There's more than one way to break a tire bead

[Storm56]

I think ATV tires are the worst to break a bead on because the tire itself is so soft. I too tried my loader bucket unsuccessfully. About 10 years ago I was having a time of it with some ATV tires. After thinking about this problem over a cold one, it came to me! I have a dozer, why not use the blade as I was trying with my loader? Worked slick as a whistle! I could even do a couple at once. Now any time either myself or some of my friends need some beads broke, I just fire up the dozer!

 

[Stimw]

The real secret is to use a lubricant.
I always have some used mineral spirits from my parts washer. Just pour a little around the bead and let it soak in.
Diesel fuel, kerosene and even gas also works

 

[JDgreen227]

Dad and I used to break the bead on tires (haywagons, baler, rake, truck, etc) with the hydraulic drawbar on the back of his Farmall 200. The fast hitch generates plenty of downforce- just place the tire to be "unmounted" flat on the ground centered under the drawbar. Place a block of wood (~12" 2x4) with 2 square ends at the edge of the rim and up against the underside of the drawbar. Slowly lower the drawbar and the sidewall will be pushed away from the bead! Be careful not to use too long a block of wood or keep pushing after the bead is broken as you will raise the rear of the tractor off the ground with the hydraulic!

Frank

I don't know if my Deere is typical of modern CUTS but my 3 point has no hydraulic down pressure.

 

[SSdoxie]

I don't know if my Deere is typical of modern CUTS but my 3 point has no hydraulic down pressure.

farmerat heart was talking about an old Farmal 200. These had 2 point "fast hatch" with a 2 way cylinder on the arms. No 3rd point.

 

[farmeratheart]

That's right Dennis- I can't remember all the ways we used that drawbar as a makeshift press! Using it to fix tires was probably the most frequent- other than the use for which it was made- raising and lowering the hitch ...

Frank

 

[bigdeano]

Back in the day I used to break car tire beads with a bumper jack. Just put the edge of the base up against the rim and jack up on the rear bumper. Worked good.

 

[George2615]

I have used the following methods that have been mentioned.
A 2x6 on the tire as close to the rim as possible then driven my truck on the 2x6 to break the bead.
I don't have a backhoe but the loader bucket edge to push the bead down also works.
Large C Clamp with a piece of 1/4" thick flat steel.
Bumper Jack.
Now I just use a rim clamp tire machine I purchased.

 

[JDgreen227]

Back in the day I used to break car tire beads with a bumper jack. Just put the edge of the base up against the rim and jack up on the rear bumper. Worked good.

Those must have been in the days when cars had a REAL bumper made of steel, unlike todays flimsy plastic and aluminum crap. I have used a 6 ton bottle jack sandwiched between the tire bead and an old hitch receiver bar on the hitch of my GMC to break a bead on a wheel and tire assembly...it worked but I had to jack the rear of the GMC up a LOT further than I thought would be required...amazed me just how much pressure was needed to break the tire bead.

 

[Chilly807]

I use an attachment I built for my woodsplitter. Works like a charm.