When an object punctures your tire, it typically leaves an injury with rough edges. You may even notice some fraying of the cords or belts that add structural support to the tire. When performing a proper tire repair, you’ll often hear a tire technician refer to “drilling out the damage.” However, it’s important to note that while this is a common term, you should NEVER use an ordinary drill bit to prepare a tire injury.
Drill bits are designed to pull material out as they borrow and carve their way into a hole. If you were to do this to a tire, you’d simply create more damage by pulling and ripping at the cords and belts.
Carbide cutters, on the other hand, are designed to do just that – cut. They feature sharp teeth that all face and cut in the same direction. This results in clean edges which helps maximize repair unit adhesion for the safest repair possible. Compare the photos above. The drill bit left torn steel belt material inside the hole, while the carbide cutter completely removed the damage with smooth edges.
TECH offers a variety of cutters to prepare virtually any size puncture. To determine the appropriate size cutter, we recommend measuring the injury with TECH TRT105 Color-Coded Measuring Tool. Simply insert it into the puncture and to the color-coded line. Then, match it up with this chart to know exactly which carbide cutter and what size repair to use.
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