Yup. They charge over 25 bucks for the same outcome
In my country its cheaper to repair it at tyre shop or gas station.
My sticky plug keeps coming out. Is it perhaps cos i am using a cheap plug? Should i be using an expensive plug? I think the cheap one might have cheap glue that makes it sticky and the fibres break apart too easily
Do you think thats my problem?
@dmangh9 When you reamed the hole, did it seem real loose? If the puncture is too large a plug won't stay. You need to either patch it from the inside, or buy another tire.
@@josephcazzuto7198 They charge you for a new tyre when they refuse to do the job!
The sticky rope reseals itself, you can stack them up for bigger punctures and they have the highest newton force measured in preventing dislodging from their position after installation even without the rubber cement.
Self vulcanizing
The sticky rope is long term more reloable, it becomes part of the rubber of the time. The solvent cement works better if you also apply it to the rasp as you prepare the hole. The rubber shrooms eventually leak and/or go into the tire.
I second the cement on the rasp while enlarging the hole and doubling the amount on the rope. Also don't touch the rope at all with your fingers
@@plowe6751 Why can't you just use vulcanizing cement on the mushroom plug before inserting to aid with it sealing and staying put?
Used to work at a gas station in high school, if we were repairing tires was always a patch, plugs didn't seem to hold up. Could use on the side of the road to get you to a tire shop or gas station, but I would not trust them for long. Just my personal experience
@@PD-yd3fr The ones with the rubber sement should hold up for the life of the tire if applied correctly. Ive had tire shop plug tires and i have plugged them myself too and all lasted the life of the tire.
100% True !
I keep a sticky strip kit in each of my cars and have used them about 20 times with no failures. I've never used rubber cement with them. The one failure I had with them was one I didn'
t install. When I bought a used truck one tire was slowly losing air. I found a sticky strip plug that was leaking. I pulled it out with needlenose pliers and installed a new one. It outlasted the tire. A tire shop mechanic told me that driving a few miles at highway speed would make a better seal because of the heat.
I have used the sticky strip method for over thirty years. I have done it roadside most of the time in around 15 minutes. I have also used it many time on my mower tires. It has always worked great and I have never had one fail.
I've used both, without trouble on the repairs. Both can be done on a mounted tire, even on the vehicle.
The main difference for me is the glue (rubber cement). That makes the strip kits single-use, as the glue always seems to be dried out if I try to save it for later.
The mushroom style uses a soft silicone rubber plug like a fishing lure. They hold and seal as well (or perhaps better?) than the strips, and ++ you don't need glue++.
If you off-road much (or have OLD trailer tires) and have ever had a valve break off, that there are valve replacement tools that can be done without dismounting the tire as well! These valve-replacement "cones" work! Great for old trailer tires/valves as well.
Those valve replacement cones are a great idea !
As a former mountain bike rider, and the experience of finding a once used glue tube that is always dry the second time I need it, I went for the mushroom plug for my motorcycles. Worked every time and rode those tires to replacement. Mushroom plugs have my vote. But, hmmm, those sidewall tears, wellllll? Luck has kept me safe there.
Been using a strip plug kit that I purchased over 30-years ago. Just used it to repair a tire on my pickup last month. Has worked great for me on every vehicle I have owned for the past 30-years.
Been using the stirps for as long as I can remember, never heard nor seen the mushroom, so my conclusion is I will continue to keep using the strips. They just work, and I have never used the glue, no need........
I used to repair tires as a kid and we had bonnet plugs three different sizes the tool was simple put on correct tip and the bonnet went in the top then a plastic point on the end. Insert and squeeze handle in it went. You could also tell how often tire has been plugged by all the plastic points inside. They really only worked with bias ply. Belted tires the wire gets in the way and stops through sealing.
me too, just did a video on a repair of my kubota tire, used my 30 yr. old kit, with the string plugs, lube, no glue.....been doing it for many years@@fredschultz8267
ha, just posted a video about cleaning up my garden area, got a flat on my Kubota, whipped out my "Safety Seal" plug kit, 3 mins. on my way. I have the original kit i purchased 30 years ago, and the orange string plugs are original......no problem
Been using the sticky since the 1980’s and has been incredible for on road off road, atv, street bikes on and on. I won’t lie this these mushroom plugs look pretty cool.
