Removing Old Tires from 2 Piece Rims Help Please!

[John S]

So the work on my 1960's Lil Indian continues. I am now trying to get the old (probably original), dry-rotted tires off of the 2 piece rims without damaging the rims. I've taken all the bolts out and even carefully tried a pry bar. It seems that age has stuck the tires to the lips of the rims! I've even taken a saw and cut one of the tires in half to see if I could carefully pry it from the rim, but no luck.

Any ideas about how to soften the hold that these old tires have on my rims? ut:

 

[manchester1]

Just keep working on them. I use WD40, soak them in hot water, more WD40. Just keep working the tire irons. Go easy. I have had a few tough ones myself.:laugh:

 

[trinik7597]

I usually take two flat screwdrivers stick one in between the rim and the bead and turn it side ways . then almost next to it do the same with the second one . then remove the first one and continue this process all the way around the rim with out getting too happy so you don't mess up the rim . after doing this all the way around it should free it up :thumbsup:

 

[bigrob]

My method is to cut the sidewall of the tire

Then in one spot cut the rubber as close to the rim / bead as possible

Then you have to carefully cut the stranded steel wire bead

I have done this with a good pair of wire cutters or with a dremel
even a full size grinder with a zip cut will work

But go slow

 

[manchester1]

My method is to cut the sidewall of the tire

Then in one spot cut the rubber as close to the rim / bead as possible

Then you have to carefully cut the stranded steel wire bead

I have done this with a good pair of wire cutters or with a dremel
even a full size grinder with a zip cut will work

But go slow

I just used that method a few weeks ago.:laugh:

 

[Harleys Papa]

I have put the tire half in a vise(rubber part not the rim) and used a dremell with a cut off wheel and cut the bead of the tire :thumbsup: use a pair of vise grip pliers on one side and use even pressure to pull it apart as you cut :thumbsup: I really should video it the next time :doah:

 

[manchester1]

I had to cut these off with a dremmel and tin snips. They were really rusted to the rim.

 

[John S]

I have put the tire half in a vise(rubber part not the rim) and used a dremell with a cut off wheel and cut the bead of the tire :thumbsup: use a pair of vise grip pliers on one side and use even pressure to pull it apart as you cut :thumbsup: I really should video it the next time :doah:

Interesting responses! If you put the tire in the vise and continue to tighten, any chance it will break the bead?

 

[Jack's]

So the work on my 1960's Lil Indian continues. I am now trying to get the old (probably original), dry-rotted tires off of the 2 piece rims without damaging the rims. I've taken all the bolts out and even carefully tried a pry bar. It seems that age has stuck the tires to the lips of the rims! I've even taken a saw and cut one of the tires in half to see if I could carefully pry it from the rim, but no luck.

Any ideas about how to soften the hold that these old tires have on my rims? ut:

Take all the bolts off the rims, deflate the tires completely. Then spay WD40 between the tire bead and the edge of the rim. Do this on both sides. Then pump the tires again up. This will expand and loosen the rims. Good luck:thumbsup:

 

[trinik7597]

Take all the bolts off the rims, deflate the tires completely. Then spay WD40 between the tire bead and the edge of the rim. Do this on both sides. Then pump the tires again up. This will expand and loosen the rims. Good luck:thumbsup:

now that is one I have never tried !! but am sure I will :thumbsup:

 

[manchester1]

Take all the bolts off the rims, deflate the tires completely. Then spay WD40 between the tire bead and the edge of the rim. Do this on both sides. Then pump the tires again up. This will expand and loosen the rims. Good luck:thumbsup:

Good idea.:thumbsup: Never tried that trick. I will try that next timeut:

 

[Robertt8883]

Remove rims from stuck tires

I actually had to do this yesterday i have a set of 2 piece Go Power aluminum rims and wanted to remove the tires without cutting or ruining them they wouldnt budge so what i did was unbolt the wheel so it was two separate pieces. I sprayed some WD-40 along the bead of the tire near the rim. I used my 2 Ton Arbor pres to apply pressure all along tire bead near the rim it the rim was removed easily and the tires were never damaged

 

[thejoker]

I use a cat foot peg and a 3lb hammer to break the bead. I have never Damaged any wheels or tires with this method yet. And I've done it about 20 times now.

 

[lostinbaja]

I fought with the tires on my Honda 70 for a week before I took a propane torch to the inside of the bead and just kept going around the bead and it just about fell off. It was a last ditch effort before I ordered new wheels.
BTW....It really smells bad.

 

[jeep2003]

Yeah heat actually seems to work pretty good. Put the whole thing in the oven for a bit or in front of a heater. I just work around and round 20 times or so with a screwdriver and they always let go eventually. 2 piece wheels are harder because the bead is much bigger. I avoid cutting them because its such a pain but it certainly works

 

[JohnnyTillotson]

Yeah heat actually seems to work pretty good. Put the whole thing in the oven for a bit or in front of a heater. I just work around and round 20 times or so with a screwdriver and they always let go eventually. 2 piece wheels are harder because the bead is much bigger. I avoid cutting them because its such a pain but it certainly works

Yeah I went round and round popping off the bead with a screw driver at Triniks suggestion a few weeks ago. It does work. But boy did the palm of my hand have a giant blister from twisting the screw driver. That's some seriously aggravating work. Next time I'm gonna put a stick of dynamite in the tire and hope for the best.

 

[John S]

So I took a "Tim the Tool Man" approach...more power!

The first thing I did was cut away the tire itself with a sawzall (argh! argh! argh!)

This left me with the bead remnant of the tire still stuck to the rim.

I then took another power tool (argh! argh! argh!) and ground down the rubber in one area to expose the steel wires that form the strength of the bead. I then clipped them! I actually used a small chisel and simply "popped" them with a twist of the wrist.

Once they were all cut (and there were probably 8-10 of them), the bead lifted off!

It took about 20 minutes per wheel!