Compressed air bead seaters

[6PTsocket]

Like many areas of inquiry, it usually starts after my doing something stupid. I had a slow leak in a tire on my Ram 1500. I even knew where the screw was, in the tread. It was leaking pretty slow so I kept putting off fixing it. Yesterday, I was in a hurry, jumped into the truck and got about 100 ft down the road and I realized I had a BIG problem. The tire had gone flat and I managed to break the outter bead off the rim. I pulled the screw, plugged the hole and used an HF ratcheting cargo strap as a tournequet type bead compressor. It actually worked pretty well. The problem was when I tried to get it off it was pretty tangled and that took longer than the rest of the job. It was brand new and I did not want to cut it. I figured I would get a purpose built one for next time. Then I found that they are out of style. I only found one inflatable one that comes in a few sizes so one size does not fit all and a bunch of slippery rubber donuts that bridge the gap and slip out as the bead seats. It has to match the tire size, so you need a set of them. The air powered bead blasters seem to be a lot more universal. They all look pretty much alike with a 5 gal. air tank, a 11/2" ball valve and a liquid filled gauge. I have seen them from $59 and up, way up. No, I do not want one from Snap On for $1000. LOL.
Anybody have any info on these? Yes, I also know about the starter fluid trick but prefer a less exciting method. I will go for the cheapo unless there is a reason not to. Cheetah seems to be the big name in these. Thanks.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

A few years ago I was having trouble getting tires for my mower seated. Even the starting fluid method didn't work.
I bought the cheapest "blaster" I could find. It works great.

I just looked at E-bay and 10 gallon units aren't much more expensive than 5. IMO probably worth it.

 

[gungatim]

I've used the ratchet strap method dozens of times and never had trouble getting it off. just bleed some air out first.

I do have a tank type that I made from a spare air tank and large 1.5" ball valve and piece of pipe with a crimped end, it also works but the valve is the pricey part. I don't use it much because my tire machine has a built in bead blaster...

I haven't seen the inflatable type in about 20 yrs. but used one in school.

if you really want one, a couple d'rings and section of that retractable water hose that Al from Home improvement hocks on the tv commercials would probably be the start of a home made one, just figure out the air valve and you're in business...

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I tried making one with a 1.5" ball valve. This was on a bigger tank so I used some 1.5" flex type tubing so I could aim it properly. The first time I couldn't keep ahold of the line and am lucky I didn't blow an eye out. I blasted my ear and was worried for a couple hours until my hearing went back to normal. Even after figuring out how to hold it I couldn't get it to work. I ended up buying a foot valve with one in and 2 outs. On one out I put a valve that catches the schrader but is open. With that hooked on I can use both hands to manipulate the tire so it seats. The other out has a normal tire filling thingy with gauge and I use that after putting a valve into the tire stem.
The bead blaster works great as a potato gun....

 

[6PTsocket]

I've used the ratchet strap method dozens of times and never had trouble getting it off. just bleed some air out first.

I do have a tank type that I made from a spare air tank and large 1.5" ball valve and piece of pipe with a crimped end, it also works but the valve is the pricey part. I don't use it much because my tire machine has a built in bead blaster...

I haven't seen the inflatable type in about 20 yrs. but used one in school.

if you really want one, a couple d'rings and section of that retractable water hose that Al from Home improvement hocks on the tv commercials would probably be the start of a home made one, just figure out the air valve and you're in business...

That's how I did get it off, deflating the tire. The strap was a bit of a mess with the end hooks, hooked to each other. The strap folded over in the roller and it jamned up pretty good. No big deal. It was a one shot and it seated the bead.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[6PTsocket]

I have nothing on hand for making one. To duplicate a commercial one I would have to buy, a 10 gal air tank, cut a big hole and weld on a pipe that I would have to buy, buy a valve. Do air tanks already have a safety release and a gauge? For $60 I don't save much. I notice some of them have a curved tube on the end that goes part way around the tire. I think that might limit what size tires it will work with.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[Snakebyt]

here ya go

https://www.gaithertool.com/products/new-products/bead-bazooka-tommy-gun/

 

[WhiffySpark]

That's how I did get it off, deflating the tire. The strap was a bit of a mess with the end hooks, hooked to each other. The strap folded over in the roller and it jamned up pretty good. No big deal. It was a one shot and it seated the bead.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

The truck is to release the strap as soon as it seats. You have to plan ahead

I would 100% buy a cheetah. Old shop brought an off brand from Napa and no matter what I did I couldn’t get the ball valve to release fast enough. It had Aton of resistance when you went to push it. The cheetah is butterly smooth

 

[Finky198]

I have one built it out of an old 20lb propane tank a 2” ball valve and a pvc nozzle.
Works great and still have all my hair...

