CasterTroy
Faster'N You
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2005
- Location
- Wallburg
Best Tire plug kit
- Thread starter jeepinmatt
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 16, 2005
- Location
- Sharon, SC
Sounds like a Matt solution. I'm lazy I'd probably buy a new tire first.Drill press
Threader
machine allen to length
Problem solved
jeepinmatt
..l.
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2005
- Location
- Stanley, NC
This is really the problem I am chasing. A recent puncture in my 16ply trailer tire brought this need back to the forefront. Since I was at the shop, I just hawg'd it out with a battery drill, but that's not always a realistic option, and I don't want to carry a battery drill everywhere, haha. And of course that is why I carry a spare, so I just swapped the spare and got back home without issue, but sometimes 2 tires get killed, so I'd like to have a backup.
Typically, I can get the reamer through in some creative fashion, but even with a thousand reamer strokes, the plug will either not go, or will cut/tear and then the insertion tool goes in but the plug doesn't. In my mind, a "high quality" plug kit would have a good enough reamer to open up the hole enough to install the plug, and a stiff enough insertion tool (hehe) to ram it through the hole without bending, breaking, or cutting the plug. I think I'm gonna go the atomic route and order about 5-6 kits from Amazon, compare, and send back the ones that aren't up to snuff. But this will probably wait till the end of December, because I have trouble coming up with "affordable" Christmas gift ideas for family, and a $20-30 plug kit you can order on Amazon fits that bill pretty well.
Hurdt299
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 13, 2006
- Location
- Asheville, NC
I have a Matco kit that has held up great, but I had a a guy stop by my shop one day that sold plugs and patches to all the local tire shops. I ended up buying a new plug bit (i guess that's what you call it) from him and putting it in the Matco handle. It has been great. I don't know what brand it was but if you've got a buddy at a tire shop, get one through them. The one I bought is definitely made better than any others I've had.
mbalbritton
#@$%!
- Joined
- Mar 22, 2005
- Location
- Lakeland, FL
Had to bust it out again today. Kid ran over something that poked a nice clean hole.
10lukky07
Active Member
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2017
- Location
- Washington,NC
BlackJack kit as well… had mine for over 10 years now. Replaceable Pcs. Pretty heavy duty comfortable handles. Have plugged numerous car tires, 14ply trailer tires , atvs and semi truck tires! Also includes some lube when you can’t seem to ream the hole out big enough….. never needed that tho 
Southern_Transplant
Comic Relief
- Joined
- Nov 13, 2019
- Location
- Fayetteville, NC
I just scored a Colby repair kit at the raffle. The reamer and plug installer are a huge step up from the standard grade Slime ones. Bonus, it comes with Colby valves.
Colby Valve Complete Emergency Tire Repair Kit with Plugs | Includes Emergency Valve Stem Replacement Kit, 15 Tire Plugs, 2 Spare Schrader Valve Cores, Repair Accessories and Case Amazon.com
Colby Valve Complete Emergency Tire Repair Kit with Plugs | Includes Emergency Valve Stem Replacement Kit, 15 Tire Plugs, 2 Spare Schrader Valve Cores, Repair Accessories and Case Amazon.com
jeepinmatt
..l.
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2005
- Location
- Stanley, NC
Ended up getting the Blackjack KT-335 and ARB tire plug kits for Christmas instead of socks, so I’m pretty happy about that. Both are great quality, way better than any of the parts store cheapies I’ve used before. Neither case is small, but the ARB one is notably larger, which could be a problem if storage space is limited.
The contents are generally the same
The ARB kit has a few things the Blackjack one does not. It comes with an air gauge that goes up to 120psi, needle nose pliers, and a nice little box with extra valve stems, valve cores, caps, etc.
The Blackjack kit comes with a nice screwdriver style valve core tool, Phillips, and torx bits for changing out the attachments. Most importantly, it comes with a spare insertion tip, whereas the ARB does not.
The ARB kit only has one size of plug, Blackjack has a small and large version. The large Blackjack is the same as the ARB, but the Blackjack plus are way longer. I don’t see any advantage to that, unless you get 50 nails in your tires and want to cut the plugs in half, haha.
Both reamers are stouter and larger than the normal kits. The Blackjack has a much better design because it is tapered, and has a higher helix angle which puts the cutting edge perpendicular to the cords of the tire, so it should cut better. But the ARB has a larger diameter, so it will leave a bigger hole in the end, which can be critical on heavy load range tires. Which works best will have to wait until I get an actual puncture. I do not like the lack of lead in cutting edges on the ARB unit, as it looks like it will be difficult to insert on your run of the mill screw or nail puncture since it’s about 10x the cross section volume.
The handle on the Blackjack feels really solid and really good in hand. The ARB is much better than a cheapo too, but the slick pot metal vs the larger flat faced rubberized grips is no comparison. If I were gonna hit one with a hammer, it would be the ARB, but for pushing in a reamer or plug, Blackjack wins hands down.
