At one point or another, you can experience a tire puncture in one of your tires. It usually happens at a bad time too. It can happen right before a family vacation or important meeting when you are supposed not to be late or on a Sunday most tires centers are not opened. But there is one place that I want to mention that remains always open, that is, Walmart.
Fortunately, Walmart repair tires and will also patch your tires too. You have to get an appointment in order to avoid waiting time as they may be busy with other customers. Luckily, they are not very costly as they charge around $10 to $15 per tire patch job, so it can be worth the wait.
What Services Does Walmart Provide?
Walmart also has some additional services apart from tire patching and the services are for your tires as well as vehicle.
For Tires
- Tire mounting installation package – You can get your new tires mount to your rims from Walmart. If you purchased them from Walmart, the price of mounting will be $15 per tire. If you bought the tires from other than Walmart, then it will add an extra $10 per tire for a total of $25 per tire, or charge $100 for all four of them.The tire installation package also offers additional services with it. It offers a Valve stems/TPMS service pack along with a Lifetime balance and rotation every 7,500 miles, and a 50-mile lug re-torque.
- Tire rotation and balancing– Walmart will charge the low price of $2.50 per tire in order to rotate your tires which is far cheaper as compared to the industry average of $25 to $50 for all 4 tires. In addition, Walmart also gives a $14 per tire lifetime balance and rotation package too.
- Lug nut replacement – Apart from purchasing the lug nuts off the shelf, Walmart also has lug nut replacement to offer if you purchased the tire from Walmart. Although it is not free however and you will be charged $2 per lug nut.
Other Vehicle Maintenance
- Oil change – At Walmart, you can change the oil of your vehicle for $20 to $50. Just remember that you should ensure that the correct oil is being used for your vehicle.
- Air filter installation – Once again, if you purchase them from Walmart, installation will be free. Unless you need a cabin air filter then the cost of installation is $10.
- Wiper blade installation – Walmart will offer free installation for wiper blades if you buy them from Walmart. On average, the cost of wiper blades is $10 per blade.
- Battery installation – A battery purchased from Walmart is free to install, however if it is bought from other than Walmart, the cost will be $10 to install. In addition, Walmart gives non-corrosion treatment and terminal end replacement at the price of $3.50 and $5.00.
- Headlight installation – A headlight installation will take $7.50 per headlight. Walmart also offers a headlight restoration service at the price of $25.00 per headlight.
How Does Walmart Do a Patch Job?
Walmart follows the guidelines of USTMA (United States Tire Manufacturer Association) when they need to perform tire repairs. It means that patch kits will be used by them to repair your tire and not plug kits. In addition, they cannot patch all tire damage as some tire damage is characterized as non-repairable because of safety reasons.
There are different methods to define unrepairable damage. First of all, to consider the damage repairable, it has to be well within the treaded area. This area can be marked as being half an inch from the edges of the steel belt which is found under the tread.
If the damage is done within half an inch of a belt edge, on the shoulder or somewhere on the sidewall then you must get rid of the tire due to safety issues. If a tire is damaged that way, there is a high chance that it will blow out due to constant expanding and contracting of the rubber as the tire rotates.
In addition, if any damage causes a hole larger than one-quarter of an inch, or contains a diagonal punctured on the tire, or contains an irregular shape, or has severed the steel belt that is not repairable. It is due to the safety concerns and you need to keep in mind that if you come across any of these situations, you have to purchase a new tire.
How Can You Schedule an Appointment at Walmart?
Fortunately, scheduling an appointment for any of your tire needs is a very easy task. It can be done online due to its user-friendly system which can allow you to schedule what you need. If you do not want to it online, another way to do it is by calling your local Walmart and get it over the phone.
Does Walmart Sell Tire Patch Kits?
Yes, Walmart sell tire patch kits which can be purchased separately. On average, the cost of tire patch kit is between $10 to $20. Some of the tire patch kits will be more costly as much as $70, so it depends on you. My recommendation is to go through reviews, watch comparison videos or get the most expensive one.
Can I Patch a Tire Myself?
Yes, it is possible that you can do your own tire patch repair. As stated above, Walmart sells many plugs, patches and other tools that you may need. Just remember that in order to do a proper patch job, you will have to remove the tire from the rim.
How Do You Patch a Tire?
Removing the wheel from the vehicle is the first step in order to find the damaged area. An easy way to find out is to spray soapy water on the tire and look for bubbles. After finding the damage, you need to mark it so you can find it again later, the next step is to release all the air from the tire and remove the tire from the rim.
You may have to use a plug kit because it is easier and you will avoid removing the tire from the rim, however, these plugs never last and there is a high chance they start leaking again. You need to remember it, before you patch it you need to plug the hole first.
If the damage can be repaired, then the hole edges of the puncture need to be filed smooth so it does not expand more. The surface area available around the puncture on the inside of the tire also needs cleaning and preparation so that the patch holds.
When the hole is prepared and the inside area is cleaned where the patch will be applied, the hole needs to be filled. As we stated above, you can do it by using a tire plug (solid rubber stem) or you can also use a suitable vulcanizing material. This material often has a kit.
After the hole is plugged the inside of the tire, it needs to be cleaned again and make it smooth so that the patch will adhere to the rubber surface. At times, the given instructions for applying the patches may be differ from one another due to the bonding material as it works in a different way.
It should be easy and straightforward to apply the patch such as sticking a sticker. After completing it, and patch has had some time to set, you are allowed to put the tire back on the rim and inspect your work. If the leak is gone, you are good.
Just remember that your tires have lost their integrity and it is not new anymore. Once it faces a puncher and a patchwork is done, the tire will not work as good as new. The grip might be same; however, it has reduced the tire speed and long-distance travel range.
The reason behind it is that the heat builds up because of high speeds and consistent use of them. The heat could cause the patch to come off, lead to a loss of air pressure. The cause of this is due to the tire and patch expands and contracts at different rates, resulting in ripping the patch off.
Final Words
Walmart does do the tire repairing between $10-$15 per tire patch. The price can be different (higher) in your area, but will not too much of a difference. Furthermore, if the tire is not repairable, Walmart can provide you a new tire or install a full spare and charge a fee of $10.
Keep in mind that you may have to face long waiting times at Walmart, so the best course of action is to schedule an appointment. Additionally, if you are covered by Walmart’s Road Hazard protection plan then you can enjoy the free tires patch form them.
