Stumpalump
Expedition Leader
Large gaps in tires that won't fill can be sealed with a bicycle inner tube until the weak compressors we use can get enough air in to seat the bead. Good idea to to keep in the bag of tricks.
Reseating a stubborn tire bead.
- Thread starter Stumpalump
- Start date
Ducky's Dad
Explorer
I have had good luck jacking up the truck to take weight off the tire and let it be round again. Another trick is to wrap a big ratcheting strap around the circumference of the tire and tighten it to help seat the bead. Just got a bigger strap on Sunday. Then there is always ether and a match, but I have not tried that (yet).
http://www.caranddriver.com/features/how-to-set-a-tire-bead-with-an-explosion-feature
http://www.caranddriver.com/features/how-to-set-a-tire-bead-with-an-explosion-feature
Stumpalump
Expedition Leader
They made the ether trick sound kinda hard and risky. It works well and is as stupid simple as a shot of starting fluid in the tire and a match. The trick is to remove the valve core. The hot gas explosion or more like the little poof fills the tire with hot gas. As it cools it contracts and pulls the tire right back off of the bead. Now you have to jump up and down on the tire to pump out all the burnt fumes and pump in fresh air to try again. With the core out the air is sucked in thru the valve stem. It really that simple. I've seen gasolene used. Stand back because you know how pyros can get carried away. Best to remove the tire from the rig when the gasolene comes out because you know they are going to use too much and spill it all over. No mistaking the smell of a that tire fire. I miss those days when tossing tires on the campfire was not politically incorrect or bad for the environment. I hear burning old magnesium VW engine blocks was even better because they burn super bright. Bright enough to damage your eyes.
comptiger5000
Adventurer
Ratchet strap is definitely the easiest / safest way I've seen to get a bead to seat when you don't have a big source of air handy. Depending on how stiff the tire is, I've seen it get the beads in place well enough that you could seat it and air it up with a bike pump.
Happy Joe
Apprentice Geezer
Ether works (kind of) but as the ether burns it uses up oxygen generating a partial vacuum that often (usually) pulls the tire back off the rim (we have ganged several cheap compressors together and managed to get the tire to stay on the rim while using the ether trick.
... as mentioned, often just getting the load off the tire is enough; although small leaks can sometimes be sealed with nearly any thing viscous (dish soap, orange juice, grease etc.).
Ratchet straps, even a couple of turns of rope can help.
If you unseat beads regularly you need more air pressure (7-10 psi, off road, is relatively safe, for me, in terms of bead retention, although I have run as low as 4 psi, off road) or to stop driving obstacles with the sidewall... note: some rims have a better safety bead (raised section of rim just inside the mounted tire bead).
Some folks really need bead locks (either internal or external)...
I have very good success by using rims the same width or narrower than the actual, measured, tread width (a XX x 12.50 tire rarely has 12 inches of tread width; 12.50 is the section width not the tread width)... some folks, though, are totally sold on using rim widths narrower than the tire manufacturer's recommendation.
Enjoy!
... as mentioned, often just getting the load off the tire is enough; although small leaks can sometimes be sealed with nearly any thing viscous (dish soap, orange juice, grease etc.).
Ratchet straps, even a couple of turns of rope can help.
If you unseat beads regularly you need more air pressure (7-10 psi, off road, is relatively safe, for me, in terms of bead retention, although I have run as low as 4 psi, off road) or to stop driving obstacles with the sidewall... note: some rims have a better safety bead (raised section of rim just inside the mounted tire bead).
Some folks really need bead locks (either internal or external)...
I have very good success by using rims the same width or narrower than the actual, measured, tread width (a XX x 12.50 tire rarely has 12 inches of tread width; 12.50 is the section width not the tread width)... some folks, though, are totally sold on using rim widths narrower than the tire manufacturer's recommendation.
Enjoy!
ramonortiz55
Adventurer
Wow, this is interesting.
This is something I need to make sure I practice at home a know how to do well.
This is something I need to make sure I practice at home a know how to do well.