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Re: Changing tires by hand

To: Nolan Penney <npenney@erols.com>, spitfires@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Changing tires by hand
From: Douglas Braun & Nadia Papakonstantinou <dougbert@rcn.com>
Date: Wed, 04 Aug 1999 09:06:57 -0500
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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