I've just had a puncture repaired- thankfully no 'drama' - I noticed the problem before the tyre was 'flat', inflated it, drove a few hundred yards to a local place, which did the repair. The only 'niggle', it looks like the offending item was a screw off my garage floor!
I happened to comment to the chap who did the repair something like 'That is the only one I can have on that tyre.' He corrected me and said that 3 were allowed, subject to positioning. I've not checked the rating of the tyre (it is on a 4x4) but my understanding was that only one was permitted. Have the rules changed?
Next question. I know proper type places, like the one I used, remove the tyre and patch from the inside etc. with a 'mushroom' like patch. These have a patch on the inside and a stalk that fills the hole.
However, many years ago (in the 1960s) I recall my father having a DIY kit which you poked a plug, dipped in glue, into the hole from the outside. My understanding is these were banned - at least that is what I was told in the 1970s.
BUT I see similar kits are now available and there are numerous videos of them being used. They seem popular with motorcyclists. I'd have thought the last think the latter would want is a dodgey repair!
Are these DIY kits legal/any good? Obviously they would only work (in theory) for 'simple' holes of limited size and in the 'right' location- on the main part of the tread.
The modern kits seem slightly different from the 1960s one I recall but the essential principle is the same- a rubber like 'bung' dipped in glue, inserted from the outside in the hole, after the screw, nail, etc is removed, and the hole cleaned. The only obvious differences are the colour- and the modern bungs are longer and seem to be 'doubled over' when inserted.