The insertion tools are pretty much identical. Shank diameter is the same. Finishing is comparable. Both are rounded at the back of the eye so they don’t cut a plug. Blackjack wins this because of the better handle, the extra tip, and most importantly the tip doesn’t stick out as much, so you’re less likely to bend it. I do like the extractor on the ARB, but if the plug is all the way in, the extractor is not needed anyway.
Overall, both are great kits and you can’t go wrong. The Blackjack was $41, and the ARB was $48. The ARB comes with some extra accessories that are probably worth the difference to some people. For me, I don’t need pliers/gauge/etc because I already have these things in my vehicle. The ARB comes with 50 plugs vs the Blackjack’s 35, but that is irrelevant because I (hopefully) wont use anywhere near that many before they are old and dried up. Given that the Blackjack is cheaper, has better handles and reamer, and comes in a more compact case, I’d give it the nod, but again, you can’t go wrong with either one.
The contents are generally the same
The ARB kit has a few things the Blackjack one does not. It comes with an air gauge that goes up to 120psi, needle nose pliers, and a nice little box with extra valve stems, valve cores, caps, etc.
The Blackjack kit comes with a nice screwdriver style valve core tool, Phillips, and torx bits for changing out the attachments. Most importantly, it comes with a spare insertion tip, whereas the ARB does not.
The ARB kit only has one size of plug, Blackjack has a small and large version. The large Blackjack is the same as the ARB, but the Blackjack plus are way longer. I don’t see any advantage to that, unless you get 50 nails in your tires and want to cut the plugs in half, haha.
Both reamers are stouter and larger than the normal kits. The Blackjack has a much better design because it is tapered, and has a higher helix angle which puts the cutting edge perpendicular to the cords of the tire, so it should cut better. But the ARB has a larger diameter, so it will leave a bigger hole in the end, which can be critical on heavy load range tires. Which works best will have to wait until I get an actual puncture. I do not like the lack of lead in cutting edges on the ARB unit, as it looks like it will be difficult to insert on your run of the mill screw or nail puncture since it’s about 10x the cross section volume.
The handle on the Blackjack feels really solid and really good in hand. The ARB is much better than a cheapo too, but the slick pot metal vs the larger flat faced rubberized grips is no comparison. If I were gonna hit one with a hammer, it would be the ARB, but for pushing in a reamer or plug, Blackjack wins hands down.
The insertion tools are pretty much identical. Shank diameter is the same. Finishing is comparable. Both are rounded at the back of the eye so they don’t cut a plug. Blackjack wins this because of the better handle, the extra tip, and most importantly the tip doesn’t stick out as much, so you’re less likely to bend it. I do like the extractor on the ARB, but if the plug is all the way in, the extractor is not needed anyway.
Overall, both are great kits and you can’t go wrong. The Blackjack was $41, and the ARB was $48. The ARB comes with some extra accessories that are probably worth the difference to some people. For me, I don’t need pliers/gauge/etc because I already have these things in my vehicle. The ARB comes with 50 plugs vs the Blackjack’s 35, but that is irrelevant because I (hopefully) wont use anywhere near that many before they are old and dried up. Given that the Blackjack is cheaper, has better handles and reamer, and comes in a more compact case, I’d give it the nod, but again, you can’t go wrong with either one.
Last edited:
redneckjeep87
Landscaper Extroidanaire
- Joined
- Oct 10, 2007
- Location
- Woodleaf, NC
This is what I was fixing to say.
Work trailers get all the plugs unfortunately. Load gs on both of them. AlWAYS have to drill the damn things. I honestly have never been able to get a load g plugged without drilling. I keep a drillbit in the case and generally have a drill somewhere in the truck or work van.
I have been using an arb for many years now and finally bent the insertion tool the other day. But overall it has been a damn solid kit.
That blackjack kit looks pretty nice.
jeepinmatt
..l.
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2005
- Location
- Stanley, NC
Dad calls me up yesterday evening and says he has a leaking tire.
This Blackjack kit was an absolute pleasure to use. It was a VERY small hole, like finishing nail size. But the narrow tip, tapered body, and high helix angle allowed me to thread it right in.
Inserting the plug was honestly the easiest one I have ever done. I’ve never had lube for it before, so I’m sure that helped. But I went to push it in like normal, expecting a bit of a fight, and instead it just popped right in, and the tool slid right out. (Y’all have fun with that, you’re welcome)
Overall I’m super impressed, though I still want to see how it does on the load range G truck and trailer tires.
This Blackjack kit was an absolute pleasure to use. It was a VERY small hole, like finishing nail size. But the narrow tip, tapered body, and high helix angle allowed me to thread it right in.
Inserting the plug was honestly the easiest one I have ever done. I’ve never had lube for it before, so I’m sure that helped. But I went to push it in like normal, expecting a bit of a fight, and instead it just popped right in, and the tool slid right out. (Y’all have fun with that, you’re welcome)
Overall I’m super impressed, though I still want to see how it does on the load range G truck and trailer tires.
83oldyoda4x4
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2008
- Location
- Randolph co, NC
Thats probably the best part of these kits ergo handles and lube. Going in dry with a cheapo model will wear you out on a 10+ ply tire.