Best type of bead breaker

Submitted: Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at 17:53
ThreadID: 107971 Views:9554 Replies:13 FollowUps:20
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Hi all. I have typed in all variations of tyre/puncture repair etc but the site comes up with everything but. I am mainly interested to find out the best type of bead breaker for ease of use and storage but would also like some tyre repair or changing videos if possible. Can I get some links please. Thanks.
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Reply By: mikehzz - Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at 18:17

Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at 18:17
If you have a high lift jack then you can use that. As for a kit, I use Tyrepliers.
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Reply By: Member -Ted (Vic) - Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at 18:33

Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at 18:33
Yep I use Tyrepliers comes with repair kit also.
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Reply By: Member - David Will (VIC) - Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at 18:46

Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at 18:46
Hi Kirk L

I use Tyrepliers as well.

That makes 3
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Follow Up By: Ross M - Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at 19:05

Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at 19:05
Me too. = 4
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Reply By: Peter_n_Margaret - Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at 19:14

Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at 19:14

Half a kg.

Cheers,
Peter
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Follow Up By: Member - Alan H (QLD) - Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at 20:35

Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at 20:35
What a great idea Peter.

I have seen the base of a jack used but your T section would exert better pressure directly on to the bead.

Alan
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Reply By: Member - Kirk L - Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at 19:19

Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at 19:19
Sounds like the go. I have an old set of them but they only go up to 16" and the nav has 17's so looks like a new set coming up. Cheers guys
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Follow Up By: Ross M - Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at 21:45

Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at 21:45
Just cut and weld a bit into the length of it. Absolutely no need to BUY.

No New set required at all.
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Reply By: Member - Duncan W (WA) - Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at 19:34

Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at 19:34
If you have alloys like on one of my vehicles then the R & R bead breaker is the way to go. Very gentle application & little to no muscle required.

Cheers

Dunc

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Reply By: Member - Redbakk (WA) - Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at 19:41

Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at 19:41
Have had the "bead breaker kit" for years now, not sure when I bought it, traveled everywhere and it has never been out nor have I used it, still brand new.

Only 1 vote for the beadbreaker.
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Follow Up By: Member - Kirk L - Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at 19:50

Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at 19:50
Is that the tyreplier kit or just called bead breaker. It's good you haven't needed it but when you do you'll be glad it's there.
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Follow Up By: Member - Redbakk (WA) - Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at 20:16

Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at 20:16
I bought it at a 4WD show years ago ( snake oil salesman).........you remove the tyre and lay it flat and I think you use a 9/16 ring spanner to operate it and it gently breaks the bead.
very little physical strength needed.
Comes with some tyre levers, patches, canvas bag and a video.

I have seen the "tyre pliers" but I did not purchase them.

I also bought the tyre plug kit in the "RED" plastic box and have used them many times with good success.

In regard to reseating the tyre I seen someone use a ratchet strap around the middle of the tyre to re seat it that way ( ratchet it up to seal and then inflate....it popped on)....never done it myself.
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Follow Up By: Member - Kirk L - Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at 20:25

Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at 20:25
Yeah I use the ARB plug kit in orange box. Think I have seen the bead breaker you mention also at show. Never had a puncture in the bush. Only when back in town and you pick up all the rivets and screws that fall out of trades utes lol.
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Reply By: Mick O - Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at 21:01

Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at 21:01
I'm a third vote for the R&R Beadbreaker. Unfortunately I've had it out plenty of times and it works a treat. Bloody easy compared to some of the other options. They have an attachment that allows you to use it for Alloy wheels as well.

Video shows its use here - Actually this was the first time I'd used it in 2009 and I can't believe how simple it was (Tyre repairs start at about 8:13 in the video). Yeah alright I apologise for kissing the thing but it was so bloody easy! Prior to that I'd been using a 2004 Landcruiser troopy to drive over the tyre lol. Breadbreaker for sure.

Blog here;A hard day in the desert and a master class in tyre repair (outback)


Info on tyre repairs and using volatiles to reseat a tyre here;

Things that go BOOM and other handy hints for outback tyre repair!










R&R Beadbreaker Link

Cheers Mick



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Follow Up By: Member - Kirk L - Wednesday, May 28, 2014 at 08:50

Wednesday, May 28, 2014 at 08:50
Thanks heaps mick. Appreciate it.
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Follow Up By: Member - Sanantone - Wednesday, May 28, 2014 at 08:52

Wednesday, May 28, 2014 at 08:52
That was excellent, thanks Mick.
Tony
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Follow Up By: Member - John (Vic) - Thursday, May 29, 2014 at 12:52

Thursday, May 29, 2014 at 12:52
Agree with Mick, the R & R is the best on the market.
No stress, no strain and it works!

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Reply By: Michael ( Moss Vale NSW) - Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at 21:04

Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at 21:04
I've got a R&R Beadbreaker and its easier on the bead due to it being wider where it pushes on the bead. You cant slip with it like the Tyrepliers and it helps you put the tyre back on. It basically gives you a spare pair of hands while using the tyre levers during reassembly. R&R a pleasure to use with very little effort to operate. Also if your Tyre removal or repair is controlled without the huff and the puff, there is less chance of slipping and hurting yourself and losing skin off your knuckles out in the back of nowhere, just where you really don't need the problem. The same goes for a plug kit, buy a good quality alloy handle kit like Safety Seal or ARB, if a plastic handle breaks off while pushing a string plug in, it will do major damage to you hand, likely where no hospital is in sight! Michael
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Follow Up By: Derek Jones - Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at 21:44

Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at 21:44
Excellent comment about plastic handles breaking Michael - haven't experienced that but my eyes are watering just imaging the pain and discomfort.
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Follow Up By: Michael ( Moss Vale NSW) - Wednesday, May 28, 2014 at 19:06

Wednesday, May 28, 2014 at 19:06
Derek! I guess its more about the the needle attachment to the plastic handle! A plastic handled set came with my R&R Beadbreaker, they may be OK but I don't think I would be brave enough to use them! Michael
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Reply By: Member - Kirk L - Wednesday, May 28, 2014 at 08:42

Wednesday, May 28, 2014 at 08:42
Ha well might be a change of mind here after last few posts. Where is this R&R gadget sold. Most 4 WD shops I expect. I have the ARB tyre repair kit with all metal tools. Have used several times and is great. I have seen the butane tyre inflation vid and also familiar with the ratchet strap method. Thanks for great feedback guys. Cheers.
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Follow Up By: Member - Frank P (NSW) - Wednesday, May 28, 2014 at 09:51

Wednesday, May 28, 2014 at 09:51
Kirk,

have a look here for dealers.

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Follow Up By: Member - Frank P (NSW) - Wednesday, May 28, 2014 at 09:53

Wednesday, May 28, 2014 at 09:53
PS. Use the Contacts page to phone or email them to order direct. They're good to deal with, prompt dispatch in my experience.

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Reply By: Robin Miller - Wednesday, May 28, 2014 at 10:18

Wednesday, May 28, 2014 at 10:18
TirePliers for me , they have more flexibility and pack up better, hence you actually carry them.

Very jealous of excessive weight here so a homemade copy of our tire pliers was made optimized for my wheels and saved a kilo of weight as well.



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Reply By: Member - Michael A (ACT) - Wednesday, May 28, 2014 at 20:11

Wednesday, May 28, 2014 at 20:11
R & R beadbreakers have a youtube video link on their site. I chose this one over the tyrepliers due to having a bad back and found thm a lot easier for me to use also the work can be done on a table rather than bending over.

www.randrbeadbreaker.com

regards

M

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Reply By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Wednesday, May 28, 2014 at 23:17

Wednesday, May 28, 2014 at 23:17
Why buy a beadbreaker when your car comes with one:
Bottle jack beadbreaker
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Follow Up By: Member - Kirk L - Thursday, May 29, 2014 at 09:50

