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How to remove tire from MRAP wheels

trider

New member
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0
Location
Seminole, OK
I may soon be switching the 365's on my MRAP wheels to a set of custom Long Wheels. My questions is I will need to get the tire off the tire. To do this will I need to remove the nuts from all the bolts holding the two piece wheel together? I do not need the run flats off just need the easiest way to get the tires off so they could be mounted on the new wheels. I have searched but didn't come up with anything. Thanks for the help
 

ke5eua

Well-known member
2,568
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48
Location
Baton Rouge (Central), LA
Remove ctis hose from tire so it lets all the air out.

Safety is paramount, as people have died messing with bead lock rims.

Once all air is out and you know it is out you can start removing all the nuts.

The tire will come off fairly easily, getting the run flat out, well good luck on that, lol. It is a pita.
 

trider

New member
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Location
Seminole, OK
I just need the tire off I don't care about the run flat. Excuse my ignorance but will the run flat be inside the tire when I get it off or stay on the rim?
 

Rmtaunton

Well-known member
1,510
31
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Location
Smyrna, ga
If you have an engine lift , place the legs of it next to wheel, and put chain in wheel it works great but still might need a few taps on tire.

Good luck
 

silverstate55

Unemployable
2,075
872
113
Location
UT
I'll share my method. It's probably wrong (of course), so someone who knows a better way please post it here.

I've done about a dozen so far...remove valve core, then remove outer locknuts. You'll need a duckbill or forklift to break the bead, then remove the outer wheel half. Flip the tire/wheel over & break the other bead, then flip tire/wheel over again & prop tire sidewalls on wood blocks so wheel can fall free. I use a sledge hammer to drop onto the inner wheel face, and work my way around the wheel in thirds or fourths to "walk" the inner wheel off of the runflat....you don't need to strike with the sledge hammer, just use its weight to drop onto the wheel and encourage it to work itself off of the runflat. I can usually completely demount a 395 tire with runflat in 20-25 minutes this way.

When you break the first bead on the outer wheel half, please make sure you've removed all the outer wheel locknuts first...you'll find that when the bead finally breaks free, the outer wheel half will almost pop right off of the tire/wheel. Steel MRAP wheels use 1-1/8" nuts, FMTV wheels use 15/16" nuts. I don't know what size of locknuts the aluminum MRAP wheels use, sorry.

The runflat will have a black, tar-like substance all over it & all over the inside of the tire. This is a lubricant in case the tire goes flat, it keeps the runflat from overheating. You can't totally get it all off, so don't bother.

To remount the tire on another wheel, just reverse my directions and use LOTS of dish soap or tire butter. You can work the runflat back over a new wheel half in the same way. It is very easy to seat the new bead; simply stand the tire back up on its tread and inflate (preferably using a locking air chuck and standing a safe distance away, you never know). The bead is practically seated once you torque down the outer wheel locknuts.
 

welldigger

Active member
2,602
15
38
Location
Benton LA
I thought you can't put a tire on a one piece rim w/ runflats?
You can't. And the easiest way to break the bead is a pair of tire irons. At least for me it is.

Getting the runflat out sucks. I used a track hoe and a tractor with a front end loader to yank them out. Obviously not everyone has these at their disposal.
 

trider

New member
176
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Location
Seminole, OK
Has anyone used the method I saw on Youtube and chaining the tire to a tree and pull the run flat out with a truck and strap?
 

welldigger

Active member
2,602
15
38
Location
Benton LA
I don't see why that wouldn't work.

I set the tractor front end loader on one side of the tire and then the dozer blade of the trackhoe on the other. Then chained the runflat to the trackhoe bucket and yanked it out.

Same idea basically. Fill a squirt bottle with really soapy water. Douse the tire bead and runflat with it. It will help a lot.
 

wreckerman893

Possum Connoisseur
15,629
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Location
Akenback acres near Gadsden, AL
:tigger:

For the tires on the M927A2 I remove the tire from the truck, put it the back of my pickup truck using the front end loader on the tractor and take it to my tire guy that has all the right equipment.
His guys do all the work and I usually pay about 35 bucks for them to breakdown, repair and remount the tire.
Money well spent and the neighbors aren't treated to my entire repertoire of profanity.:shock:
Your mileage may vary.
 
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