Plugging a Tire Tutorial (Several Pics)

[Black Lab]

I believe I purchased my tire plug kit from Adventure Motostuff last year or the year before. I have used it 4 times with excellent results. Some folks like "mushroom" style plugs, some folks like the "worm" or "corded" style plug. Whichever style you lean towards, I encourage you to purchase a kit and carry it with you!!!!

Last Fall, while walking through my garage, I noticed something funny about my front tire.

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg216/barry_buchanan/Plugging%20Tire/Nail01.jpg

My guess is, this was what was left of a furniture leg "bumper". It's just that all of the rubber had worn off and what was left was the nail and its backing plate.

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg216/barry_buchanan/Plugging%20Tire/Nail03.jpg

After removing the culprit. I reamed out the hole with the kit supplied reaming tool.

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg216/barry_buchanan/Plugging%20Tire/Reaming.jpg

Then, (as per kit included instructions), I used the Tool Tip to insert a mushroom plug into the Tool Handle.

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg216/barry_buchanan/Plugging%20Tire/InsertPlugintoTool.jpg

Using the kit supplied awl, I inserted the awl through the Tool Tip.

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg216/barry_buchanan/Plugging%20Tire/AwlintoTip.jpg

Then I installed the Tool Tip into the tire; the awl acting as a guide to push the Tool Tip into the tire.

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg216/barry_buchanan/Plugging%20Tire/TipintoTire01.jpg

Then I removed the awl and left the tip "embedded" in the tire.

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg216/barry_buchanan/Plugging%20Tire/TipintoTire03.jpg

Next, I threaded the Tool Handle, (that has a mushroom plug loaded into it), into the Tool Tip.

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg216/barry_buchanan/Plugging%20Tire/HandleintoTip.jpg

Once the handle and tip were screwed tight, I used the kit supplied allen wrench to tighten the hex head screw on the back end of the Tool Handle. I tightened the screw until I couldn't twist the screw anymore. The mushroom plug was now forced, "cap end" first, into the tire.

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg216/barry_buchanan/Plugging%20Tire/TightenPlugintoTire.jpg

Next, I backed the allen screw out and slowly pulled the Tool Handle and Tool Tip out of the tire.

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg216/barry_buchanan/Plugging%20Tire/RemoveHandleFromTire.jpg

Here, you can see the plug shaft. I believe this is where individuals who have tried this system, (or type of plug), and have had it fail, have made a mistake. It's at this point that they cut the excess plug off. DON'T!!!!

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg216/barry_buchanan/Plugging%20Tire/PlugAfterToolRemoval.jpg

For the mushroom head to seat properly, you need to pull the head up against the inside of the tire. You do that by pulling on the "shaft" of the plug. And I mean PULL!. You will feel the shaft stretch and also slide. You will feel the head of the plug pull up against the inside of the tire. An increased resistance will occur.

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg216/barry_buchanan/Plugging%20Tire/PullingPlug01copy.jpg

EDIT: (03-29-09)

This is what a properly seated mushroom plug looks like from the inside of the tire.

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg216/barry_buchanan/Plugging%20Tire/EditPlugTire.jpg


Now, I let the plug "relax" a little. The shaft will shrink back some. It's at this point that the plug should be cut. (Using the kit supplied razor knife.)

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg216/barry_buchanan/Plugging%20Tire/CuttingPlug.jpg

Inflate tire to desired pressure.

I have ridden thousands of miles on these plugs. No problems.

Barry B.

[silverstrom]

Excellent!

Thanks.

SS

[10guy]

Nice description and pictures:thumbsup:

[Bisbonian]

I've never seen the mushroom type plug before (I use the strings). Very interesting setup.

Thanks for the pics!

[LordSmoke]

Oo, that looks all high-tech. I use the strips and rubber cement. I just feel more comfortable with something that uses a sticky liquid. Is there any stickem on the mushrooms or just dry rubber?

[Ragnagwar]

Thank's for the write up. I've got the same kit but haven't had to use it yet.
Good to hear that it works as advertised.

[bill l]

I have that kit too and until now had no idea how to use it. Thanks!

[rcacs]

Great how-to demo...thanks.

I am curious tho, about your placement of the PIAA's. I have considered mounting mine down low like that on the crash bars, have you had any problem with stone chips and/or breakage of the lens's?

Cheers!

[TravellingStrom]

Great how-to demo...thanks.

I am curious tho, about your placement of the PIAA's. I have considered mounting mine down low like that on the crash bars, have you had any problem with stone chips and/or breakage of the lens's?

