Sawzall Tire Dismounting:

[drive em]

I have a steel wheel collecting problem. I cannot leave a salvage yard without a couple of old steelies in the back of my truck. The problem is that they usually have some hockey puck hard old crusties mounted on them. I do have an old Coats 10/10 tire machine, but on the old rubber it just does not work that good. I figured that there had to be a better way to dis-mount the old tires other than paying $5 dollars a pop plus a $3 disposal fee.

My method involves a Sawzall, a couple of crow bars and some elbo grease. I basically use the Sawzall to cut the tire sidewall about an inch above the rim on both sides, then I use the crow bars to dis-mount the remaining tire beads.

Here are a couple of my newest wheels, a 15" x 7" chrome reverse with a 5 1/2" bolt pattern, and a '40-'48 Ford 16" x 4" wheel:

I use a coarse wood cutting blade, it goes through the old rubber pretty easily:

I start at the edge of the tread, and cut all all the way around the sidewall about 1" above the rim:

The tire will peel off the rim after both sides are cut:

The bead will now have to be broken on both sides of the wheel.
I use a large chisel and a big hammer to break the bead on both sides:

The broken beads can now be pried of using a couple of crowbars:

You can easily do a half dozen tires in an hour using this method. The remaining part of the tire can then be cut into quarters and tossed in the trash or recycled.

 

[Red Green]

My hand hurts just looking at that vise grip and chisel. I would have smashed my hand with that hammer way to many times. Have you considered building a slide hammer? I also know that old time bummper jacks would break down the tires without too much work. You would have to use the jack before the sawzall though.

 

[tatra]

i changed rubber for years and am quite familiar with the 10 10 and it should be able to tackle most tires..........may have to rotate the assembly a few times and help the machine by turning the spindle with the bar...........seems like a lot of work when you have a machine at your disposal...................do you have adequtete air for the machine?................

 

[Joe H]

That's one way to get it done but honestly seems like a lot of work to save $8 a dismount.

 

[srmofo]

do a google search for motorcycle tire changing. You can fabricate a rig for breaking the bead. It would be alot simpler than using a hammer and chisel. IT involves ataching two 2x4s together then cutting a point on them. Then you attach them to lever (longer 2x4s) and attach the lever to something sturdy like your garage wall. Then you slide the wheel under it and push down. Pops em right off everytime. Then you can just cut a slit or 2 in the bead and pull the tire off.

Can I ask why you always come home with steel rims? seems like an odd thing to collect.

 

[drive em]

You all have obviously never encountered the rock hard hockey puck tires I encounter here in the West Texas desert. I have a Coats 10/10, and it will not break them loose, neither will a bumper jack. I can do this method in no time, and when I am done I can quarter the tire and put it in the trash instead of paying a $4-$5 disposal fee.

 

[drive em]

do a google search for motorcycle tire changing. You can fabricate a rig for breaking the bead. It would be alot simpler than using a hammer and chisel. IT involves ataching two 2x4s together then cutting a point on them. Then you attach them to lever (longer 2x4s) and attach the lever to something sturdy like your garage wall. Then you slide the wheel under it and push down. Pops em right off everytime. Then you can just cut a slit or 2 in the bead and pull the tire off.

Can I ask why you always come home with steel rims? seems like an odd thing to collect.

Most of the wheels I bring home are early 30's-early 50's Ford steel wheels used in Traditional Hot Rodding, so you can imagine how long some of the tires have been on them.

 

[tatra]

actually have done some crusty tires in the past myself so i know what a ***** they can be...........that's when the bead axe comes out............i do see merit in your system , especially disposal..........not being critical , just questioning to learn a little more.........btw, really enjoying the writeups..........

 

[mudweiserjeep]

I see some tire dismounting in my future.
Great idea.....thanks!

 

[srmofo]

Most of the wheels I bring home are early 30's-early 50's Ford steel wheels used in Traditional Hot Rodding, so you can imagine how long some of the tires have been on them.

I live in ohio so we dont usually see anything older than 80s in the junkyards because of the weather/salt. But that makes a little more sense if its old vehicle that you're collecting them off of

 

[Red Green]

You all have obviously never encountered the rock hard hockey puck tires I encounter here in the West Texas desert. I have a Coats 10/10, and it will not break them loose, neither will a bumper jack. I can do this method in no time, and when I am done I can quarter the tire and put it in the trash instead of paying a $4-$5 disposal fee.

