SuzukiSavage.com - Nail in rear tire:patch or replace?

jjthejetplane

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Nail in rear tire:patch or replace?
12/10/15 at 08:54:57

Hello again guys and gals,

It's been a few weeks since my last visit.
I took my bike out for a ride today-my first after my long trek down the NE to the south- and picked up a freaking nail.
I knew immediately that this means needing a lift and so this is out of reach of my DIY. The nail is still sitting pretty snugly as I didn't want to pull it until I knew for sure what to do.
I am currently in Atlanta and was test riding before making my trip to Miami next week. I have yelped a few cycle repair shops but I am not too thrilled with the reviews I am reading and am extremely hesitant to trust my bike with anyone else after my past experiences. I was even going to attempt it myself but after reading some of the posts here, I don't think that would be the best idea with my lack of experience.
Can someone please direct me towards a reputable thumper mechanic in Atl?? Or offer some advice on patching?
I picked up the nail about 15 mins ago. It looks to be about 4 in long and is halfway in at this point.
I wanted to whitewall tires but not this soon. Undecided

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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28886 L.A. California Gender:	Re: Nail in rear tire:patch or replace? Reply #1 - 12/10/15 at 09:33:11 If you're at a place where you can take the wheel off, you'll save some money if you can take just that to the shop. And I wouldn't do it yourself, it's hard to do especially the 1st time. Not knowing the age or condition of the tube, I'd just replace it if you can.
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Rodger

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Re: Nail in rear tire:patch or replace?
Reply #2 - 12/10/15 at 09:41:31

Sorry to hear about your bad luck! I've been lucky, I guess...in 40+ years of riding, have only had to do one roadside tire repair and that was on my riding buddy's CB500 Honda. (That should tell you how long ago THAT was...lol )

First off, is the nail in the tread or sidewall of the tire? If the sidewall, the tire might be toast....if in the tread, the tire may be okay as long as it's just punctured and there isn't much damage to the cords.

If tire is just punctured and the inner tube hasn't torn, here are two fixes:

1) replace the inner tube and remount the tire (safest bet); or...

2) patch the tube and replace it with a new tube as soon as you can. (Keep the patched tube as a "roadside spare" for the next trip.)

Good Luck!

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jjthejetplane

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Re: Nail in rear tire:patch or replace?
Reply #3 - 12/10/15 at 10:21:34

Thanks for the replies.

You're saying I could remove the tire @verslagen1? I'm just not sure that I can. I don't have a lift. If it's something I can accomplish with my tool box and a carjack, maybe. I would not trust myself enough to attempt anything more with my baby which I know you also advised against.

I am pretty close to a cycle repair shop but the reviews have scared me a bit-mostly that the mechanic has not spoken up when confronted with bikes or issues he has not been knowledgeable about and tire replacements lasting 3wks or longer. After my prior experiences, I would rather not risk it with anyone who is not Savage-savvy mostly bc I am looking to put on a white wall rear replacement and that would entail a few mods, simple but I have seen how easily simple can be perverted on a savage. I am thinking of going with a 140/90-15 maxxis , if I can find it. If not, perhaps just a topper insert til I find a mechanic I trust.

I don't know the age of the tires but based solely on visual inspection, I expected at least another yr of use. I would prefer to swap it out just to be on the safe side but I'd rather patch it than leave it with a tinkerer. I have not spent 24 hrs away from my bike since I've had it back and I diy everything now.
Experiencing separation anxiety thinking about it.
Last time it took a yr and about 2 grand to get her bk.

Basically, I have to go to a shop, right? Is anyone nearby tho? I still don't know where to find or how to use the members map, if I have stumbled across it. I am getting better at using the site. I have been reading tire posts for the last two hours.

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jcstokes

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Re: Nail in rear tire:patch or replace?
Reply #4 - 12/10/15 at 10:38:39

Well I understand your concern with mechanical repairs to your bike, particularly from "stealerships". I feel that any competent shop should be able to remove and replace a tyre. You could try a yellow pages check for motorcycle tyre seller, or talk to some of the big online tyre sellers about who they recommend as tyre fitters.

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verslagen1

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Re: Nail in rear tire:patch or replace?
Reply #5 - 12/10/15 at 10:55:20

OK, so you can't do any work yourself. Please familiarize yourself with the assembly. You need to check everything they do.
The big spacer goes on the left, the skinny one on the right.
If they take off the pulley there's another spacer in there and there's a certain orientation.
If you have a choice of tubes, you might want one with a bent stem and point it to the brake side.

If you have to ride it to the shop, fill up the tire and push in the nail as far as it will go. go slow.

