1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Anyone have experience with tire repair kit?

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by MitchR, Oct 7, 2016.

  1. alexgrigori

    alexgrigori Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 6, 2016
    163
    108
    0
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Technology
    Sorry, but I still confused with variety of tire pressure settings specifically for P195/65R15 tires most Prii are equipped with.
    I agree, Eco model has the highest settings 39/36 psi (does this high pressure is the only reason for better MPGs?).
    Note that Eco trim is only available without spare tire. Non Eco model without spare has 36/35 psi.
    Non Eco with compact spare has the same 36/35 psi, however same car with full size spare has much lower pressure 32/32 psi.

    Also it would be good to know what tire brands and models are factory installed. Does Canadian cars equipped with the same tires as US and European cars?
     
  2. tpenny67

    tpenny67 Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2014
    464
    402
    0
    Location:
    Massachusetts, USA
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I did my first DIY tire rotation on the Prius yesterday, and informally compared the spare tire to the full size before swapping them, like this:

    upload_2016-12-30_11-31-39.png

    It's hard to see in the photo (more artsy and less precise than yours :), but the spare with no weight on it was definitely a tad larger in diameter than the full size mounted on the car, so it probably all works out about the same when installed.

    The reason I'm starting these awful rumors is because of cars like the Ford parked on the other size of the garage, where repeating the same experiment with it's spare shows that it's a tad smaller than the full size, even though it's not bearing weight like the full size:

    upload_2016-12-30_11-35-56.png

    And working the numbers for the Ford, 225/55R16 = 25.75" diameter, versus the spare at 125/90R15 = 23.85" diameter for almost a 2" difference in diameter. And this on a car with a limited slip rear end that really should have same diameter tires on both sides.

    And to bring this thread back to the original topic of tire repair, the plug I put into the Prius tire is still holding up fine after about 3500 miles so far:

    upload_2016-12-30_11-58-23.png
     
    RCO and Mendel Leisk like this.
  3. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2016
    11,696
    11,317
    0
    Location:
    Central Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Is this on a Gen 4 (2016 or 2017) Prius? I assume so since you did not qualify as applying to a different vehicle.
     
  4. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,470
    38,103
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    GT something? N'mind, that's a Ford, just comparison shot.
     
    #84 Mendel Leisk, Dec 30, 2016
    Last edited: Dec 30, 2016
  5. tpenny67

    tpenny67 Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2014
    464
    402
    0
    Location:
    Massachusetts, USA
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    2014, gen3, not that I expect it would be much different. The other vehicle in the photos is a 1997 Mustang.


    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  6. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,470
    38,103
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Doing rotation yourself, you grow to appreciate the effort involved. Granted the pros have lifts and air tools, but those things don't grow on trees. It's a bit of a workout. You need to stay cognizant of your back, work smart.

    For me it's invariably taking off the all seasons and putting on the snows, or vice-versa. And second act of that performance is to roll them along, pick out the embedded rocks and check for nails. Third act is to rolled them down to the end of the driveway and wash 'em. Then blow them semi-dry with the leaf blower.

    A day or two later I roll them into the "family" room, let them come up to room temp, and wax 'em.
     
    tpenny67 likes this.
  7. tpenny67

    tpenny67 Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2014
    464
    402
    0
    Location:
    Massachusetts, USA
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I have air tools, but don't always use them. Tire rotation is a good time to check brakes, tie rods, ball joints, CV joints, etc. It's better to find the problems early.

    Not to mention, setting the lugs to proper torque so you can easily get the wheel off if you have a flat.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  8. ETP

    ETP 2021 Prime(Limit),Highlander HYB Plat,B52-D,G,F,H

    Joined:
    Apr 12, 2009
    2,799
    1,170
    0
    Location:
    Auburdale FL
    Vehicle:
    2021 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Limited
    I bought a can of truck size spare tire in a can so I do not have to unload the trunk to get to the kit.

    Never had an issue of getting to a repair shop after using the can in other cars. I do not want to fiddle with that kit by the side of a busy highway and if it needs a tire the trunk kit is worthless. Also carry a plug kit which I will never use as I have had surgeries on my feet and not sure I could plug it without foot damage to my feet. Although I could use the kit on my feet.

