As a car owner, how many times have you had to fix a hole in one of your tires? Once? twice? maybe even never?
Unfortunately, some car owners have it worse, they have to fix the same hole in the same tire multiple times, and guess what? The hole resurfaces again!
It can be a really tricky situation when you discover a hole in one of your tires because the two fastest ways to fix that and get you on the road again is to either Patch it or Plug it.
This may stop the air from leaking thereby giving the feeling of a totally repaired tire but that is not entirely the case. Tire plugs are temporary fixes.
To successfully and safely perform a Tire Plug, you need to use the right glue, also known as, rubber cement or you just might have air leaking out of your tire as you drive off.
Table of Contents
Top 10 glue for tire plugs
- BSI-130 Ultra-Cure Tire Glue
- PROLINE 603100 Pro-Bond Tire Glue
- Slime 1050 Rubber Cement
- Instant Rubber Special Adhesive
- AKA Products 38001 Racing Tire Glue
- Gorilla Super Glue Gel
- Factory Team-Tire Adhesive
- Slime 1051 Rubber Cement
- Camel Tire Universal Cement
- Hornet Tire Vulcanizing Cement
A patch repair is done by the engineer detaching the tire from the rim in order to take a look at the inside of the tire and fix it, while a plug repair is done by putting a tire plug through the outside of the tire with an insertion tool.
The tool is then removed, leaving the tire plug in the hole, and thereby filling the hole.
We have curated a list of the best glues to use for your tire plug but before going into the list, it is important to state that this list is in no particular order.
With that cleared, Let us dive right in…
BSI-130 Ultra-Cure Tire Glue
This product is manufactured by Bob Smith Industries Incorporated and is one of the best and most versatile tire glues around.
This product works not just on tires but on rims as well. It is a very high-performance cyanoacrylate with a medium viscosity.
This product is perfect for the mounting of car tires on R/C car wheels.
It is also available in two sizes; 20.3g & 28.4g. The BSI-130 Ultra-Cure Tire Glue will bond almost anything and everything.
PROLINE 603100 Pro-B ond Tire Glue
This is another excellent tire glue product to use because the manufacturers understand that for tire longevity and performance, there has to be the strongest bond possible between the tires and wheel.
This is easily one of the best tire glues ever produced because it addresses the specific needs of every car owner or tire engineer.
The product has a hold strength of 3,200 psi which is currently the highest hold strength ever recorded for a tire glue.
This tire glue was made with a unique formula that allows the glue to dry up very fast while being crystal clear, that is, no yellowing or whitening around the glued area.
Slime 1050 Rubber Cement
This is a product by the brand called Slime and they are majorly known for their flat tire prevention and repair.
So, it makes sense that they will also be among the leading producers of one of the best tire glues on the market.
The product is technically not fancy but it is easy to use and most importantly, it works! This particular product comes with a brush and an easy-to-use canister.
Instant Rubber Special Adhesive
This product is manufactured by Guoelephant. It is a high-strength rubber adhesive that works superbly for bonding between rubber materials especially tires.
It also works in bonding between tires and rims. Unlike some tire glues that are crystal clear in color, this product is actually black because tires are also black.
This glue comes with multiple precision tips – usually two to three. This gives you multiple choices and also helps you get better precision, freedom, and control while using the product.
This glue is one of the most effective and arguably the most economical adhesive to use. A fun fact is that the packaging of this product ensures that the glue does not stick to your hand!
AKA Products 38001 Racing Tire Glue
The AKA tire glue is one of the best in the market and that is because of how fast it runs out of stock.
It is a mild viscosity glue that was specially formulated for rubbers (tires). Should you need to glue that tire plug?
This product manufactured by Botaro Industries is the ideal one.
Gorilla Super Glue Gel
The Gorilla Super Glue Gel is regarded as one of the toughest adhesives in the market beca use it was formulated for increased resistance and strength.
It is a versatile product that was not specifically made for tires but it sure does the job.
It dries fast (within 10-45 seconds) and works on various surfaces, even vertical.