Cheers!

Just look to the left of the photo, question probably answered about light damage :)

Nice write up though, I know someone who used one of those and I do not believe they did the stretchy thingy at the end, the plug failed within a few hundred kms.


Cheers
TS

[rcacs]

I did notice that, and was wondering.....

Just look to the left of the photo, question probably answered about light damage :)

Nice write up though, I know someone who used one of those and I do not believe they did the stretchy thingy at the end, the plug failed within a few hundred kms.


Cheers
TS

[Black Lab]

Great how-to demo...thanks.

I am curious tho, about your placement of the PIAA's. I have considered mounting mine down low like that on the crash bars, have you had any problem with stone chips and/or breakage of the lens's?

Cheers!

My bike is a 2007 DL-650. Originally, my PIAA lights were mounted directly to my SW-Motech crash bars. In the Fall of 2007, a deer jumped out of the woods and hit me and my bike on the right side, causing the bike to lay down on the left side. All three of usd slid about 90ft, (the deer lived, but left a bunch of hair stuck in places on my bike!). The left PIAA light got crushed, but insurance paid for a new pair.

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg216/barry_buchanan/PIAALight.jpg

Ten days after the deer incident, I took a turn too fast, (cold tires and cold pavement) and the bike went out from under me, I crushed the right PIAA light. I was near the end of the riding season, so I didn't do anything about it other then come up with a plan.......

Last Winter, I came up with the cross bar that you see in the photo. Here are two better shots.

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg216/barry_buchanan/2008%20Modifications/DSC00018.jpg

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg216/barry_buchanan/2008%20Modifications/DSC00016.jpg

The cross bar was a length of steel pipe I purchased at Home Depot. The length of it was determined by having room to mount the lights and for the lights to miss the road in a lay down situation. I actually laid the bike over on its side mimicking a crash to get the proper length which included frame sliders mounted in the ends of the tube.

Late last Fall, (Why is it always Fall? A pun intended?), I again, took a turn too "hot" on frosty cold pavement and the bike low-sided, and then bounced to a high-side as it slid down the road. Everything worked perfectly. The Pelican cases along with the Light Bar kept the bike off of the pavement. But, I did loose the right light. It is okay though. ALL of the pieces are intact. I just haven't put the light back together.

Here you can see the Light Bar and the "shaved" frame slider, (and broken turn signal......).

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg216/barry_buchanan/2008%20Crash/LeftSideofBike.jpg

And one shot from head on.

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg216/barry_buchanan/2008%20Crash/OffsetPIAAlightBar.jpg

(Notice the bent off-center crash bars? How I straightened them is covered here: http://www.stromtrooper.com/showthread.php?t=30991)

If you look at my avatar, I did loose my left PIAA light grill in that puddle, (the bike was actually all the way over on its side and water was seeping into the dash electronics. I lifted it up a "notch" before taking the picture!), but dug around with my boot and found it.

For the 2009 season, I am doing away with the PIAA light bar. The main reason is, when I am coming down from a wheelie, (meaning too hard), the back portion of the front fender makes contact with the Light Bar. You can see the hole that has worn through the rear of my fender......:devil_16:

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg216/barry_buchanan/CrackedFrontFender.jpg

My plan is to cut my crash bars and "insert" a metal housing that will be welded to the crash bars, reconnecting them. The PIAA lights will be mounted inside that housing. I will also weld metal grills on the front of those housings and do away with the OEM PIAA plastic grills. I will probably keep "nubs" of the original light bars sticking out from the housings that will still have frame sliders mounted in them. I will also probably keep a cross bar of sorts that passes higher over the fender but braces the two crash bars together.

In 2010, I will be making my own crash bars. Provided my bike lives long enough..............

Barry B.

[rjsurfer]

Providing YOU live long enough...ride safe.

Rjsurfer

[rcacs]

I actually came up with some nifty brackets today (see, it pays to keep stuff for 20 years!).

I have my lights mounted so that even if the bike goes down, they are not sticking out as far as the SW guards.

They are mounted quite low, but fog lights are supposed to be fairly low. These are not PIAA's, and I am looking for a cover to protect them when not in use.

http://www.canadiantire.ca/browse/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=140847439 6672432&bmUID=1235521341526&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524443248510&assortment=primary&fromSearch=true

Will post a pic when I am done.