    Problem I have is that the car is loaded with stuff to take to the grandkids and no room for a spare in the open cargo area and too expensive to modify correctly. If I had to do it over gain I would have bought the cheaper Prius with the spare and a small Toyota truck for my other vehicle. Just wanted all those safety features which work BTW!
     
    #88 ETP, Jan 3, 2017
    Last edited: Jan 3, 2017
    RCO likes this.
  9. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2016
    11,696
    11,317
    0
    Location:
    Central Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    And then in 2017 the offer the safety features as standard on the lower trims where they were not even an option earlier.
     
  10. ETP

    ETP 2021 Prime(Limit),Highlander HYB Plat,B52-D,G,F,H

    Joined:
    Apr 12, 2009
    2,799
    1,170
    0
    Location:
    Auburdale FL
    Vehicle:
    2021 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Limited
    Nice.
     
  11. tpenny67

    tpenny67 Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2014
    464
    402
    0
    Location:
    Massachusetts, USA
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Another update: a couple weeks ago my tire pressure light came on, and it turns out my DIY plugged tire was leaking 1-2 psi/day after 11,000 miles and a little over a year of service. I figured it was the plug finally giving up, and swapped the plugged tire for a used tire from a junkyard. If that tire lasts about 15k miles, the car will have 50k and it will be about time to buy a new, matched set.

    I've had good luck with used tires before, but this time they had exactly one 195/65R15 to choose from, and I didn't notice how awful the exterior sidewall looked until after it was mounted and balanced, as if something was spilled on it and attacked the rubber. But no bulges, it seems to function just fine as a tire and the ugly side is mounted on the inside so you can't see it unless you crawl under the car. Hopefully it's just a cosmetic issue. At least I don't need to pump the tire up every three days anymore.

    All this apparently because I really dislike tire dealers.
     
    RCO and Mendel Leisk like this.
  12. RCO

    RCO Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 31, 2016
    3,709
    5,182
    0
    Location:
    Cornwall
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    .... And now you've finally re-tyred
     
  13. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2016
    11,696
    11,317
    0
    Location:
    Central Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    In the US, it's re-tired. :D
     
  14. RCO

    RCO Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 31, 2016
    3,709
    5,182
    0
    Location:
    Cornwall
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    I know, but I was feeling punny! (n)
     
    Prodigyplace likes this.
  15. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2016
    11,696
    11,317
    0
    Location:
    Central Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    You call the donuts tyr es we call them tires.

    I needed to add the space due to a spell check.
     
    RCO likes this.
  16. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,470
    38,103
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    @tpenny67 maybe that plug repaired tire picked up another nail? Hard to say. Was it a big puncture, borderline for plug repair?

    I'd have to check my log, but I'd guesstimate my oldest plug repair, on of our OEM Pilots, has about 4 years and 30K kms. Both that one and another, one of our snows, no problems so far, knock on wood.
     
  17. tpenny67

    tpenny67 Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2014
    464
    402
    0
    Location:
    Massachusetts, USA
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    It's possible, though a casual check didn't show anything new embedded in the tire. The puncture itself was maybe a 1/16" (1mm?). The plug was a "dynaplug", which is a bit small and doesn't require adding glue, but also doesn't require reaming out the hole.

    The hole was right on the corner between the tread and the sidewall, where in theory it's subject to much more flexing than it would be in the center of the tread, and where most tire shops will refuse to patch it (or so the internet tells me).
     
    RCO and Mendel Leisk like this.
  18. Robert Holt

    Robert Holt Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 3, 2013
    1,313
    888
    0
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    I can confirm that some shops will not plug or patch when the puncture is near the sidewall. But I have to say, that if I had a tire with a problematic sidewall, I would have that sidewall mounted to the outside in order to keep checking it regularly for bulges. (I had bad experiences with bulging sidewall tires suddenly blowing out on me, and really do not want to repeat the experience.)
     
    tpenny67, RCO and kithmo like this.
  19. bbald123

    bbald123 Thermodynamics Law Enforcement

    Joined:
    Nov 13, 2007
    386
    271
    0
    Location:
    Harrisburg, PA
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    I had a plug repair that slowly leaked because the tire shop left too much of the plug material on the outside of the tire. The dealership fixed it by replacing the plug. FWIW and YMMV
     
    tpenny67 and kithmo like this.
  20. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,470
    38,103
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Snip it off better?

    Rhetorical question now.
     
    tpenny67 likes this.