Tire leak

[Kirknik]

So I put a new set of Acon Cobras on before a trip in June. Picked up a nail or something in Colorado. Rear tire on the side of the tire. Not the sidewall but probably 5 Oclock in the tread. Hole is in one of the grooves in the tire. Tires have ride on in them but I guess the puncture was too far off center for it to help. A little leaked out but did not seal the hole.
I plugged the tire with a string plug and its been fine for about 4000 kms  (2500miles ish). Losing maybe 4lbs in a week.
Now its leaking. 10lbs overnight.

Can I re plug it?
Do I need to remove the old plug if so?
Seeing as its kinda on the side is an inside plug worth the effort. I'm thinking once I have the wheel off maybe just replace the tire but such a shame with 4500 miles on it 

Avon has Cobra Chrome now. Can i put a cobra chrome on and leave the cobra on the front?

[HBFL]

I've plugged my share of car and mc tires over the years. All string plugs. If the hole isn't bolt sized, I wouldn't give up. I've had too much good luck. I finally purchased a Stop and Go tire plugger. I hope I never need it. It has a mushroom plug deployed inside the tire. I'll still carry string plugs. Good luck.

[Gryphon Rider]

If my tire on my bike, I would dismount the tire from the rim, scrape and clean the Ride-on from around the hole, patch it with a mushroom plug from the inside, then remount the tire and let the Ride-on redistribute itself.

I would not hesitate to use the new Chrome model tire on the rear with a good Cobra on the front.

Plug installation video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mflq7WD0V6o

[Leathel]

the rope repairs are a temp fix to get you home IMHO, the do a mushroom type patch glued in from the inside

[indybobm]

I've plugged my share of car and mc tires over the years. All string plugs. If the hole isn't bolt sized, I wouldn't give up. I've had too much good luck. I finally purchased a Stop and Go tire plugger. I hope I never need it. It has a mushroom plug deployed inside the tire. I'll still carry string plugs. Good luck.

Stop and Go is a good product. It should be noted that the plug ends up on the inside of the tire but is inserted from the outside of the tire.

[h13man]

If you didn't drain out the sealant before plugging chances are the plug isn't going to hold. I had same situation as you and put the hole at 6 o'clock and airing up over and over until the tire leaked clear air and cleaned the hole at a 10 o'clock position with plug file and 90% alcohol then plugged it. This was about 6,500 mi. and lasted to 12,000 when I wore out the stock Dunflop's. This was a rear tire plugging and didn't leak after that. The tire's were 3 yr.'s old at time of the plug job and was replaced the following fall.

[RWhitehouse]

I've run Stop n Go plugs for thousands of miles and the tire lever leaked one bit. I wouldn't hesitate to use one. The kit I keep in my saddlebag at all times has been a lifesaver more than once.

If that still keeps you up at night, pull the tire and patch it from the inside.

I've never had very good luck with the tar cord plugs, at least on MC tires. They usually leak and more than once I've had them spit out. To me they are for emergency, get-you-off-the-shoulder use only when it comes to bike tires.

[Bighead]

As I have stated many times I would only ride a plugged MC tire as far as the closest shop to put a new tire on. My life is worth more than a few $100 to me. To each his own. JMHO.

[Leathel]

I've run Stop n Go plugs for thousands of miles and the tire lever leaked one bit. I wouldn't hesitate to use one. The kit I keep in my saddlebag at all times has been a lifesaver more than once.

If that still keeps you up at night, pull the tire and patch it from the inside.

I've never had very good luck with the tar cord plugs, at least on MC tires. They usually leak and more than once I've had them spit out. To me they are for emergency, get-you-off-the-shoulder use only when it comes to bike tires.

I also use stop n go, have had one leak on the bike but held enough to get home to repair it, have had them hold on my car, that has a spare so haven't bothered to repair those

[Kirknik]

How about putting a tube in?
Assuming I can find the right size?

Anybody got any experience with tubes in a tubeless tire?

[Bighead]

No problem with a tube in a tubless tire.