 

[MattT]

With one bead seated all you need to do is set the tire on a couple blocks seated side down. Put the blocks on the outsides of the tire. Then press the rim down until it contacts the bead and hit it with the air chuck.

I use the bead breaker on my HF tire changer to get the first bead seated. It's much easier than dicking around with ratchet straps.

That's how I did get it off, deflating the tire.

I guess you didn't remove the schrader core? You need to take the core out and use an "open" clip on air chuck to get the air in fast enough.

 

[PMD1966]

When I was a teenager. We used rope and a piece of broomhandle. When the bead seats, let go of the handle.

 

[6PTsocket]

With one bead seated all you need to do is set the tire on a couple blocks seated side down. Put the blocks on the outsides of the tire. Then press the rim down until it contacts the bead and hit it with the air chuck.

I use the bead breaker on my HF tire changer to get the first bead seated. It's much easier than dicking around with ratchet straps.



I guess you didn't remove the schrader core? You need to take the core out and use an "open" clip on air chuck to get the air in fast enough.

I had no trouble popping the bead. I didn't even bother taking out the core. As I said before, the strap got all twisted up on the roller. The damage was done before I added any air. I deflated the tire, worked the strap off and spent a few minutes, unjamming the mess on the ratchet roller. It was a one shot. I am not going to do it that way again and it is not anything to worry about. The info. about sticky valves is the kind of stuff I was looking for when selecting my tool. Is it standard practice to have the compressor feeding the coreless schraeder fitting at the same time? Do you use lower PSI for little stuff like small car,carts and lawn tractor tires?

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[WhiffySpark]

Yes clip on chuck feeding it or you’ll have a hell of a time getting it to take.

I never used a lower pressure.

 

[Mgdoug3]

I have a 10 gallon one for tractor tires and semi tires but I rarely use it. I remove the valve stem core and seat the bead. On the rare occasion that I have to use it, I still remove the core, use a clip on chuck with a ball valve I hooked up, turn it on then hit the bead blaster valve as quick as I can. Soon as the bead has seated, I turn the valve off on my chuck.

 

[metaleltr]

The truck is to release the strap as soon as it seats. You have to plan ahead

I would 100% buy a cheetah. Old shop brought an off brand from Napa and no matter what I did I couldn’t get the ball valve to release fast enough. It had Aton of resistance when you went to push it. The cheetah is butterly smooth

I believe the difference is that cheetah uses a butterfly valve where the imports use a cheap ball valve. Granted some oil and some use technology ball valve will wear in and be a little easier to use.

 

[WhiffySpark]

I believe the difference is that cheetah uses a butterfly valve where the imports use a cheap ball valve. Granted some oil and some use technology ball valve will wear in and be a little easier to use.

I tried. We dealt with that ************* for 2 months before I had enough of it and demanding a new one. We had to take 4 truck tires to another shop because the piece of junk wouldn’t do it.

Sad part is I don’t think it was that much cheaper. I had a cheetah the next morning

 

[trackwelder]

Starting fluid still works for me

 

[Snakebyt]

i have tried lots of different tricks for setting beads on problematic tires, usually a cheeta or 2 will do the trick the fastest and easiest since they wont let us ether tires anymore

 

[trashmanssd]

I have the Bead Cheeta and I love it. Worth every penny. Also you can use it as a small emergency air tank for filling a lawn tractor tire or other smaller tires out in the yard with a small female to female whipit hose of the filler valve.

 

[dsgreen3]

I have had similar experiences setting tire beads on trailer tires and lawn mowers. I too was frustrated with the whole rope/ratchet strap way of doing it. I recently purchased a 5 gallon bead seater off Amazon and had to use it on a trailer tire. WOW wish I had done this sooner I removed the tire from the trailer laid it on my garage floor hooked an air chuck to the valve and opened up the bead blaster valve and done. Wished I had bought one years before.

 

[wolf_from_wv]

Not sure what they used on the tire in front of my house the other day. Sledgehammer got the old tire off and the new one on. They filled up the air tank with air compressor on the service truck. It took them a couple tries to get it seated. It was maybe a Class 6 or 7 truck/trailer with back hoe with the side-wall punctured. A utility bodied truck brought the new tire. A service truck had a crane/generator/air compressor.