Thursday, April 14, 2011 Proper tire repair made easy
 Longstanding industry guidelines for passenger and light truck tire repair are now more easily accessible to tire dealers and technicians through the RMA website.
In addition to a wall-chart of step-by-step, industry-recommended tire repair practices, RMA now offers the information in a free, downloadable format. A tire repair video news release and a consumer-friendly information sheet also are available.
“Proper tire repair is an essential consumer safety practice,” said Charles Cannon, RMA president and CEO. “Faulty or improper repairs may result in tires placed back into service that are at greater risk of failure.”
A 2006 RMA study of more than 14,000 scrap tires found that 17% of tires had a tire repair. Of that group, 88% of the repairs were improper.
Among several criteria to perform a proper repair are:
• Repairs are limited to the tread area only (No sidewall repairs)
• Puncture injury cannot be greater than 1/4 inch (6mm) in diameter
• Repairs must be performed by removing the tire from the wheel to perform a complete inspection to assess all damage that may be present
• Repairs cannot overlap
• A rubber stem, or plug, must be applied to fill the puncture injury and a patch must be applied to seal the innerliner. A common repair unit is a one-piece unit with a stem and patch portion. A plug by itself is an unacceptable repair
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