Puncture Repairs

A UK source reports that flat tyres account for about 10% of motor vehicle breakdowns.

A flat tyre can be repaired by a patch or plug; or the tyre may repair itself. Self-sealing tyres work on punctures up to a certain size.

The patch repair is commonly used in tyre shops. It may not be possible to patch a worn tyre if: the hole is close to a previous patch, there are already more than two patches, the puncture requires more than two patches, the punctures are too close, and/or the puncture is close to the sidewall. A patch is performed by removing the tyre, marking the puncture, scouring the surface to create a smooth surface (inside of the tyre), applying rubber cement, applying the patch, then pressing it into the surface with a small metal wheel attached to a handle. An alternative is a combination patch and plug. This is manufactured with a plug built into it; applying this patch is done similarly except with more steps, including drilling a hole at the puncture so the plug can be pulled through it, as well as cutting off the excess plug from the outside the tyre.

Tyres can leak air for a variety of reasons. These include, but are not limited to: damage to the wheel itself, a damaged valve stem, a puncture in the tyre (which can be hard to find if the puncturing object didn't embed itself in the tyre) and improper installation of the tyre, which could involve the bead of the tyre being cut when installed with excessive force.

Occasionally, a puncture may not "go all the way through" to the inside of the tyre. This may give the impression that a tyre is punctured but when the foreign object is removed the tyre may not lose pressure.

Also worth mentioning is the fact that tyres simply lose air over time. A brand new tyre, properly inflated, will lose air even with no punctures present. This is mainly due to the design of the valve stem, among other reasons. Given enough time, a tyre can fully deflate with no outside intervention.

Should one be so inclined, one way to locate the source of a leak in a tyre (a standard passenger tyre being used for this example) is to inflate the tyre to 50–60 psi (3.4–4.1 bar) and place the tyre and wheel in a tank of water with dish soap and watch for bubbles. This method may not work all the time, especially with very small punctures, but may help one find a possible leak.

The Image below shows the repairable zones. The blue section shows the minor area that can be repaired, the red sections shows the major repair area that cannot be repaired. The Major repair sections cannot be repaired due to the British standard (BSAU195) which defines the requirements for safe tyre repair.

Wheel Balancing

Helps to eliminate vibration, gives a smoother ride, evens out tyre wear and increases the life of your tyres
Wheel balancing is included with all tyre purchases at A2 Tyres, including our mobile fitting service.

Wheel Alignment

Wheel alignment problems can be caused by hitting a kerb, driving into a pothole in the road or by excessive wear to steering or suspension components. A2 Tyres offer a complete 4 wheel alignment.

Puncture Repairs

A2 Tyres carry out tyres puncture repairs to British Standards. These are defined limits to the location, size and number of repair. A2 Tyres can repair your tyre at our workshop, your home or workplace.

Servicing

Servicing proactively maintains your car, reducing the risk of a breakdown. Servicing can help maintain your cars value. At A2 Tyres we provide a range of affordable service packages to suit your needs.

Customer Cars

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MOT and Servicing

Did you know that A2 Tyres now offer MOT testing, and servicing for all makes and models of Car and Van. Please contact us for a quotation and availability

Mobile Tyre Fitting

If you require a Mobile Fitting service, please call 0333 315 70 22 to arrange for one of our technicians to come and fit your car with new tyres, or repair a puncture.

A2 Tyre Supplies Limited offer a mobile tyre fitting service, at your home, place of work or at the roadside. With access to a wide variety of tyre brands and sizes, we can accommodate all vehicles and situations. We cover all of Kent, and being based in Detling, we are ideally located for quick response when you need us most.