The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Tires rusted to wheels

Hey guys, just picked up a set of 750x20 tires on wheels. I know about all the precautions of split rims. The tires are in excellant condition, but the rims are no good. I broke down one wheel, chained the ring down, then peeled it off, but the tire will not come off! soak it with pb blaster, even the tire guy could not get it off with his machine, he was only about 18 and clearly was lost. any advice on this?

Try using an air chisel around the tire bead, it may work.
I hate to say it but if they are really stuck you might have to destroy the tire to get them off.
I had a pair I could not get off. I ended up using a sawzall.

Let them soak for a week then see what happens.

Maybe a little gasoline on the area would help break the bond.

Use something like this http://www.agscompany.com/lubricants/canadian/213 to lubricate it. Lay the wheel down flat and let it penetrate. Also you need a large hammer. http://www.alltiresupply.com/p-TG11E.html Also, you need a hammer like this. I used this method from the 1950's until the mid 70's when tubeless tires became popular. I have never had to use a sawzall or anything like that. The tools may seem expensive, but we still have a 50 year old Ken Tool duckbill hammer at the shop that we use on stubborn ones. Have you priced a tire lately to see what you will ruin by by sawing it. If you are in a farming area, there is probably a tire shop that changes farm tires and they can knock it down.

Thanks guys, I'll try your tips. Will try soaking them.

Just went through the same thing recently. I found an off-the-beaten-path tire dealer who had decades of experience. Some of the tires were fused from rust/time to the rims (some of the tires were date stamped in the 50's). They poured gas on the beads and let soak for ~30 minutes. This initially freaked me out as I thought he was going to light them! He then used a specialized portable bead breaker and worked around the circumference of the tire. Then he turned the tire over and let the young guys hit the other side of the tire bead with a duckbill until the seal was broken.

On the first rim, I had concern that they would not be able to do the job but they developed a process. The rims turned out to be in relatively good shape considering that they are 70 years old. I left the tire shop in good relations with the crew, and they are willing to work with me in the future. Everyone learned something that day.

I advised them that when I returned, I would have fresh media blasted/primed rims and new pliable tires. They all thought that was a good thing.

Paul

Just went through the same process with Mo'Tater. (1955 2nd-Series 6500). It took 2-days with a duck-bill.to release the bead on the R.H. steer-tire. Patience and perseverance. These things have been fused together for 50 years or more,so they may be a real bear to remove. Glad I replaced the tires,though. I found some spots on the "Small" ring,that were worn paper-thin. Bad pitting all along the center of the main ring,too. Luckily,my spare rim is in excellent shape. Driver'side broke-down (both sides) in about 20 minutes!! Funny how one can beat you to death,and the other one can be as smooth as silk. Sure glad the second one was that easy...I was getting SORE!! Painted the inside of the rims...just-in-case.

Lay the tire in a spot where it will be undisturbed for a day, and pour a can of coke on the bead so it puddles there. (sometimes it can't be done that way), but, the coke will loosen up the rust enough to let the bead come off.

More than likely you have it backwards, the rims may be usable but the tires are junk. If they are rusted to the rims that much they are probably quite old and not really useable.

Why is it you say the rims are no good? If they are good it might well be in someone else interest to not destroy them getting the tires off. (ring included in the preservation)

Tad

Where the rim centers are riveted, rust is actually seperating the center off the outer rim, so i really don't want to use the rim. There are a few i can use out of the six i purchased.

I see, that's too bad. Rims aren't all that common anymore.

Hope you can use some of the tires....but I wouldn't trust them too much given the age....I would be more likely to use them for the duals and get some better ones for the steers.

If you get them off let us know what you did....I've got some tires stuck to rims that I want to save the rims on....if you find a good way to get them off that would be great.

Tad

I've had good luck laying them on the ground and spraying the rust with WD 40. Then I take a 2" thick or so oak plank and lay one end on the bead close to the rim. Then get the tractor or truck and drive up and down the plank. Try different spots along the rim. Never failed yet.

^^^ X2 or a jack (an old bumper jack works great) placed near the rim will do the job too.

I use a big hi-lift jack with the base against the tire sidewall, and the lift pad under the front axle of a Massey-Ferguson 180 tractor with 1,000 lbs. of weights hung on the front bumper. It pushes the tire down off the bead easily, even modern tubeless tires on safety rims. One of these years I'll get the air-operated tire machine and the electronic wheel balancer hooked up and working!
Jerry

Here is my sequence.
Take the tyres to a shop and see if their bead breaker will pop the tyre in. You may get lucky.
If that fails: If the tyres are very old and have RAYON written on them, the rayon can rot and the tyre may not be trustworthy. Consider junking them. Or: NYLON is better and newer.
Soaking- try gas but I think it would attack and damage the rubber and the rayon. All mine were wet in the bead and so oil wont get far- a night with coke is probably as good as it gets.
then- most of mine took all day with a crowbar to slowly work around and break the bead. They will break in the end.
Where the tyre is junk, you are lucky. Let the air out and cut around the sidewall as close to the bead as you can. Then use an angle grinder to cut the bead from within with a disc. The rubber will smoke and this isnt good for the disc- wear protection. Once the bead is broken they fall off.
Old tyres crack in the sidewall. The best thing I have found is 25% black show polish, 75% wax (candles), and enough turpentine to dissolve it into a slurry- takes a few days to dissolve. Paint it on thick and be amazed how it soaks in and dries hard. Old dried out tyres are more porous than you think.
I bought Chinese Linglong tyres, they look fine although i have not driven them yet. They must be better than the other 40 year old tyres I have.
good luck.

correction to above
SHOE polish. Stupid spellcheck.