Factory Team-Tire Adhesive
Described as the ultimate tire adhesive, this product by Team Associated is known to always get the job done.
Like some other glue mentioned here, it was specifically produced for fitting tires to wheels.
This product makes the process of gluing tires easier, quicker, and not messy because of its expertly designed tip and tube that makes it almost impossible to clog.
This product is available in medium viscosity and it is the right product to use when mounting your tire.
Slime 1051 Rubber Cement
This is another product manufactured by the brand ‘Slime’ and it comes with a brush attached to the lid of the canister.
Since punctures are inevitable, then the Slime Rubber Cement will always come in handy when you need glue for that tire plug.
Camel Tire Universal Cement
This product was designed and manufactured by Plews and Edelsmann who are leading manufacturers and distributors of a broad range of automotive parts.
The universal cement is excellent for tire repair.
Hornet Tire Vulcanizing Cement
This multi-purpose glue was produced and manufactured by Hornet Tire.
It has a brush attached to the top of the can too. It dries really fast and activates the chemical process that helps to repair tires.
…and there you have it, folks, the best of the best glues to use for your tire plugs.
The list is not exhaustive though, as there are many more brilliant tire glues that have and are been produced every day.
In lieu of this, we should add a few more to the list so you can understand that you have an unending number of choices – All of them 100% quality.
One of the additional products we recommend should look out for is the 2043T Advanced Formulated Tire Glue.
This is an exceptional tire glue produced by J-Concepts. It is termed exceptional because unlike other tire glues mentioned above, this particular product from J-Concepts has a thin viscosity.
This means that the content of this product may appear to not be as thick as other products mentioned above but be rest assured that you have a brilliant product that does the job on your hands.
The IC-2000 Tire Glue is another highly recommended product.
This is another product from Bob Smith Industries (BSI) – a globally recognized firm that manufactures epoxy and cyanoacrylate adhesives for home or industrial use.
The IC-2000 Tire Glue is regarded as a rubber-toughened adhesive because of the strength it possesses and how it was specifically developed for rubbers or in this case, tires.
It is a very fast drying adhesive that boasts 20-45 seconds drying time. This is a very special product and that can be attributed to its temperature resistance of up to 250 degrees.
This is one adhesive everyone should have because of its flexibility. It delivers excellently when used on tires but do you also know that it can work superbly well when applied on surfaces like metals, carbon, fiberglass, etc.
Let us go on to talk about the LeatherCraft Cement.
This is not your regular tire glue because it was, in fact, actually produced to be used on leather materials.
However, due to its super high strength, permanent bonding ability, and long-lasting result, many tire engineers and car owners have actually used this product as tire glue, and guess what, it works just perfectly!
This product produced by Fiebing’s is a quick-drying glue that is safe, non-toxic, and non-flammable. Its flexibility allows it to be used on not just leather materials but rubber also.
Another brilliant product is the Barge Original Infinity Rubber Cement.
This new product from the brand, Barge, is a multi-purpose adhesive with tremendous strength.
It can be used on various surfaces, ranging from leather to plastic to rubber. It also works well on vinyl, PVC, polyurethane, cotton, and synthetic. It dries very clear and is toluene-free.
Tire engineers and car owners who have used this product say it is much stronger than most products you find in stores.
This product is undoubtedly a good use of your money and good care of your tire.
In a list containing the best of the best tire glues, then the Monkey Grip Rubber Cement must be included.
Produced by the brand called Bell Automotive, the Monkey Grip Rubber Cement is a universal rubber cement that comes in an easy and simple to use kit.
The product works particularly well with tire repair plugs and patches which is exactly what we need it for, right? It is important to note that this adhesive is flammable.
Our final recommendation is the Krazy Glue Maximum Bond Super Glue.
Produced by Elmer’s, this product is very strong, it sets and dries very fast, and most importantly, it delivers a durable, shock-resistant, long-lasting bond.
Most of our recommendations have been products with medium viscosity with only one or two having thin viscosity.
