Tow Hitch used as <span class="highlight">bead</span> <span class="highlight">breaker</span>
Submitted: Sunday, Dec 04, 2005 at 18:45
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Member - Paul T
Hi all
Some time ago (maybe 2 yrs ago) somebody posted information on this
forum with instructions on how to manufacturer a
bead breaker that was inserted into the tow bar.
The
bead breaker was designed along the line of a tow hitch with the head of the jack placed into a slot on the 'hitch'.
I have searched the
forum archives but no luck.
Does anybody remember this and if so can you point me in the direction of either the post or the individual who posted it.
Thanks and cheers
Paul T
Reply By: Lone Wolf - Sunday, Dec 04, 2005 at 18:56
Sunday, Dec 04, 2005 at 18:56
Yes, this thing fits into the 2" receiver, and the other part sits on the
bead. Once it's all set up, you then remove the valves from the two rear tyres, thus allowing the escaping air to lower the vehicle to lower itself down onto....
... nah... that CAN'T be right.... surely....
AnswerID:
142365
Reply By: bombsquad - Sunday, Dec 04, 2005 at 19:30
Sunday, Dec 04, 2005 at 19:30
Gday Paul
This sounds a bit bulky and complex. I recently got hold of some tyrepliers at a garage sale. I fixed a
puncture on a 31 x 15 tyre off the boat trailer and it was far easier than expected, and quite simple. So simple and quick I went and got the spare off the GU (16x8) & broke the
bead on that to make sure the first one wasn't a fluke. I think they may be easier than what your talking about, but I haven't seen or used one.
Cheers
Andrew
AnswerID:
142368
Follow Up By: Rick (S.A.) - Sunday, Dec 04, 2005 at 20:20
Sunday, Dec 04, 2005 at 20:20
Don't be suckered into thinking all tyres are easy to break the
bead on.
Last year it took me three attempts to break a
bead on my GU at
home in the car port.
What finally got it broken was the technique the original poster is refering to.
I came inside, after an hour of failures with the tyre pliers, knowing that I was close to damaging the tyre, and realising that someone on the chat room would know how to break the
bead- sure as hell I didn't/couldn't.
And sure enough, it, (this
forum) did have a solution.
Phil G had the answer, and there is a link to his solutoin on the LCOOL site. Sorry I don't have the links.
Cheers
FollowupID:
395910
Follow Up By: bombsquad - Monday, Dec 05, 2005 at 08:17
Monday, Dec 05, 2005 at 08:17
Gday Rick
I stand corected. after checking the link below it looks quite simple really, and not bulky at all. Probably a bit safer than my back up - the High Lifj Jack method. Its hard to know just how much stuf to take sometimes.....
Cheers Andrew
FollowupID:
395950
Reply By: Rick (S.A.) - Sunday, Dec 04, 2005 at 20:13
Sunday, Dec 04, 2005 at 20:13
Phil G, a regular poster here, has one such gizmo.
He may be able to direct you to the links to see it on the Lcool site.
Cheers
AnswerID:
142377
Reply By: OzRoamer - Sunday, Dec 04, 2005 at 20:39
Sunday, Dec 04, 2005 at 20:39
Hi Paul
yes it is true - I had a mate knock one up for me and I have used it and it does work - the other main bonus is that is takes up bugger all room. I think he said that he would normally only charge about $20 or $30 bucks.
Email me and I will send a few photos for you.
AnswerID:
142379
Reply By: 120scruiser - Sunday, Dec 04, 2005 at 20:46
Sunday, Dec 04, 2005 at 20:46
Yep I have made one and its not bulky, used it to break the beads on three tyres and works great. It breaks the
bead on one side easy but the other side you have to place a piece of timber under the rim.
Here is the link
www.lcool.org
bead breakerMine fits in
the spot where the jack and
tools are.
Cost me 10 bucks from the local steel
shop and about 2 hours of cutting, drilling and welding.
AnswerID:
142382
Reply By: Rock Crawler - Sunday, Dec 04, 2005 at 22:11
Sunday, Dec 04, 2005 at 22:11
Tried all the gadgets , nothing is easier than a high lift
AnswerID:
142395
Follow Up By: Bilbo - Sunday, Dec 04, 2005 at 23:52
Sunday, Dec 04, 2005 at 23:52
I agree Rockcrawler. Why carry the extra weight of a beadbreaking tool if you already have something that will do the job handsomely. I've been using one for years and never had a failure yet.
Breaking the
bead is the easy bit. Sometimes, getting the tyre completely off the rim is the hard bit!
Bilbo
FollowupID:
395940
Reply By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Sunday, Dec 04, 2005 at 22:49
Sunday, Dec 04, 2005 at 22:49
Good to see some people still find that link useful. I've made up a few different
bead breakers over the years.
The 50mm tube one would be the simplest, and I made it up to save weight. And it did work very
well. And it doesn't scratch up the rims like some of the others. And like Rick says, the common beadbreakers work
well on a tyre thats been off recently, but can be difficult to use on a tyre thats
well stuck down.
These days, I take away a high lift jack - like
Rock C says, it also works
well. If you don't carry high lift, then this piece of tubing is a safe way to find another use for the car jack, and costs next to nothing to make.
Cheers
Phil
AnswerID:
142405
Follow Up By: Wisey (NSW) - Monday, Dec 05, 2005 at 17:47
Monday, Dec 05, 2005 at 17:47
Hi Phil
It looks like a great idea but I was wondering how it would work if the rear of the vehicle is already jacked? If you were onto your 2nd spare I mean! You would have to do multiple wheel changes and jacking. Am I off my
bead here?? ;)
Regards
Andy
FollowupID:
396011
Follow Up By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Monday, Dec 05, 2005 at 21:56
Monday, Dec 05, 2005 at 21:56
Andy, you're not off your
bead there :-)) And you're right - you'd need a second jack.
Reminded me of a guy who went bush in a borrowed 4wd, got a flat and found out he had everything needed except a wheel brace. So he had to jack the wheel up, then break the
bead, and repair the
puncture with the wheel still on the vehicle.
I'd suggest that if you travel alone out bush, you need two jacks. Since changing from the Prado to the 79series, I carry the high lift as my second jack (I also use this as my beadbreaker these days).
We had a vehicle bust a greasable shackle pin out in the
Gibson Desert in October and we needed 3 jacks to remove the leaf spring, knock out the solid bush, and replace the pin - two jacks under the chassis and one under the rear axle.
Cheers
phil
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396050