Breaking Down Tires

[sandcobra164]

Not for the weak of heart. I decided to fix my new spare since my good spare got placed on the rear axle. That wasn't an easy job either but back to the point. If you want to break down a Deuce rim and pull the tire off, it's a job in itself. First, make sure you break the bead down. If you don't have a tire machine to break the bead down, remove the valve core, place it where you can run over just the rubber on the sidewall close to the rim, spin and repeat. For both sides!!!!!! Your 4 wheeler with you on it doesn't have enough weight to break it away!!! Once you've got the bead broken away from the rim, take care with the split ring, don't yank up on the split ring and you're good to go. If the split ring won't pop out of it's groove easily, the inside bead is still holding it on. I learned that the hard way and will post pic's tomorrow!!!!!!! Once the tire is broken away from the bead, carefully remove the ring and pull it all apart. And to think, the local truck stop offered to put a new tube in for $50 and I thought that was too much. If you have the funds, go that route or do like I did and show support for Doing It Yourself. It's tough

 

[NMC_EXP]

If you plan to re-use the tire you're dismounting, driving on it to break the beads loose from the rim is probably a bad idea.

Good chance of breaking cords in the tire carcass and/or damaging the beads.

A wedge hammer designed for breaking beads costs maybe $30.

$50 to breakdown and remount a multi-piece rim huh? Maybe I ought to get back in the business...

Regards

Jim ( Dixie Trucker's Home tire shop, 1972 - 1977 )

 

[m16ty]

If you plan to re-use the tire you're dismounting, driving on it to break the beads loose from the rim is probably a bad idea.

Good chance of breaking cords in the tire carcass and/or damaging the beads.

$50 to breakdown and remount a multi-piece rim huh? Maybe I ought to get back in the business...

if it's a bad tire then you could run over it but it's hard on the bead and sidewalls if you're planning on re-useing the tire. It's even harder on radial tires.

If the tube was included it that $50 price, that's not a bad deal. If it's $50 just for labor, I'll change as many as you bring me for $50 a piece .

 

[Recovry4x4]

A wedge hammer designed for breaking beads costs maybe $30.

Boy, I'd like to find a deal like that! They are pretty pricey lately. Like double that price and ad a 20 spot for insurance.

I've encountered many a tire that you can't break it down running it over. I have an Esco mechanical breaker. It's labor intensive as well but I do eventually get the tire fixed.

 

[rosco]

There are advantages to changing the tires yourself. And don't always assume that the tire shop guys know what they are doing. Especially today with lock ring wheels and tubes. Taking care to have the tire clean and to get that flap and tube in there just right, is very important. The duck bill hammer is half the battle. I also have the slide hammer, but the duck bill is the main tool of choice. Of course the next trick in a row, is that you have to learn how to run it - hit EXACTLY where you are aiming. With a little practice, its worth it.

 

[hemichallenger]

A tire hammer and some dawn dish soap or pb blaster.
Takes about ten minuts when you get good at it. Been doing split rims
since 1974. Big problem is airing them up if you do not have the rings
locked your going to get hurt.

 

[fasttruck]

REMEMBER BREAKING DOWN A 9:00x20 M35 WHEEL-TIRE ASSEMBLY WITH A DUCK BILLED TIRE HAMMER AND A PICK BAR FOR THE LOCK RING IN ABOUT 90 SECONDS. HADEN'T BEEN ON TOO LONG. 11:00x20 TIRES OFF 12 TON TRAILERS THAT WERE DRY ROTTED AND FUEZZED TO THE RIM MIGHT TAKE A HALF HOUR OF SOAKING WITH SOAP ETC TO GET THEM LOOSE. TIRES THAT HAVE BEEN ON FOR A LONG TIME RESIST REMOVAL AS A BAND OF RUST FORMS ON THE LOCK RING SIDE AND RETARDS PUSHING THE TIRE DOWN FAR ENOUGH TO GET THE LOCK RING OFF. IF YOU DON'T HAVE A TIRE CAGE GET A CLIP ON CHUCK FOR THE AIR LINE SO YOU DO NOT HAVE TO STAND OVER THE LOCK RING WHEN INFLATING THE TIRE.
OHSA HAS ALL KINDS OF RULES FOR INFLATING TIRES WHICH CAN BE COMPLIED WITH IN A SHOP ENVIRONMENT BUT ARE HARDER TO COMPLY WITH ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. MANY TUBE TIRES, ESPECIALLY INSIDE DUALS WILL BE FOUND FLAT FOR LACK OF AIR PRESSURE PM AS FOR PUNCTURES. AIR IS FREE TIRES AND TUBES ARE NOT. ALSO OLD AND CRACKED BOOTS OR FLAPS CONTRIBUTE THEIR SHARE OF FLATS AND SHOULD BE REPLACED IF THEY INJURED THE TUBE. ALWAYS PUT A NEW TUBE IN A NEW TIRE AS USED TUBES STRETCH AND WILL BE BIGGER THAN A DIMENSIONALY PERFECT NEW TIRE AND WILL CREASE OR FOLD WHEN CONFINED IN THE SMALLER TIRE AND RUN FLAT WHEN THE TUBE BREAKS ON THE CREASE.

