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View Poll Results: how often do you get a flat?
once a year
17
89.47%
once a month
1
5.26%
once a week
1
5.26%
once a day
0
0%
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How often do you get a flat?

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Old 07-25-2012, 02:44 AM
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jordanturbo
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Default How often do you get a flat?

Just wondering how often you get flats or leaks?

It seems that since I have got my p-car it picks up an un natural amount of crap up off the road. It really was bothersome today. As I was about to leave work I noticed my rear driver tire was a little low so I check it, and sure enough it was down at 14psi. I pull it into the shop and notice that there is a shiny piece of metal about 1/2 inch long slightly protruding from my tread. I pull the tire off the rim and find that there is a butter knife folded in my tire against my rim. Like who the f**k runs over a butter knife and has it puncture your tire? luckily it was repairable and there was no damage to the rim since it was 8pm and I dont have any rears kicking around the shop. After fixing that tire I decided to check the others. I figured nothing should be wrong, I usually get pick up something every week or two, and when I had checked my pressures less than a week ago they were all fine.

But low and behold the other rear was down at 28, then 1 front was at 20 and the other 17. all that comes to mind is WTF!!! how do I have 4 leaks in as many days since my last pressure check. turns out I picked up 1 screw, 1 nail, and 1 valve stem with a bit of a tear in it. Given I have the shop and equipment to do this myself, but when I close the shop at 8pm and stick around until close to 10 fixing my tires I get a little frustrated.

PS: I live in a mature neighborhood with no construction, and dont drive by anything but typical summer road construction on my way to work.
Old 07-25-2012, 05:26 AM
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OZ951
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Just the one in the past 12 months, 1.5" nail into my 2 month old MPSC 295 rear. Discovered the evening before a track day of course.
Old 07-25-2012, 05:27 AM
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Dharn55
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12 years, 68,000 mile and only one flat. It was a screw that I picked up at a job site. Th good thing is that it went flat overnight in my garage so not the hassle of having it go flat on the road.

I did ruin a Michelin PSS, only 2 months old with maybe 1,000 miles. Hit a 4" rock in the street in front of someone else's job site and it tore a cord in the sidewall. No flat though, and Costco replaced it under road coverage warranty, no charge.
Old 07-25-2012, 08:03 AM
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Barn996
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None in my Porsche. Several in my work GMC truck usually at my job sites.
Old 07-25-2012, 08:44 AM
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Dennis C
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It's rare for me. I had a Pirelli P-Zero that developed a slow leak as it wore, but that's about it. No issues with other brands.
Old 07-25-2012, 09:28 AM
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Ubermensch
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Zero in the past six years in the 996. Before that I picked up a nail/screw in a construction zone. So a total of one in 20 years of driving.
Old 07-25-2012, 09:39 AM
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vincer77
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Do not get them often. Maybe once every 5 years. But I got one on my pcar a couple weeks ago. I noticed the left front low and sure enough there was a shiny spot smack in the middle of the tire. Took it to my tire guy and he had the foresight to look for more and sure enough there was a second! It was barely visible from the outside. Both sheet metal screws. The fact that we run wide tires with sticky compounds may make us more prone to these flats.

But a butter knife?
Old 07-25-2012, 09:48 AM
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Thundertub
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My wife's Honda picked up a nail last month. First flat tire problem for her in over 20 years.
I haven't had a puncture issue with my Porsche tires since I learned not to drive close to the edge of the road, or cut right turns tight. That was a very long time ago.

But for so many issues at once for you, it is possible that your were either vandalized at some point, or you just hit a spot in the road where a whole bunch of stuff fell off of a vehicle not long before you were there.
Old 07-25-2012, 10:17 AM
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BiteEmNBeatEm
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only one in the 996, my HRE valve stem was leaking. its a shame the guy at discont tire had no clue what to do and what kind of wheel or valve stem to use. LOL
Now in my diesel F-250 i pick up nails about every 2-3 months. I just fixed a flat last week and noticed yesterday that i had a screw in the front tire.
Old 07-25-2012, 12:28 PM
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Targatoo
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Never in the Targa.
Once in my previous car.
So, my wife and I have racked up 300,000kms in a dozen years with one puncture. Had maybe a couple slow leaks that needed to be resealed.
Old 07-25-2012, 12:56 PM
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Ray S
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Way less than once a year.
Old 07-25-2012, 02:02 PM
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jordanturbo
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Originally Posted by Thundertub
But for so many issues at once for you, it is possible that your were either vandalized at some point, or you just hit a spot in the road where a whole bunch of stuff fell off of a vehicle not long before you were there.
Originally Posted by vincer77

As I have said before I usually have terrible luck with flats and end up getting one every couple weeks this is the first time with 4 in as many days though. I dont really think it was vandalism since the valve stem tear was so minor and it was not a clean tear which leads me to believe that it wasnt vandalism. I assume the knife was picked up on the street outside the Denny's I drive by on my way to work, I noticed the "rock in tire" sound after driving by, probably thought I just went over one of our cities numerous pot holes. As far as the nail and screw go am not sure. one looks to be a self tapping aluminum sheet metal screw, the other a small old rusty nail rom what looks like an air nailer.

But a butter knife?
The weirdest part is that it went in handle first, it was just the tip of the blade sticking out
Old 07-25-2012, 02:16 PM
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Gonzo911
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One. Last month, a nail in a rear tire. Of course it was too close to the sidewall to patch. Of course it was on the morning I was going to drive up to the AZ Cool Pine Country to play some golf. Hankook V12's.
Old 07-25-2012, 03:40 PM
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Byprodriver
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Originally Posted by jordanturbo
The weirdest part is that it went in handle first, it was just the tip of the blade sticking out
When I worked at a tire store 20 years ago we found a pair of pliers in a tire & a pork chop bone in a different cars tire. It's like 2X4s sticking in trees during a tornado or hurricane. If you hit it fast enough & it's pointed right it will penetrate your tire & it dosen't always stay in the tire. Usual senario is rightfront tire runs over something in the gutter lane & kicks it up to stick in the rightrear tire. Personally I have never lost a tire before it's time just lots of slow leaks requiring a patch at my convience.
Old 07-25-2012, 04:21 PM
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mdhogan5
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I just had a failure last week. My passenger side rear (285) shredded the inside shoulder. Only about 2000K miles on them, and relatively flat camber. I thought it might be the caliper dragging and creating a lot of heat, but I checked that the next day and it seemed fine.

That said, first flat (on the road) in 15 years.

2002 C4 Cab, X74 added


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