Old tires stuck on rims

AA Ford Discussion Group relating to the repair and restoration of your AA Ford.
Stakebed
Posts: 1223
Joined: June 14th, 2007, 7:29 pm
Body Type: Grainbox
Model Year: 1929
Location: Illinois

Old tires stuck on rims

Post by Stakebed »

Does anyone have a good method on how to remove old tires/tubes from rims? Is there a special way to remove the lock ring? I assume i have to break the bead first but it seems pretty stuck...
Reds34
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Joined: May 15th, 2010, 2:34 pm
Body Type: dump
Model Year: 1930
Location: Eastern, CT

Re: Old tires stuck on rims

Post by Reds34 »

A hammer and bead breaker. Hammer and hammer and hammer, and when you get tired hammer some more. I've taken a few apart and it's not fun. Good luck.

Red
spdway1

Re: Old tires stuck on rims

Post by spdway1 »

Truck tire shops use a sledge hammer for ring.
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1crosscut
Posts: 877
Joined: December 25th, 2010, 7:22 pm
Body Type: 82-A
Model Year: 1929
Location: Lincoln, NE

Re: Old tires stuck on rims

Post by 1crosscut »

For old, crusty, worn out, hard as stone, stuck tight hunks of what was once rubber removal instructions.

On the side with the lock ring use a saws all to cut the sidewall of the tire out. Do this by making one cut around the circumference of the tire near the lock ring and the 2nd cut farther out near the tread.
Remove the tube and flap.
Again use the saws all to cut through the bead at the split ring getting as close to the rim as is possible.
Finish the cut to the rim with a very sharp chisel.
Peel the bead away from behind the lock ring.
You should now be able to get the lock ring off.
Flip the tire over and place on top of a bucket and work / hammer / pry the remainder of the tire off of the rim.
Worked well for me.
Dave
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Dave
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1crosscut
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Location: Lincoln, NE

Re: Old tires stuck on rims

Post by 1crosscut »

2nd set of pictures
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Dave
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1crosscut
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Re: Old tires stuck on rims

Post by 1crosscut »

Last set of pictures.
Hope this helps.
Dave
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Dave
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SteveK535
Posts: 37
Joined: October 14th, 2012, 5:26 pm
Body Type: AA Flatbed Dual Axle
Model Year: 1931
Location: Southeast CT

Re: Old tires stuck on rims

Post by SteveK535 »

I just did it on my 31. I used redneck bead breaking. Look it up on you tube. It worked great except I had to do it all the way around the tire instead of one clean break. Essentially you use the weight of the truck or other extremely heavy object that you can get a bottle jack under. Lay the wheel down under the truck frame ( I located it around the rear spring perch on the pass. side) and then, using an upside down mechanical bottle jack, base against the frame and piston to the tire near the wheel, jack into the tire. Start where the split in the split ring is. The jack will slowly separate the bead for about a 6-10 inch span. Rotate the tire and repeat. I worked the split ring as I went around to get it off. Sounds hokey, but is actually pretty straight forward and safe too, I would just add the usual safety caveats however, hard level surface, chock wheels, jack stand under the wheel that is off, etc. make sure you read up on the proper means of mounting and re-inflating these tires, they can be very dangerous! Also, I highly recommend getting the wheel sandblasted, they get really nasty inside and then repaint. If you want to see pics of what I did, request to join my Facebook page on my truck preservation project. Search 1931 Ford Model AA Truck Preservation on Facebook or something like that, I don't have access right now, so I think this is the name of the page, its close if not.
Last edited by SteveK535 on April 29th, 2013, 10:04 am, edited 1 time in total.
Hayslip
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Joined: February 26th, 2007, 6:20 am
Model Year: 1930

Re: Old tires stuck on rims

Post by Hayslip »

As you can see from the above photos the snap ring is twisted on one and a huge gap on another. Before prying the ring off it should be free ALL the way around the wheel. Prying it off while it is rusted in place destroys the ring. I soak the ring on the wheel first with penetrating oil and bang away on it until it moves in the groove all the way around before attempting to remove it. I would be interested to know how the ring with the huge gap could be returned to its original shape. These rings are hard to find and are not reproduced. Best, Ed
Hayslip
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SteveK535
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Body Type: AA Flatbed Dual Axle
Model Year: 1931
Location: Southeast CT

Re: Old tires stuck on rims

Post by SteveK535 »

Gotta agree with Hayslip. When I took mine off I was very carefule to only coax them out as much as they were willing to go without bending them. My ring ends were almost touching to 1/4" apart before and after. Hard to imagine how the above rings were reused with several inches of seperation. Even with 1/4 inch of seperation, I had to be very careful that I was properly seating them when I put them back in - inspecting and adjusting as I was filling the tire. That is, with saftey straps buckeld around the tire and using a remote air pump with clip on nozzle. A few pounds at a time, slow is good.
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spectria
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Model Year: 1931
Location: Quincy, Ca.

Re: Old tires stuck on rims

Post by spectria »

1crosscut wrote:Last set of pictures.
Hope this helps.
Dave
WOW, Da Instructor is in Da House!!!
Beautiful pictorial, nice complete answer!
Dave in Quincy, Ca. I love Pics!!!! Post them All!!! :)
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Chris Haynes
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Model Year: 1930
Location: Camarillo, CA

Re: Old tires stuck on rims

Post by Chris Haynes »

Having worked in my Sea Bee units tire shop in Viet Nam I have had a lot of experience with split rims. As for cutting up the tire that is a fine way of doing it if you aren't going to reuse the tire. Otherwise it is do it the old fashioned way. One tip is after you have removed the snap ring spray a line of WD40 or soapy water around the area where the tire contacts the rim on both sides. Then use a sledge hammer to break it loose. (Note that professionals have a special tire hammer) I have driven the front wheel of my pickup over tires to break them loose from the rim. Don't drive on the rim, just the rubber as close to the rim as you can get. Or you could load it into your vehicle and take them to the truck tire shop and let a professional do it. :mrgreen:
SHELBY MESSER
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Model Year: 1930
Location: Sacramento, Ca.

Re: Old tires stuck on rims

Post by SHELBY MESSER »

Chris, I was in the Sea Bees in Viet Nam Alpa Co MCB-40
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TruckMan
Posts: 132
Joined: March 10th, 2009, 10:36 am
Body Type: Garwood Dump
Model Year: 1928
Location: Wisconsin

Re: Old tires stuck on rims

Post by TruckMan »

If the tire is shot, I've taken a hack saw and cut through the tire radially. Some of the old ten plies that I had to remove were nearly inseparable from the wheel and so stiff that I would still be pounding on them today! Cutting them through from tread to bead made it a lot easier.
TruckMan
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TruckMan
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Model Year: 1928
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Re: Old tires stuck on rims

Post by TruckMan »

I've done the jack method as well. Very effective. And I've driven over them, too. Less precise but effective and faster. Pounded them off if they weren't too bad. (And I've done everything from wheelbarrow tires to semi's.)

As everyone will say, be very careful reinflating with a split ring. It absolutely must seat fully as soon as any appreciable amount of pressure is applied. It may even be worth it to take it to a tire dealer that has a tire cage and pay a few bucks to get the first fill. The ring will stay on indefinitely once it is seated.
TruckMan
bud valerius
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Model Year: 1930
Location: Manhattan , Kansas

Re: Old tires stuck on rims

Post by bud valerius »

MCB 10&3 here must be a AA thing
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