Tire Bead Breaker?

[frankd]

I've always had a bear of a time breaking the bead when I change my Venture's tires. The front is always worse. I see that J.C. Whitney has a bead breaker, but it says that it won't work on street/sport tires http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Product/Pr-p_Product.CATENTRY_ID:2004056/c-10111/Nty-1/p-2004056/Ntx-mode+matchallpartial/N-10111/tf-Browse/s-10101/Ntk-AllTextSearchGroup?Ntt=bead+breaker

 

Has anybody tried this? How do others break beads?

 

 

BTW, the lowest price I've found so far for Avons is J.C. Whitney's!

 

 

Frank

[Guest tx2sturgis]

I've always had a bear of a time breaking the bead when I change my Venture's tires. How do others break beads?

 

 

BTW, the lowest price I've found so far for Avons is J.C. Whitney's!

 

 

Frank

 

Some of us only do this a few times in several years, and just make do with what we have. If I was changing tires more than 3 or 4 a year, I'd spring for a nice tire machine, but hey, a pickup, a jack, and some 2x4s work too!

 

 

I'm not sayin YOU should do this, but this is how I do it:

 

I just arrange it more or less like you see here in the picture, with 2 foot long 2x4s UNDER the mc wheel, supporting the rotor off the ground. I put a jack under the frame or bumper of a pickup,( parking brake on!) and use the jack to apply pressure to the 2x4s (you can sub bricks for the short 2x4s) on top of the wheel, pushing down on the bead. I crank it till there is a lot of pressure on the tire bead, but I dont raise the pickups wheels off the ground!

 

When I have some decent pressure on the bead, then I just jump up on the pickup bumper and hop up and down on it a couple of times, and poof, the bead pops right off. I make sure that I dont crank it so high that if it slipped it would damage the mc wheel...Im careful. You could use a piece of scrap carpet or cardboard to cover the rotor in case the jack slipped.

 

I flip it over and do the other side, then use the tire tools and tire spoons to get that puppy off the rim.

 

YMMV.

 

 

Edited May 23, 2009 by tx2sturgis

[BigBoyinMS]

What worked great for me (and at no cost) was this... I supported the wheel on 2x4's next to my tandem wheel trailer (or use your truck's frame) then I cut a 2x2 about 16" long and used a piece of pipe about 4ft long. The 2x2 I stood upright on the bead then I used the pipe as a lever by putting one end under the trailer frame and pushing down the 2x2 on the bead till it popped loose. It helps to cut the bottom end of the 2x2 at an angle. The longer the pipe (or stiff board or post) the more pressure you can put on it.

 

I guess my PB Engineering degree is good for something! (Po Boy Engineering )

[wes0778]

I guess my PB Engineering degree is good for something! (Po Boy Engineering )

 

Or to use the politically correct term "southern engineering" :crackup:

[frankd]

Either of these methods could be considered a modification of my system.....I've been using the Class 3 hitch on my E-350 van or my Dodge Ramcharger truck. However I've been lifting the vehicle with a floor jack, positioning the wood in a similiar fashion, then releasing the floor jack. The screw jack (or a bottle jack) pushing on the bead looks a bit easier.

 

I may try the bead breaker anyway. I does look like it'd work for the front for sure. I think the rear tire might be too deep for it though.

 

Frank

[Monty]

I used to use my truck to do it, until I figured out you could do it pretty easy by using a big c-clamp.

[Fvogt]

Frank

I have the tool and it works fine.

 

Fred