Breaking bead on cantilever rear tires

[PK]

I now have a tire machine, and I'm flipping a set of bias ply Hoosiers. The fronts were no problem, but I'm not sure how to break the beads on the rears, especially since I am reusing them and don't want to damage the sidewalls. Anyone have experience breaking these beads with the air powered breaker on the side of the machine?

[stonebridge20]

I've been breaking beads on cantilever tires on my machine with the side clamp arm since 1996. Just about every time I do a set, I tell myself that one day in my spare time that I'm going to fab up an end piece for the arm that has a flat plate on the end so that the clam shell won't slip off of the tire and destroy the rim. That's never happened so I just be VERY carefull. Maybe a good retirement project some day?

[PK]

Do you just push on the fat part of the sidewall? I can't get the end of the breaker anywhere near the bead without ending up pushing radially instead of axially.

[Garey Guzman]

Do you just push on the fat part of the sidewall? I can't get the end of the breaker anywhere near the bead without ending up pushing radially instead of axially.

That's what I do. I try to get it "breaker" as close to the rim as possible, going in and out until it's lined up well, then break the bead.

[DanW]

Do you just push on the fat part of the sidewall? I can't get the end of the breaker anywhere near the bead without ending up pushing radially instead of axially.

I do the same as Garey, on a cheap Hazard Fraught manual tire breaker. Push on the sidewall with the tool, work it as close to the bead as possible and push the bead away from the rim. Consider how much load the sidewall sees under pressure and cornering forces. The broad blade won't hurt it, but a point will.

[Bob L.]

also work around rim...push here, rotate a bit, push there, etc.... Also, found poring a bit of soap (liq. dishwashing, mixed with water) along joint between rim and tire, letting it sit/soak in, helps with older tires that are well stuck... Also, flip over and push other side as you work it off bead. Bead locks on some rims are tough, worse with old rubber....

FF tires are bad, but found 20 x 8's on 5" HP bugeye rims worse...lots of overhang, stiff.

Patience...

Bob L.

[PK]

Thanks guys, got it to work. I just needed to be a bit more aggressive.

[ewcmr2]

Take your tire bar and put the smaller lip end in between the bead area of the tire and rim. Use it to guide de-bead clamp away from wheel.