aERonAUtical96

Got a nice little puncture on my sidewall of rear tire. Small, but noticeable. About the size of a small nail, bigger than a finishing nail, smaller then a framing nail. How do I patch the tire? I read a tire boot? Is there something homemade I can use? Will an automotive tire patch work? I don't have an extra tire to cut up to use

Thanks

ltxi

Ignore it, Shoe Goo, replace the tire. Small enough simple puncture I'd smear a bit of Shoe Goo on the inside of the tire just to be on the safer side. If it's a cut, replace it.

FBinNY 

If the hole was made by something sharp and pointy like a nail, then odds are it pushed cords apart as it entered rather than cutting many. In that case, treat it the same as you would a nail through the tread, with some duck tape or a regular patch on the inside so the tube doesn't chafe against it.

OTOH - if it's a cut, like from a piece of glass or stone, and visibly has cut the wall (the fabric, not the rubber cover), then you have to make up the lost strength or the cut will spread when the tire in at full pressure. This is when you want a boot. I don't use cut up tires, and instead use scraps cut from old jeans or bed sheets. When you're ready to use one, cut it on the bias to the right size (so the threads run diagonally). Then coat the tire in vulcanizing solution, and likewise one side of the boot. Let both dry completely and apply lining it up so the threads match the tire's at 45° to the line of roll.

I make my boots generously oversize, and apply them wrapped under the bead so they will be trapped by the rim, and big enough to extend under the tread to the opposite wall. The large area, ensures that the tube and rim help keep it home in case my glue fails. Tires I've booted this way with old bed sheets have outlasted the tire. "Stitching" the boot down with the rim of a cup also helps make a better bond.

Hint -- after the repair is done and cured, powder it well to help prevent the tube from getting glued to the tire.

fietsbob

I'd only ride a tire like that on the rear, front tire failures can be painful.

if you can write about it , on the web, you can buy a new tire .. new one goes on front.

Andrew R Stewart 

Various materials can be used to boot a tire casing. The key issue is the material's ability to not stretch or tear and not also cause a puncture to the tube. Plastic foil like materials, such as Cliff Bar wrappers. Cloth such as bits cut from pants or shirts. US paper money, like dollar bills. Are all materials used by many to boot with. There has been some bike industry products over the years produced to use as boots. The most recent that I remember is by Park and is a rectangle of plastic.

Do know that most will consider booting a stop gap/get by method of continuing on during a ride/tour and not a long tern solution. Andy.

Bill Kapaun

So how do nail diameters compare to-
Front wheel bearing balls?
Rear wheel bearing balls?
Free Wheel bearing balls?
Head set bearing balls?
At least those are bike related.

aERonAUtical96

Since I'm fairly new to cycling, I can't tell you since I don't know. I have not had to perform maintenance on those components so I couldn't use those as a size reference. I used nail diameters as size indicators since that is what I know. I'll keep it bike related next time...

Bill Kapaun

Inches & millimeters are just fine.