Flat trailer tires: do you fix or replace?

[Trailer Park Casanova]

Settle this debate.
Load range E, 15" low miles, nail puncture center tred.
Patch or replace the trailer tire?
Usually my flats are complete catastropic wheel and all.
Waddya think?
Ok to fix?
What have your experiences been with trailer tire repairs?

[Havasu Carrera]

If your flats are Catastrophic its from driving on them when they go flat. (90% of the time)RIM AND ALL?
In your case REPLACE and ck tire pressure before every trip. Don't forget lube the bearings. During the first of every summer seems like everyone is loosing trailer wheels from bearing failure.
YOU CAN SAFELY patch or I prefer plug the tire. One very important thing is there any dry rot? If so REPLACE. See ya at the river.:)

[HocusPocus]

i had a trailer tire patched 2 years ago.. never had a problem with it. they used a combo type of a plug/patch deal, its a patch with a plug attached to it and it was the first time i have ever seen one like it.
http://img.alibaba.com/photo/11118847/Plug_Patch_Repair.jpg

[havasu5150]

I've patched traielr tires and have never had a problem. Check air pressure regularly. I think a patch is a better fix than a plug.

[BigDogIvan]

I have used the patched tires as a spare but always have the good ones as full time on the ground tires.

[SummerBreeze]

Always replace trailer tires

[Baja Big Dog]

Ive got 2 tons of miles towing trailers, and a ton of them towing in Mexico. If they are radials and the hole if in the tread remove and patch, if they are the piece of shit trailer tires the discount trailer guys are using throw them away and replace.
Dont know why anyone would tell you to throw away a perfectly good tire with a hole in the tread... if you do call me and Ill take um off your hands:sqeyes:
Do you throw away the tires on your car/truck when they get a nail in them??

[GunninGopher]

Settle this debate.
Load range E, 15" low miles, nail puncture center tred.
Patch or replace the trailer tire?
Usually my flats are complete catastropic wheel and all.
Waddya think?
Ok to fix?
What have your experiences been with trailer tire repairs?
The only reason not to patch it is if you went very far on the flat, in which case the sidewalls will be ruined. The tire shop will be able to inspect that for you. With the puncture where you describe, if you didn't roll on the flat then by all means, patch it and I don't even worry about the patch failing.
I've, personally never been able to repair a trailer tire because I've either had it partially delaminate (really sucks because it will take a fender with it sometimes) or didn't know it was flat until a couple of miles down the road. Mostly, though, I replace them because of rot, not because they won't hold air. I'd I'd never replace one just because it had a nail in it, but was otherwise in great shape.

[Baja Big Dog]

The only reason not to patch it is if you went very far on the flat, in which case the sidewalls will be ruined. The tire shop will be able to inspect that for you. With the puncture where you describe, if you didn't roll on the flat then by all means, patch it and I don't even worry about the patch failing.
I've, personally never been able to repair a trailer tire because I've either had it partially delaminate (really sucks because it will take a fender with it sometimes) or didn't know it was flat until a couple of miles down the road. Mostly, though, I replace them because of rot, not because they won't hold air. I'd I'd never replace one just because it had a nail in it, but was otherwise in great shape.
Dont you wish they sold trailer tires with only half teh tread at half the price, has anyone worn out a trailer tire?? They normally rot first!!!

[Ziggy]

Patch if the tire is still a safe tire to use, otherwise replace it.
Most times you don't notice trailer flats early enough to save them so its kinda a moot point anyhow.

[BOBALOO]

I worked at Goodyear for a while and we would always patch tires. I have 100% faith in patches and if they use a patch plug, which was shown earlier that is better. I patched everything from Corvettes to Chevettes and never had a problem.
IMPORTANT!!! If you drive even a couple blocks on a flat you probably will destroy the inside of the tire anyways.
Once the glue inside dries we stick the patch to the tire, it only comes back off with a grinder. Kinda like sitting down on a toilet seat in Home Depot that is covered in super:eek: glue.

[dumbandyoung]

i had a blowout from a patched tire. cost me $400 and 6 hours on the side of the 40.. replace...and carry a spare..and tools:D

[HocusPocus]

i had a blowout from a patched tire. cost me $400 and 6 hours on the side of the 40.. replace...and carry a spare..and tools:D
i doubt it was the patch that caused your blowout, im sure the tire must have had other issues.
its always a great idea to carry spares and tools, i can't even begin to count how many times over the years that we have stopped to help someone with a tire only to find out they had no spare, jack and or tools. i still laugh when i think about the kid with the lifted up f250 on 38's and a rear locker who only had the spare that came from the factory.

[charlyox]

I say replace. I replaced one and then another one separated and then another one. It sucks being on the side of the road when you could be on the water because you tried to save a few bucks. Just my 2 cents.:D