Tyres On The Go
Found a nail or screw in your tyre? Before you pay for a replacement, it's worth knowing the rules. Many punctures can be repaired safely and legally for a fraction of the cost of a new tyre — and the rules deciding it are written down in a British Standard called BS AU 159.
The quick checklist
A puncture is usually repairable when all of these are true:
- The hole is in the central three-quarters of the tread (not the shoulder or sidewall)
- The penetration is 6mm or smaller in diameter
- The tyre hasn't been driven on while flat
- The tread is above the legal minimum of 1.6mm
- There's no internal structural damage, bead damage or previous bad repair
Why the sidewall is off-limits
The sidewall flexes with every rotation — millions of times over a tyre's life. A patch there works loose and fails, often suddenly at speed. That's why no reputable fitter will repair sidewall or shoulder damage, whatever a roadside "string plug" kit promises. String plugs pushed in from outside don't meet BS AU 159 either: a proper repair requires the tyre off the rim so the inside can be inspected and a combination patch-plug vulcanised in place.
Run-flats: the special case
Run-flat tyres can technically be repaired — but only if they haven't been driven on deflated. The reinforced sidewalls mask deflation damage that makes a repair unsafe, and it's usually impossible to prove the tyre wasn't run flat. If yours has been driven on at zero pressure, plan for a replacement.
What an honest inspection looks like
- Find the puncture and mark it; check position against the repairable zone.
- Remove the tyre from the wheel — the only way to see internal damage.
- Inspect the inner liner for creasing, powdered rubber or run-flat damage.
- Repair with a patch-plug, rebalance the wheel and refit.
- Pressure-test and torque-check before handing back.
That whole process takes us 20–30 minutes at your home, work or roadside — see our mobile puncture repair service.
What if it can't be repaired?
Then you need a tyre, ideally matched to the one across the axle. We carry stock on the van, so a failed inspection doesn't mean a second visit — we fit the replacement there and then, and our inspection fee is credited in full against the new tyre. During normal hours you'd pay the tyre price only, fitting included.
Don't drive on it
Even a slow puncture destroys the tyre's internal structure surprisingly quickly once pressure drops — and turns a £55 repair into a full replacement. If you've spotted a nail, keep the speed down, get the pressure up if you safely can, and call 07375 249399. We'll come to you anywhere in Leeds or within 25 miles, 24/7.