anybody use a vise to break a bead?

[mrbreeze]

Tires are on their way, and I am planning to attempt to change my own tires. Their seems to be about as many ways to break a bead as there are people changing their own tires, which is to say "a lot!".

I have a vise clamp, the kind you bolt to a work bench. Right now it is not mounted to anything. I am thinking of using it to break the bead. I have even considered breaking the bead with the wheel still on the bike. I am thinking of loosening the axle
jacking up the bike
slide the vise under the wheel
break the bead with the vise while the bike holds the wheel
then take the wheel off.


What do you guys think of this idea? I sure don't want to damage the wheel.

thanks

[pennswoodsed]

Sure,
use car spare to support wheel (rotor) and squeeze , tape edge of wheel, piece of split heater hose so vise doesn't gouge where you are working. I have also seen you tube 2x4 bead breakers that might work for you. Don't get hurt , $5 to service guy to break bead might be good investment if you can't apply enough force .

Regards,Ed

[victor441]

I tried that once unsuccessfully and ended up using a big C clamp instead. In general have had much better results if the wheel is supported underneath and only the top bead is broken, pushing from both sides of the tire at once does not work nearly as well. I finally made a bead breaker (from scrap metal and hardware, cost = $0.00) and that makes the job fast and easy even on big stiff radials. If you do a search here there are lots of DIY examples and some are as simple as lengths of 2 x 4 nailed together. Many use a car/truck frame or bumper to lever against. Big tubeless tires are MUCH more difficult than smaller tube tires and way more likely to need a bead breaker

[mouthfulloflake]

I used a vice mounted to a 4'x4' thick heavy steel table, it broke the dr350 rear bead, but it was exciting, the 300lb table was moving around during the struggle.

some simpler ideas work better, longer lever

[Maggot12]

I don't see it working either, sorry.. I used a large c-clamp and that was a struggle and had me swearing for 45 minutes getting two original tires off a Strom with 50k kms. It took me another hr to get the tires on and 42 bucks for balancing. I'm be using some real gear to do it this time and will do it all myself

I'm gonna be getting tires soon for my now CBF1000, and will be making something that bolts onto the wall to break the bead. 100s of vids of Utube showing this.

Just need to hunt down a tire changer...

[PineyMountainRacing]

I started out using a 2x4 and a small block - used the skid loader or the truck bumper for an anchor point. Now I use a HF bead breaker that someone gave me. I had to mod it a little. Ground the tabs off the base to keep from damaging rotors and carriers, and taped up the ram part so I didn't scuff up the wheel. Gotta be careful if you're using your foot to hold the other side down, very easy to scuff up the rim with your shoe. The trick is steady, constant pressure. I was breaking some beads on 12-ply trailer tires Saturday with the bucket on the loader. If I tried to do it all at once, the front of the tractor just lifted off the ground. So I just put a little pressure on it, come back a few minutes later, and the bead's broke. Same with moto tires, except you won't use a front end loader...

Several years ago I built a tire changer out of a 14" auto rim and scrap tubing. I have heater hose zip tied to the edge of the rim (to keep from scratching the moto rim), a center rod that is threaded which goes thru the hub, and a rod welded to the inside of the auto rim (with vinyl tubing to protect the moto rim) which keeps the moto rim from turning. It's a pretty simple affair, and I set it up to mount into the receiver hitch of my truck. I can work off the tailgate while I'm changing which is handy.

The important part is the mount / demount bar and then your technique of course. I'd love to have a NoMar setting in my garage, but this works just as well and I can throw it in the trailer and take it to the track or on vacation if I'll be changing tires.

[richarddacat]

Originally Posted by mrbreeze

Tires are on their way, and I am planning to attempt to change my own tires. Their seems to be about as many ways to break a bead as there are people changing their own tires, which is to say "a lot!".

I have a vise clamp, the kind you bolt to a work bench. Right now it is not mounted to anything. I am thinking of using it to break the bead. I have even considered breaking the bead with the wheel still on the bike. I am thinking of loosening the axle
jacking up the bike
slide the vise under the wheel
break the bead with the vise while the bike holds the wheel
then take the wheel off.


What do you guys think of this idea? I sure don't want to damage the wheel.

thanks

I've used a bench vise to break a bead with good luck but with the wheel off, was kinda hard to balance everything around the bench but it worked.
I've also used the method above in pictures with better luck.

If you remove the wheel from the bike, spray the bead with WD40 or some type of penetrating oil, let it sit a while or overnight. May even work on the bike but I've never tried it.
Good luck.

