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Lily'sDad

GMC, They Said
Senior Member
I hate changing tires. More especially, I hate breaking the bead. I went on utube to watch a guy show how to fill a tire with fluid. To break the bead, he made two fists and pushed down on opposite sides of the sidewall. I try standing on the side wall and . . . nothing! Did I mention this was a measly 16x6.50x8? I ended up incorporating an anglegrinder, a large screwdriver, and a 4 lbs. mallet.
 
Put a jack under the hitch on my truck and down on the tire on the real tough ones. Lot of times pouring some Coke around the beand and letting it set for 1/2 hour or so will eat it free. Used to do that on the old split ring truck tires back in the late 50's. Works to clean the grime off the windshield too.
 
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Thanks Roger. I used a jack like you said and finally got one side of a rim done. Another guy on another website demonstrated a method to try. The tire practically fell off. These youtube guys must use new tires on new rims.

I've got two rear tires to do and I want to save the tires. I think I'll just cough up the money to have them done.
 
Back when I was kid id jack dads truck up this tire on the bead until it broke. Usually 4 drops if you got lucky. Then wrestle 2 screw drivers around until I got the tire off.

Funny how dedicate I was to changing tires on my 4 wheelers when I was a kid. I'd work for hours just to ride. Now if I had a flat id wait until I could take it to my buddy with a tire machine.

One of these days when I get my new garage built i am going to put a tire machine in there. Might never pay for itself but boy would it be nice to buy tires off the net and do them myself. Probably save a 100 to 200 a set. 2 sets of tires a year for myself would take a long time. Do them for free for friends and family..
 
Those old car bumper jacks worked real well on race car tires at the track where there was never a tire machine around. Hook the jack to the truck bumper, set the base on the sidewall and pound the edge of the base into the bead area. Then start jacking. Would have to repeat the procedure a few times, and then use pry bars to work the tires off the rim. Of course the tire was normally trashed so we never cared about tearing it up.

I agree, small tires are tougher than bigger ones.

DAC
 
Ive done sizes like 18.4-30 (big tractor tires) by laying a 2x10 on the tire, along the edge of the bead/ and driving my truck onto the 2x6 like a ramp.
I've busted a couple 2x10s this way too, have occasionally had to double up 2X10s. but for your purposes a GT tire sidewall isnt as tough as a big tractor tire.
 
I had two 16x6.50x8 tires and wheels I took the tires off of a few weeks ago. Had to cut the tires off. My hardwood stick I use by laying the tire on the ground, putting the hardwood stick on. Then drive the truck on that, didn’t work. Normally does. I have the hardwood cut to fit the shape of the wheel too.

Noel
 
I had two full 1xs stacked one the rim as stated. When I rode up on it with the truck, one shot out behind and the other broke. >tsk!<
I think my rims are just haunted.
 
After they have sat outside for years they can get kind of nasty to work with. I have a 16" tire to change one of these days. On the wood spliter. Backed into it with the draw bar on the ranger. 1" center, bushings, tries is loose on most of that side. Warmer weather may make it easier ?
 
T
Those old car bumper jacks worked real well on race car tires at the track where there was never a tire machine around. Hook the jack to the truck bumper, set the base on the sidewall and pound the edge of the base into the bead area. Then start jacking. Would have to repeat the procedure a few times, and then use pry bars to work the tires off the rim. Of course the tire was normally trashed so we never cared about tearing it up.

I agree, small tires are tougher than bigger ones.

DAC

That's how we used to do it too.
 
I just use this:

Does a decent job of breaking the bead, though I have put some extra bends in it. Made my own small wheel holder for taking them apart.
 
Those are some good ideas! The slide hammer looks like a person can build it. The Esco bead breaker looks like it will break any bead! Those HF tire changers are so darn cheap I don't know why I've never bought one---yet!

Man, I'm so clumsy, if I dressed like Larry, my legs would be cut up and bruised and toes would be squished flat! I even wear steel-toe tennis shoes when I'm not wearing steel toe boots---LOL!

DAC
 
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