Breaking down tractor tires

Frank Surber · May 2, 2020

When it comes time to change the tires on your tractor you generally have a few options
Option A, Call the tire service company and have them come out and do it for you. depending on the size of your tractor this may be the best option
Option B remove the tire and rim and haul it to the tire shop if the assembly is less than say 300 lbs this may not be a bad way to go even without handling equipment. If you have large heavy tires and the equipment to handle them this is still a good option.
And then there is option C, there is always an option C isn't there? But option C can have several sub options within like option c1 leaving the assembly on the tractor and breaking down the tire and changing it that way. The tire service guys often will do this because it saves having to handle the heavy rim and tire as an assembly but they will have special powered break down tools to assist them.
so this brings you to option c2 which is part of option B except you are not going to have to load it and haul it. you merely use your tire hammer to break down the bead then spoon the tire off and the new one back on the rim. Having swung my share of tire hammers over the years I find them laboriously boring tools to use. SO I created what I call option c2a where I toss the assembly on the ground and use the loader bucket of my backhoe to break the bead in just a few seconds it is time to flip the tire over and break the other side. then spoon off the one side and hang the tire from the bucket to spoon off the other side This saves me a lot of time and aggravation of having to swing a tire hammer which I hate with a purple passion anyway.

How do you guys change your large tires?
I do mine myself for several reasons, one I know the rims are old and may be rusty in need of lots of cleaning and or some repair and should be painted before installing a new tire. If I were to take them to the tire shop they would not want to spend the time to clean them like I would want and for sure would never consider painting them and having to wait a couple of days before mounting the new tire their time is valuable and even if they wanted to charge me for the amount of time to do the job like I would want this would bring up 2 things #1 I couldn't afford it #2 they would be devoting so much time to my tire that other customers particularly those who are traveling or otherwise in a hurry would be forced to wait while time was being used on a single tire.
As it turns out the rim may be damaged to the point that it might even be cheaper on me to replace it than repair it anyway. unless I wanted to go back with a tube which I do not

BrokenTrack · May 2, 2020

I have always done my own tires because a dealership quoted me a price of $2000 to replace a tire, and I ended up doing it for $30. That is a BIG difference!

I use several methods. Last week when I swapped out tires, I used my backhoe, using the bucket to push down on the tire. But I have also used my outrigger to break down the bead on a tire. Incidentally I use the outrigger to hold the new tire, as I take the backhoe and push the new tire back onto the rim. I can only push about 3/4 of the tire on, but that only leaves me a stretch or two with tire irons to finish the job.

I have also used my log loader with great results, I just pinch the tire with log loader to break down the bead. I can either do the with the tire flat on the ground, or held vertically. Like the backhoe, I can also put most of the new tire on the rim the same way.

But if a person does not have a backhoe, or log loader, another great method is a chain, 2x4's and a tire jack. What you do is, put the 2x4's across the tire, then stack blocking of 2x4's to push down on the tire close to the rim. Then set the jack on the 2x4's. Then you run a chain to the rims lugs, then over the jack tightly. As you jack UP on the jack, it makes the chain tight, but since the chain cannot go higher, it forces the jack itself DOWN. This puts pressure on the 2x4's that is sitting on the bead of the tire. Usually a single whack with a tool will break the tire off the bead instantly. It works really, really, really well.

Jstpssng · May 2, 2020

I've done the loader bucket many times. Also simply driving on the tire will often work, especially if you have a forklift with non pneumatic tires. I've broken several tractor trailer tires down that way also. It seems like breaking down large tires can be easier than doing passenger car tires, especially when they've been on the rim for years and have rust acting as a seal.

How about the old split rims? There are several around the family property, still with tires, and my brother wants one for a tire rim. I told him not to attempt it himself, I have some experience with them and will do it for him. I pull the tire valve, put a chain around the rim and cut the lock ring into several pieces with a torch.

BrokenTrack · May 2, 2020

Jstpssng said:
I've done the loader bucket many times. Also simply driving on the tire will often work, especially if you have a forklift with non pneumatic tires. I've broken several tractor trailer tires down that way also. It seems like breaking down large tires can be easier than doing passenger car tires, especially when they've been on the rim for years and have rust acting as a seal.

