I can't believe I didn't figure this out sooner. Ever have a need to break the bead on a tire that's been rusted to the rim? Today I went over to check on my vast inventory of junk stored in my pickup box trailer to find the tire flat. Brought the tire home and found a bead leak from many years of moisture. I tried driving the Rocky Goodtime Van [tm] up on it to bust the bead to no avail. All I accomplished was to get the damn tire and wheel stuck under the van. Casting my eyes about, I spied a hunk of 1.5"X1.5" square tubing, cut at a 45 degree angle. I grabbed my favorite cut-off sledge and drove the pointy end between the tire and wheel...VIOLA! It was unbelievable how easily the two separated and the bead was broke in no time at all... I wire-brushed the rust off the rim and used a little left-over ford gasket cement to insure no more leaks. Tested it for bubbles with a spray bottle of soapy water and I was finished....1/2 hour total time for the repair.
how well does the harbor freight one work? anyone got plans for a bead breaker? like one you would bolt to the floor... i hate spending money on getting tires mounted, and i doubt the drive on it trick will work with old cheater slicks...figured it would be a good thing to build/buy.
rock...how did you hold the tire to the ground? tuck i had tried to do the same with some old tires from the yard, and had a hell of a time. was the tire completely deflated? what's up..what's up..huh?
When i first started working in little out of town garage, i was taught to change tyres manually & we used to break the bead with a fookin great big hammer & a long lever that was heavier at one end with a 45 degree bend on it, that worked really well....the largest we ever did were Land Rover 16". There was a big old slide hammer designed for the job but wasn't as effective as the method simular to yours.
any one who cuts and burns wood for heat, will have a splitting "wedge" that may also be useful for this [tire removal] too.......
I know ROCKY quick make up a 100 or so and sell them on ebay a old tradition hot rod tool. You'll make a mint! It actually looks like a VERY useful tool - thanks for the tip!
Bryan...I held the tire on the ground by standing on one side of it and working on the other. I also threatened the wussy tire with many 4 letter words and vulgar gestures. The neighbors were intrigued and amused.
Didja try the bumperjack and a heavy truck method first? Is that old hat around here? Looks Way more manageable than a little wood wedge flying off in the opposite direction of the strike! Takin the valve center out is preferred Whenever you're dismountin tires Tokyo. They'll build pressure when ya compress to dismount and make it harder otherwise.
Now someone show pictures the old "inflating with ether" explosion trick...! Rooster, I know you have done this....! Works every time though....if you live to tell about it. Brian
Haha!!! These days when they get that obnoxiously difficult to mount I take em down to the tire shop, And Leave for an hour!!!
Not to take anything away from Rockys idea but I saw that Harbor Frieght has got their tire changers on sale for 50% off or $34.99 and they work good, I just ordered 7 more for christmas presents and buddies at work. At that price it will pay for itself the first time you use it if you change a couple tires. Mike And no I don't work for Harbor Freight, just thought i'd let ya know
Best way to get the bead loose is to pour alittle diesel fuel around the rim edge.Let it soak a minute, use a truck tire hammer with the duck-bill type head on it. You have to hit the bead where it meets the rim and try to drive the duck bill under the rim edge.Its alot easier to do than it sounds.Had to take a tire apart on an 8-n tractor that was on there since the last ice age and the fuel and the hammer worked when tring to pry it down with a back hoe failed.
Theres also the tire-in-between-the-floorjack-and-midsize-car-frame trick, but it may or may not be nice to the tire...
That's a great tool idea--but you were planning to reuse that tire, and didn't need to further remove it from the rim. I have a stack of 18" and 16" wires with petrified tires that were probably unuseable before I was born--anyone have a great method for completely removing dead tires without regard for future use? I have thought of hacksawing across the tires as a possible start--what really works? Quick, dirty, effective... Anything that doesn't involve several hours of wrestling.
The Jalopy Journal
