Tyre repair equipment and supplies are the small, constant spend of a tyre shop: patches and patch-plugs, cement, buffing tools, valves, wheel weights and bead lube. Running out of 6 mm patch-plugs on a Saturday morning costs more than the box ever did. Most shops buy from a supplier who delivers, and most save by ordering by the box and sticking to a few repair systems their fitters know. Send one request with your list and we pass it to independent suppliers, who quote you directly.
Patches, patch-plugs and cement
A proper tyre repair from the inside needs a combination patch-plug (a mushroom-shaped plug and patch in one) for tread holes, or a stem and a separate patch. Radial patches come in sizes for car, light truck and truck tyres; bias patches suit older cross-ply tyres. Patches cure chemically with vulcanising cement, which must be fresh and kept closed, as it dries out once opened. You will also need a low-speed buffer, buffing rasps, a carbide cutter to clean the hole, a stitcher roller and inner liner sealer.
Valves, cores and TPMS service parts
Every new tyre should get a new valve. Rubber snap-in valves suit most cars; metal clamp-in valves suit high-speed or high-pressure use and many TPMS sensors. Keep:
- Snap-in valves in the common lengths
- Valve cores, caps and a core tool
- Truck valves and extensions for dual wheels
- TPMS service kits: seals, nuts and cores
See TPMS sensors for what changes when a car has them.
Wheel weights, bead lube and tubes
Clip-on weights come in different profiles for steel rims and alloys, so stock the ones that suit the wheels you see. Stick-on weights come in strips or rolls, in zinc or steel, in silver and black for dark wheels. A wheel balancing machine is only as good as the weight that ends up on the rim. Bead lubricant paste or liquid makes mounting easier and safer for the tyre. For trucks, stock heavier weights and the right clip profiles for steel truck rims. Many shops also keep inner tubes for trailers, farm tyres and older wheels, and tyre sealant for customers who ask.
Ordering for a workshop
Count what you use in a busy month and order a little more of the items that run out first. Ask suppliers about delivery days, minimum order sizes, account terms and whether they split boxes. Check expiry dates on cement and patches, and keep the storeroom cool and dry, since heat in a tin roof storeroom shortens their life. A standing monthly order with a top-up option suits many shops: the basics arrive on a fixed day and you call only for the odd item. A supplier who also services tyre changers can be handy for spares.
What to put in your request
- Your list with sizes and quantities by the box
- Repair system your fitters already use
- Clip-on or stick-on weights, silver or black
- Delivery days and minimum order
- Account terms or cash on delivery
Tyre Repair Supplies for drivers, fleets and workshops
- Private car owners: the patches and valves behind a proper repair at the local tyre shop
- Enthusiasts, 4x4 and performance drivers: a club or track garage keeping valves, weights and patches on hand
- Company and rental fleets: a fleet workshop stocking patches and valves for in-house repairs
- Dealers, panel shops and insurers: a dealer workshop keeping weights and valves for prep work
- Tyre shops and wheel workshops: a tyre shop or fitment centre restocking patches and weights by the box
- Truck, bus and taxi operators: a truck depot buying truck patches, valves and extensions in bulk
- Farms: a farm workshop keeping tubes and patches for tractors and trailers
- Mines and construction sites: a mine tyre bay ordering heavy patches and valves for site vehicles
Frequently asked questions
Do you supply the patches and valves yourselves?
Should I mix different patch brands?
How long do patches and cement keep?
Zinc or steel wheel weights?
Tyre Repair Supplies by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg