Breaking Insane Tire Bead

[Bret McFarland]

I've tried brute force to break the bead loose on an old 26x12-12 tire -- final effort was lowering my 1000lb 3pt snow blower on it. Would not budge lol.

There was talk recently of oil breaking down rubber material. Would soaking the bead in gasoline help? thanks

 

[mgonitzke]

That would probably be even worse than oil.

Sounds like a trip to a tire shop would be a good next step.

 

[Bret McFarland]

Sounds like a trip to a tire shop would be a good next step.

Absolutely hate changing tires, but I hate more paying what they are asking these days.

 

[Doug Rusk]

After trying to break the bead you know why they charge what they do. Would you fix tires all day long for ANY LESS than what they charge? I have my own tire machine mainly for convenience. I have a buddy or 2 that actually do it on the side and they say the tire machine really doesn't make much money. Especially when all their other buddies mount and balance them and forget to pay for weights and other supplies.

I do understand what your saying about cost. That's why I have my own. But it can be a real chore some times.

I made a bead breaker for the shop press but now mostly use the bead breaker on the rim clamp machine I have.

No I would not soak it with gas or oil.

 

[Bret McFarland]

No I would not soak it with gas or oil.

I don’t care about the tire.

 

[lpalma]

Cut the tire off then.

 

[dschwandt]

They are more than likely RUSTED to the rim most if not all the way around.
Been there, done that.
You will be lucky to save the rim even in some cases.
From an old rig that has set out in the elements for Lord knows how long??
On flat tires that have gotten water in them?
In any case......
Good luck with those!

 

[Bret McFarland]

Cut the tire off then.

I'm at that point -- cut a pie slice out with a sawzall to get where the bead meets the rim. But I don't want to hack-up the rim surface around the bead where it sits on the rim. Or does the sealing surface also seat on the face of the rim? Could take a dremel tool to the bead I guess -- like a dentist .

 

[Greg Riutzel]

I hate more paying what they are asking

I've come to accept that MY time is money too. Several days as a monkey onna football vs. an hour or less at the tire shop. I'll take the tire shop

 

[Bret McFarland]

I've come to accept that MY time is money too. Several days as a monkey onna football vs. an hour or less at the tire shop. I'll take the tire shop

$30 per tire might change your mind!

Problem is I need to get the tires off so I can recondition the wheels and paint them before mounting new tires … times that by 6 tires and double trips to get off and on and it would really add up.

Finally got the beads from h-e-l-l broken by repeatly dropping that 1000lbs on them. Never seen them that bad, but after 40+ years of being stuck together I guess I should not be suprised.

 

[Greg Riutzel]

$30 per tire might change your mind!

Just to dismount??

 

[Bret McFarland]

$30 to unmount and mount. Don’t know how much just to unmount. But 6 tires x 30 = $180 plus a 25 minute trip one-way was enough for me to do it myself.

 

[gary noblit]

Bret, I did that in Nov....cut a huge chunk out of tires with saw.sharpened a cold chisel and steadly attacked the bead ..ended up most of the beads had to be driven off with hammer and chisel because of heavy rust (most have wire in the bead)...opted not to use rims,just afraid they wouldn't seal well....pitted badly

 

[Bret McFarland]

...opted not to use rims,just afraid they wouldn't seal well....pitted badly

Gary I am able to use these rims, not pitted in the bead area. They had fluid in them (calcium chloride maybe?) and I thought they'd be a mess inside. Those beads were just hanging-on for dear life. And the sidewalls were really soft too so they collapsed easily under weight. Tires were the old Goodyear Soft-Trac Terra Tire. Still usable but ugly.

 

[cubs4lifeofme]

I see people drive over the edge of tires with a truck and popped bead down...Anyone do this before ?

 

[gary noblit]

I see people drive over the edge of tires with a truck and popped bead down...Anyone do this before ?

Cub,Probably most of us at some point

 

[1811Cub]

I see people drive over the edge of tires with a truck and popped bead down...Anyone do this before ?

A few times..

 

[1811Cub]

$30 to unmount and mount. Don’t know how much just to unmount. But 6 tires x 30 = $180 plus a 25 minute trip one-way was enough for me to do it myself.

That's high especially since these tires aren't spin balanced. If this price includes new valve stem and possibly bead sealer, then it might be more in line. My local tire guy charges $15 inc. valve stems mount dismount and if necessary bead sealer. Apparently, the bead sealer has become crazy expensive(like most things)..

 

[Curt Doles]

You could go this route and get a nice tool as a bonus. This would look great in a garage after a refurb.
I used one of these about 50 years ago, they did the job!
https://lancaster.craigslist.org/tls/d/hopeland-coates-manual-tire-machine/7593669885.html

 

[jstewart]

https://www.vevor.com/bead-breaker-...9e663e7f218134bf0827fad97340e&utm_content=all

These things are absolutely amazing, saved a set of 300 tires that I gave zero chance of surviving being broken down due to calcium corrosion