[Exaviator]

I am about finished getting my 2001 Honda Fourtrax(Rancher)350FM back to running condition. Got some good used steering components installed and now the steering is tight. Tonight I finally got the almost new Mud Bugs installed. That was a trial, let me tell you. Had to cut the old front tires off the rims and snip the bead wires one by one until it finally let go. I then had a little idea for the rear tires. I left about 3 lbs of air in the tires and used my Princess Auto(Harbor Frt) tire bead breaker. That worked a charm as the pressure kept the wall from collapseing and kept the breaker spade close to the rim. Then---poof the beads dropped off the rim. Too easy when the right trick is used. BUT---getting the new tires to bead set was another story. The front ones went fairly well, but the back ones just would not seat, no matter what I tried--and I tried all of the tricks----but ONE. So, in desperation, I broke out the old starter fluid can(ether), took the tire and a tire iron out to the front wall, and armed with a packet of penny matches, I plied the supreme red neck trick. A two second burst of ether into the crack betweer tire and rim--a quick flick of the match and an accurate toss and run. Pffffttt and whoosh--followed very quickly by a pop pop as both beads seated. I had the tire iron stuck just in the edge of the rim to allow the match flame to set off the ether. That sucker flew about 10 feet up in the air and landed straight down and stuck into the grass of the lawn.
Well, this was just too good to not have a spectactor for the second tire, so I called my better half out to have a look at this spectacular bit of foolery. Of course she stayed back a good 25 feet from ground zero. I added about 2.5 seconds of ether--just to see how high the iron would go. Well, the beads seated but the iron only went a dissapointing 5 feet.

I have seen videos of this procedure, but have never tried it. Now I am here to tell you that it works. But ya gotta be very careful about the quantity of ether. Too much and ya might blow yourself up.:icon_ devil:

 

[Helmut]

Yeah, that works good if done right. I do it sometimes when they don't want to seat.

 

[shadetree]

I am about finished getting my 2001 Honda Fourtrax(Rancher)350FM back to running condition. Got some good used steering components installed and now the steering is tight. Tonight I finally got the almost new Mud Bugs installed. That was a trial, let me tell you. Had to cut the old front tires off the rims and snip the bead wires one by one until it finally let go. I then had a little idea for the rear tires. I left about 3 lbs of air in the tires and used my Princess Auto(Harbor Frt) tire bead breaker. That worked a charm as the pressure kept the wall from collapseing and kept the breaker spade close to the rim. Then---poof the beads dropped off the rim. Too easy when the right trick is used. BUT---getting the new tires to bead set was another story. The front ones went fairly well, but the back ones just would not seat, no matter what I tried--and I tried all of the tricks----but ONE. So, in desperation, I broke out the old starter fluid can(ether), took the tire and a tire iron out to the front wall, and armed with a packet of penny matches, I plied the supreme red neck trick. A two second burst of ether into the crack betweer tire and rim--a quick flick of the match and an accurate toss and run. Pffffttt and whoosh--followed very quickly by a pop pop as both beads seated. I had the tire iron stuck just in the edge of the rim to allow the match flame to set off the ether. That sucker flew about 10 feet up in the air and landed straight down and stuck into the grass of the lawn.
Well, this was just too good to not have a spectactor for the second tire, so I called my better half out to have a look at this spectacular bit of foolery. Of course she stayed back a good 25 feet from ground zero. I added about 2.5 seconds of ether--just to see how high the iron would go. Well, the beads seated but the iron only went a dissapointing 5 feet.

