01Repairable
Puncture Size Under 1/4 Inch
A nail or screw leaves a hole around 3/16 of an inch. That patches. Anything over 1/4 inch (6mm) is too big for a safe, lasting repair.
Flat tire repair, honest answer.
Tread punctures under 1/4 inch usually patch fine and last the life of the tire. Sidewall damage, shoulder damage, or holes over 1/4 inch mean replacement. We tell you which before we touch the tire.
Six things that decide patch or replace.
Industry rules (RMA, Tire Industry Association) plus what we see day to day in the bay. Same standards every reputable shop follows.
02
Tread Area Only
The flat part of the tire that contacts the road. Only zone where repair is safe. We do external plug repairs here. For a more thorough dismount-and-patch (which requires rebalancing), a tire shop is the right call.
03Replace
No Sidewall Damage
Sidewall flex too much for any patch to hold. A sidewall puncture, cut, or bubble means replacement. No exceptions, no matter how small the hole.
04Replace
No Shoulder Damage
Shoulder (the corner between tread and sidewall) flexes nearly as much as the sidewall. Punctures here cannot be reliably repaired.
05
Tire Was Not Driven Flat
If you drove more than a mile on a flat, the sidewall internal cords get crushed. The damage is invisible from outside but the tire is done. We will look and tell you.
06
Tread Depth Above 2/32
Repairing a tire that is nearly worn out is throwing money at a problem. If you are below 4/32, ask about replacement instead.
Honest scope, straight answer.
We do external tread-area plug repairs for punctures we can reach without dismounting the tire. For the more thorough dismount and patch-plug job (which also requires rebalancing), we refer you to a tire shop.
Visual inspection first
Tire stays on the car. We locate the puncture, check that it is in the tread area, confirm the diameter is small enough to repair, and verify the sidewall is undamaged.
Go-or-no-go call
If the puncture is in the sidewall, in the shoulder, larger than 1/4 inch, or there is sign of run-flat damage to the casing, we will not repair it. We will tell you straight and give you the tire size and load index to take to a tire shop.
External plug repair (when appropriate)
For tread-area punctures in the safe zone, we ream the puncture channel, prep with cement, and install a quality plug from the outside. Good for many years on a tire driven normally.
Pressure set to spec
Tire set to the door-jamb PSI before you leave the bay. We do not work on TPMS sensors, so if your tire pressure light stays on after the air is set, a tire shop is the next stop.
When you should go to a tire shop instead
If you want the more thorough dismount-and-patch repair (tire comes off the rim, inspected inside, internal patch-plug installed, then rebalanced), we will refer you. We do not dismount, balance, or sell new tires.
We do not sell new tires, mount, balance, or align. If your tire is not repairable, we will pull the size and load index and refer you to a trusted local tire specialist.
While we are in the tire.
Flat repair is one visit. These four pages cover the rest of normal tire care.
01
Tire Rotation
Why even wear extends tire life by 20 percent and how often each drivetrain needs it. FWD, RWD, and AWD intervals.
02
Tire Pressure Check
How to find your door-jamb PSI, why cold pressures matter, and a quick at-home routine that prevents most flats.
03
All Tire Services
Rotation, external flat repair, and pressure checks at M&K. Start here for what we do and what we refer out.
Frequently asked.
If the puncture is in the tread area, under 1/4 inch, and the sidewall is undamaged, yes. We do external tread-area plug repairs. We do not dismount, balance, or sell new tires. For the more thorough dismount-and-patch repair (which requires rebalancing) we refer to a tire shop. Call (336) 370-6710 and let us know what kind of object went in.
Usually 30 to 45 minutes once we have the wheel off. Add time if you need a tow or the spare is also flat. Walk in if you are mobile, call if you need help getting here.
No. The sidewall flexes every rotation and no patch can hold there long-term. A sidewall puncture or bubble means the tire is unsafe and must be replaced. Anyone telling you otherwise is risking your safety to keep your business.
For a short drive to a shop, yes. As a permanent fix, no. External plugs do not seal the inner liner, so air leaks past them slowly and moisture corrodes the steel belts from inside. Get a proper patch-plug repair done within a few days.
The life of the tire. A patch-plug combination repair in the tread area, done correctly, is rated for the full remaining tread life. The tire wears out before the patch fails.
Probably not. Driving more than about a mile on a fully flat tire crushes the internal sidewall cords. The damage is invisible from outside but the tire becomes a blowout risk at highway speed. We will inspect inside and tell you what we see.
Two punctures in the tread area, at least 16 inches apart, can sometimes both be repaired. Multiple punctures close together, or three or more total, mean replacement.
Yes. The nail is plugging the hole. Pulling it lets all the air out before you are off the road. Drive straight to a shop at moderate speed, or to the nearest safe spot to add air or call for help.
No. We focus on rotation, external tread-area flat repair, and pressure checks. If you need a new tire, mounting, balancing, alignment, or TPMS work, we will pull what we need off your sidewall and refer you to a trusted local tire specialist.
Got a nail in it?
Call before you pull the nail. We will tell you over the phone whether it is likely repairable and what to do next. (336) 370-6710.
1605 W Gate City Blvd
Greensboro, NC 27403
Mon–Fri · 9 AM – 6 PM
Sat · 9 AM – 3 PM
(336) 370-6710
Walk-ins welcome