How on earth do you remove a tire??

[goldeagle 31]

I've just spent the past hour or so attempting to remove an old tire from a wheel rim - please tell me there is a method to this other than just using crowbars and brute force??

 

I can't find anything on a search of this forum that covers removing tires. I'm fairly certain using the crowbar technique I have been attempting (and failing) is just destroying the edge of the rim.

 

Please help before I throw this damn thing out the window!

[ebinmaine 67,632]

Sometimes you can break the bead by driving up on the edge of the tire beside the rim with a heavy vehicle.  

 

If you're not trying to save the tire a sawzall is your friend.  

 

If you are trying to save the tire a manual tire changer from HF will be your friend.  

 

[leabassett@sbcglobal.net 149]

I have a manual tire changer to break the bead. Sometimes standing on the tire will pop the bead. If its a front tire a large C-clamp or wood bar clamp could be used,

[ri702bill 8,339]

Larger tires, rear tires, are easier to dismount and mount. Small fronts are a challenge.....

Edited November 24, 2023 by ri702bill

[Handy Don 12,237]

For the relatively few times I’ve needed this service, I’ve taken the tire to the tire shop and let them put it on their machine.

If I needed it often, I’d give a close look to the HF machine!

[Wishin4a416 2,191]

I have one of those cheap manual tire machines from Harbor Freight. Seems I am always using it.

[moe1965 738]

If it's a front tire and you have a vise I open the vice up as far as it goes insert tire one side of the jaw on the rim and one on the tire and break the bead that way

[SylvanLakeWH 25,600]

17 minutes ago, Handy Don said:

For the relatively few times I’ve needed this service, I’ve taken the tire to the tire shop and let them put it on their machine.

If I needed it often, I’d give a close look to the HF machine!

Discount Tire near me. Worth every penny and they dispose of old tire... For the very few times I need it works best for me and i've never lost a bead seal...

[Thor27 769]

2 things are invaluable if you do more than a few tires. A bead breaking tool, and a cheetah tank to seat, or if you want to just fly tire and wheel assemblies across your shop.

Edited November 25, 2023 by Thor27

[Thor27 769]

This is the breaker I've used. The instructions say not to use an impact on it, don't ask me how I know they were right..

[squonk 41,156]

He's in the UK. I don't know if HF is there or not

[Ed Kennell 38,227]

I have used a hydraulic bottle jack.      Tire under a trailer hitch of a heavy truck.    Base of bottle jack on the bead against the wheel rim.

You may have to put a block under the wheel  to tip it enough to keep the jack from slipping off.

[davem1111 2,030]

3 hours ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

Discount Tire near me. Worth every penny and they dispose of old tire... For the very few times I need it works best for me and i've never lost a bead seal...

 

We have a Belle Tire nearby, family business that started in Detroit, and they only charge $10 per tire (any lawn/garden tires) to do whatever I need - new tire on empty rim, or pull old tire, mount new one, and dispose of old one. There might be a $1 charge to dispose of an old tire.  I would always look for a family business or Discount Tire type of store and see what they will do and for how much.

 

3 hours ago, Wishin4a416 said:

I have one of those cheap manual tire machines from Harbor Freight. Seems I am always using it.

 

I made a mistake and got the "really cheap" one from HF, and it's nearly worthless. The threaded vertical bar bent pretty much right away. Maybe I could replace it with a much harder steel rod, but not sure it's worth it. 

 

A while back I got the larger model second hand but looks like it was never used, for $20. Haven't tried it yet, not even sure if all the parts are there.  But i's much sturdier.

[davem1111 2,030]

9 hours ago, davem1111 said:

[regarding HF (Pittsburgh) tire changer]:

 

A while back I got the larger model second hand but looks like it was never used, for $20. Haven't tried it yet, not even sure if all the parts are there.  But i's much sturdier.

 

I woke up early and was thinking about this so I looked at HF, and this looks like the bigger tire changer I have. Unfortunately, I'm missing the lever bar the guy in this picture is holding, so I'm probably going to have to make one. I think any piece of pipe will work for breaking the bead, as shown in this picture:

 

However, for actually getting the tire bead up over the rim, the bar has a (not sure what to call it) bit on the end that you slip under the bead and spin around. I think I'll need to weld a piece of metal on the end, grind and polish it smoothly.  Or buy such a tool.  BTW, this tire changer is on sale for $59 right now ($70 off!).  I think that's less than I paid for the cheap useless one - maybe I should just buy another one of these.

 

Or maybe I can use the tool that came with the cheap one - it looks like this and seems to be strong enough:

 

 

When I have actually been successful at breaking a bead, getting a tire off, I've either used Silicone spray or liquid, or soapy water to make it more slippery. But that stuff won't seep into an old, well-sealed bead. In my experience, nothing but brute force will get them started.  This has been such a frustrating process that paying $10 per tire to have the pros do it is pretty easy to swallow.

