Manually unmounting tires

[Optikalillushun]

I have a few wheel/tires from my truck i no longer need/want and i wanna unmount them myself. the harbor freight manual tire changer is discontinued. I could very easily go to a local shop but id like to learn how to do it myself incase i need to make a tire repair when no one is open. I also have some wheels/tires from my g/fs bronco but ill have a shop do them (alminium wheels, gunna resell, dont need scratches).

 

[DieselCowboy]

Lay the tire on the ground and run it over with your truck. Try to get the edge of the tire as close to the unmounted wheel as possible so you can break the seal from tire to rim. Flip it over and do the other side. It's easiest if you have someone watch you do it. Then just get some large, flat screw drivers, hammer and pry bar or two and slowly work one bead over the lip of the rim. After you get one side off, do the same with the other side. It's not very hard, just a pain in the ass.

 

[DieselCowboy]

you just got to work little by little to get the tire over the rim. if you get too big of a bite, it'll be too hard to stretch over. get a little bit, then move 2 or 3 inches and work it over. leave a screw driver or something between the tire and rim so you dont lose your spot

 

[G. Mann]

Build yourself a bead breaker first. Take a piece of 2X6 [oak would be great, pine is OK] about 3 ft long, and a 1/4 sheet of 3/4 plywood. Lay the plywood on the ground [if you are doing this in dirt it keeps the rim from eating into the dirt, and the tire from scooting away from the next step]

Put the rim with tire on it in the center of the plywood, put the 2X6 with one end on the ground and one end just shy of the rim, but on the bead of the tire [as close as you can get to the bead]. Drive one wheel of your truck up the 2X6 "ramp" and pop the bead free.

I like to use the drivers side rear tire to do this since I can back up the ramp with the door open and watch what happens. If it's really stuck bead, you may have to take a couple runs up the ramp. When it pops down, pull forward and jump on the rest of the bead to get it down all around, then turn the rim over and pop the back side bead, same way.

Then, use your longest tire iron while you stand on the tire to compress the bead to the center of the wheel while you lever the side away from you over the edge of the rim. I like to use two tire irons to "walk the bead" off. Once one bead is off the rim, repeat the back side bead and you have the tire off.

I bought three semi truck tire levers and recommend that is the best investment I ever made. Nothing like having 48 inches of leverage working for you.

Soap and a brush is your friend when you break the bead. Lube up the bead and it will walk off much easier.. same for install.

You can buy some of the fancy tire soap, it's pretty cheap, or you can use dishwasher soap and a cheap paint brush [don't go wild with the soap, but don't be shy either.]

Hope this helps. I use the same method for 24.5 & 22.5 truck tires on the Ranch where I'm out by myself except for them I use a railroad tie to drive the semi tractor up on to break the bead. [hey, no rules, except to win, right?]

 

[Optikalillushun]

would a long prybar do the same? I really miss work, cuz we had a fancy coats machine lol.

Thanks.

 

[91idi]

16.5 tires beads can be broke w/ a sledgehammer. If done that plenty of times.

 

[Shadetreemechanic]

I have used the drive over method many times with tractor tires.

 

[Dieselcrawler]

buy yourself a set of tire spoons for semis. you wont look back.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

I use a Hi-lift jack to break the beads down. Also on the wheels there is a "recess" between the two bead seats (making the rim diameter a little smaller), when prying the tire bead over the edge of the wheel it makes life much easier if 180 degrees to where you are prying is down in that recess.

 

[G. Mann]

What diesel crawler said.

A set of semi tire spoons will cost you less than one trip to a tire store to mount/unmount a set of tires and you will always be glad you have them. The angles and curves are "just right" and you won't do damage to the bead mount area on the tires, a pry bar and screw drivers will, then you have a tire with bead damage that can never be fixed.

 

[subway]

I use a Hi-lift jack to break the beads down. Also on the wheels there is a "recess" between the two bead seats (making the rim diameter a little smaller), when prying the tire bead over the edge of the wheel it makes life much easier if 180 degrees to where you are prying is down in that recess.

that is a huge key to making your life easier, the next one is a set of tire irons. i just did my tractor tires 16" 10 ply sidewall this last friday with a set or crow bars and motorcycle tire spoons, it can be done.

to break the bead i place a board next the bead like a 2x10 thats 6-8ft long and just drive up it. might take a couple of tries, been thinking of going real red neck and building something to break beads in my log splitter.

 

[OLDBULL8]

Be sure and remove the valve stem before any of the above is started.

 

[subway]

of coarse if you dont care about the rims 5 mins with a sawzall will get everything apart

 

[PwrSmoke]

buy yourself a set of tire spoons for semis. you wont look back.

Yep. Prybars and screwdrivers can tear up beads if you aren't careful and their sharp edges make it harder. The spoons are smooth and rounded, plus have curves and bends in the right places for leverage. Decades ago I got a tool called the "Tyre Pliers" from Australia. Great bead breaker!! You can by them here now from Extreme Outback < www.extremeoutback.com>. Had mind 15 years now and use it all the time to dismount wagon and farm implement tires. Also, by a gallon of rubber lube. Can't do any probin' without lube ( : < ) and rubber lube works better than anything on rubber and won't hurt the tire.

 

[DragRag]

FYI, Tractor supply has the manual tire changer still.