Mushroom plug is really well thought out. Never seen it before
I've used the mushroom plug for years and never had a problem, and the air stayed for days. They are the best plugs I have used, and I have had to plug several motorcycle tires over the years.
Had a hole in my tyre new years eve about the size of say a match stick. Was letting air out fast when i tried to inflate so i screwed a normal screw into the tyre as i was getting four new ones in 3-4 days. The screw worked great and hardly lost any air pressure over the next four days so now bought those rubberised screws for any future punctures.
Was a tire guy in a mom and pop shop in my younger days.. we did every kind of tire you can think of. What i learned and still believe to be true is plugs are temporary. Ive fixed 100s because they leak , by patching over them from inside. The reaming tool can break the steel and polyester cords leading to tire separation.. seen it many times.. I recommend the patch..
I've used the strips consistently for years. While in general they seem to hold up very well, yet every now and then one would develop a slow leak, and I'd have to redo it. In theory the mushrooms should work better since the underside of the head fits snug and flush against the tire surface, and work in conjunction with the tire pressure to help press it against the tire surface. I think if the stalk of the mushroom plugs were textured and they had a thin coat of vulcanizing material on the underside of the head they would stay in better. When done correctly, the strips form a sort of mushroom or ball on the inside of the tire that mimics the mushrooms head.
Old way has never failed me. Plugged probably 20 various personal tires over the years.
I have the mushroom kit and a small 12v compressor in the trunk, they work great. When I was young and broke. I got a flat from a screw deep in the tread groove. I got a slightly larger flathead screw, added some clear silicon to the threads and tightened it down. Drove it for 2 years until the tire worn out and wouldnt pass inspection.
Ha, someone was saying in a review about tires 'nails' that '"wouldn't just putting sealant
on a screw accompish the same thing?" Well now we know, yes it does.
I've been using the sticky plugs for just over 50 years both professionally and my family's personal vehicles since I retired and have never had a one come back leaking.
Never tried the mushroom plug, but the sticky rope has worked well for me, several repairs while on the road, tire still on the vehicle, inflated with a portable compressor. Worked every time to get me going again.
Most people seem to agree with you about the sticky rope
I've only used one sticky plug once in my life and that tire has never needed air added to it. I used a copious amount of rubber cement and a heat gun. I'm sold. I will always carry a sticky plug kit in my vehicles.
The sticky rope style just work and I trust them after years of using them. As another commenter mentioned, also prefer the orange or brown ones over the black, but both work. Only time I've an issue with a pack of the black ones, was from a pack my dad bought which it sat around for years in the toolbox (I forget how many were in the pack, but lets just say a pack of 5, three plugs left, the remaining sat for some years, keep in mind I was the one who originally used this pack of 5, and I know they were good when new). When I needed to plug a tire on a car I had bought, none of those last 3 plugs would seal, the air seemed to slip through the rope fibers, so I had to go buy a new pack and the new plug sealed the first time. That said, they do otherwise last the life of the tire from my experience. While the mushroom style looks cleaner inside the tire, I know the rope plugs work perfectly when new every time, are cheap, quick to install, and can get them nearly anywhere, so I plan to stick with those. Once you drive with a rope plug, the outside wears flat pretty fast, can hardly tell one is installed, basically becomes one with the tire, so the cleaner look of the mushroom makes zero difference to me. Just my random thoughts as I seen this video in my recommended.
43 years ago I was pulling a trailer up in Canada near the Alaska border...I had stopped for something when I heard the hiss of air leaking from a 36" rear tire on my truck, I had no spare...I was a carpenter in those days and rummaging thru my tool box I found some 16d vinyl coated "sinker" nails and the puncture was small enough that I just licked a nail and pushed it into the hole stopping the leak. The air in the tire lasted me several days to do some fishing and get to the nearest civilization which was about 50 miles away. I always carry a nail or two since then....as well as the sticky rope kit.
If you get a strip kit spend the money on a good quality one, a lot of them now come with cheap hand tools that easily bend and break. The mushroom tool kits are typically decent quality. They both do a good job fixing the leak if done properly.
NEITHER!! .. Original super sticky strips without adhesive tube, are the bomb that always works. I've had a kit for 20+ years, 1 strip left.. used one 6 months ago, they still work great, never had one fail.