 

[953 nut 55,322]

I will add a couple of things too what @Ed Kennell said about the bottle jack method. Have a couple pounds of air pressure in the tire to keep the sidewall from folding under, make up some small wooden wedges and place a wedge on each side of the jack after it has gone as far as it will. Once this is done rotate the tire a quarter turn and repeat the process. If the rim and tire are rusted together a bit of penetrating oil can be placed in the opening between the tire and rim and allowed to soak.

[JoeM 7,874]

1 hour ago, 953 nut said:

If the rim and tire are rusted together a bit of penetrating oil can be placed in the opening between the tire and rim and allowed to soak.

yes on that and i will not try to do it in one bite just working around the tire is small increments so it tracks under. just got to be patiently methodical.  

 

16 hours ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

and they dispose of old tire

Our trash pick up will take them to the land fill but the side wall have to be cut out. one tire, three pieces.  It got something to do with compacting of the tire at the land fill. 

[SylvanLakeWH 25,600]

1 hour ago, JoeM said:

Our trash pick up will take them to the land fill but the side wall have to be cut out. one tire, three pieces.  It got something to do with compacting of the tire at the land fill. 

 

Not in Michigan... 

[Lane Ranger 10,968]

Brute force is one of the key element but you have to find the right brute to do it!

 

[pfrederi 17,741]

When you have well over 100 tires on WHs other tractors, trailers and stuff and the nearest tire repair is miles away you gather the stuff to do it . I have the large and small Harbor Freight tire machines.  The red slide hammer is the cats meow for breaking beads...The big gray device is the ultimate bead breaker but is unwieldy to use.

 

 

[oliver2-44 9,761]

On 11/25/2023 at 8:41 AM, JoeM said:

It got something to do with compacting of the tire at the land fill. 

We have an old city land fill next to the farm. Uncut buried tires float up to the surface every now an then. The county now uses the land for a wood & leaves recycling yard and disposes of the tires. When the uncut tire is buried dirt and garbage fills the center but the  tire ring doesn’t get filled. As the garbage decays methane gas is produced and get trapped in the tire making it lighter so it pushes upward over time. 

Edited November 26, 2023 by oliver2-44

[JoeM 7,874]

11 hours ago, oliver2-44 said:

As the garbage decays methane gas is produced and get trapped in the tire making it lighter so it pushes upward over time

I never knew, that explains a lot. 

 

I was thinking like @SylvanLakeWH the tires strictly went to a tire recycle. Until one day, I was at the shop that does my truck repairs and a large box truck pulled. Three guys jumped out and went into the used tire hooch and started cutting out the sidewalls with razor knives. I ask one of the mechanics if those are the recycle people and he said no, landfill guys. He explained the landfill will take if cut but did not know why. He laughed cause the owner charges for disposal and then pays those guys half to take them. I ask my trash pickup guys if they will take them cut and they said yep, but don't get carried away or you will be charged extra. 

[wallfish 17,014]

20 hours ago, pfrederi said:

The red slide hammer is the cats meow for breaking beads..

I like that thing !!!!! never saw one before

[pfrederi 17,741]

1 hour ago, wallfish said:

I like that thing !!!!! never saw one before

 I got mine from Norther tool several years ago.  They do not have it anymore.  Like every thing they are more expensive now think I paid just under 100

 

 

[wallfish 17,014]

2 hours ago, pfrederi said:

 I got mine from Norther tool several years ago.  They do not have it anymore.  Like every thing they are more expensive now think I paid just under 100

See some online for like $50 ish. I don't need a super beefy tool for the amount of times it would be used but it seems like a good tool for the amount of times I do tries.

 

https://www.amazon.com/BLACKHORSE-RACING-Breaker-Trailer-Portable-Changing/dp/B07W8SLN9W/ref=asc_df_B07W8SLN9W&mcid=bd4f536d6b2a344fad8d719ff2d88d06?tag=bingshoppinga-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=79852147254036&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4583451675734505&th=1

 

Here's another even less

https://www.vevor.com/hydraulic-bead-breaker-c_10298/vevor-tire-slide-hammer-bead-breaker-heavy-duty-ram-bar-for-car-truck-trailer-p_010894841021?adp=gmc&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_id=441084242&utm_campaign=PLA-PC高-US-Automotive-GMC-ECPC-20220729-0928改结构&msclkid=edac488668c312ff689f2de50bf35efd&utm_term=4587574836953041&utm_content=all

Edited November 26, 2023 by wallfish

[Lee1977 6,669]

This way hasn't failed me.\