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Author Topic: Removing tires from rim by hand  (Read 6896 times)

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Offline dave1987

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Removing tires from rim by hand
« on: March 12, 2011, 12:55:08 PM »
I'm wanting to get a good set of used tires from the junkyard for the station wagon. They are $12.00 each for 13" tires, but that is considering you are not purchasing the rim as well.

Unfortunately they don't dismount many tires from the rims at the yard I'm wanting to get these from. They won't dismount them for you either.

So, how hard is it to dismount a tire from a rim by hand? I watched a youtube video about a guy changing a tire for his Jeep, but he had to run over the tire with his chevy blazer to separate the bead from the wheel sealing lip. I won't do that to a tire in fear of breaking the steel belts in the tire or messing up the belts some how.

If I were to take the rim off the car, then remove the stem to deflate it, do you think stomping on the side wall of the tire might separate the bead from the sealing lip, or should I smack it with a hammer?

Once that is done, has anyone here ever used a pair of tire irons (tire spoons) to remove the tire from the rim? My dad has a set of 8" tire spoons (irons) that he uses to remove tires from his motorcycle, but I don't know if those will offer enough leverage to remove a car tire from a rim.

Fred, perhaps you can help? Or do you have a machine for this sort of thing?
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Offline Fred Morgan

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Re: Removing tires from rim by hand
« Reply #1 on: March 12, 2011, 01:18:00 PM »
Dave, #1 picture is how I break bead down [run it over] I do this a lot. #2 picture is iron's I use to peel off and on 8" is way too small.  Fred   :)
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Offline dave1957

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Re: Removing tires from rim by hand
« Reply #2 on: March 12, 2011, 01:42:26 PM »
 ive used a handyman jack by putting the tire under a bumper on a vehicle and jacking the car up to break the bead
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Offline dave1987

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Re: Removing tires from rim by hand
« Reply #3 on: March 12, 2011, 01:49:17 PM »
Thanks dave! I think I'll try bringing a small jack with me to do what you do.


Fred, how much does a set of usable sized irons cost? Can I purchase them at a tire store like Les Schwab or Big-O-Tires?
1978 Ford Pinto Sedan - Family owned since new

Remembering Jeff Fitcher with every drive in my 78 Sedan.

I am a Pinto Surgeon. Fixing problems and giving Pintos a chance to live again is more than a hobby, it's a passion!

Offline dave1957

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Re: Removing tires from rim by hand
« Reply #4 on: March 12, 2011, 01:57:26 PM »
if you have one of those lug wrenches that only have one size and a screwdriver "hubcap" puller on the end they work ok
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Offline Fred Morgan

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Re: Removing tires from rim by hand
« Reply #5 on: March 12, 2011, 01:59:57 PM »
Don't know were to buy. The one's I have are real old they were my Dad's. Also they are 18" long.  Fred   :)
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Offline dave1987

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Re: Removing tires from rim by hand
« Reply #6 on: March 12, 2011, 02:03:48 PM »
Looks like Harbor Freight sells 24" general purpose tire irons for $4.99 each.

http://www.harborfreight.com/24-inch-general-purpose-tire-iron-93230.html

Do you think they would hold up or just bend?
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Offline Bigtimmay

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Re: Removing tires from rim by hand
« Reply #7 on: March 12, 2011, 02:53:56 PM »
maybe you could use those 8 inch ones with a piece of pipe to give more leverage but then again they might not be able to handle the extra force and bend?
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Offline wedge446

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Re: Removing tires from rim by hand
« Reply #8 on: March 12, 2011, 05:09:14 PM »
I break down tires by hand all the time at work(heavy equp tech) I know the smaller the tire the harder it is.
You will need 3 bars(the harbor freight ones will do)
A bead breaker( http://www.harborfreight.com/bead-breaker-92961.html )
Ive used bumper jacks before to.
I bead hammer works good too or ( http://www.amazon.com/Ken-Tool-35429-Tire-Breaking-Hammer/dp/B000MIWLZ2 )
And lube.
Dish soap mixed with water works good. You can put it in a pump sprayer or squirt bottle.
Lube is the key. Lube the bead before breaking it, after its broke and anytime it looks dry when taking it off..
Be careful the bars WILL get you if you slip. I have a nice scar on my right side temple to prove it.

