Nail in tire

[mkiv808]

I have what appears to be a big honkin' nail in my front tire (A048).

Tire still seems to have pretty good air pressure.

Guess the best solution is buying a new tire.

Any precautions before going to a tire shop? Do these cars have to be lifted in a certain way? I would imagine they need jack pucks?

Kthx.

[delise]

You should be able to just get the tire patched vs buying a whole new tire, but that said you need to be aware of several issues, read the manual under tires & lifting the car. I had a giant nail in my rear tire but it was not leaking so I hobbled to globe tires here in LA. If you can help it don't use the fix a flat gunk, tire shops hate dealing with that stuff. They did not even charge me to patch the tire while I waited, the owner just told me to tip the worker who was working on my car well ! I would try to find a reputable high perf tire shop in your area or a Lotus dealer, vs your local Sears or such...

When you go to the tire shop , ask them if they can patch the puncture then:

1. Watch them do the work!
2. No lifts allowed !! They must use a floor jack at the blue dot on the bottom lift point, preferably with a pro floor jack with rubber puck at the contact point
3. No air tools (per the manual) on the lugs
4. The lugs MUST be torqued to 77 ft lbs by hand tool
5. Tire shops tend to over inflate , the fronts need 26 lbs of air, last time I went they had put 33 lbs in the tires !

6. Don't let this happen to your car at a tire shop

[mkiv808]

Maybe it'd be easier just to remove the wheel myself and leave it on a jack stand for the 2 hours it takes to have it patched?

[delise]

Originally Posted by mkiv808

Maybe it'd be easier just to remove the wheel myself and leave it on a jack stand for the 2 hours it takes to have it patched?

Yeah for sure ,if that is an option, that would be best by far in my opinion!

[codymac]

Get a $5 plug kit from any auto parts store and just plug it yourself.

[CosmosMpower]

I've gotten various nails in my A048's. The first time I took it to a tire shop and they dismoutned it, patched it from the inside. The second time I just bought a plug kit and plugged it myself. If you go that route I would eventually go get it patched from the inside as that's a safe method.

[dbisbee]

If you plug it yourself you should still go get it balanced as the patch can cause the balance to change. You should patch it from the inside if you plan on tracking the car.

Yes I would take the tire off the car myself and take it to the shop.

[kestrel74]

Originally Posted by mkiv808

Do these cars have to be lifted in a certain way? Kthx.

I really don't want to sound too sarcastic.....but did you get a manual with your car ??

[mkiv808]

Originally Posted by kestrel74

I really don't want to sound too sarcastic.....but did you get a manual with your car ??

Ironically, no. HRM did not have the manual.

[kestrel74]

http://sight.net/lotus/Elise_Manual.pdf

[fitfan]

if you repair it - (patch) just keep in mind while ok for the road - that is not suitable for the track. would hate for you to experiance a catastrophic failure.

[insane]

Originally Posted by dbisbee

If you plug it yourself you should still go get it balanced as the patch can cause the balance to change. You should patch it from the inside if you plan on tracking the car.

Yes I would take the tire off the car myself and take it to the shop.

Plug 'n patch and balance if you're going to run it on the street. If you're going to track it, replace the tire.

Damn.... Rod beat me to it!

[CosmosMpower]

I checked with a few tire shops and they said a patch on the inside is ok for the track, but a plug is not. Personally it's not worth it to risk it but in a pinch I think it'd be ok to run a tire that was properly patched from the inside. YMMV.

[nockpoint]

Point out to whomever is doing the work the condition of your rim before they get going on it... actually snap a photo of it as well. I had my rear A048s replaced and one of the rims got munched up. From what I've read on other threads rim damage isn't a rare occurrence.

[Kaliuzhkin]

Here's a question: is it possible that upon removing the nail, the tire will NOT be patchable?

I ask because one of my Elise's tires has a slow leak: about 5 psi/day. I'm reluctant to take it to my nearby friendly gas station because if it needs a new tire, he couldn't provide it and I'd have to have the car towed 35 miles.

So for now, I put air in every other day.

[LARRY]

Originally Posted by mkiv808

I have what appears to be a big honkin' nail in my front tire (A048).

Tire still seems to have pretty good air pressure.

Guess the best solution is buying a new tire.

Any precautions before going to a tire shop? Do these cars have to be lifted in a certain way? I would imagine they need jack pucks?

Kthx.

They can pull the nail out if it's not in the sidewall. It always possible it may not be patchable.

Don't pull it out yourself until you are at the tire store - let them do it.

Make sure they have worked on a Lotus before.

Otherwise go to your Lotus dealer. They'll have fresh A048's and know what they're doing and the dealer will not damage the wheels.

Also nice to have the lug nuts torqued to spec which most tire places do not do.

Any doubt whatsoever, do not put on a lift. Change the tires on the ground with a jack.

Keep a fresh can of fix a flat in the trunk wrapped in foam. The one that comes with the car is not good enough.

Good luck!

[RacyTracy]

Originally Posted by kestrel74

http://sight.net/lotus/Elise_Manual.pdf

Read page 148.

[ZAMMY1]

first, i'm no expert.
my tire man said there is a plug system that ia approved for the high speed tires we use.
that said, i wouldn't track any but perfect tires.

there are different size cans of flat fixer. get the biggest. a 20 oz. is available at advance auto.
i've seen 12 and 16 oz. also.
good luck, sam

[insane]

Originally Posted by ZAMMY1

first, i'm no expert.
my tire man said there is a plug system that ia approved for the high speed tires we use.
that said, i wouldn't track any but perfect tires.

there are different size cans of flat fixer. get the biggest. a 20 oz. is available at advance auto.
i've seen 12 and 16 oz. also.
good luck, sam

That's one of these, Sam:

....approved for high-speed rated tires, but no longer at the origial speed rating. Certainly not on a race track.

[xtn]

I don't recommend that Fix-O-Crap stuff. Carrying a plug kit and a tiny emergency compressor doesn't really take up much more room or weight.

xtn