Back in the early 1970’s I worked in a local gas station and we used both and never had any issues. The mushroom plugs needed a gun to insert them. Looked kind of like a pop rivet gun. The rope ones just need the simple T handle so anyone could use them. I still use the rope ones personally and never had any issues with repaired tires.
My wife had a flat last week on the very first day of ownership of her new vehicle. I couldn’t just plug it on the brand new tire so I paid the tire shop $20 to remove and repair it. There was a 3-4” piece of metal rod the size of a welding rod bent into an L shape inside the tire. I have successfully used plugs over the years. The prior owner of my ATV put at least 1/2 dozen plugs in the tires. Those tires are 17 years old and still holding air!
I use the sticky ropes and have used up to 4 sticky ropes in a single sidewall puncture in an offroad UTV tire. It held air for over 1 week until the tire was replaced! Keep an extra 2 or 3 tubes of the rubber cement unopened as they tend to dry up after they get opened.
Great tip!
On Saturday I picked up my brand new Ute from the dealership- drove it just 2km and had a puncture! Oh well at least Ive fond the jack and wheelbrace. I decided to do the right thing and go straight to a tyre shop. $67.50 for a puncture repair!!!!! " but thats with fitting and balancing" he called after me as I was walking back to my truck- I waited till I got home and slipped a dog turd into it- job done!
I used the mushroom plug back in the 60s and never had a problem with them. I still have the gun that was used to insert them. It works on the same principle as a caulking gun. but we had two different sizes of plugs. Never had a problem with them.
I had two leaks in two days in two tires. One was due to a small staple and the other one to a short screw. In both cases, there was not even a puncture large enough to stick a tool through. I used one can of Fix-a-flat to fix both. About one-quarter of the can went into the spare, which was a 23-year-old Dunlop which had never been driven on and which literally had never seen the light of day. About three quarters went into the tire with 20,000 miles on it.
The spare I filled up only enough to drive to the tire store to get it inflated. After the tire store told me the tire which had gone flat could not be fixed, I put the rest of the Fix-a-Flat in the flat tire. I drove home - about 180 miles - on the spare. When I got home, I noticed that the spare had picked up a screw. When I removed the screw, there was no visible leak but I checked it and it was producing a pinpoint bubble at the rate of about a bubble every three seconds. I decided to just drive on it and see if the residual Fix-a-Flat would seal the hole. At this point, it's been days and, so far, no air loss.
I am bringing this up to point out that sealers can fix leaks. The videos I have seen report that products like Slime, which is a liquid you pour into the tire through the valve stem, can seal even larger leaks. A canned product like I used probably is good permanently only for the kind of tiny leaks my tire had, but if it works, it works.
I have had experience using the "rope" type tire plugs. These have worked for me too. My experience is an argument in favor of keeping your spare maintained. I didn't and I had to stay over a second night. I was visiting a relative at the time.
I'd never seen a mushroom plug before or knew what it was. I didn't realize until just watching this video that's what the tire shop repaired my tire with recently. Hoping it holds over the winter.
Some shops will pull the tire off and patch it the correct way with a little roughing up the surface to make the rubber have better adhesion and applying the patch.
A proper tyre shop, should remove the tyre from the rim and inspect then do a proper repair with a larger glued in version of that mushroom plug. Both of these DIY repairs are supposed to be only temporary repairs anyway.
Sticky strips have been tried and tested for decades - they work!!!
I've never used the mushroom type but have used the regular strip type plugs and never had a problem with them. They're cheap easy to use and don't take up much space to store.
I found that you can use rubber cement as the lube with the mushroom plugs. I also fabricated a L-shaped tool from thick (coat hanger) wire to insert in the hole to spread rubber cement around the inside of the hole (after reaming). You need to clean off the lube already on the plug with a rag/tissue, then coat it with rubber cement before putting it in the insertion tool. Leave till last and be quick so the cement solvent doesn't flash off (dry out). Clean the insertion tool when you get home (easy).
ALSO - it's critical to ream out the hole heartily - don't just twist it, but plunge it in/out of the hole - any sharp wire left in the hole will damage the silicon plug and it can tear/fail.
Never had a plug go wrong this way.
Never had much luck with the strips and glue. But the red strips that are so sticky they're hard to get out of the package and need no glue have worked 100% of the time. Even on the edge of the tread next to the side wall. Let's see a patch do that. All the construction around here and I've got to plug tires all the time (twice this year so far). Also, a drill with a bit the size of the reamer works a lot better than the reamer.
