removing tyres from rims

[mojobaby]

The last 4 or 5 times that I've been to LeClerc Auto I've come up against a brick wall. There's been a big staff change and the new guys are so full of it!

Today I told them that I was planning on buying 4 new tyres from them, but I needed them to remove the tyres from the rims, one by one, so that I could spray paint them before fitting the new tyres

I had the first wheel with me and was obviously quite prepared to pay them to remove the tyre.

I know exactly how long it takes to remove a tyre with the special machine that they have, (about 2 minutes) but when I was told that I had to make an appointment to do it and the earliest appointment was in two days time, I decided to buy my tyres elsewhere!

I came home and googled "removing tyres from rims" and this is what I found;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPVfn2NjirY,

so now I'm going to do it myself. I guess they just lost a sale!

 

[DavidN]

Redneck Tyre Change

But I know what you are talking about, repair shops and customers with small jobs ...
I popped the tyres from the steel rims by myself when I did my restoration 2 Years ago.
It's quite a hassle especially with tyres that have been on the rims for over a decade. They seem like glued (or rusted) to the rims.
It took me up to 30 Minutes per tyre and I had sweat all over me! Quite a hassle for a job that is about 2 Euros per tyre at a shop.

I can advice to put your car on stands, remove all 4 Wheels (or 5?) and get a shop to remove the old tyres.
Respray them all together and get the new tyres mounted.

If you really want to try to remove the old tyres by yourself, you can use a big bench vice to squeeze the tyres together to get them popped out of their seats.
And don't use a screwdriver like the Rednecks! There are special tools called tyre irons.

 

[Cornish4]

Hi mojobaby, nice to see this method is still used, I used to help my dad when I was a youngster to change his tyres this way. It should be a piece of cake with little R4 wheels. Of course only employ this method if the tyres are worn out, as radial tyre sidewalls would probably get damaged this way. Ok for crossply tyres though.

 

[mojobaby]

I tried this method (see photo) with a jack and popped the seal in 5 minutes.

Taking the tyre off was a bit of a sweat. After getting one makeshift tyre iron between the tyre and the rim, I put another one in alongside it and hammered it sidewards.

Now I can get on with the painting!

 

[Cornish4]

Yes, that's a good method, nice to be independent isn't it, and not have to rely on others that are not really interested in helping you. When you have refurbished your wheels use plenty of soap and you can refit the tyres yourself, job done.:smile:

 

[billythefish]

I remember doing this for my old man many moons ago back in the sixties with tyre levers and a extremly large sledge hammer, hammering around the edges to get the tyre free.
Now those were the good old days when every penny counted and times were so hard our dog couldn't even afford to have fleas.

 

[Cornish4]

Ah, the so called good old days Billy, not sure now what was good about them.

 

[Charliemouse]

Where are you mojo? I have a tyre machine and balancer...

Ignore the location - the machine is on the border of 24/86/16.

 

[billythefish]

Well Brian,
My dad was a millionaire, my mother a beauty Queen and I was a spoiled rotten only child, yeah I wish!

 

[Cornish4]

Yes, but it made you a better person didn't it Billy.
Anyway, I'm glad you are still enjoying your 4.

 

[mojobaby]

Where are you mojo? I have a tyre machine and balancer...

Ignore the location - the machine is on the border of 24/86/16.[/QUOTE
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kind of you Charlie, I'm in dept.47 near Villeneuve sur Lot. I still have to buy the tyres though. Might be a while because I work on the car in between house renovations.

Sprayed one rim this afternoon so I'll put up the photo tomorrow

 

[billythefish]

You sure are right Brian.