Not exactly about car, but I got a flat tire on my tractor and the tire came off the rim. The tire is still inside the rim, just not sealed onto the edge. I tried to put it back on by inflating it with the shut-off valve of the stem valve removed. But it's obviously leaking faster than the air can get in and the tire wouldn't seal the rim edge. Any tips how I can get the tire on?
Thanks for any help!
Most tire shops have a tire girdle they put around the middle of the tire and it squeezes the tire to the point it will allow you to inflate it. Lacking that, you might be able to use a rope and a piece of pipe and make a tourniquet out of it and squeeze the tire so the bead contacts both sides of the rim so you can inflate it. B~
Being that you are talking about a tractor, I'm hoping that maybe you are out in the country and just run by your local co-op and have them put it on. We had it happen once and the co-op out here didn't charge us a thing.
Thanks for the tips. I'll try the rope technique first. It's actually a lawn tractor.
On BBC TV, a few years ago, they showed how Icelanders solve that problem. A small group of off-road vehicles were on a rough ride through remote lava fields when the tyre of one came off its rim.
They lifted the offending corner, to take the load off it, puffed lighter-fluid around inside the tyre and waved flame at it. The fluid-air mix exploded, slamming the tyre into place. While the gas within was hot and keeping the tyre in place, they pumped up the tyre properly. And drove on. Apparently this is/was SOP.
I assume they gave the tyre some proper TLC once they got home.
BTW, I am not an Icelander (nor do I play one on TV) nor should I be regarded as a reliable source on this _dangerous_ technique.
Go to the local tire shop with a plastic margarine tub and get a little sample of the vegetable oil based "tire mounting lubricant" (soap) that they use, or go to a good parts house like NAPA and get/order the smallest container they have - one pound would be a lifetime supply. No regular dish soap or household bar soap, that will eventually destroy the rubber.
Ahh, here it is:
Wipe a little on the tire before you use the rope trick. It helps make a seal and the tire bead slides into final position much easier.
CAUTION: A better choice than plain rope would be a good H-D (Ancra) motorcycle nylon tie-down strap with the hooks fastened to itself, and wrapped around the tire twice - and stand off to the side as you apply the air... Reason being as you inflate the tire you will generate a LOT of force on that strap, and you don't want to chance it coming apart at the knot - or the rope twisting stick coming unwound with extreme velocity behind it.
WARNING: Do NOT get over enthusiastic with the air - 20 PSI or the tire sidewall rating max. If the tire breaks the bead-wire and blows the bead or that strap around the tread snaps, things can start flying with lethal force.
(WARNING, cont'd:) Truck tires can and do kill people when they come apart under pressure (and older truck rims have the added hazard of split-rim rings) which is why tire shops have the big safety cages for inflating them in to seat the beads. But even the little ones like car tires and that lawn tractor can still mess you up good if you do it way wrong and are standing in the wrong place. Learn and live.
Take the valve stem core out of the tire so when you remove the air chuck the pressure bleeds back off. You can also get a special lock-on air chuck so you can stand several feet away and control the air remotely, not standing in line of the beads or the strap.
And if that doesn't work, ask to borrow the tire shop's "Cheetah" bead-setter tank - 5 or 7.5 gallon air tank with a 2" valve and a special flat nozzle, you aim the air blast in the gap between the bead and rim and let it all go in at once, and the bead pops right on the rim like magic. (Eye Protection and Hearing Protection Required.)
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Wow, sounds dangerous and expensive. Better pay some one to do it. When it came off last time few years ago, the guy in the tractor repair shop put it back in easily without special tools other than lubricant and removing the valve core. I thought I could do it my self. It didn't work without lubricant. I'll try one more time with some lubricant. Thanks again!
wrap a ratchet load strap around the tyre and do it up tight, this should spread the tyre a bit, take out the valve core and blow up, sometimes a thump or two can help.
Mrcheerful
If you don't use too much lighter fluid, it should be fairly safe. Though you could easily singe an eyebrow off.
Try it with gasoline, and you could be in for a world of hurt.
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If you understand what you are doing going in, and how it can bite you, it isn't that dangerous. It's all in knowing where NOT to stand.
You can get a lot more air into the tire fast with the core out and a decent sized compressor tank.
If one side's bead is still seated getting the other one to seat is downright easy - set the regulator to 30 PSI or whatever is safe for that tire, start the air, and then grab the tire tread and pull toward the side that is loose. If the bead gets a full seal pressure builds up fast enough to seat the bead.
Once it seals, get off to one side as you apply more air pressure until it POPS into final seated positron, then vent the air and go make sure it's on straight.
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Assuming the tires not just to big then anything you have handy that can go around the circumference of the tire and tighten enough to reduce the diameter will work. You might have to bounce it around during inflation.
GL Dan
Saw this as well (Top Gear I think it was) - problem is caused by the low pressures they run on the ice.
I have seen old timer use starting fluid (ether) to do the same thing. Insantiy as far as I am concerned.
For something as small as a lawn tractor tire, you can probably just jiggle the tire while you are adding air - at least I've been able to do that with my lawn tractor tries and my sons go kart tires.
Ed
Thanks for all the tips. I got it in after applying lubricants and pushed the leaking side a little. I didn't take out the core and stopped immediately when it started to inflate. Then I slowly put in proper amount of air. It's not that dangerous after all if you pay close attention and understand what you are doing.
Thanks again!
Its not that bad so long as you dont over-estimate the amount of fluid you need. It expands thousands of times as it ignites so you only need a dribble. Id use the other techniques first though, unless you have had it explained and practiced it with a knowledgable person first.
This woudl be my technique first, though im sure the OP would have done that already.
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