The comment above about "beating the crap out of the tire" with a sledgehammer shows a woeful ignorance of what's really going on. Most of us "experienced" tire busters know how to use that spoon-shaped hammer to separate the bead from the rim flanges with little or no rim damage, and minimal energy expended. The 4-foot-long slide hammer works better, however, if the budget will allow the purchase of one. They're not cheap!
I've found that a good alternative to hammering is using the base of my high-lift jack between the tire and the front axle of my tractor. Pushing the bead down in 2 or 3 places gives enough room to remove the bead ring. This process also works on tubeless tires on drop-center rims. Until I can get my pneumatic tire changer back in service in the new shop, I change tires with the old fashioned pry bar method.
Jerry