[victor441]

Originally Posted by Maggot12

I don't see it working either, sorry.. I used a large c-clamp and that was a struggle and had me swearing for 45 minutes getting two original tires off a Strom with 50k kms. It took me another hr to get the tires on and 42 bucks for balancing. I'm be using some real gear to do it this time and will do it all myself

I'm gonna be getting tires soon for my now CBF1000, and will be making something that bolts onto the wall to break the bead. 100s of vids of Utube showing this.

Just need to hunt down a tire changer...

Maybe try using zip ties first before spending big $$$ on a tire machine, I learned the method here in an old thread and have changed several tires easily with no cursing, pinched tubes, mangled fingers, etc.....there is a photo and another convert to the method a few threads down at http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=871288
A gallon of real tire lube is well worth it too, makes mounting and demounting much easier and works better than soapy water in my experience.

[Maggot12]

Originally Posted by PineyMountainRacing

I started out using a 2x4 and a small block - used the skid loader or the truck bumper for an anchor point. Now I use a HF bead breaker that someone gave me. I had to mod it a little. Ground the tabs off the base to keep from damaging rotors and carriers, and taped up the ram part so I didn't scuff up the wheel. Gotta be careful if you're using your foot to hold the other side down, very easy to scuff up the rim with your shoe. The trick is steady, constant pressure. I was breaking some beads on 12-ply trailer tires Saturday with the bucket on the loader. If I tried to do it all at once, the front of the tractor just lifted off the ground. So I just put a little pressure on it, come back a few minutes later, and the bead's broke. Same with moto tires, except you won't use a front end loader...

Several years ago I built a tire changer out of a 14" auto rim and scrap tubing. I have heater hose zip tied to the edge of the rim (to keep from scratching the moto rim), a center rod that is threaded which goes thru the hub, and a rod welded to the inside of the auto rim (with vinyl tubing to protect the moto rim) which keeps the moto rim from turning. It's a pretty simple affair, and I set it up to mount into the receiver hitch of my truck. I can work off the tailgate while I'm changing which is handy.

The important part is the mount / demount bar and then your technique of course. I'd love to have a NoMar setting in my garage, but this works just as well and I can throw it in the trailer and take it to the track or on vacation if I'll be changing tires.

Thanks for your input... My dad and two uncles owned a couple auto garages and I changed/balanced hundreds of car/truck tires throughout my teenaged years..
It's just wrong now to pay so much for something that's so simple with a couple of fairly basic tools. I just need to buy the tools.

[mrbreeze]

I like that zip tie idea. these are 16" tires going on a cruiser, if that makes any difference. Dunlop E3 bias tires. Supposed to give really good mileage. Some guy on the Vulcan Bagger forum claims 25,000 miles from a set, and apparently he is riding about 50,000 miles a year.

I want his job!

[sailah]

I used a vice when other methods failed to pop the bead on some super moto wheels I has. And I'm no stranger to popping beads. It was the only thing that would work. it was a really big vice though

[Steveo1o9]

I successfully use a large 8" C clamp to break my beads (two would be better, but one was enough). You have to break one bead at a time so use a piece of wood or something on the opposite side. I also easily break the bead on my rear wheel by running the edge over with my truck. You just have to be careful of rotors and support the rim on 2x4s. Simple and cheap.

[Beezer]

the vice thing sounds clumsy to me but who knows. I have a home made tire machine but I also use a c clamp sometimes. I carry it when on long solo trips too. as mentioned above, break one side at a time. heres my rig:



I also carry a 1/8" thick aluminum plate (hard alloy). it prevents damage to the wheel and lets all the force be put on the rubber. it has other uses such as being a platform for my stove and kickstand





and the clamp only has to be big enough to clear the rim on the inside.... not reach around the tire.
I've tried a lot of different tool to break beads, some work ok, some not so well, but for sure the clamp always wins...


I've done the zip tie thing, also with tie straps. works sweet on some... not so much on others. do it enough times and you'll see what I mean

[xromad]

Change and balance my own tires.

I have not used a vise, but here is what I have tried:

• I Use a "C" clamp all the time. Can do it pretty quickly now.
• Also used the wood 2X4 lever idea. Probably my favorite but doesn't pack well.
• The plastic wedge with a hammer/rock didn't work so good.

[Maggot12]

For those thinking of the C clamp route. Make sure your new clamp has a steel lever handle, not soft metal or aluminum... I twisted the handle on mine around the auger and it looked like a key chain ring. That added to the aggravation, time, and vulgarity.