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stewmills

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Re: Nail in rear tire:patch or replace?
Reply #6 - 12/10/15 at 11:06:17

Don't do what I did and forget it's a tube tire and try to fix it temporarily with a plug kit. Only proper fix is a patch IF the cords are OK. If you try to ream it out with a plugger that'll likely make it worse. Let a professional pull the nail and investigate the damage. I probably messed up a 600 mile new tire doing what I did and had to spend another $190 on a new tire, tube, etc. because I was worried the tire was damaged and at risk due to my ignorance and riding way too long on the flat looking for air.

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jjthejetplane

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Re: Nail in rear tire:patch or replace?
Reply #7 - 12/10/15 at 11:18:53

Found a place about 30 mins away who will swap out the inner tube for me for about 70 w the price of the tube included.Will a 140/90 tube fit my stock tire? And should I have them inspect it before just putting in the inner tube bc now I am really worried about riding a half hr with that nail in!? I could get a Shinko for under 70. This bike is going to give me premature grays.

Thank you all for the insight and replies. Always helpful and it's appreciated.

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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28886 L.A. California Gender:	Re: Nail in rear tire:patch or replace? Reply #8 - 12/10/15 at 12:20:24 Tube should fit a range of sizes. You want one that will go in without any folds.
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jcstokes Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com is very useful Posts: 2119 Mauku New Zealand Gender:	Re: Nail in rear tire:patch or replace? Reply #9 - 12/11/15 at 01:28:54 No disrespect but you shouldn't get the greys over a tyre. Do as Verslagen says, so take a photo of the spacers before you ride to the tyre shop, then you have a point of reference. Ask the shop how many Savages/S40's they have worked on.
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Steve H

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Re: Nail in rear tire:patch or replace?
Reply #10 - 12/11/15 at 04:18:34

I can't believe there isn't someone on here in the ATL area that could offer some assistance. JJ's sure had a rotten run of luck with her bike.

I can change tires but I tend to scratch up rims when I do it and I'm 200 miles away.

Gyrobob is in Newman, he the closest on the member map with a name that I recognize and I don't know if he's still active on here or not.

Hope you get it fixed. This weekend is supposed to be some very nice weather for riding.

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oldNslow

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Re: Nail in rear tire:patch or replace?
Reply #11 - 12/11/15 at 07:20:33

jt - I'm a little late to this party, but I just looked at the picture you posted and I've got to ask. Is your tire actually flat. Have you checked with a tire gauge to see if there is air in it or not. At the angle that nail looks to be sticking into the tire, are you sure it actually punctured the tube.

You are not going to be able to ride to a shop thirty minutes away if the tire actually is flat, and if the tire is holding air, I'd suggest you pull the nail out and see what happens. If you try riding with the nail in, and the tube is not punctured now, I guarantee it will be shredded long before you get where you are going.

If your tire is flat, then ignore everything I just said except the part about riding the bike anywhere.

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jjthejetplane

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Re: Nail in rear tire:patch or replace?
Reply #12 - 12/11/15 at 08:23:26

It doesn't look to be flat. I haven't checked it this morning so don't hold me to that. I will go out in just a bit and check it out. I had to ride about two blocks home but heard it when I picked it up. Prob pushed it in a bit deeper. I am not positive that the tube is punctured but if I pull it out, I may not be able to ride it at all, right? If it deflates, that is..

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jjthejetplane Full Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 164 22560 Gender:	Re: Nail in rear tire:patch or replace? Reply #13 - 12/11/15 at 08:25:43 Thanks. @vers and @steve also. I will try to find gyrobob. I am going to do a bit more calling around before I make that trip. I hope to find something closer. Thanks all.
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oldNslow

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Re: Nail in rear tire:patch or replace?
Reply #14 - 12/11/15 at 08:43:00

jjthejetplane wrote on 12/11/15 at 08:23:26:

It doesn't look to be flat. I haven't checked it this morning so don't hold me to that. I will go out in just a bit and check it out. I had to ride about two blocks home but heard it when I picked it up. Prob pushed it in a bit deeper. I am not positive that the tube is punctured but if I pull it out, I may not be able to ride it at all, right? If it deflates, that is..

You need a tire pressure gauge. The sidewalls on these tires are pretty stiff. The weight of the bike won't squash them down like a car tire so sometimes it's not obvious that they are flat or low without checking the pressure. If there is still air in the tire, especially if it's got close to the recommended pressure in it, the nail may not have reached the tube. The fact that you rode the bike a few blocks with the nail in there is a good sign.

If it was my bike I'd still pull it apart and check the tire and tube carefully, but if it's still holding air today I'd feel comfortable pulling the nail out of the tire, checking the pressure in an hour or so to make sure it was OK, and as long as it was, riding it carefully to wherever I had to go to do the work or get it done.

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