Tire change tool, what do you use?

[ecory0]

I’m trying to change the tires on a 1924 Tudor. Tires are old, dry rot and very stiff. I bought a few harbor freight tire irons but having a heck of a time. HF sells a tire changer tool https://www.harborfreight.com/manual-ti ... 69686.html but not sure if it will work. My rims are not the split kind. Anyone use this tool or any other ones that work well? Any tips or tricks? Thanks in advance!

[Norman Kling]

If possible try to unstick the bead from the clincher rims. You might need to remove the wheels and then try stepping on the tire or possibly even jack up another car and lower on the tire to break it loose. Once it is loose, it will be easier to use the tools. If you are not planning to reuse the same tires and tubes, you might even try letting some air out so the tire is low but not completely flat, and drive it back and forth a bit.
Norm

[perry kete]

Being old, dry and hard and if the tires are stuck to the rim around the bead I put mine in my bench vise with the rim edge right next to the jaws and crank it closed squeezing the two rubber beads together. I rotate the tire just a few inches at a time and continue my way around the rim until I've completed one full pass around. If the tire still won't release I crank the jaws shut next to the rim and rock the tire back and forth while being held tight in the vise jaws. Then when the tire is free from the rim and I use the tire spoons to pull it over the edge of the rim. I purchased my tire spoons from Tractor Supply Co.

[Norman Kling]

I never tried it Perry's way, however, I think I will if I need to change a stuck tire. It looks like a very good idea.
Norm

[speedytinc]

God answers above. You have to break the bead all around. Use plenty of lube. Soapy water or wd40. If the rubber is pertified hard, they may need to be cut. Hacksaw, being careful not to touch the rim. when you get the tire cut to the rim, lift one bead @ a time with a screw driver & finish the cut.

[Scott_Conger]

You need a pair of these: https://www.ebay.com/itm/265283474432?h ... SwYpFhJXDH

barring that, you need 2 large C-clamps to break the bead, push the tire in far enough off of the rim to fit a spoon/lever

barring that and you're at home and not on the road, Perry's method works just fine

[Allan]

I once saw the results of sawing the tyres off. With the tyres went a full set of butyl rubber tubes. Since then, I have very carefully worked away getting hard old tyres off without resorting to the saw. One result was saving a pair of new old stock, never punctured thick red rubber Goodyear tubes, which are still in use on on of my T's.

Allan from down under.

[TWrenn]

I use the model T tire irons to remove, and the local tire DEALER to install!

[speedytinc]

I use the model T tire irons to remove, and the local tire DEALER to install!

You are lucky to find a tire dealer that can do the job, but, you are missing out on 1/2 the fun.

[ecory0]

Thanks for the suggestions! While waiting on responses I spent about an hour cursing and using brute force. Got one side off but now struggling for progress. I have 4 more to go counting the spare. If that harbor freight thing works I’ll buy it. Can anyone vouch for it?

[Steve Jelf]

In my book the HF irons are a giant improvement over the stock Model T irons, which make changing tires the job from Hell. But even with the best irons, as you have found out, really hard old tires sometimes need drastic persuasion with a hacksaw.

[Art M]

I use three tires to remove tires. The issue is I only have two hand. Two irons are about 90 yrs old and one is part of leaf spring.

I am familiar with Tim's tire technician. He likes working with 30 in model t tires. I will find out what brand he uses.

Art Mirtes

[ecory0]

what about this guy:

[halftracknut]

I use a saws-all and a sharp chisel....

[John.Zibell]

what about this guy:

tirre.PNG

Doubt that will do the job. I have a Coates 220 I use for motorcycle tires and it handles wheels up to 21 inches. Clincher rims won't fit the machine, so if the Coates won't hold the rim, I seriously doubt the Harbor Freight unit will. Also the profiles of a clincher rim and modern rims.wheels are completely different. That said, it makes changing split rims very easy with the Coates machine. Just need a rim expander to finish the job.

[ecory0]

Woah, the coats machines are thousands of dollars!!!!

[Scott_Conger]

The type of tire iron you want has a curved cup on it like this one: https://www.amazon.com/Forged-Steel-Cur ... B01LZG3EVK

Once both beads are released from the rim, and two clamps have been applied like I stated above, the iron is forced under and past both beads and the entire tire (both beads) is levered off of the far side. Installation is pretty much the reverse, only easier with new tires and lubricant. You never want to do one bead at a time, even with the little short irons used in the '20s.

[Steve Jelf]

It pays to shop around.

[Erik Johnson]

RE: Harbor Freight tire irons

Make sure you dress up any sharp edges on the ends of the iron with a file to protect yourself and your tires and tubes.

A few years ago while at the HF store, I foolishly ran my thumb over the end of one after pulling it from the bin and ended up cutting myself. Not serious but also not fun.

[Allan]

I have seen a lot of cheap tyre irons with that neat curved end broken off. It would seem some are cast rather than forged. Some also are rather thick at that curved end, perhaps in an effort to stop them breaking off. You get what yo pay for. My four are 18" Dowidat brand, three made in Australia, one in Germany. How do I use four? I work on a bench top a little above waist height. Two I can work with my hands, one I can park in an armpit, The fourth is usually left to fend for itself once I have one in hand either side of it.

Allan from down under.

[Humblej]

I usually have nothing positive to say about harbor freight, and having no personal experience with that harbor freight tire machine I cannot provide any first hand useful information, but this being the MTFCA forum I will not hesitate to provide my opinion on this topic. Looking at the picture, as to the bead breaker feature only, I think it should do the job of breaking the bead, nothing more. It is cheap enough to try, and if you get a 10-25% off coupon, it IS worth trying. If you do, please let us know how it worked.

[Bill Dizer]

I take the rim and tire to a tire shop that has the type changer that squeezes the bead against the side of the machine to break it down. I have him break both sides down all the way around. Then lay the tire out in the sun to soften it as much as it will, before starting the removal. I lube the rim and bead with tire lube or dish soap all the way around. Next, starting away from the stem, insert the first tire iron in between the rim and the bead and lever the bead over the rim and hold it there. Moving a few inches to the side, insert a second lever, and again pull the bead over the rim, and hold it too. Insert a third lever again a short distance over and repeat, then remove the center lever, to start the next bead pull. Work around until you have the bead loose. Push the rim through, so you can pull the tube free, including the stem. With the tube out, pull the rim the rest of the way through, and from behind, insert a lever under the bead, and over the rim, and lever the bead over the rim from behind. Using a second lever work the tire the rest of the way off of the rim. I removed sixty year old wards riverside tires this way with reasonable effort.

[ABoer]

I Use this tools .
Toon

[Scott_Conger]

VERY nice tools Anthonie!

[Don D]

Eli,

I have this tire bead breaker from Harbor Freight. It works well.

Best of luck,

Dom

https://www.harborfreight.com/bead-brea ... ad+breaker

[John.Zibell]

Woah, the coats machines are thousands of dollars!!!!

The Coats 220 is a manual machine that I purchased used.

Coates220.jpg (25.97 KiB) Viewed 4791 times