I dug up my 1948 copy of "Audel's New Automobile Guide", and read the section
on tires. It described basically the same procedure, and even had a picture of
the "breaking the bead by jacking up a car" trick! It also showed a picture
of a bead-breaking tool that sort of looked like a giant can opener.
Doug Braun
'72 Spit
At 05:03 AM 8/4/99 -0700, Nolan Penney wrote:
>I've done it by hand, and it isn't that big a deal. Couple of tricks will
>help out immensely.
>
>First, getting the bead broken free is important, and virtually impossible
>with tire irons. Trick #1, use a car jack. Bumper jacks are the easiest,
>but any will work. Lay the tire and wheel on the ground, put the jack on the
>sidewall of the tire as close to the rim as you can, and jack up the car. I'd
>suggest jacking up the heaviest car you can. The bead will finally pop free
>about the time the car is up in the air. Sometimes requires jumping up and
>down on the car as well. Do this on both sides of the tires.
>
>To work the tire on and off, you want three tire irons and dish soap. You can
>use screw drivers, but they are sharp, and have a habit of pinching tubes if
>you're using htem, or at least boogering up the bead. Push the tire around
>and get the bead down in the center of the rim. This gives you the room
>needed to walk the bead up over the rim lip. You want three irons because
>you'll hold the bead up with two of the irons, and have the third working up
>the newer section. You don't want to work too far out, because the forces
>become excessive and this is how you get a tire iron in the teeth. Work close
>in, slowly working the bead up and over, and wiggle the center iron for
>clearance.
>
>Use the dish soap and a cleaner and a lube. You want the rim clean so that it
>can seal, and lubed up so things slide nicely.
>
>I can generally change a tire in about 45 minutes this way.
>
>To reseat the bead with a tubeless tire, use a rope. Run the rope around the
>tire on the center of the tread. Tie it off to form a loop. Insert a stout
>stick, and start twisting. As you twist the rope you will crush the center of
>the tire down, and press the bead up against the rim progressively firmer.
>This helps it seal and retain the air the compressor is blowing in. However,
>I'd recommend simply going to a gas station with a peppy air compressor and
>just using it.
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