Thursday, May 29, 2014 at 09:50
Well that certainly is simplicity at its best and a bit cheaper than the 500 bucks for full R&R kit. Cheers bud. Heading off on savannah way next week so want to get my tyre repair gear in order.
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Follow Up By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Thursday, May 29, 2014 at 10:09

Thursday, May 29, 2014 at 10:09
Gday Kirk,
Yeah, there's plenty of alternatives. Even the bottle jack under the towbar works well, the adaptor I made just adds stability. Its also mag wheel friendly (won't scratch like others do) and you aren't travelling with the extra weight, and easier to use than tyrepliers.
When I travel with a highlift jack, I just use that in the same way.

Another hint: for reinflating stubborn tubeless tyres: inflate one of your tyres to max pressure (aften 80psi) and run a hose between the full tyre and the flat one. Both valve cores need to be removed for this to work. I used an ARB easy deflator to easily do this (cut the deflator hose and put in an air coupling so it can still be used as a deflator).
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Follow Up By: Member - Kirk L - Thursday, May 29, 2014 at 10:22

Thursday, May 29, 2014 at 10:22
My car has got one of those crappy scissor jacks but I guess that would work nearly as well. Thanks.
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Follow Up By: wozzie (WA) - Thursday, May 29, 2014 at 14:26

Thursday, May 29, 2014 at 14:26
It's not only breaking the bead that matters, remember you also need to be able to get the tyres back on, preferably without damaging the bead.

Thats where the R & R comes in real handy.....



Cheers

Tony


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Follow Up By: Member - Kirk L - Thursday, May 29, 2014 at 15:43

Thursday, May 29, 2014 at 15:43
Yeah I realise that tony. The R & R only makes it easier but you are still using the levers at the end of the day. To be honest I have never removed a car tyre by hand before. Heaps on tyre machines and done heaps of dirt bike tyres which have super beads in them. I'm going to have to make an educated decision on all the advice you guys have presented. The R & R is on about $250 on its own. I have most of the other bits so that's not too bad.
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Follow Up By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Thursday, May 29, 2014 at 16:11

Thursday, May 29, 2014 at 16:11
Kirk,
I used a scissor jack for breaking beads for about 15 years - works just as well on smaller tyres. Haven't used it on big stuck 4wd tyres. You'll need to try it out.

But levering beads on and off is an art that needs learning - practice at home helps but it's not long before you're away. If you carry a plug kit it's highly unlikely you'll be levering tyres anyway.

Things that I have found helpful over the years are:
- having wheels with deep wells - I once checked identical size Speedy and ROH steel wheels and the extra depth of the wells on the Speedy rims made tyre changing very easy. As you'd know the opposite side of the bead needs to be deep in the well for levering to work.
- There is no need to lever the second side for a puncture. You can get full access to patch the inside with just the outer side levered over. If you elect to lever the inner side over, you risk greater distortion of the bead which makes reinflation difficult. I carry a piece of wood which is the right length to open the tyre to see what I'm doing inside.
- The only time you need to lever the second side is if you are replacing the tyre - only likely if you carry a spare casing or you are pinching a tyre from someone else's rim. If you carry a spare casing, then store a tube fully inflated inside it - that way the beads will be much easier to seat when you reinflate it - as they will then naturally sit out.
- Use soapy lube all all times when levering a bead - both levering off as well as levering back on and reinflating.
- And if a tyre is proving difficult to lever, then have a good look again to see what you can do better. Persisting can just distort and damage the bead.
Have a great trip
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Follow Up By: Member - Kirk L - Thursday, May 29, 2014 at 21:30

Thursday, May 29, 2014 at 21:30
Cheers mate. I am pretty boned up on all the theory or it all. Just haven't done car tyres as I said. Yes the plug kit will fix most things apart from huge stakes or rocks. I am mechanically minded so sure I can work It out anyway ( diesel fitter). Thanks for heads up.
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