Ether for mounting tire?

[Richard]

I had a flat on my front tire several weeks ago (full sized industrial backhoe with impliment tires on front)

The darn thing broke the bead as I didn't notice the flat until after I turned the tires.

I pulled out a can of starter spray... was a bit nervous on doing this. Hoisted the front wheels up (don't you love a loader!)

Put a shot in there, had goggles & ear muffs on (had them on anyway) and lit the match... nothing...

Seems I didn't put enough squirt in. Put longer squirt, maybe 1 to two (maximum?) seconds.

Rotated tire and lit the match.

I saw a little flame around the bead area... then "floomp" and the tire simply hoisted itself onto the bead and was set. I let it sit there for a minute, then hooked up to compressor and filled tire.

With all disclaimers about no one should do this unless you are an idiot... I found this to be a most easy way to mount the tire. I would think though, that if you approached it with too much starter fluid, you could have an issue before you. I preferred the less is more approach until I got the feel of it.

I'm sure had someone been watching me, I would have looked as though I was getting ready to light a stick of dynamite that only had a 1/4" fuse.

So... when this is done "responsibly" (can you EVER do this responsibly?? ) what are some of the considered dangers?

Anyone else recommend it or specifically recommend against it?

 

[unimog_jason]

I remember reading an e-mail from a guy who was giving lessons on remounting tires after coming off the bead and one method was as your described except he put a little too much starting fluid into the tire and when he lit it the bead blew right over the lip of the rim. Interestingly, the tire suffered no damage as a result.

If I recall correctly he was also doing this at 6:00 AM at a campground on a lake. After that incident everyone quickly went back to bed

Jason

 

[Skyco]

I've even seen it done with gasoline vapors....now THATS dangerous

 

[JDeerekid]

I have done it many times. Mostly in the winter where the tire is cold and the bead would not set even with a strap around the tire. Took me a few tries. I agree with the less is more approach and have also seen someone use to much and the tire blew up in his face. The rubber split in a few pieces and it warped the rim. I usually spray a little bit around the inside of the rim and a little line on the top of the rubber as a fuse. Then have someone else there with a stick with rag or newspaper lit on the end to use to lite the ether. Dont like getting to close. So I think it is fine as a last resort but be extremely careful.

 

[Bird]

A real farmer friend of mine once told me that he was having a tractor tire fixed in a tire dealer's shop and was watching the guy doinng the work. He said the guy couldn't get the bead to seat so he showed that trick to the tire man. He said it worked, but the little explosion brought the owner of the tire shop running from his office. He said the owner of the shop ordered him off the premises and told him to never come back.

 

[blueriver]

I had both rears replaced under warranty, they sent the farm truck to me. The service man set both of them using this method ... scared the crap out of me, looked dangerous, but it worked.

 

[zzvyb6]

Go to YouTube and search for tire mounting ether. Plenty of examples there on how to do it. Works especially well for small and wide tires with stiff sidewalls.

Note that I didn't preamble this with the traditional TBN phrase: "Now I've no experience with this", or "Now I've never done anything like that", or "Sounds too dangerous", or "Better get your wife's permission", or "You could get killed by removing that hangnail", or "I'd get a professional at $100 per tire to mount them for you", or " Dad, Gummit, you could scratch the paint on the inside of them wheels", or "The ether is bad for the environment", or "just buy a 2000 cfm compressor from NH and blowed that sucker up", or "You could ruin the color of them tires by this here or that there method (especially if they are whitewalls)", or all the other favorite excuses for not being handy and ingenious.....

If you saw how they mount tires in an auto assembly plant, you would understand all this better.

(Oh, and if you still insist on the whitewalls, mount them reversed, please. I don't need a good breakfast for lunch).

 

[Airic]

I've seen this done but to affraid to try it myself. If a strap around the tire does not work, I take the wheel off and head to the tire shop. Different subject but, I've stopped using ether all together and prefer model airplane fuel to assist on getting an engine started.

 

[bruceatlam]

The tire shop that I use practices this method as "standard procedure" on larger tires with stiff side walls. Seems to work quite well despite the shock to the casual observers from the small explosion.

Watch some of those You Tube vids -- some of them are scary.

 

[Soundguy]

There was a thread about this a couple weeks ago..

flamale bead seating methods are not the safest.. I've personally SEEN rims shot 60' in the air, leaving a smoking tire casing rolling around on the ground..

sounduy

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

It use to be a whole lot easier when you could get either. The starting fluid you get today just isn't as explosive? If you light it and it is just burning inside the tire give the tread of the tire a hit with a sledge and that will usealy cause it to blow.

 

[RobS]

I especially like the technique of using the spray can and the lighter combo to ignite the tire. Really, that looked like the best method of the few that I watched...

 

[WH401]

My uncle and I did this 3 years ago when we replaced the rears on our IH 340, it worked like a charm.

 

[Botabill]

It just make me wonder who first came up with this idea,,, and for that matter how to milk a cow. I guess those are the successes and the Darwin awards are the failures. Gotta go now my nephew just yelled "Hey watch this' LOL

 

[Soundguy]

Makes you wonder how any intricate process was figured out.

finding a bean.. roasing it.. grinding it.. pouring hot water over it.. then add milk and sugar... coffee...


Juan must be proud!

soundguy

 

[RobS]

Makes you wonder how any intricate process was figured out.

finding a bean.. roasing it.. grinding it.. pouring hot water over it.. then add milk and sugar... coffee...


Juan must be proud!

soundguy

Or simple things, like... eating a lobster...

 

[Soundguy]

Those things used to be fed to pigs...

soundguy

 

[scott_vt]

Good Evenin Richard,
I kind of like the inflateable strap around the tire better ! I dont want to singe the remaining hairs on my head !

Hey, if it works and your comfortable with it, go for it !

 

[czechsonofagun]

Done it more times than I care to remember - in the jeeping world it is the norm of mounting tires. The only time I felt like danger was when I left the valve in and it shoot out of the tire and drilled in the plywood side of the shop.

Sure beats the compressor and the rope method by miles of coolness.

 

[Rebel]

I would only deploy the starting fluid method in some kind of wilderness survival situation.

I have used one of these (at work) and they work great! Nice and safe

Cheetah Bead Seater: Eagle Equipment

Though rather pricey