That would make quite a difference. I tryed to sawzall some tires before and it was worth it for me to pay the $1 each and haul them to the tire disposal place.

Like Srmofo said all the old stuff has turned to dust around here. You might be lucky find some stuff from the 70s yet.

 

[t. jones]

Are you planning to reuse the wheels? If you are just making yard art I would nip through wheel and bead first with an abrasive blade, tire will almost fall off then. Can you post a picture of a tire cut up so the garbageman will actually take it?
Thanx Trevor

 

[JeepsAreBuilt]

COOL ! I got 5 tires to dismount off some old wheels. Excellent excuse for me to buy a new sawzall ! I wonder if my air hammer would work good for breaking the bead ?

 

[Mezzanine]

When you get your pry bars under the bead as shown in the second-to-last photo, why not take the sawzall and cut the bead? Might save a few seconds each side...

 

[IDASHO]

That's one way to get it done but honestly seems like a lot of work to save $8 a dismount.

$8???

Who charges that much?

The tire shops around here will dismount an old one, and remount a new one for $5

 

[05firecatf7black]

Would love to know what you are using all the old rims for!

 

[Mr_fixit]

Feed that 10-10 some 2 stage air, and you'll peel anything off the rim./

 

[Mr.Nutcase]

show it who is boss~

 

[Toolhorder]

Waiting for the starter fluid method of dismounting.....

You can use a rope and wrap it around the tread and cinch it with a hammer head by twisting then use a prybar to break the bead. Easy.

 

[Mr_fixit]

When you get your pry bars under the bead as shown in the second-to-last photo, why not take the sawzall and cut the bead? Might save a few seconds each side...

You must have never tried to cut a bead. You can do it , but you'll either need a metal cutting circular saw or a cut off wheel in a right angle grinder.


For me , cutting tires off at a junkyard, a single edge razor works better. One tire , one blade.

 

[D.J.]

I need to get me some off those steel toed tennis shoes and I'm sure you had your safety glasses on also. I also agree with the guy above an think I would use the sawsall to cut through the beads.
________
******* Mature

 

[bobj49f2]

I did the same procedure a few weeks ago on the wheels on the '37 Buick I bought. Busted my *** trying to pry them off and then finally got out the Sawsall and angle grinder to cut the bead. I was done in a ten minutes each.

 

[RobSmith]

I cut a 1/2" plate to the rough outside diameter of the rim...about a foot square or larger. It covered about a quarter of the tire. Then I drove my vehicle over this plate. It breaks the bead real easy. My tires weren't that old so I could use a tire iron but it with the bead away from the rim, a saw would make it a short time effort. The bigger the vehicle the easier the job.

 

[1bad67]

I do something similar. We race dirt roundy rounders, and go thru quite a few tires. They are big ones, so I cut them around the edges of the tread, and then cut the tread in half, and make nice rubber mats for in front of the work bench, across the muddy path in the back yard. Still can't get the wife to let me redo the front sidewalk with them.... yet

 

[LeadDoggy]

The wrecking yards will charge us for the tires too, so we would cut the tire off the rim in the wrecking yard saving about 10 to 20 bucks.

 

[TRX]

You must have never tried to cut a bead. You can do it , but you'll either need a metal cutting circular saw or a cut off wheel in a right angle grinder.

You got a problem wit' dat?

 

[mrpowderkeg]

I used to use a stihl cut off saw for dismounting tires, it was messy so I bought a rc-15 tire machine... Aluminum rims don't like cut saws much, and I got tired of hot rubber on my pants. Maybe I should have tried the saws all method.

 

[JeepsAreBuilt]

Bump.

This method works great ! I tried it out today with my new sawzall. I had some trouble at first breaking the bead with my chisel(smaller one than OP used)... but then I figured out a good way to do it. You are not trying to chisel between the bead and tire.. but drive the bead down. So.. chisel at the stiff part of the bead(metal in there) and it wont bounce as much. I turned my chisel sideways(opposed to picture above) and got a good attack to the tire bead.

 

[nonhog]

I did this method and it was fun for 1 tire. After that I am not so sure.
Tried chaining a wheel from an engine hoist and shimming it with 2by4's but no dice not tight enough. I wonder how those Harbor freight bead breaker would work?

http://www.harborfreight.com/bead-breaker-92961.html

I like the plate over the tire then drive onto idea posted above. Might try that one.

 

[kbs2244]

If you get a battery powered sawsall you can leave the major part of the tire at the yard and just bring the bead home.