How about the old split rims? There are several around the family property, still with tires, and my brother wants one for a tire rim. I told him not to attempt it himself, I have some experience with them and will do it for him. I pull the tire valve, put a chain around the rim and cut the lock ring into several pieces with a torch.

Oh for sure: the bigger the tire, the easier they are to change!

Split rims scare me, but fortunately I have not had to deal with them much. I grew up doing the Starting Fluid Trick, but I never said I liked doing it.

crazyal · May 2, 2020

I use the backhoe to break the bead. It's much easier to see what you are doing (vs the loader) and I have more accuracy. The only tires I don't do myself are loaded tires.

Frank Surber · May 2, 2020

When it comes to split rims, a lot depends on what is being called a split rim. the only true split rim was the old 60s era rims that separated in the center of the rim near the disk, those were shaped with a rolled over and rolled under lip and halves had to be deformed to separate them they were mostly 18 and 19 inch wheels all the rest that folks call split rims are either 2 3 4 or 5 piece locking rims these are called split ring rims. The 2 piece had a single locking ring which was shaped so that it was the bead seat and was split and you took your tire iron hooking it under a small cut out section near the split then sprung the ring off the rim. These are the rims most commonly known as a split rim and were known as the 2nd most dangerous rims to mount the first being the 19" I mentioned. but they didn't have to be as dangerous, it just took a little extra effort to insure the ring was properly seated and certain safety precautions were followed when airing the tires. Breaking them down could be made easier if a little gasoline was poured around the bead area to help soften the rubber and being good with a tire hammer was a must. Airing up an old or new tire was where the care needed to be taken the ring and rim seating areas had to be clean free of rust the bead areas needed to be clean and smooth and the tire beads needed lubrication and softened tire soap is great for this but gasoline with 20% diesel works well as well. Old tires the beads needed to be cleaned and free of rust. Tire cages are nice but problematic as while airing up the tire the ring needs to be rapped with the rubber end of the tire hammer to insure it is properly seated all the way around while air is being filled. Wrapping a chain around tire and rim several times laying the assembly flat on the ground so you can tap on the ring as air is being filled is probably safer than a cage. add in just enough air and seating the ring with a hammer to expand the tire enough seat the beads then letting the air escape and installing on the truck or trailer as the outside duel then finishing airing it up if possible if by far a much safer option. If this cannot be done then the chain or the cage is a must.
3 piece piece rims like heavy equipment rims are usually tubeless and will have an "O" ring for the seal between the bead ring and the rim the 3rd piece will be the locking ring but 3 piece truck/ trailer rims will not usually be tubeless and will not have an "O"" ring the same requirements of cleaning applies here as with any other rim. insuring that the small locking ring on these is seated and captured is even more critical than those with the bead ring that is split.
4 piece rims will have a bead ring a wedge ring and a locking ring or may have both bead rings that are removable from the rim these bead rings may be identical for inner and outer only the rim will have a lip on one side to hold the bead ring in place and the locking ring for the opposite side. the 5 piece rims will have one more ring that serves as a wedging ring between the bead ring and the locking ring as well as the removable bead ring on the back side of the rim. This brings us to the bolted bead ring rims usually found only on the largest most massive pieces of equipment or some military rims and some crane carrier platform machines or logging equipment removing 30 to 50 bolts then reinstalling them is a whole nother ball game often these tires may be semi solid foam filled especially mining equipment.

LouNY · May 2, 2020

I /We at the farm have been doing almost all of our own tire repair for some time now.
The exception being when we buy new implement tires most times we will have the tire vendor mount those the first time.
As far as breaking beads we use most all of the methods mentioned from loader buckets to hammers,
I got a screw type bead breaker several years ago and it is a very nice way to break beads especially for a larger tire that you wish to leave on a tractor or such.
It is similar to this one; BeadBuster XB-45 Motorcycle Bead Breaker
This one seems to be the same as I have; https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200322827_200322827

They do make breaking beads much easier.