I been doing plugs for years and never fail me!
With strips, I was always taught to twist the tool like a screw driver, to ensure the plug will bind up on itself inside the tire, making it less prone to fail.. weather or not it really works I continue to do so.
The reamer tool has spiral threat. Don't need to twist
Been using the sticky strip patch for many years, they just work.
I still have my mushroom kit decades after I stopped riding motorcycles. I've also used the mushroom kit on cars, trucks, and mobile home tires. Zero failures. Super well made kit.
the thing about them mushroom ones is that almost all auto parts retailers do NOT carry it.....either its the patch kit or string kit or that BS can of sealant
Yup team mushroom kit, Im 45 now but as a kid my dad had the gun type. And now I carry a mushroom gun kit in my service truck. Discount Tire will not repair a hole in a tire that has been plugged by a sticky strip.
I’m a Senior Pro-Tec and been using mushroom tire kit sin Snap-On tool introduced it in 1990. Perfect for cars, motorcycles, ATV, etc. last past the life of any tire I’ve repaired. Even the ones that are burned out. From drag racing
I'm getting older and weaker and have trouble pushing in the worms while the car and I are on the ground, The mushroom look like I could handle that while keeping the tire on the car. Do you have an opinion?
One observation and suggestion, try using the mush plug with the Cement also?????
I prefer my mushroom plugs that are installed from within the wheel. The mushroom plug is the size of a large patch with a 6mm dia, long stem with a steel wire poking out of the end. The patch is glued as normal as well as the stem, the wire is pushed through the hole and the neck is pulled up through. As it is pulled the rubber stretches and therefor narrows, making it easier. Then the plug is released, the rubber stem relaxes and fills the hole making a tight seal with the addition of an internal patch. The patch is then rolled down to set the glue adhesion, the excess stem cut off and the job is finished. I have never had a failure with this system and although the tyre has to be partially dismounted it is no problem given the reliability that ensues. I invested in this system because I frequently had punctures whilst visiting building sites and it was getting costly and time consuming getting it repaired at the tyre shop, where they always wanted to sell me a new tyre, usually of a dubious brand that didn't match my premium performance tyres.
The strip method is the one that I use for motorcycle tyres as an emergency fix but I am always conscious about their reliability on a powerful machine.
I've never tried the mushroom plug but have used the strips quite a few times and have never had one fail on me. I've got friends that offroad that are expert in using several at a time for trail-fixes to get them off the trails.
I used the mushroom heads in the 1970s.
They were fitted from inside the tyre, so the tyre had to come off the rim.
The new ones, fitted while the tyre is on the rim, are more useful when on the road - or off-roading.
In the 1970s many people claimed the plugs worked out while driving.
I never experienced that and never saw any evidence of it.
In the past 20 years I've used the 'sticky strips' several times.
Never had a problem.
I'm more than happy to use either / both.
I'll soon be setting off on an 'Aussie road trip' - around 20,000 km estimated - and there'll DEFINITELY be some in the toolkit.
onya doggsy oi oi oi! have a great trip
I’ve used the sticky strips on atv tires and they work pretty well. On a car or truck tire, I’d just take it to a tire shop and let them put an actual patch on it for a nearly permanent fix. The last set of tires on my car had a patch put on it when the tires were very new and it lasted until they were worn out. The tread was so worn out that the patch wouldn’t stick anymore. Tires had 55 k miles on them, about 45 k was with the patch on it. Instead of trying to fix the tire again, I just bought new tires.
Good job, way to overcomplicate a simple repair. The old style plugs are all you need. Quick, easy and never an issue if used properly.
I've used the strips for years and have plugged many tires. Never had any problems whatsoever. I've even used the strips without the rubber cement and still no problems.
You can get inexpensive refill strips pretty much anywhere from auto stores, convenience stores, grocery stores etc. You can even by complete stip repair kit with everything you need for like $6.00 vs the mushroom that goes for around $40.00. And lastly. Look how quick and easy it was to use the strip vs the mushroom.
For road trips I toss a strip repair kit in my trunk along with a Phillips, a flathead screwdriver, needle nose pliers and a pump. My suv has tires larger than my spare so using the spare is not an option. My beater car has a doughnut spare and you can only drive so fast and it's dangerous because a doughnut tire has no traction whatsoever. My hybrid only comes with a can of fix a flat and a pump and that is also a temporary fix and the person who has to change your tire is not going to be happy cleaning out your rim.
