How to mount Bias-Ply Tires in your own garage!

To some folks this may seem stupid simple but I know when I first started messing with tube-type tires, I didn't know the first thing about how they were installed, changed, etc... And chances are the knuckle-dragging stooge working at the local tire shop hasn't a clue either. Trust me, I've worked there and I know him! But his lack of knowledge won't stop him from charging you to incorrectly install them! So... save a few bucks, amaze your friends, and do it yourself!

You'll need:

a tire iron or two(or a flat screwdriver with the sharp edges filed down like I use)
a tube-type bias ply tire
a tube
a wheel
some baby powder, yep.


Case in point, these tires and wheels came on my project and had been installed incorrectly. They were mounted with the outside sidewall toward the inside of the wheel. Probably makes no difference in performance, but one side of these firestones looks nicer than the other.

Dismounting them is easy. Remove the valve core. They make a tool to do this, but a small pair of needlenose works too. Once the air is out, gently pry the bead away from the wheel lip. After you completely break the bead, push one side into the deep area of the wheel and work the tire bead over the edge of the wheel little by little until one side of the tire is free of the wheel. You can now carefully remove the tube. Now you can step on the wheel and rip the tire from the wheel with your bare hands, impressing your neighbors with your brute stength. It's really not that hard, but anyone who's used to modern radials will wonder why the guys at pep boys have to use giant hydraulic powered machines to change tires when you can simply rip them apart by hand. Don't be surprised if your neighbor's wife asks you to come by to do some "heavy lifting" for her.

It's a good thing I switched these tires around as I found another problem during tear-down. You can see from the wrinkles in this pic that this tube was twisted around 360* inside the tire. Not good... this will eventually cause a flat.



Anyhow, back to mounting...
First, add a little baby powder to the tire and tube. It will act as a dry lubricant and allow the tube to slide within the tire and seat properly.



Bounce the tire around a little bit to coat the inside evenly, taking care not to bounce it right into your wife's brand new daily.


Grab your wheel, in this case a 40 ford, and wedge it into the tire as far as you can.


Make sure the bead is in the center of the wheel like so...


Take your tire iron, or screwdriver and pry the bead over the back edge of the wheel.


Work your way around until the wheel drops into the tire.


Now, take your freshly powdered tube and lay it out flat. They have two sides, make sure the side with the valve stem on it is being installed toward the side of the wheel with hole in it. Seems simple, but it's easy to screw up if you've never done it before. Insert the valve stem into the hole and stretch the tube around the wheel.


Carefully work the tube around the wheel into the tire, keeping the valve stem in the hole.


Once you have the tube inside the tire, flip the whole shebang over. I step on the edge of the tire to hold it in place and carefully work the bead of the tire over the edge of the wheel with your "iron", being careful not to pinch or poke the tube.



Flip her back over and air it up to 30 PSI. If you've never filled a fresh tube-type tire, you're probably about to think you have a leak. I know I did. As you're filling it, you'll feel and hear air escaping around the valve stem. Fear not, unless you stabbed your tube during ***embly, this is just air escaping from inside the tire/wheel that's being displaced by the inflated tube.

This final step is VERY important! Once you've aired the tire up, pull the valve core out and let ALL the air back out. This will allow the tube to smooth itself out a bit and prevent wrinkles inside. Air it up to your chosen pressure. You just saved $80 in install fees and hours of aggrivation from sitting by the side of the road with a flat because Tire Shop Joe didn't install you antique tires correctly. Plus, you'll get the added bonus of smelling like you've been working overtime in a day-care center!

Add a little paint...

 

Good info but the old guy at our local station mounts them for $4 each.

 

You can also use a rubber mallet to bump the tire on the rim instead of the screwdriver. Less chance of pinching the tube. good how to!

 

That's interesting but you did it the hard way. I'd be afraid that I'd pinch the tube stuffing it behind the bead that way when it is easier to put one bead on, put the tube in an put just enough air in it to get it's shape but not interfere with putting the other bead in. Also there's a good chance of tearing a bead with the screw drivers instead of using wider irons.

 

Thanks dude. You do everything huh???? My advice is to add that paint before the install hahaha!!!!

 

Don't know what the big deal is. When I was 8 years old I used to help my dad change the inner tube. His tires were round and black but that was about it. He would use a bumber jack to break the bead. He also had a special flat iron tool that he would hit with a hammer to get one side of the tire off the rim. I think any old timer would know what I am talking about.

 

I love you guys. That's the way we did it fin the 50s and the way I still do it.

 

I wish I knew of a shop that actually knew how to do this and charged $4 each! You're lucky!

I have heard of this, but have never been able to get it to work.

