2021 test4 productsAuto Parts & Repair
Which Tire Repair/plug Kit Brand Wins?
We compared 4 tire repair/plug kit options head to head. Western Weld came out on top. See the measured results, the runner-up, the budget pick, and a link to the full test video.
Winner
Western Weld
Price shown in test: $48
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Budget pick
Slime
Price shown in test: $14
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The measured results
Every number below is read straight from the test. Scroll sideways to see all measurements. Products are listed in the order they finished.
| Product | Kit weight and size | Ease of use | Initial 6-plug seal test | 3-plug worn tire durability test (gravel, rock, and airstrip driving) | Pull force test (average of 3 plugs, after 6 hour adhesive cure) | Adhesive tack test (10 lb load, 15 seconds, no extra adhesive applied) | 100-plug single tire durability test | Adhesive tack test | Adhesive tack test (10 lb load, 15 seconds) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Western Weld$48 | 2 lb 6.1 oz (1,082 g), by far the largest kit at 240 cubic inches | tool handles are much more robust, giving a lot more comfort and control when applying downward force; plug diameter and reaming tool are both slightly larger than the Slime's | no visible leaks after installation, still 35 PSI and no air leaks after about a week | plugs are heavier duty than Slime and Grand Pitstop and took more effort to cut, no leaks, appeared to have the least amount of wear of any brand after rough driving | 89 lb (about 31 lb higher than the second place Grand Pitstop) on individual pulls of 97 lb and 99 lb the plug did not rip or tear at all, a third plug gave up at 71 lb | 10 lb (4.5 kg) of pull force to release, 34 percent more tack than the Slime, held its shape well under the load unlike the Slime | no leaks reported from this brand's plugs after 15 miles of driving and about a week | not tested | not tested |
| 2Grand Pitstop$40 | 1 lb 13.2 oz (829 g), 112 cubic inches | tool handles slightly larger than the Slime's, but the plug lubricant did not seem slick enough, taking several attempts and adjustments to insert the mushroom plug, more time and effort than the Slime | one of three plugs leaked in the related 3-plug durability test; by about a week later the tire was back to 35 PSI and the plugs were properly sealed | experienced significant pitting and wear from rough driving, but no air leaks noted at that stage | 58 lb average (46 lb, 64 lb, and 64 lb on the three pulls), moved into the lead over the Slime at that point in testing before being overtaken by the Western Weld | not tested | 6 of the 100 total plugs in this tire were Grand Pitstop, and 2 of those 6 were leaking | skipped, since the mushroom plugs have no adhesive and are not sticky | not tested |
| 3Slime$14 | 5.1 oz (146 g), pretty compact at 50 cubic inches | plastic handles are really small, making the tool more challenging to manage when applying a lot of downward force | no visible leaks after installation, still 35 PSI and no air leaks after about a week | did a great job sealing the tire, held up really well with none of the plugs leaking | about 52 lb average, the plugs tended to rip and require a second pull attempt to fully remove | not tested | no leaks reported from this brand's plugs after 15 miles of driving and about a week | not tested | 6.6 lb (3 kg) of pull force to release, the plug flattened under the 10 lb load rather than holding its shape |
| 4Dynaplug$54 | by far the smallest and lightest kit at only 27 cubic inches | the small size of the plug and tool make it capable of being used in tight spaces, such as while the tire is still on the vehicle, though the parallel handle orientation makes it more difficult to manage than the Western Weld | no visible leaks after installation, still 35 PSI with no visible air leaks after about a week | one plug leaked initially and a second plug was installed to seal it, held up really well through rough driving after that with no visible air leaks | 41 lb average (55 lb, 37 lb, and 31 lb on the three pulls), the lowest average of the four brands but described as impressive given the much smaller diameter of the Dynaplug's plugs versus the competition | not tested | no leaks reported from this brand's plugs after 15 miles of driving and about a week | not tested | 5.5 lb (2.5 kg) of pull force to release, described as still pretty good considering the small plug diameter |
How it was tested
- kit weight and storage size in cubic inches
- ease of use and tool ergonomics installing 6 plugs per brand (3 through the tread, 3 between tread) into separate tires, checked for leaks over about a week
- durability test with 3 plugs per brand installed in one old, worn tire, then subjected to gravel, loose rock, and airstrip driving
- pull force test (in lb/kg) to remove a cured tire plug after a 6 hour adhesive cure time
- adhesive tack test applying 10 lb of weight for 15 seconds with no additional adhesive applied
- real world test installing 100 tire plugs into a single tire and driving it 15 miles on gravel and paved roads, then checking for leaks after about a week
“I really like the Western Weld plugs, in my opinion they're by far the best”