Breaking Tire Bead

[phamnett]

Hey guys, I have a hectic schedule so I can't take my car into the auto shop because they demand my car stay at their shops too long (basically until they can get around to it.) So I'm looking for the best procedure for breaking the tire bead so I can throw my summer tires on. I have a 17 inch rim and tried for hours the other day with pry bars and breaker bars. I didn't have any lube though, do you think this would make a big difference?

[harofreak00]

You tried for hours yourself but don't have the time to wait at a tire shop?

[crash93ssei]

Breaker bars will do nothing to break a bead, and lube won't help at all with that method either. You either need to buy a bead breaker or take them to a tire shop. There are other ways to do it as well but they almost guarantee destroying the tire that is coming off, a very sturdy board used as a ramp on the tire you can drive up it and if positioned right the weight of the vehicle and the correct board placement will break the bead, but as I said it can really mess the tire up as well as it can mess the wheel up too. From the sounds of it you want to keep them nice so I would just bite the bullet and the cash and just take it to the people that do it every day.

[phamnett]

You tried for hours yourself but don't have the time to wait at a tire shop?

Because the tire shops want to take my car for more than a day. It's hard around here to find a shop with a competent scheduling service.

[harofreak00]

Even with an appointment?

[haro1225]

Are there any used tire shops around you? I go to one and they mounted and balanced all four tires in under a half hour.

[1oldman]

Are there any used tire shops around you? I go to one and they mounted and balanced all four tires in under a half hour.

X2 lots of them around this part of the world, and they'd be glad to do it just in the off chance you'd by a set of rims or tires from them. - BC

[RJolly87]

I also want to suggest a second set of rims, especially with the predicament you face on a regular basis. I feel that hand tools are not feasible, especially for car tires of that natures. Slide hammers are good at breaking beads too (what is used for tractor trailer tires), but even smaller truck tires give problems without a machine.

[bs009]

Lube won't help you here. If air doesn't get past the bead then no lube will get past it. It takes a TON of pressure to break a bead.

Your best bet is to find a different shop that is open, or leave your car or the wheels and tires there while you do other things and pick it up later.

[phamnett]

I also want to suggest a second set of rims, especially with the predicament you face on a regular basis. I feel that hand tools are not feasible, especially for car tires of that natures. Slide hammers are good at breaking beads too (what is used for tractor trailer tires), but even smaller truck tires give problems without a machine.

I think you're right. It will save the most time and money in the long-term.

[00Beast]

You're also going to destroy your wheels trying to dismount tires with tire-irons...

[phamnett]

If I have 235/55r17 rims on my ssei with 20 spokes, do I meed the exact type of wheel or only the same size?

[bs009]

Running dedicated wheels for summer and winter is also good because it helps keep the salt off your summer wheels. Most people who have summer and snow tires use their nicer wheels for summer and whatever else they have for winter.

for a second set of wheels for that size tire, you'll need to find a set that has:
-17" diameter
-somewhere between 8.5" - 7.0" rim width (stock is 7.5" iirc)
-5x115 bolt pattern (5 x 114.3 could work but risks stretching your wheel studs).
-offset somewhere around 43 mm (depends on rim width though)
-center bore greater or equal to 70.3mm

Most FWD GM 17" wheels should work for you if you don't want to spend the money on new wheels.
Most tire shops should be able to help you find a set of new wheels though if that's the route you wanna go.

[phamnett]

Thanks for all your help. I was able to find factory spec. rims 4 hours north of my city for $100 each.