Air flow required to set tire bead
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Depends. I have beaded tires with a HF hot dog compressor before. I would say you have an 80% chance if you know what you are doing.
I suspect so, but you could always try. Usually (if not always?) the valve core is removed so that air can get in faster. So I'd plan on removing that.
YMMV but at home I have a cheapo oil-less compressor that I seat beads with (in addition to pumping up tires!). I remove the valve core and then put one of those air nozzles meant to blow dust off things into the valve stem. This seems to work well enough. As long as the beads are touching the rim that is. Once or twice I had to use a strap around the tire help get the bead close to the rim. And I had a wheel barrow tire that I gave up on and resorted to a tube, but you shouldn't run into that drastic of a problem.
YMMV but at home I have a cheapo oil-less compressor that I seat beads with (in addition to pumping up tires!). I remove the valve core and then put one of those air nozzles meant to blow dust off things into the valve stem. This seems to work well enough. As long as the beads are touching the rim that is. Once or twice I had to use a strap around the tire help get the bead close to the rim. And I had a wheel barrow tire that I gave up on and resorted to a tube, but you shouldn't run into that drastic of a problem.
Kestas
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I've done it many times with the air compressor in the garage. But you can't do it with the air chuck and valve stem. You need to airflow to be faster than the air escaping past the beads for the tire to seat. I remove the valve stem and use a pistol grip air blower to fill the tire and seat the beads.
If the bead is pretty tight you could probably do it with a portable tank. I have a tire machine and never remove the core. No problem 95% of the time. For the other 5% I have a Cheetah.
Get the front side bead all wet and then manually jam that guy on its rim. Then, let it dry so it sticks. Prop it up so you can shove the tread down/back while you're filling with air, so you only have one bead to worry about instead of two.
You may also get better flow with the valve core removed even with the dopey gas station compressor.
And there's always ether.
You may also get better flow with the valve core removed even with the dopey gas station compressor.
And there's always ether.
I'm a semi mechanic and we have a bead seat tank and a metal ring with holes attached to an air hose with a ball valve on it. The ancient ring tool gets tried first.
Our class 8 fleet has 22.5" tires which are seated and filled in a tire cage.
If you need to go to a gas station and use a coin-op air compressor, your throwing money down the drain. Few old fashioned service stations exist that have a big compressor hidden in the back with an air hose for public use. Have a used tire shop mount it for you instead.
Before UPS, I worked at a dump truck fleet and we did this:
Our class 8 fleet has 22.5" tires which are seated and filled in a tire cage.
If you need to go to a gas station and use a coin-op air compressor, your throwing money down the drain. Few old fashioned service stations exist that have a big compressor hidden in the back with an air hose for public use. Have a used tire shop mount it for you instead.
Before UPS, I worked at a dump truck fleet and we did this:
No one suggesting the WD-40 method (offered as a curiosity; i have not tried this)
Originally Posted by toad
I would like to mount a 195/60R15 tire on it's rim. Some say that I will need more air flow than I can get from a gas station air source (stem valve in place) to set the bead. Is this true?
Unless its a spare it will need to be balanced. Who will do that?
I would like to mount a 195/60R15 tire on it's rim. Some say that I will need more air flow than I can get from a gas station air source (stem valve in place) to set the bead. Is this true?
Unless its a spare it will need to be balanced. Who will do that?
I have successfully seated many tires with starting fluid/ ether. Boat tires, ATV tires Truck tires.
It doesn't take much.
spray a bit inside the tire, & throw a match or a small piece of paper towel soaked with ether.
It doesn't take much.
spray a bit inside the tire, & throw a match or a small piece of paper towel soaked with ether.
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Originally Posted by Donald
Originally Posted by toad
I would like to mount a 195/60R15 tire on it's rim. Some say that I will need more air flow than I can get from a gas station air source (stem valve in place) to set the bead. Is this true?
Unless its a spare it will need to be balanced. Who will do that?
195/60R15 must be on a pretty old car, maybe a beater. No need to balance unless it's intolerably out of balance.
Originally Posted by toad
I would like to mount a 195/60R15 tire on it's rim. Some say that I will need more air flow than I can get from a gas station air source (stem valve in place) to set the bead. Is this true?
Unless its a spare it will need to be balanced. Who will do that?
195/60R15 must be on a pretty old car, maybe a beater. No need to balance unless it's intolerably out of balance.
A very reliable way to seat a tire is with a tire bead expander (as shown). Since you probably won't want to buy one, you can make one with a hefty piece of rope. Just fashion a tourniquet using a short piece of 2x2 or a crowbar etc. Crank-in on the outer diameter while nailing the valve stem with air. Remove the core from the stem.
Yeah, people use WD40 and ether -and in a pinch, I've done that too. It can be hazardous if you don't know what you're doing or start goofing around.
Ray
Yeah, people use WD40 and ether -and in a pinch, I've done that too. It can be hazardous if you don't know what you're doing or start goofing around.
Ray
Originally Posted by RayCJ
A very reliable way to seat a tire is with a tire bead expander (as shown). Since you probably won't want to buy one, you can make one with a hefty piece of rope. Just fashion a tourniquet using a short piece of 2x2 or a crowbar etc. Crank-in on the outer diameter while nailing the valve stem with air. Remove the core from the stem.