Cheers

[Tollster]

Well done Black lab, I had one of those string plugs with rubber cement lordsmoke perfers on my Kubota V bar rear tire. As it goes, it kept leaking, and I have two things I do not tolerate well, dead batteries, and slow leaking tires, cause when you need them, it aint there! I decided to try the mushroom plug out in the comfort of my garage on the Bota tire, before a 1700 mile strom trip.
Its still there 2 years later. I run low pressure in the Kubota and the plug was towards the side wall, but still between the lugs, which is prolly why the strips kept failing, the elasticity of the tire in that area was more than the center of the tread, particularly with the low air pressure.
After that i knew what plugs I would use on all my tires, the mushroom, besides, it just makes more sense to have the air pressure seal the plug against the inside of the tire, or as in this case, a positive pressure seal, kind of like patching a boat hole from outside of the hull, the pressure forms the seal! Thanks for a good writeup BlackLab!

[Black Lab]

I actually came up with some nifty brackets today (see, it pays to keep stuff for 20 years!).

I have my lights mounted so that even if the bike goes down, they are not sticking out as far as the SW guards.

They are mounted quite low, but fog lights are supposed to be fairly low. These are not PIAA's, and I am looking for a cover to protect them when not in use.

http://www.canadiantire.ca/browse/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=140847439 6672432&bmUID=1235521341526&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524443248510&assortment=primary&fromSearch=true

Will post a pic when I am done.

Cheers


Once you have auxillary lights hooked up and get used to them, when they break, you will feel almost blind. My PIAA's are pointed towards the sides of the road to add more "water" to the "pool" of light the Strom headlights cast. They have saved my butt more then once from the animal that is thinking about crossing the road, (no chickens though). I refer to my PIAA's as my "Gully Washers".

You will be very happy.

B.

[Ted Bell]

Great write up. Thanks!

[rcacs]

Although this is not the original topic...

Here are the fog lights I installed, and the Blue Seas fuse panel I installed for my various electrical accessories.

Cheers

PS: although the photo shows a purplish hue around the lights, in real they do not, just nice bright white.

[Black Lab]

Although this is not the original topic...

Here are the fog lights I installed, and the Blue Seas fuse panel I installed for my various electrical accessories.

Cheers

PS: although the photo shows a purplish hue around the lights, in real they do not, just nice bright white.

Looks great!!

I have the same fuse box in the same place. Just not as neat as yours......

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg216/barry_buchanan/650%20V-Strom%20Modifications/DSC00011.jpg

This was after I first installed it and didn't "hammer down" the wires until I was absolutely sure that everything was where it needed to be. What a mess, huh?

[Black Lab]

Oo, that looks all high-tech. I use the strips and rubber cement. I just feel more comfortable with something that uses a sticky liquid. Is there any stickem on the mushrooms or just dry rubber?

There is a light lubrication on the plugs to keep them from drying out; to extend their life while stored in a resealable baggie.

[donstrom6]

Black Lab...back to tire repair...thanks for posting this. I just ordered the same kit from AdvMoto based on this thread.

Good stuff, my man!

[tomatocity]

Thank you Barry. The local BMW shop had a Shop Night and this was one of the things they showed how to do. They did an good job and you did an excellent job. Tomorrow I will be purchasing a Stop & Go Tire Plugger kit.

What kit do you use? http://www.stopngo.com/motorcycle.asp

[Black Lab]

Thank you Barry. The local BMW shop had a Shop Night and this was one of the things they showed how to do. They did an good job and you did an excellent job. Tomorrow I will be purchasing a Stop & Go Tire Plugger kit.

What kit do you use? http://www.stopngo.com/motorcycle.asp

The same one as your local shop.

http://www.amotostuff.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=0364-0001&Category_Code=tire-repair

[tomatocity]

I ended up purchasing the CO2 kit from the Stop n Go site. No state tax and free shipping. Thanks again for the instructions. Oh, there are video's on the Stop n Go site.

[maggot]

Nice right up and pics...

My dad used to own a garage when I was growing up and I've used both types of plugs. If done "properly" either will last as long as the tire.
On the mushroom type I also used a dab of rubber cement. Not really sure if it needed but I didn't want customers coming back, so I always put it on for good measure.

BTW, either of those kits can be had at your local auto supply store between 3-12 bucks.
For the Canadian guys you can get them at Can Tire or Walmart, Princess has a nice selection as well. I have a kit in every vehicle ( easier and quicker to plug then change a tire) and one on the Strom.
I also recommend a mini compressor, get them on sale at Can Tire for 9 bucks.


Ken