With a cutting torch and welded anything will fit.

Offline tinkerman73

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Re: Removing tires from rim by hand
« Reply #9 on: March 12, 2011, 07:09:19 PM »
I will also state, that you may want to give yourself some time. If the pros can do it in 15 minutes, then you will want to multiply that by four if you are lucky. If not, you may want to add more! LOL. Toom me two hours to do a 12 inch garden tractor tire!  Take a set of good vise grips with you to! Once you have broken the bead, put one bar in the center of the rim. Use a second bar to start to work the bead. Use the vice grips to clamp onto the rim in one location. The use your bars to continue to work the bead along. Once you have gotten one side off, then your job is much easier! Make sure your bars are sturdy enough! Dotn use anything cheap and flimsy! You will pay! I had a cheap bar break on me and clobbered me pretty well in the shoulder. Took three weeks for the pain to go away. Thats when I decided to ask a shop how they do it when thier machine is down! LOL.
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Offline 2.3stangii

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Re: Removing tires from rim by hand
« Reply #10 on: March 12, 2011, 07:55:00 PM »
My uncle and Papaw used to use an old truck axle to hammer between the rim and bead of the tire. Gotta have a really good aim though and I wouldn't recommend it on aluminum wheels if you don't. Some WD40 or PB blaster works well for whatever method.
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Offline dave1987

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Re: Removing tires from rim by hand
« Reply #11 on: March 13, 2011, 01:23:06 AM »
An old truck axle huh? Like the axle shaft or the entire axle? Also, how did they use it to separate the bead?

I'm only wanting to do this so I can just get the tires, I don't need the rims (I have five extra steel rims for the Pintos). I can get a full set of 13" tires from this junk yard for $48 including tax if I can get them off the rims. I'm looking at $110 for all four if I take the steel rims too.

Tinkerman and wedge, thank you for your input! I will definitely be careful with the irons! I will bring a set of vice grips as well.

Tinkerman, just as you said, and what info and videos I have seen, once the bead is broken loose it's a piece of cake to remove the tire!
1978 Ford Pinto Sedan - Family owned since new

Remembering Jeff Fitcher with every drive in my 78 Sedan.

I am a Pinto Surgeon. Fixing problems and giving Pintos a chance to live again is more than a hobby, it's a passion!

Offline tinkerman73

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Re: Removing tires from rim by hand
« Reply #12 on: March 13, 2011, 08:50:42 AM »
Here is a nifty little item. I hope to eventually add this to my ever growing small plethora of garage tools! LOL.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=400135828233&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT
Jody Michielsen

Offline dga57

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Re: Removing tires from rim by hand
« Reply #13 on: March 13, 2011, 11:51:56 AM »
Wow!  That's actually a lot more affordable than I would have guessed. 
 
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Offline blupinto

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Re: Removing tires from rim by hand
« Reply #14 on: March 13, 2011, 12:18:19 PM »
When I got three forged aluminum wheels from the wreckers a few months ago I had the daunting task of trying to remove the tires from the rims. Although I broke the beads the darn tire wasn't coming off for love or money! I had to pay $6 apiece for some guy to put them on the tire mounting machine to remove those tires. >:(
One can never have too many Pintos!

Offline 2.3stangii

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Re: Removing tires from rim by hand
« Reply #15 on: March 13, 2011, 09:20:13 PM »
An old truck axle huh? Like the axle shaft or the entire axle? Also, how did they use it to separate the bead?
It was an axle shaft.
Just had to hit it in the right spot and keep working around the tire to break the bead. Then to get the tire off and back on they used pieces off a leaf spring :D My uncle still uses the axle for stubborn rusty wheels even though he has a tire changer now.
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