Flat tires never happen when you’re relaxing at home. Nope. They wait until you’re running late, it’s raining sideways, and your coffee just spilled. Perfect timing.
But don’t worry—once your tire limps its way to our shop, we’ve got you covered!
Around here, we don’t believe in guesswork or “good enough” fixes. Every flat tire gets an internal inspection, and depending on what we find, we repair it using industry-approved internal methods—sometimes a patch-only repair, other times a combination patch-plug. Different injuries require different treatments. Think tire surgery, not duct tape.
Let’s walk through how we bring your tire back from the dead.
Wait—Why Not Just Pop a Plug in It?
Because we like your wheels, your life, and our reputation.
A quick “drive-by plug” might seem convenient, but it’s kind of like putting a Band-Aid on a cracked pipe. Sure, it covers the hole and might hold for a bit… until it doesn’t. And when it fails, it usually fails spectacularly—at highway speed.
If we don’t open the tire up, we can’t see:
- Whether the inside looks like a crime scene
- If the tire was driven flat and is now emotionally (and structurally) damaged
- If the puncture is even in a repairable zone
- Hidden sidewall injuries that would make the tire unsafe
So yeah—plug-only repairs? Hard pass.
Step 1: Find the Leak (Before We Take Anything Apart)
Before the tire ever comes off the wheel, we water-test it to pinpoint exactly where the air is escaping. This tells us what kind of damage we’re dealing with and helps determine whether the tire is even a candidate for repair.
Once we know what we’re dealing with, we move on to the next step.
Step 2: Take the Tire Off and Look Inside Its Soul
We pull the wheel off, pop the tire off the rim, and inspect the inside like we’re CSI: Tire Edition.
This is where we determine:
- If the tire is safe to repair
- Whether it needs a patch-only repair or a patch-plug
- Or if it’s time to have “the talk” about replacement
If we find something that makes the tire unsafe to fix, we’ll let you know—no surprises, no sketchy decisions.
Step 3: Prep the Wound
Once we find the puncture, we:
- Clean the injury
- Mark the repair area
- Buff the inner liner
- Drill out the puncture channel with a specialized tool
This removes debris, damaged rubber, and any poor life choices the tire has been carrying since it met that nail.
Step 4: Install the Right Repair (Patch or Patch-Plug)
This is where the magic happens.
Depending on the location and type of puncture, we install:
- A patch-only repair for certain small, straight-through tread punctures, or
- A combination patch-plug, which seals the inner liner and fills the puncture channel
-whichever keeps the tire safest long-term.
When utilizing a patch repair, we:
- Insert the plug from the inside out (patch plug)
- Seat the patch against the inner liner
- Apply vulcanizing cement (basically rubber superglue on steroids)
- Roll it flat until it’s bonded tighter than your phone to your hand
Both methods seal the tire internally so the tire is airtight and structurally sound.
Step 5: Button It Up and Double-Check Everything
We trim the plug (if used) flush on the outside, remount the tire, inflate it, and make sure:
- The repair is holding
- The bead is seated properly
- The tire isn’t hissing like an angry cat
Then the wheel goes back on your vehicle and gets torqued properly—not “gorilla tight,” not “barely snug,” just manufacturer-approved perfect.
Why Internal Repairs Are the Real Superheroes
Because they:
- Reinforce the area
- Seal the inner liner
- Prevent moisture intrusion
- AND keep the tire safe long-term
If your tires could talk, they’d request patch-plugs by name. Probably in a deep dramatic movie-trailer voice.
In Conclusion: Your Tire Is Safe With Us (Literally)
A flat tire is annoying.
A bad repair is dangerous.
Our process fixes the flat and makes sure you don’t end up on the side of the highway questioning your life choices and yelling at inanimate objects.
Swing by anytime you get a flat—we’ll fix it right, keep you safe, and maybe even have you laughing while you’re here.
Sandston Automotive
SMALL TOWN FEEL, BIG TIME SERVICE
804-737-7206
