Chevy & GMC Vans

i have a wheel at home that i intend to use as my full size spare but the paint is peeling and the tire is shot how hard is it to take the old tire off or should i just take it to a shop to get it removed (all the places i go to are cheap asses and will charge just to remove the tire) i wanna clean the rim up and try to paint it. if it turns out well i want to do all my wheels [-o<

If all the air is out, you should be able to use a big common screwdriver to remove.

It would help if you were able to leave the tire out in 70+ degree sunny weather for a while, to make it more plyable.

Inset the screwdriver carefully, then pry it out and slide it around.

70+ AND sunny not going to happen this year i'll attack it problably tonight to see if it wants to come off

Have anything like Harbor Freight near you?

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=34542

The hardest part of the job I would think is breaking the tire bead off the rim.

That ref to Harbor Freight isn't really a bad price.Kind of hard to bite the bullet of $50.00 bucks for just one job through.

I remember using in the old days a tire iron that was used to break down the beads on semi truck tires when I worked at Fry The Wheelman.It has a flat hook on one side and a rubber end to hit with a mallet on the other side with a handle in the center.

you might consider carefully cutting it off with a sawzall or something as it is junk anyways, prep and paint your rim and then at least the only thing you would have to pay for is the mounting of the tire, which should be free with the purchase anyways.

Lay the tire wheel assembly flat on the ground-take a 4 to 5 foot long 2x6 or 2x8 an lay it like a ramp on the tire,drive with your van or an other car up on the tire-this will brake the bead of the rim,the rest is a piece of cake-have it done many times-naturally it helps to remove the valve insert before you start. Good luck

Cobra wrote:i have a wheel at home that i intend to use as my full size spare but the paint is peeling and the tire is shot how hard is it to take the old tire off or should i just take it to a shop to get it removed (all the places i go to are cheap asses and will charge just to remove the tire) i wanna clean the rim up and try to paint it. if it turns out well i want to do all my wheels [-o<

If your thinking of painting it Pierre, have a look at Justice's "How to" http://www.astrosafarivans.com/tech/thu ... hp?album=1

Just be sure to not paint the inside of the rim. If you paint where the bead sits you will never get the tire to hold air.

i've looked at that how to many times i'll probably follow pretty much the same steps.
the 2x8 and van is an intresting idea, i was going to check the condition of the tire bead area clean out an corrsion then tape it before i paint

Kidhauler wrote:Just be sure to not paint the inside of the rim. If you paint where the bead sits you will never get the tire to hold air.

really ? I used to use a bumper jack to unbead the wheel from the rim, clean the rim with a wire wheel and I have always put a shot of any old aerosol paint I had in the shop over the area before remounting the wheel. I can't recall it causing any problems.

Kidhauler wrote:Just be sure to not paint the inside of the rim. If you paint where the bead sits you will never get the tire to hold air.

Not true.

To answer the original question....just take it to a tire store and pay the $10. It's well worth it. As for painting tire beads, here's some experience from an old guy. Here at the landscape company there are a bizzilion wheels. The number one reason I have to throw a wheel in the scrap is rust in the bead area. Whenever the wheels need maintenence the tires are removed and the wheels get painted. The bead area gets sand blasted and painted with POR 15. There's never been a problem with sealing. And I haven't had to throw them in the scrap because of rust.

Having been the tire jockey at a wrecking yard I can tell ya smilie is right.. Pay the 10 bucks. The bead on the tire is a real PITA to break loose without the use of a pneumatic breaker.

A rusted bead seat on a rim is easy to deal with. I've seen some really knarly ones and I've not not gotten one to hold air.

Step one ( keep in mind I had the use of a tire machine)

Grind the heavy rust off with an angle grinder.

Step 2

Follow up with a wire wheel

Step 3

Liberally apply rubberized bead sealer ( the stuff you use on aluminum rims) to steel rims.

Step 4

Seat the tire and test for leaks along the bead. If found break the bead again and either grind some more or apply more sealer.




Also cutting the bead off won't work with out cutting into the rim.


Now if you can get the bead loose without the pneumatic breaker good on ya.

Take 2 yes 2 rounded tire bars and work the bead up over the rim. Be careful it will get tight and it will want to throw the bars right back at ya. But once you get one side off the other side come easily. Also make sure you keep the side of the bead your not starting on down away from the bead seat if it slides up into it the tire will get to stiff to work out over the lip of the rim. I'd recommend getting a helper and getting them to stand on that side it'll make the initial part a whole hell of alot easier. This is how I had to do large truck and large tractor tires that didn't fit on a tire machine.

For some real fun try unmounting a donut spare off a small car The beads are so close and large breaking one reseats the other. Then the darn thing literally jams the machine trying to get it off the rim.


PS don't use anything that could nick or cut the rubber on the bead. If you nick or cut it the tire is garbage.

My experience says take it somewhere. It's so worth the 10 bucks or so.