Yeah, people use WD40 and ether -and in a pinch, I've done that too. It can be hazardous if you don't know what you're doing or start goofing around.
Ray
I've used a ratchet strap as a substitute several times. I've only had to resort to ether twice, and both times were for the tires on riding mowers. Not sure why, but those are generally a royal pain in almost every way.
A very reliable way to seat a tire is with a tire bead expander (as shown). Since you probably won't want to buy one, you can make one with a hefty piece of rope. Just fashion a tourniquet using a short piece of 2x2 or a crowbar etc. Crank-in on the outer diameter while nailing the valve stem with air. Remove the core from the stem.
Yeah, people use WD40 and ether -and in a pinch, I've done that too. It can be hazardous if you don't know what you're doing or start goofing around.
Ray
I've used a ratchet strap as a substitute several times. I've only had to resort to ether twice, and both times were for the tires on riding mowers. Not sure why, but those are generally a royal pain in almost every way.
Originally Posted by Elkins45
Originally Posted by RayCJ
A very reliable way to seat a tire is with a tire bead expander (as shown). Since you probably won't want to buy one, you can make one with a hefty piece of rope. Just fashion a tourniquet using a short piece of 2x2 or a crowbar etc. Crank-in on the outer diameter while nailing the valve stem with air. Remove the core from the stem.
Yeah, people use WD40 and ether -and in a pinch, I've done that too. It can be hazardous if you don't know what you're doing or start goofing around.
Ray
I've used a ratchet strap as a substitute several times. I've only had to resort to ether twice, and both times were for the tires on riding mowers. Not sure why, but those are generally a royal pain in almost every way.
Sure that's a good idea too. Come to think of it, I have a small hand-crank chain hoist rated for 500lbs. That would probably work too.
Also: Those darn wheelbarrow tires always seem to put-up a good struggle.
Originally Posted by RayCJ
A very reliable way to seat a tire is with a tire bead expander (as shown). Since you probably won't want to buy one, you can make one with a hefty piece of rope. Just fashion a tourniquet using a short piece of 2x2 or a crowbar etc. Crank-in on the outer diameter while nailing the valve stem with air. Remove the core from the stem.
Yeah, people use WD40 and ether -and in a pinch, I've done that too. It can be hazardous if you don't know what you're doing or start goofing around.
Ray
I've used a ratchet strap as a substitute several times. I've only had to resort to ether twice, and both times were for the tires on riding mowers. Not sure why, but those are generally a royal pain in almost every way.
Sure that's a good idea too. Come to think of it, I have a small hand-crank chain hoist rated for 500lbs. That would probably work too.
Also: Those darn wheelbarrow tires always seem to put-up a good struggle.
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Thanks to everyone that replied. Lots of interesting and good ideas. Never heard about the explosive vapor method before: I'm tempted to try it, just for kicks,
The gas station air supply that I plan to use has a huge compressor and tank. It's located in a preserved historical garage located in the national park.that I bicycle in every morning. The ancient gas pumps no longer function, but the old style air source has been maintained and everyone in the area uses it. I have to keep the stem valve in because it is what pushes on the valve in the chuck that releases the air. Is there some way to get around that without changing the air chuck?
A local indie mechanic will balance a tire if it is off the car for $5.00. I'm not really trying to save money; I just like to do things myself if at all possible, and I have really come to hate the tire buying experience in a tire store. About the only thing on a car that I've never serviced before is the tires, so it will be a new adventure. If I fail, either the indie wiil finish the job for another $5.00, or I will buy a can of ether.
The gas station air supply that I plan to use has a huge compressor and tank. It's located in a preserved historical garage located in the national park.that I bicycle in every morning. The ancient gas pumps no longer function, but the old style air source has been maintained and everyone in the area uses it. I have to keep the stem valve in because it is what pushes on the valve in the chuck that releases the air. Is there some way to get around that without changing the air chuck?
A local indie mechanic will balance a tire if it is off the car for $5.00. I'm not really trying to save money; I just like to do things myself if at all possible, and I have really come to hate the tire buying experience in a tire store. About the only thing on a car that I've never serviced before is the tires, so it will be a new adventure. If I fail, either the indie wiil finish the job for another $5.00, or I will buy a can of ether.
Originally Posted by cdlamb
I have successfully seated many tires with starting fluid/ ether. Boat tires, ATV tires Truck tires.
It doesn't take much.
spray a bit inside the tire, & throw a match or a small piece of paper towel soaked with ether.
Do you always get detonation on the first try? I would think that the air/fuel mixture would have to be pretty well balanced to get ignition and a good detonation?
I have successfully seated many tires with starting fluid/ ether. Boat tires, ATV tires Truck tires.
It doesn't take much.
spray a bit inside the tire, & throw a match or a small piece of paper towel soaked with ether.
Do you always get detonation on the first try? I would think that the air/fuel mixture would have to be pretty well balanced to get ignition and a good detonation?
I do. It doesn't take to much. You just have to be fast so it doesn't evaporate. Make sure you are putting air in it while igniting it or it will debead itself.
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