Home made bead breaker

[iamgumby]

I've known guys to use furniture clamps to break beads. I've seen guys step on them and break them loose. I know one guy that carried his off to a school playground and used a 'teeter-totter' to break his bead. This works for me.

Very straight forward. Very simple. And it works. I changed out a 180/55R-17 and a 180/70R-17 off mags without issues a week ago. Notice the multiple holes in the riser - that is your tire width adjustment. Customeize your spacing for your needs. Crib up the bottom side of the tire in both places where it rests on the deck with small blocks of 2x4 - and pay attention that it will not hit your rim. Press down slowly until the side walls squeeze together and meet; turn 90 degrees and repeat. The bead will break loose. Then it's rim protectors and tire levers to get the old rubber off the rim. Clean the inside of the rim thoroughly. Best practice is to replace the valve stem. Lever on the new rubber making sure the rotation arrow is corrrect. Balance and re-install. Balance? That's another article in the works.

http://iamgumby.smugmug.com/photos/398707383_YnQAP-L.jpg

[buellosaurusrex]

That is really pretty ingenius...and clever, as well. Thank you for the pictures, too. I now know my next project......

[iamgumby]

Here is another bead breaker option! $8 each from Big Lots. Lots of guys use these and they can make a really effective pinch angle.

http://iamgumby.smugmug.com/photos/431269692_rU3BZ-M.jpg

I mainly got these for re-installing the tire on the wheel because the tire likes to slide off the bead opposite of where you're trying to put it on :mad:! This will hold him in place ! :D

[briang]

I didn't know they sold those at Best Buy

[iamgumby]

Oh shoot! Not Best But - BIG LOTS, dang it, ssshhhh, I'll edit this and no one will ever know!

Best Buy? Who said anything about Best Buy? :o

[primalmu]

You know, I just undertook the task of removing the tire off the rear wheel today. The only plans I've seen for bead breakers involved bolting it onto the wall of your workshop (not an option for me) so I ended up buying a 6" C-clamp for under $5 (thank you Harbor Freight!). It was a real bitch breaking the bead because the tires were at least 10 years old and the lube they used to put the tires on had formed a nice glue.

I'll definitely keep this thread in mind if I ever decide to build a bead breaker, though. This is the best design I've seen so far.

[sollee]

Check out YouTube under motorcycle tire change, it shows everything from a pro built device to someone driving his truck on the tire to bust it loose. I choose something in between, similar to the picture but with just two pieces of wood and the shop wall. Works good. Wheel balancer can be built with four skateboard bearings. Ideas at YouTube under motorcycle wheel balance.

[iamgumby]

Yeppers! And if your bearings run free you can put the wheels back on your forks/swingarms and spin balance them right there. That worked on my front...made a balancer for the back.

[beatermoto]

Thats a nice set up!

[rexmitchell]

Oh shoot! Not Best But - BIG LOTS, dang it, ssshhhh, I'll edit this and no one will ever know!

Best Buy? Who said anything about Best Buy? :o

You will have to excuse gumby at his old age he tends to ramble!:)