It's also easier for me to get the plug kit and pump out to fix a flat than to have to pull everything out of my trunk to get to the spare or fix a flat. And with my SUV if I can use the spare. I would have to get the tools out to crank down my spare that's under the vehicle. And with my SUV and beater I would have to get the jack out, lift the car, loosen and tighten bolts and handle the dirty tires. I can fix my flat with the strips in way shorter time than going through the hassle of changing out my tire. With the strips I don't have to worry about any of that. I just roll the car till I see the screw or whatever and then crank the wheel so I can get the best access.
The strips are so inexpensive and so easy and quick to use that I don't even bother to take it to the tire shop where I have flat protection because it'll cost me more in gas and time than it's worth.
I have used both and both work well. I have never had a problem with the mushroom heads. They do not migrate into the tire because the internal air pressure pushes against it to make it stay in place. I have had the cloth ones leak because the cement dries out and cracks allowing passage of air, especially in the cold freezing weather. Both have their respective pro's and cons. It's just a preference of choice and convenience to apply.
I've used the dog turds for decades without any failures & they always work first go. I'll be sticking with them.
I have mushroom plug ("gun" type) kits that come with rubber cement. You liberally put it on the reamer and it builds up around the hole on the inside. Then when you pull the plug back it gets glued in place. The plugs also have a thicker stem that gets compressed in the hole. I have done about 8 tires this way and none have ever leaked. Previously I tried the strips and found they often leak. Can be seen when you do the soapy water test.
I have used the strips for years with no issues apart from trouble getting the strip into the hold. The mushroom plug might help this and it is obviously a more secure, workshop type repair.
I used to work at a gas station and the tar string repairs were simple and super fast!!! but if the hole was too big for 2 strings, we had to remove the tire from the rim and patch it from the inside...being careful NOT TO grind too much internal rubber or we would expose the tread inside....
Hi I tried the rope type with a motorcycle rear tyre totally deflated, and found when trying to install the rope that the point of the tool bottomed out on the well of the wheel rim, before the rope would go through the tyre to the required amount, ie two tails sticking out by 1/2”. Maybe the mushroomed headed plug can be installed easier when a tyre is completely deflated. Can you please do this comparison test with a motorcycle tyre still on the wheel and totally deflated? Thanks
I have used sticks almost once every month for the last 14 years, at my work place.
The difficult part is to remove the screw or nail (a lot of times they arent visible, and they are broken).
Both using the rearmer (althought you can use a portable drill instead), and plugging the strip, can be exhausted, and not for everybody.
I use to inflate the wheel before using the rearme, because i find it easier that way.
Plus you must be carefull with the tools handles; when they are too cheap, they are weak and can be bended or even break while you are pushing
Brilliant video I've never used the mushroom kit but the sticky strips used with the rubber cement work wonderfully...and are simple and quick to use
Thank you, I think the majority of people commenting agree with you :)
I've used sticky strips for over 40 years & never had an issue with them . Always lasted to the end of the life of the tyre ! ;-)
Nice video. Traditional plugs are the easiest, while they are not the prettiest. Mushroom plugs requires a little more effort, specialized tools, they are visually more pleasant.
Thanks, I agree
Sticky strip has worked for me for years. For off-road rigs and street. Less head ache less problems with 2 tools needed.
I saw the fungus for the first time. Interesting 🤔 But I have a good old sticky shoelace in my car. He's been helping me out for years.
I've used the "sticky strip" seals a bunch of times.
Keep a set in the truck with a 12 Volt Air Compressor.
That mushroom plug looks really interesting. A more complicated solution to a simple problem.
It doesnt matter what it looks like so long as you have a seal. Driving will soon clean any residue
Used sticky strip on 4 punctures so far, including a bad one that required 2 strips, and it worked every time.
Great video. The internal view that you showed was absolutely superb. By the looks of it, the mushroom one looks neat and perfect. Though the strips also are equally good. I’ve used only sticky strips till date and that too a good number of times almost one a week as my tyres were quite soft and hence puncture prone. Is the tyre you have shown here Yokohama Earth 1?
The Safety Seal style Strip Plugs are by far the better choice for a SHTF situation as you can stack them for bigger holes and tears. Good luck trying that with those mushroom plugs.