Not sure what you mean... I'm certainly no tire man, but I've done over 30 tires like this and never punctured a tube or torn the bead. I think you'd really have to be a freakin' gorilla to tear the bead!.

 

One thing I'll add, unless I missed it. I air up the tube slightly before getting the second bead on the rim, then deflate. This helps "locate" the twisted tube a little better before getting the second bead on and final inflate IMO

 

I have a plastic 17" hole template that fits right over the wheel and covers the tire.

Jeez, who pissed in your cheerios... this thread is obviously geared toward someone who has never done this before.

Thanks rebel!

 

Thanks for the info. I tubed a tire for the first time the other day and I could not find any info on how to do it correctly, now I know. Thanks!!

 

I am going to try the baby powder on my air machine. Also, your shoe is untied!

 

I've never done that, sounds like a good idea though. I DO air it up and deflate it fully after both beads are on. This with the powder inside lets the tube "slip" into it's normal position.

 

I believe, with the one bead still off, the tube has a little more freedom to find it's happy spot easier. It's just an educated guess/theory of mine

 

Yes, that should be fine. I was just throwing another angle at it.

 

Well, it definitely makes sense. I might have to add that trick to my repertiore!

 

Thanks, thunder. I can use stupid simple. LOL. Seriously...I spend a lot of time reading tutorials here about everything under the sun, so I can do it myself...then have to take a tire to the tire-guy to get it fixed or changed?

 

I actually had a reputable local tire company tell me that having tubes in highway tires is now illegal. He wanted to seat my old bias ply with no tube. It's amazing that people can make their living from vehicles and not know how to work on tube tires, or work a column shift transmission.

 

Thanks Rick, I knew someone could use it!

Haha, I don't think you would have made it out of the parking lot, much less to the highway! Sounds like someone doesn't know how to install tubes...

 

Well I'm not taking the time to read the responses so if someone already said it, I'm saying it again.

As one of those dumb kids that worked at a service station, I'm going to go ahead and disagree with this article.

First the tube being twisted, that's what you get when you put a flat tube inside the tire, then try to air it up.

I always put a little air in the tube, just enough to get it to take shape. I got one side of the tire mounted on the wheel, then I stuffed the tube into the tire. After I got the tube in, I would set the tire down and get the valve stem run through the valve stem hole in the wheel and hold it with a valve stem puller tool hooked on to it, not one of the short ones, the long ones, cause if the tire spins on the wheel when I'm mounting it, I want the valve stem to be able to spin too without getting caught and ripping.

Then I put the other side of the tire on finally. After it's on I spin the tire so the tubes valve stem is coming straight out of the hole and air it up.

No baby powder, no twisting of the tube, and no having to let the air out after you aired it up.

 

ha ha ha, almost fell out of my chair when I read that line. Sounds like a lesson learned the hard way.

Cool thread idea, thanks for the tips.

 

Nice post! Done to many to count myself! Antibling is 100% on track with his post!!!!

 

I remember my dad having one of the flat iron tools and making the mistake of asking him what it was for when he had it laying out one day. LOL

Luckily we have a shop that's been in business forever and they know tires. For a few bucks I let them do it. It's good to help keep those who know what they are doing in business also.

 

Getting one mounted for $4 is great. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to fix a flat tire yourself. If you take that spare out of the trunk, you might have room for your big beer cooler.

 

Liked the pictures...

 

Great thread for us beginners... thanks for posting pics to show it.

 

Glad you couldn't be bothered to make an informed post.

Okay, I'll say it again, this article is not intended to teach guys who work in service stations how to change a tire! In the past, I have had problems when taking tube tires to service stations and wanted to offer others another option.

I have also worked in a service station so don't take my comments about their employees the wrong way. Knuckle-dragging stooge... haha, The fact of the matter is, we're getting to a point in time where even the guys that are considered "old timers" working at some of these places may have never changed a tube-type tire. And some of the kids? Their idea of a cl***ic car is an 87 Nissan...

As for the method, it's what was shown to me by a "real" old timer and so far, it has worked just fine for me and for all the guys I have mounted tires for. No twisted tubes, no flats, no torn beads, etc... Obviously there is more than one way to skin a cat, this is just one way. Plus, with my way, you smell fresh and clean all day long! Nuff said!

 

Shhh! She might hear you!



Thanks!

 

We use to do this out on the farm, no way was Dad going to waste tiime running into town to get a tire changed on some tractor or something. He had some old single leaf springs with the edges ground smooth to use as tire irons, they worked well.

 

Another helpful hint from an old fart that fixed a lot of "Maypops" in his youth. If you can't break the bead just lay the tire and wheel on the ground and drive over the tire close to the rim. The weight of the car will mash the tire bead off of the rim.