[cookiedough]

If my tire on my bike, I would dismount the tire from the rim, scrape and clean the Ride-on from around the hole, patch it with a mushroom plug from the inside, then remount the tire and let the Ride-on redistribute itself.

I would not hesitate to use the new Chrome model tire on the rear with a good Cobra on the front.

Plug installation video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mflq7WD0V6o

The plug/patch combo from the inside in this video I would trust for the life of the tire my car tire guy has done 5 of them over the years for me no issues ever for 40-50K more miles life of tire, but the last 1/2 of the video I would be leery of putting the worm type mushroom plugs from the outside in for the life of the tire.  I would replace the tire if doing the mushroom plugs from the outside in, that is just me though.  would come in handy to have them though to get you buy in a pinch if on the road would not hurt one bit to try and use them and hope they hold until get a new tire.

[da prez]

  A radial tire need a radial tube. A radial tube can be used in a bias tire tho.  Rope plugs should be twisted after installing to form a knot or mushroom to prevent pull out.
  A plug patch installed from the inside is a permanent repair. The plug should not be cut off until after the patch is stitched or rolled to set it. The glue should also be allowed to dry before installing. Lightly lube the plug with glue and pull thru and hold while stitching. Lightly re-glue the patch on the inside .
  I use the plug patch and if properly installed it will last the life of the tire. Being one tire lost is 50% of road contact , go with your gut feeling.

                                                           da prez

[GRR]

If the inside of the tire carcass is ground smooth, the metal-shank professional mushroom plug installed and glued from the inside will create a like-new seal that can restore any good tire to normal use.

The rubber mushroom plugs should be considered as a temporary fix to get you home. The movement of the tire plys can and will saw the head off the plug, which will then likely leak.

[MarkT]

I've had those combo patch/plugs leak sideways through the plies.  Had best luck with the string plugs.  I've heard they are supposed to work OK without the glue.  But I use the glue anyway.  In over 20 years on the Valk having to plug tires is very rare for me.  Especially since I went darkside and use Ride-On to balance - never since then.  All leaks / nails have been in the back tire on MC tires - never front for me.  Pretty sure it's because the front runs over a nail, makes it stand up to penetrate the rear.

[Ricky-D]

Yeah, I'm good with the string plugs, using the glue, and they perform admirably in all my tires that I have plugged, bike and car.

Occasionally they have leaked a little bit, but never to a point where I feel my life is being threatened, they won't blow out.

However, and this is a good warning about the plugs if you're going to use them.

You must absolutely, go in with the plug, in the exact puncture hole that was made by the object that punctured the tire.

There will be no real danger if you fail to follow the path of the puncture, but you increase the chance you'll eventually end up with a ply
separation somewhere on the tire.

The inside surface of the tire acts like a soft inner tube in that it is the last barrier to prevent a leak, and if this surface is not sealed properly
with the plug, along with the tire body and tread, air can migrate between these layers and eventually end up looking like a bubble on the
sidewall or some other place on the tire.

Not something you'd want to ride on, that's for sure.

***

[F6Dave]

I've worn out 40+ tires on my Valkyries, and had to plug at least a half dozen of them.  I've always used the sticky string plugs.  All but one of those plugs lasted for the full life of the tire.  The exception was a plug in a nasty puncture that developed a slow leak.  I stopped the leak by re-inserting a pair of the string plugs.  BTW, I buy the sticky plugs that are sealed in a blister pack.  They don't come with glue and I always use them as is.

When repairing a puncture I've had the best results by leaving as much of the string plug inside the tire as possible.  That allows the material to form a patch on the inside of the tire.  The first time I dismounted a tire I'd plugged I was surprised to see how effective the plug was.

On my F6B I've added the Show Chrome TPMS, which lets me read the pressures and temperatures as I ride.  It's great to know that your tires are properly inflated, and to be warned if a tire is losing pressure.  It's also interesting how much the pressures and temperatures increase as you ride.  On a hot day at highway speeds the rear can gain several PSI and 25 or more degrees over the ambient temperature.  No wonder they don't last.