I have seen videos of this procedure, but have never tried it. Now I am here to tell you that it works. But ya gotta be very careful about the quantity of ether. Too much and ya might blow yourself up.:icon_ devil:

lmfaooo..all too good exa..although..i've seen that trick at my shop..and nooooo freaking way am i gonna do it !!!..lmao. as for getting tires off the rims..i've found the fastest way ..for me anyway..it's called a chevy truck !..lol..i lay the tire down in my drive way..run my front tire on my truck up and close to the old tire bead..then..after a couple seconds..i back off the tire..get out..give the tire about a 1/4 turn..drive back up on it the same way..if it doesn't pop the bead..i back off it..and give the tire another 1/4 turn...sure enough..it comes off..you can also use a board..lay the board up to the center of the bead..drive up on the board..if it doesn't break the bead..back off the board..1/4 turn of tire..back up on the board..it will bust the bead. as for getting them to seat..the best way i found..thats if you have trouble getting the tire to hold air so you can seat the bead..take a ratchet tie down strap..center it on the tire..tighten the strap pretty good..this forces the tires beads outwards..and will be enough to get air in to seat the bead. just be sure to remember to let off the tie down before you air it up !!..lol.

 

[Exaviator]

Yep Shade. I tried every one of those methods today--and a few more. Nothing worked on the fronts, so I cut em off. And I also tried all of those methods to try to seat the beads on the new tires. Only thing that worked was the ether. Actually, the explosion was far less dramatic than I imagined it would be. The result was double seated beads.

 

[shadetree]

Yep Shade. I tried every one of those methods today--and a few more. Nothing worked on the fronts, so I cut em off. And I also tried all of those methods to try to seat the beads on the new tires. Only thing that worked was the ether. Actually, the explosion was far less dramatic than I imagined it would be. The result was double seated beads.

oh...don't get me wrong..i've had tires just like you..where i had to cut the steel wire just to get them off the rim !..lol..been there..done that. just the tires on my ' 89 trx350d foreman..getting them off the rims..even with my truck..took me about 1 1/2 hours to get them off the rims !!..yeah..i feel your pain..thats for sure. next time you get tires..first..brush your rims down with a bench grinder that has a wire wheel on it..then..slap some grease all the way around the rim's outter bead on both sides..do the same on the tire..this not only makes it sooooo much easier to get the tire on..but when you do the tie down trick like i said..it will inflate in no time..oh..i did forget to mention..when you do the tie down strap trick..after you tighten it down..lift the tire up as high as you can hold it..bounce it..as your bouncing it..rotate it..( just don't drop it on the ratchet part )..this helps seat the tire bead..throw some air to it..it will inflate in no time.

 

[Helmut]

The easiest way to brake them down is to sit the blade of a dozer or the bucket or forks of a loader, down on the tire. They will pop right off.

Sometimes, the ratchet strap will work to help seat the beads and sometimes it won't. The ether or gas trick will work every time, if done right.

 

[shadetree]

The easiest way to brake them down is to sit the blade of a dozer or the bucket or forks of a loader, down on the tire. They will pop right off.

Sometimes, the ratchet strap will work to help seat the beads and sometimes it won't. The ether or gas trick will work every time, if done right.

psttttttttttt..helmut...last time i checked..the bull dozer wasn't in my back yard !..lmfao

 

[Helmut]

The easiest way to brake them down is to sit the blade of a dozer or the bucket or forks of a loader, down on the tire. They will pop right off.

Sometimes, the ratchet strap will work to help seat the beads and sometimes it won't. The ether or gas trick will work every time, if done right.

psttttttttttt..helmut...last time i checked..the bull dozer wasn't in my back yard !..lmfao

Use the loader, then, it works just as good. LMAO!!

 

[shadetree]

The easiest way to brake them down is to sit the blade of a dozer or the bucket or forks of a loader, down on the tire. They will pop right off.

Sometimes, the ratchet strap will work to help seat the beads and sometimes it won't. The ether or gas trick will work every time, if done right.

psttttttttttt..helmut...last time i checked..the bull dozer wasn't in my back yard !..lmfao

Use the loader, then, it works just as good. LMAO!!

why did i know you would come back and say use the damn loader ???..lmfaooo.

 

[jkhuntin]

I cannot believe you didn't take a video exav., that would be a youtube classic.