However, the Krazy Glue Maximum Bond Super Glue has an ultra-thick viscosity which makes it difficult for the glue to run, hence becoming perfect for difficult, vertical, rough, or mismatched surfaces.
This product was developed to withstand strong impact and irregular changes in temperature.
This particular feature is useful for your tire because as you drive – either fast or slow – your tires will take a lot of impact from the road so you need glue that will hold the tire plug tight no matter the impact.
This is a very useful product because of how it can be used on various surfaces like ceramic, porcelain, metal, and of course, rubber.
With its extended tip, this product ensures you have no difficulty getting the glue into tight spaces.
So, even if the puncture is a very tiny one, this product makes it easy to get glue in there.
Wow! We have just run through over tire glues that are best to use for your tire plugs but we know that it is possible that none of the products mentioned above tickles your fancy and you probably have other interests.
Important features to look out for in your tire glue
The features are;
It must be a cyanoacrylate adhesive
The number one feature, or should it be called ingredient? to look out for is the type of glue.
There are different types of glue and they perform different duties or to better put it, work on different surfaces and materials.
The only type of glue you should use for your tires is glue made with cyanoacrylate.
A cyanoacrylate adhesive is different from regular glue because it is a type of glue that bonds on moist surfaces only.
This means that, if the glue is applied to a dry surface area, it will not bond or stick.
Cyanoacrylate adhesives can sometimes be referred to as Super Glue, sometimes as Crazy Glue, and sometimes as CA Glue.
Whichever name is on the product, it refers to the same thing. Ensure that the glue you are using is made with cyanoacrylate.
It must have fast drying abilities
It has been established that using the tire plug method to fix punctures may, although, be fast but it can also be unsafe if not properly done and one of those ways it can be unsafe is to use glue that does not dry fast.
One of the many causes of road accidents is tire puncture so, you have to pay serious attention to fixing a puncture in any of your tires.
To do that, ensure that you use cyanoacrylate glue that dries super fast, and luckily for you reading this, every product that was recommended above boasts of this quality.
The glue must have a medium viscosity
You might be wondering, what is viscosity and why does it matter in the glue I choose to use? Well, here is why: First, Viscosity refers to the thickness of the liquid.
Glues with thin or low viscosity will run like water and cover large surfaces, while glue with high viscosity may not cover large surfaces but they sure deliver more strength.
From this, we can gather that glues with thin viscosity are no good for your tires.
While high viscosity might seem preferable, they do not get dry fast enough to be good for tires.
While applying the glue, viscosity matters because adhesives react in different ways when applied on a surface.
So, it is recommended that you use glue with a medium viscosity because it is thicker than glues with thin viscosity and hence, will create a stronger result.
Also, they will dry up faster than glues with high viscosity and hence give you a better and faster result.
To conclude, you can save yourself a good amount of money and stress that could be spent on fixing a punctured tire if you just pay extra attention to keeping your tire in perfect shape.
Yes, sometimes, the puncture can be inevitable and can happen when you least expect but try your possible best as a car owner to ensure that the pressure on your tires is right and you do a check-up on your tires regularly.
Frequently asked questions on using tire plugs
Can I drive safely with a plugged tire?
Yes! You can. However, it is only safe to use a tire plug with your car for a short time because the essence of using a tire plug is to ensure you’re able to get the car to a proper tire store and buy a new tire.
This means that you can plug that tire but do make sure that you plan to get a new one fast.
Can tire plugs fail?
Yes, they can. We wrote earlier that tire plugs are a quick fix and you should not rely on them for too long.
If not done properly and expertly, a badly inserted tire plug can cause air to become trapped between the tire treads which will then cause the treads to separate and all this results in you forcefully buying a new tire.
The last question discussed above is one of the motivations for this post. Tire plugs can fail, yes, but they can also prove to be very reliable when done by a professional engineer and done well.
Conclusion
I believe you have picked up a good amount of knowledge from this post. Do leave a comment down below about your experience with a punctured tire.
What fast remedy did you go for? Patch or plug or did you do a combination? Also, let us know what glue you used? Anyone from the ones recommended above or something different?
We love and appreciate the feedback!