Unless the tires are rusted tight to the rims, the oldtime duckbill-shaped hammer is still the most efficient way to dismantle tires from split-rim type wheels. All it takes is a little practice, learning how to hit the tire/wheel junction, not the wheel. Anybody with a little bit of coordination and average upper body strength can do it. One step up the ladder is the slide-hammer type tool that breaks the bead down without having to swing a hammer. Those things are a bit more expensive than the hammer, but if you're planning to keep the truck for a while, the tool will pay for itself with just a few tire changes.
Two items that are absolutely essential are a clip-on inflater chuck on a long hose with a ball valve, so the tire can be inflated from a safe distance away, and a heavy chain to wrap around the tire/wheel assembly in several places if an inflation cage isn't available. Several tons of force bearing on the lip of the rim is not something to take chances with. Once the rim is assembled properly and inflated to the right pressure, it's not dangerous. The design of the rim locks it together securely. Getting the pressure in there in the first place is where a damaged or incorrectly-assembled rim will show up as an explosive separation of the parts.
Jerry