 

[whistlingdeuce]

I have done countless tires on the deuce with the "duck-bill" hammer and another sledge hammer. I have ran into a few that I think were original tires for the 60's or 70's that just about would not give up. For them I used our trusted backhoe and curl the teeth pushing down to add a lot more pressure. Of course these tires were shot anyway so it didn't matter what happened to them. For seating the bead I have a long 1/4" chain that I wrap in thru all the holes and around the outside of the tire. A lot like snow chains. I also have an air chuck with a lock on it so I lock it to the stem then walk over to the air tank and turn the valve on in total safety should anything decide to go suicide bomber on me.

 

[baxter]

I took mine to Sapp bros in Salt lake they charged me $15 each to break them down. After doing a few I was happy to give them $15 each to do it.

 

[wreckerman893]

A tire hammer and some dawn dish soap or pb blaster.

I second the Dawn dish washing liquid...for some reason that stuff is slicker than owl snot, I use a 50/50 mix with water....I don't recommend anything petroleum based as a tire lube.

If you don't have a duckbill hammer you can use a dull mattock to break the bead. It doesn't have the mass of the duckbill but will serve in a pinch.

Having an extra rim helps after you have removed the ring and are ready to break the bead on the other side....set the extra rim with the high side up and put the tire you are mounting on top of it with the ring side down.....lube it up and start banging away around it....it will fall off easier because of the weight pulling down on it.

I have encountered some tires that I could not break the bead on no matter what I tried...even used the forks on the tractor....ended up using a Sawzall and air powered cut off tool.


Always wear gloves when wailing away with the chosen implement of destruction. Until you get sighted in and can hit the bead exactly where you need to you will bruise the crap out of your hands and they will ache the next day.

Since I am retired and on a limited budget now I will prob change my own tires.

 

[WyoDeuce]

I droped a 9.00-20 at the tire shop on mon. for a nail. $35 at lunch lthe same day and it was ready to go. They do lots of tractor tires, construction equip and they do tires for the local guard here. They knew exactly what they were doing. $35 well spent.

 

[rosco]

On a ranch, the budget is always tight. I'll change a tire any day, for that kind of money. Ascot makes a vegetable based tire soap, or grease. You can mix water with it, or just use a handful around the bead. It really helps them come back off down the line.

 

[cjtroutt]

Boy can I those old days Tire dismount Mount M1070 HET 560LBS & Tire DEVIT. fun fun.
They make stuff called Tire easy also I used WD40 or Tide Laundury Soap just water it down a
littel.

 

[Ronbo]

Not to change the subject , but I have a question / statement . Now correct me if I'm doing wrong. But when I catch some lube sprays on sale ( wd -40 0 etc etc , I keep the tire beads sprayed . I do both sides .. I figure it could help later .. I consider it PM and I go thru $5 a month on tire shine sprays.

 

[Recovry4x4]

The problem with paying for a tire is when you start adding it for doing 10 new tires. By the time you add 10 new tubes and 10 new flaps you just added $600 to your tire budget. I try to maintain 10 extra deuce rims (in good shape) so that I can do tires at my own pace.

 

[Heavysteven]

I had a deck screw go through my tire. Paid action tire $50 to fix, included a new tube. I was happy I did. I know my limitations and breaking down a split rim tire is to much. Besides I got a 30 minute speak from the manager about how dangerious it can be.

To you guys who do it your self, move closer I need a good friend.

 

[snakehunter1964]

I had a flat on my old Deutz tractor one day and decided to fix it myself (I was BROKE at the time). It took me countless tries (not to mention hours) to break the bead down but when I finally got it broken on both sides I managed to slip the tube out and patch it without pulling the entire tire (which I never would have managed).

Needless to say, I never wanted to swing a hammer at a tire again, but you guys have all given me some great advice.

Besides, now that I can afford to have them changed if necessary it doesn't seem so much like a chore as a challenge!

I bought my deuce because it's a beautiful, historical pile of steel and a mechanical challenge.

Oh yeah, I also bought a brand new John Deere a couple of years ago...that old Deutz was NOT beautiful!

 

[Irv]

Improvised tire cage

One of the military manuals suggests an improvised tire cage for when you are out in the field. After getting the tire broken down, patched and reassembled, you need to air it up safely. Affix the clamp-on chuck and slide the tire under one of the axles of the truck, so that in the event that the ring is not properly seated, the ring will launch up and just strike the axle, not you. You stand way back and plug in the air line to air it up. After the bead seats, let the air back out remotely and check everything out. Then install on the truck. Irv

 

[rmgill]

Knowing how do to do this and having the tools on the road could be a life saver. I carry the duckbill in my truck along with the levers, spare flaps and spare tubes.

I re-mounted ALL of the 1100x20 tires on my deuce for this task and mounted two more as spares.

It's also a good thing to break them yourself and inspect, clean and prime the rims to keep them in better shape.

 

[Hammer]

While putting air back into the tire, hit the sidewall with a sledge hammer to help the bead slide up and cover the lock ring.
You don't have to have very much air in the tube to get the sidewalls to move when you use a hammer.
This is a nice safety issue, because once the lock ring is covered with the bead, there is almost no way to have the lock ring come off without the bead ripping apart. And this can be done with very little air pressure. So it is a lot safer then just putting in air and standing back to watch.

Btw, for the impossible beads that won't come loose, put some gas on it and let it soak in. I have also used kerosene for this.
I have had to do this on some OLD tires that were most likely original issue tires! The bead was PART of the lock ring!