Help, I'm screwed

[Sprey]

Not a happy start to my Sunday.

Found this screw in my left rear wheel. As it was likely to penetrate further from driving, I carefully removed it. Unfortunately, my tyre is leaking according to the tried-and-tested soapy water test.

It's a pretty slow leak, but obviously requires attention. What suggestion might you folks have please? Any reputable tyre shop in Sydney you'd recommend?

[d3syd]

Pretty short screw. Should be easy to fix. If it was me I would DIY repair it with my repair kit. I wouldn't stress over it.

[Yep 135]

A decent tyre shop will plug that for about$30.00
try a large independant one. They wont.... wait for it.... screw you around!

[jksgoh]

I've had two tyres replaced due to nails!
both stores wouldnt repair them as they are RFT. but as the people above have mentioned a good independent store may help you out.
I cant really tell from the photo but if its close to the side wall they may recommend not to repair it....

[morscode]

you *might* be in the clear with the location of that puncture. If it's past or too close to the end of the belt, you're 'screwed'!

Make sure you don't drive on it with less then 20 psi, might wanna put that screw back in.

[Zuzu]

Spoke with my neighbour who is the National Sales Mgr for Yokahama Tyres about that type of puncture last week and he informed me that as long as it is not in the side wall it is repairable...

[Lester]

I need a screw that looks exactly like that to repair a door. Can you mail it to Canada?

[d3syd]

[Sprey]

Thanks for the feedback folks - And I'll post that screw up for sale on the 'For Sale' thread! For the right price, it may come with a RFT attached.

I did a quick check of the pressures this morning and discovered something I wasn't expecting.

When I measured it yesterday, I was using a new Tyre Pressure gauge which I wasn't as intimate with and I didn't realise what I was reading. It measured 47.5psi at mid day, prior to any drive. This morning, cooler and parked overnight, I did the same today and it was 46.5psi.

Realising and reading (and absorbing) the first digit correctly today, that is, it's in the 40 psi range as opposed to 30's, I measured the other wheels real quick. The other rear (right) was 36 psi and my front (right) was 32 psi. I couldn't get to the front left.

Has my dealer stuffed up the pre-delivery?

Anyway, not sure if I am losing 1psi a day or if the difference is just because of lower ambient temperature this morning. I do have to believe the soap test so I hope to find a good tyre shop to hopefully repair/plug it.

I am annoyed with the dealer however! I did think the rear tended to hop over corrugations under power but thought that was just the way 18's and 35 series tyres were.

[TimMc]

I suspect that the RFTs may lose air more quickly than normal. I pumped mine up before I went o/s in November & checked them on my return a couple of weeks ago. They'd lost ~15 PSI each in 10 weeks.
BTW, I pump my tyres up at the service station (why do we still call them that???), to ~ 6 psi above specification & then use my own gauges to check & reset pressure when I've been home for several hours (tyres cooled in the garage).

[Sprey]

Quick update:

I haven't been driving the car much until yesterday. Armed with a more accurate pressure gauge, I discovered my pressures were 36psi on the fronts, and 52psi (!) and 44psi on the rears. 52psi was the left rear wheel with the screw.

From my conversion from bars to psi, that's about right. Except the severely over-inflated wheel with the screw. I can't believe they delivered the car to me this way.

The good news is the pressure really hasn't changed since I removed the screw, some driving may affect that. So for now, I've corrected that tyre from 52psi to 44psi, reset the TPMS and we'll see how I go.

The drive to work this morning suggests there is much less 'hopping' over corrugated surfaces. Who would have thought! Anyway, fingers crossed!