Removing rubber - a step-by-step how-to

Removing ancient rubber can be like wrestling a 400-pound steer stuck in the mud. Our tire guru, Don Kubly of Gempler's, says using the right techniques and tools can make the job easier.

The essential starting point is to park the tractor on a solid, level surface. And the ideal surface in this case is a concrete floor, advises Kubly.

• Block both the front and rear wheels before raising the tractor with a jack.
  
  
• After raising the tractor be sure to support the jack stand.
  
  
• Finally, make sure the tractor cannot roll forward, backwards or side-to-side when the tires are being worked on.
  
  
• For rims with valve stems on the outside of the tire, turn the rim so the stem is on top. Remove the valve core to deflate the tire. Drive a tire iron between the bead and lip of the rim if there is no pry notch. This loosens the bead making room to install a bead-busting tool.
  
  
• After loosening an area about 6 inches wide, insert the buster tool.
  
  
• Drive it between the bead and the rim flange.
  
  
• Lock the tool to the rim.
  
  
• Using a socket and 1/2-inch drive ratchet, turn the buster's screw head to force the bead off the rim.
  
  
• Repeat to loosen the entire inside bead.
  
  
• Other handy bead- breaking tools that Kubly recommends:
  
  

  - 31-inch swan-neck bead breaker

  - Ken-Tool's 46-inch slide hammer

  - 17-inch short-handle bead-breaking hammer

- 11 3/4-inch driving iron

• Once the bead is separated from the rim, check to see if the tube (if so used) is stuck to the rim. If this is the case, Kubly urges using 30-inch curved tire spoons. Use one spoon to raise the bead and a second spoon to pry the tube up and loose.
  
  
• After loosening the inside and outside beads, lubricate them and the flange with a product like Murphy's Tire & Tube Mounting Compound, Bead Seal, or Rema's Premixed Bead Butter.
  
  
• Lock the wheel with valve hole on top.
  
  
• Push the bottom of the tire inward.
  
  
• Insert long tire irons under the bead at the top of the rim and pry bead over lip of rim.
  
  
• Keep tire irons close together; this will make prying easier and help prevent bead damage.
  
  
• After part of bead is over rim flange, hold iron in place and remove other iron to pry next portion of bead over rim. Do not pry too large a portion at once, it will be hard to pry and may tear the bead.
  
  
• Maintain constant grip and pressure on the tire irons at all times. The irons may spring back with pressure if your grip is released.
  
  
• Work your way around the rim until the outside bead of the tire is completely over the rim.
  
  
• After part of the bead is over the rim flange, hold one iron in place and remove the other to pry the next portion of the bead. Don't pry too large a portion at a time.
  
  
• Remove the tube after the outside bead is over the rim. To do this, start at the bottom and pull the tube out working your way up the sides of the rim.
  
  
• Finish lifting the inside bead over the outside rim. Insert two tire irons under the bead on the side of the tire. Apply pressure on both irons and pull back on one iron to move the bead.
  
  
• Once the tire is removed from the rim, wire brush rust from rim and clean surface of debris.
  
  
• Check rim for cracks on bead flanges. Also check area where rim is mounted to center plate.
  
  
• Make sure there are no sharp burrs on rim flange; these burrs could cut tube during installation or removal.
  
  
• After rim has been cleaned, apply a thin coat of rust preventive to the bead seat area of rim.

To contact Kubly or for a guide to tire removal, mounting, and repair, call 800/874-4755 or go to www.gemplers.com.

Step-by-step illustrations to dismounting tires can be found here.