How to Repair a Tubeless Tire?(1)

At the first sign of trouble, pull off the road and find yourself a safe spot well away from moving traffic. More people have been killed or injured while changing a tire repair tools by the side of the road than you can imagine, so rule number one is to protect yourself and your buddies by getting out of harm's way.

Once you’re in a safe spot, your next job is to locate and assess the damaged section of the tire. Nine times out of ten, the problem will be some foreign object – most likely a nail or other chunk of road debris – that’s penetrated the tire tread. If the injury isn’t in the tread – if instead the sidewall is torn or punctured, or the valve stem is torn – stop right there. Sidewall damage can’t be repaired, and replacing the valve stem requires you to remove the tire and break the bead, so damage of that sort means it’s time to start dialing up a buddy with a trailer. Fortunately, these scenarios are rare.

First: Use a pair of pliers or a tire changer tool to remove the offending object. If you have a marker handy, circle the damaged area, as it can be difficult to locate the spot of the puncture once there isn’t anything sticking out of it. (Tech Tip: If you can’t find anything obvious, pour a little water or any other noncarbonated/nonflammable liquid over the tire’s surface and look for bubbles.)

Second: Use the rasp in your kit to clean out the hole. If you feel metal-to-metal contact, you’ve punctured a steel belt and will need to work that thing like you mean it and smooth over the edges lest they cut through the plug. This step is tedious, so stay calm and do a thorough job because you may not get a second chance at a roadside repair.