The best patches are applied from the inside, and use a mushroom-shaped patch that both seals the inner surface of the tire, and fills the hole through the body of the tire. These require that the tire be removed from the rim, and can't be used if the puncture is close to the sidewall.
Plugs are cheaper, and can be installed from the outside, even if the puncture is close to the sidewall. (No repair is safe if the damage is in the sidewall itself.)
My thinking is that if a patch is possible (not too close to the sidewall), and the tires have a lot of life left in them otherwise, do the patch. If you can't do a patch, or the tires are pretty close to end-of-life, a plug may do the job for you.
Plugging a tire works fine as long as you did not drive on it while flat. That's the biggest reason you can't get a mechanic to plug a tire. The tire must come off the rim to inspect for damage caused by the rim. Customers will lie just to try and get the tire fixed the cheapest. The rim tears the inside of the tire sidewall up which causes a blow out. If you are positive the tire was not driven on plug it yourself.
Patching requires that the tire is taken off the wheel, patched, remounted and rebalanced. Plugging works fine for a nail hole. It's cheaper and quicker.
a patch needs to be done from inside of the tire so that on the road side is far from easy. a plug does have limitations also. a nail or similar sized hole can be dealt with in that manner.
I can plug a tire without taking it off the rim. I cannot take a tire off the rim myself to put on a patch, but patches are best.
Patches are used for a small hole, plugs are used for a larger hole...
Patches are probable are better because the patch is placed on the inside with super sticky glue and the air pressure pushing on it keeps it in place...a plug is visable from the outside and can wear out and leak again as the tread wears in the future..
Plugs alone are NOT considered an acceptable repair. You must plug AND patch. Anybody who tells you different isn't up to date on radial tire repair methods. No pro shop would EVER do just a plug.
Use a correctly sized patch/plug and get the best of both worlds.
Patch it. Plugs make a bigger hole in the tire when they are inserted which can break the tire belts.
If the hole in in the middle 75% of the tread, do both. If the hole is outside that, replace the tire.
I have a nail in one of my tires
I prefer patches. I would make an exception for lawn mowers and things of that sort.
patch a tyre
