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Would you?
Should you?
Could you? Yeah, I reckon I could. A small nail, maybe 2-3mm in diameter, slap bang in the centre of the tread. Definitely in the "repairable" zone.
If it was the only option, for a few slow miles, yes. Then get it repaired properly.
I’ve tried and it didn’t work. The car tyre was too thick/tough to get the anchovy in. I just used a screw to seal it in the end and drive to kwikfit.
I've done this to a winter tyre where the nail was an inch in from the edge. Been about a month now and hold pressure fine, has been driven at motorway speeds for a hundred odd miles. I took the precaution of swapping that wheel to the rear in case of a failure at high speed!
Should say I used the kits you get on ebay for car tyres (£15) which have a heavy duty mandrel/threader, the extra fat anchovies and paraffin lube to help you thread the anchovy and push it in; useful videos online.
I've done it a couple of times and it worked fine - defo only for temporary use though.
I keep a set in the car now just in case.
I've got a ebay repair set for emergencies. Used ut a couple of times and it works great. If the tyres nearly worn out I'd leave it in untill I changed the tyre. Both times I used it it was with tyres that had loads of life so I got a proper repair done. The tyre fitter thought the anchovies did a pretty good job and didn't see any reason why they'd fail in short time use.
Puncturesafe worked for me for a screw in the tyre. No anchovy, just sealant, and not the temporary fix stuff you get with cars that's nasty stuff which tyre places won't touch. Permanent repair if it holds.
Buy the car specific versions from eBay. They’re about a fiver for a set including the larger tools.
If it was the only option, for a few slow miles, yes. Then get it repaired properly.
I took our car to a tyre seller/fitter/retailer for a repair on a tyre with a nail in it and that's what they used. Much bigger rasp/insertion tool than you get for a bike tyre but same principle. I bought car/motorbike anchovies for bike use (and cut them in half to make them thinner).
We carry them in the boot of our camper, we've got all terrain tyres so would be a bit of a pain having to fit the (smaller) spare. Never had to use them but I'd have a go to try and get us to a tyre shop.
Thinking about it I might get another set to put in my car that doesn't have a spare (I carry a pump and goo).
A spray bottle of soapy water might be handy also.