Tools to remove/ install tires on the trail (1 Viewer)

[Dirt Ferguson]

I was watching some videos about how to remove/ install tires while on the trail after a puncture and I noticed people used many different types of tire irons/ pry bars/ screwdrivers, etc so I wanted to tap the collective brain here and see what came back.

What do you keep in your trail kit to remove/ install tires once you’ve gotten a puncture?

 

[bigredmachine]

nothing, plug it or use a spare those are going to be realistically your most practical options. if you were going to actually mount and dismount a tire on the trail you would want a tire maul to break the bead, two tire irons, a spoon and some sort of lube for the tire.

Amazon product ASIN B000MIUJNI, those are the good tire irons, you can get a shorter set but you wouldnt want to go too short or your going to lose the leverage

 

[BILT4ME]

HiLift jack to break the beads and two tire spoons to pull it off the rim.

You can use a little anti-freeze to make the bead slick so it can seat.

 

[alia176]

I don't see a need to actually "separate" the tire from the rim in case of a giant hole. If plugging the hole with multiple plugs won't work, I'd break the bead then insert a patch/glue, like they do at the tire stores.

I have a deal that was built to go under the bottle jack, kind of like a wedge, I guess. You place the wheel under the rear hitch receiver, place the deal+bottle jack on the bead. Then simply pump up the jack to try to lift up the truck, which in turns breaks the bead. Repeat for the entire perimeter, then use two tire spoons to bring the bead to the outside of the rim. Use the spoons to go around the entire perimeter so the bead is outside the rim. Then apply your glue+patch, and do the reverse.

It's a s***ty job no matter how you slice it.

 

[e9999]

this is the sort of things that I would absolutely need to do satisfactorily at least once at home in the comfort of my driveway before remotely counting on being able to do that on the trail with limited tools and time. I know that when I tried to remove a tire from a rim before it was a major struggle that did not end well.

 

[YODA 88 62]

Bought one of these to break the bead for trailer tires and tires on old rusted wheels. Wear gloves for maximum grip. Bare, sweaty hands slip just enough to not break the bead. I have a tire maul. Missing the mark can dent or scrape the wheel.

 

[Hugh Heifer]

I use my backhoe to break beads and some HF irons to get the tires off the rim. It is not easy and I would never attempt it in the field unless it was a last resort. I guess i would try my hi lift to break a bead in the field.

 

[Blue77FJ40]

There's always tire pliers, a design that I can see has changed over the years. Designated vehicle mount required, though.

 

[cruisermatt]

Co2 and a good heavy duty ratchet strap works fine to reset blown beads. Done it a few times

 

[ntsqd]

With the avatar vehicle weight is a HUGE concern. I made a tool to break the beads that uses the Snap-On 24" breaker bar that I was already carrying for the lever. I used motorcycle tire spoons because they are small and light. Before carrying those into the field I mounted a pair of 31's in the garage. It was a work-out, but they worked surprisingly well.

This is the bead breaker, the design is not mine and I've lost track of whose it is.

In use a piece of chain is attached to either a lug stud hole or if still on the vehicle to the lug stud itself. The breaker bar is inserted into the angled tube. The chain is picked up by the slotted hook and the 'foot' is pressed against the bead right next to the rim. With just a little practice it is fast and simple to break a bead with this. When we built one for MISF we built it to use the handle from his Hi-Lift (he removes it for stowage) and in that case the handle fits over a slightly longer angled tube.

 

[FJ73Texas]

Most people carry a spare assembly (or two).

Breaking beads, removing/installing tires out in the field is definitely not something I would want to do and I say that as someone who has been in the tire/wheel assembly business for 20 years. I have done it before but for bigger rigs such as stranded RVs. Not fun.

If it can't be plugged externally as STCM, chances are your tire is pretty much fubar and needs a new tire. If you are going to carry new tires, might as well just carry full sized spare and save yourself the trouble.

If you are running tubes, well that is a different story.

 

[ntsqd]

What do you do when the tire that you're working IS the spare?

In the buggies carrying a a spare wasn't really an option. We carried tubes, boots, and .032" safety wire. We once stitched a sidewall back together with the wire, put a boot over the stitching on the inside, and then put a tube in it. All just to get back to camp some 30+ miles away. Oh yeah, it was fubar, but that was the only known option to get back.

 

[FJ73Texas]

What do you do when the tire that you're working IS the spare?

In the buggies carrying a a spare wasn't really an option. We carried tubes, boots, and .032" safety wire. We once stitched a sidewall back together with the wire, put a boot over the stitching on the inside, and then put a tube in it. All just to get back to camp some 30+ miles away. Oh yeah, it was fubar, but that was the only known option to get back.

I get your point on the spare.

If you can do all of what you are saying above, then you definitely don't need to ask how to mount/dismount a tire in the field which is the least of your concerns. You seem pretty seasoned to handle that kind of dilemma.