Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by John Austin on June 15, 2013 at 12:42pm

I split the wheel, BUT, if the tire seems firmly stuck to the rim, before you split the wheel, run by a tire shop and let them use a bead breaker to push the tires off the rim. Just takes a minute and my local shop didn't  even charge me. The first time, I tried to do it at home (didn't have a real bead breaker) and it was a royal PITA. Dropping them off at the tire shop was much easier!

John

N750A

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Aaron May on June 15, 2013 at 7:40pm

John is right on. Make sure they are a careful bunch. I took mine to the local shop and they put a big cut in the side of the tire with the machine they used to get the tire off the rim. Got another one the next day. Still easier than trying to get the tire off of the rim yourself. 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by John Austin on June 15, 2013 at 8:14pm

That's why I just let them only push the bead away from the edge of the rim and then I split the hub and removed the tire myself. I was afraid if they used the powered pry tool that prys the bead up and over the rim, they might damage the tire, or worse yet, damage or scratch-up the rim!

John

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Raymond Paul on June 17, 2013 at 3:19am

You can make a very simple bead breaker for these small tyres or buy a bead breaker from the go-kart racing tyre supply guys this works very well.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Danal Estes on June 19, 2013 at 4:39pm

I bought a "Harbor Freight" bead breaker for motorcycle tires for $20. Works great.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Conrad Watters on July 10, 2013 at 10:54pm

Today, I changed two matco tires with compression from wood clamps. Note that the clamp goes under the table ledge. - then flipped the wheel for contralateral bead.     Conrad

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jim B Belcher on July 11, 2013 at 9:57am

Slick!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Daniel C Hall on August 1, 2013 at 11:43am

Yup!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Mark Maltais on July 16, 2013 at 2:09pm

I just got this bad boy...

http://www.beadbuster.com/

and it's the cat's meow. About 100$ on e-bay, slicker than heck and it works on ANY tire.  I have ATV's that I restore so it's pretty handy for me with those tires, since they have special lips on them that make them even harder to pop than "normal" tires!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jimmy Young on July 21, 2013 at 6:09am

http://www.beadbuster.com/

I have got to get one of these. There is a right tool for everything. Thanks Mark.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Mark Maltais on August 1, 2013 at 2:43pm

Action shot!!!!

Without a doubt the BEST thing I've ever used to bust a bead!!!!  This thing is SLICK and works amazingly well!!!

Figured out my slow leaks (two of my tires were leaking, one in about 20 minutes!) as well.  I know you have to "lube" the o-ring to make it airtight but obviously I wasn't putting enough on.  I used a boat load this time and lubed the rim edges, the o-ring, the o-ring seating surface and the tire beads themselves.  Put them all back together and now it's been 4 days with no leaks.  However amount of "lube" you put on the tire and think it's enough TRIPLE IT!!!  Now I have a useless tube... guess I can keep it just in case I ever need it.

• ▶ Reply