Tire bead seating help

[kb426]

I have a pair of tires that may have been on the bottom of the stack. Has anyone used a 5 gallon bead blaster before? I'd hate to spend $140 and find it wouldn't seat the tough ones. I tried wrapping straps around the tire with no success. I don't have a local tire shop that I feel comfortable in using anymore. I don't want to use ether.

[rooster]

Well the way I do it on the junk we have around here is, place a small piece of 6x6" under the wheel and jump on it to seat 1 side, then remove the valve core from the stem, stab the end of your air hose onto the valve with the tank at maxium psi, then cradle the tire with your arm's , coax the tire as needed.

Name of this game is win!

Have harbor freight changer and balancer , love them both!!!

[Digger]

I'll probably get some flack for this but I use starting fluid on the difficult ones

[grazza]

Lots of soapy water around the bead and a tie down strap wrapped around the tire. Sometimes rooster's idea has to be employed (the block bit) I have never given a tire a cuddle while trying to seat it on the rim though. My man bits aren't that big.    

[50 F1]

I mount and dismount my own semi truck and trailer tires and I use a cheater tank.  It works real good.

I put a 5 gallon bucket inside the rim so the tire is suspended and the bottom side of rim seats, have a constant air flow into the tire and giver a blast with about 60psi in the tank.  Most of the time it works the first shot.

The tanks I was looking at cost about 400.00 (aluminium I think)so I built my own.   Bought a 5 gallon air tank, a reducing bushing to weld into the tank, a 2" ball valve and 6" long nipple for the end.  Flattened the end of the nipple a little and then welded a small pc. of 1/2" angle iron on the end of the nipple for so you can set that on the rim before you blast it.

The ball valve was the most money of the project.

Mike

[wayne petty]

ratcheting straps around the middle won't expand it.. wow..

there are bead seating Oring devices available..    20 to 30 bucks usually.

but it still depends on the bead being less than an inch and a half or so from the  rim seat..


and..  examine the profile of the rim..  seat the tire on the side with the drop down step... the tapered side  will allow less air to escape.. but you knew this..

years ago.. we had one that somebody had made of a loop of heater hose.. with a throttle return spring inside the gap..  so it could expand easily..  lubed up .. it worked great..

oh... and if you build/ modify the air tank... be sure to pick up a bushing reducer down to 3/8 pipe. a short nipple.. a 3/8 tee..  you may want to do this in 1/4" but i like the 3/8 size better with bushing reducers..

put a QC male plug to the end of your shop air hose size...  

and the coupling of one of these on the output..

http://www.harborfreight.com/4-piece-14-x-38-automotive-series-coupler-and-plug-kit-68187.html

these are HIGH FLOW quick connects if you look closely..

this is connected with 1/2" air hose to your big air impact..

this gives you EXTRA power out at the end of your air hose..  busts the big bolts loose..

you will have to stop by a paint store for a 10 foot length of 1/2" hose and fittings.. or use barbs and go direct..

if you use a GLOBE valve for the inlet.. you can also use this as a quick fill air tank..

[Carnut]

I've always done as rooster has after liberal application of soapy water.

Heh, heh, have much experience at putting narrow tires over 10" wide wheels. A very stamina building experience.