Bead Bazookas

Submitted: Wednesday, Feb 21, 2018 at 15:07

ThreadID: 136298 Views:4188 Replies:6 FollowUps:11

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Member - Ross N (NSW)

I have just read Mick O’s thread re tyre bead setting .
I value my eye brows a bit to much to use his method except as a last resort.
Has anyone used a Bead Bazooka and if so, what are your thoughts?
Ross

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Reply By: Idler Chris - Wednesday, Feb 21, 2018 at 17:17

Wednesday, Feb 21, 2018 at 17:17

They work a treat. If you watch enough of Mick's video's you will see one being used on LP's Unimog. Too heavy to be practical for most trips though.

What other people think of me is none of my business.
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Follow Up By: Member - Ross N (NSW) - Wednesday, Feb 21, 2018 at 19:21

Wednesday, Feb 21, 2018 at 19:21

Thanks Chris
I will check the weight issue
Ross

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Reply By: Allan B (Sunshine Coast) - Wednesday, Feb 21, 2018 at 17:28

Wednesday, Feb 21, 2018 at 17:28

.
Hi Ross,
Some hazard maybe, but it works a treat.
As for the eyebrows, well, do you recognise this face? .............

After

Cheers
Allan

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Reply By: RMD - Wednesday, Feb 21, 2018 at 18:07

Wednesday, Feb 21, 2018 at 18:07

Why would you have your eyebrows close to it in the first place??? If you know the gas catches fire you would ensure you didn't get lit up too, wouldn't you?

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Follow Up By: Allan B (Sunshine Coast) - Wednesday, Feb 21, 2018 at 18:12

Wednesday, Feb 21, 2018 at 18:12

.
Well, the bloke with the match said .... "Now watch closely". So he did! lol

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Reply By: 2517. - Wednesday, Feb 21, 2018 at 19:59

Wednesday, Feb 21, 2018 at 19:59

You can use a t piece to hook the compress and spare tyre together to seal the tyre I have used it a few times works well.You take the valve out of the tyre.Do a search you will find it.

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Follow Up By: Member - J&A&KK - Thursday, Feb 22, 2018 at 00:08

Thursday, Feb 22, 2018 at 00:08

We used a T piece with a valve cock, spare Tyre and a hand pump to reseat Landrover tyres in the late 60’s. I doubt it would work for a big Unimog Tyre. Was very hard work on the hand/foot pump especially at the end when pressure was high.

Method was.

1. Remove valves from spare Tyre and unseated Tyre.
2. Attach T piece to both valve stems.
3. Make sure valve cock to unseated Tyre is closed.
4. Pump up spare Tyre to at least 60psi - 80psi being better.
5. Clean unseated Tyre and rim carefully and then use gaffer tape to seal the void between the Tyre and the rim.
6.open valve cock.

Usually worked first go. Sometimes the gaffer tape became stuck between the Tyre bead and the rim. Didn’t matter as we were always using tubes.

Cheers John

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Follow Up By: Allan B (Sunshine Coast) - Thursday, Feb 22, 2018 at 09:57

Thursday, Feb 22, 2018 at 09:57

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John,

If you were "always using tubes", then why could you not simply re-inflate the repaired tyre as they do in the tyre shop?

I made a similar fast inflation device. But it has no tee and no hand cock. The end for the unseated tyre (with valve removed) has a regular valve chuck , the end connected to the inflated spare tyre has a modified tyre deflator (valve removal type). Connect up, extract valve from spare and whoosh.

Bugger the hand pumps, they were used by the KGB for torture.

Don't recall what Len Beadell used when he was repairing his half-dozen tyres per day. Knowing him it was probably a hand pump. Must ask Connie Sue.

In the sixties, I had one of those 'spark-plug' inflators. Took about 20 minutes to inflate one tyre! And before someone jumps in..... no, they did not pump petrol vapour into the tube.

Cheers
Allan

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Follow Up By: RMD - Thursday, Feb 22, 2018 at 11:32

Thursday, Feb 22, 2018 at 11:32

J&A&KK
That would be a total waste of gaffer tape as it didn't do anything with a tube type tyre. Why pump the spare to higher with a compressor, Just use the compressor to pump up the tube tyre. Talk about a convoluted way to inflate.

Just using a hand or foot pump you then only inflate to the required pressure instead of struggling to foot it to 60 or 80psi.
Was that in place of the gym workout?

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Follow Up By: Member - J&A&KK - Friday, Feb 23, 2018 at 11:27

Friday, Feb 23, 2018 at 11:27

Yes. A pretty stupid last statement in retrospect.

I remember using the T piece contraption and pump, plus I remember patching tubes. Too long ago, too many vehicles, too many punctures. Must have scrambled the memories, goes with old age. Definitely would not have used the contraption with a tube in the Tyre.

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Reply By: Ron N - Friday, Feb 23, 2018 at 12:07

Friday, Feb 23, 2018 at 12:07

The Bead Bazooka is just the latest and slightly improved design of a bead seating device that has been around for donkeys years.

We were using these back in the early 1970's - they're simple and effective.

https://www.amazon.com/Tooluxe-30007L-Seater-5-Gallon-Capacity/dp/B007SWZ7EC?ref_=fspcr_pl_dp_1_15709121

You can even build your own from an out-of-date discarded LPG bottle - or you could even use a small fire extinguisher bottle.
Fire extinguishers are built to hold a lot of pressure.

Naturally, these are all rated as a pressure vessel when filled - so, take care accordingly, to ensure that whatever you use as a tank, IS marked as a pressure-rated vessel, and is in excellent condition with no corrosion - internal or external.

The vast majority of LPG bottles are not discarded because they're dangerous to use - they're discarded because new ones are dirt cheap, and no-one will pay for the compulsory 10 year inspection.

But you don't need a LOT of pressure, you need VOLUME - and you need a system to release a lot of air - FAST.
Accordingly, you need to use a fairly large diameter ball valve in the release piping.

This diameter is governed by the size of the fitting already welded into the pressure vessel you're using.

You could weld a larger threaded nipple into the pressure vessel you select for use as a bead seater - but, of course, you need to be VERY sure of the quality of the threaded fitting - and you need to be VERY sure of the quality of your welding!

http://gizmoplans.com/bead-seater

Incidentally, hearing protection is advisable when using these devices, the rapid release of air is very loud.

Cheers, Ron.

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Follow Up By: Member - Ross N (NSW) - Friday, Feb 23, 2018 at 13:12

Friday, Feb 23, 2018 at 13:12

Thank you but way beyond my abilities and experience
Ross

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Follow Up By: Allan B (Sunshine Coast) - Friday, Feb 23, 2018 at 13:31

Friday, Feb 23, 2018 at 13:31

.
Hi Ron,

Until your post above, I thought the "Bead Bazooka" heading of this Thread referred to Mick's LPG technique. Then I followed your link.

I have never seen or heard of these devices, i.e. inserting the air via a nozzle past the bead. And I can now also understand your warning about ear protection. That thing must have a 25mm ball valve! At 80psi it would be as dramatic as Mick's LPG performance.

I have only seen tyre depots use regular inflation via the Schrader valve in order to reseat the bead on a tubeless tyre and always with success, but I can imagine that very large tyres may need more 'encouragement'. Certainly, my 'Quick Inflator' via the tyre valve (with its inner valve removed) has worked well each time.
So where would you recommend need of the "Bead vBazooka"?

Cheers
Allan

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Follow Up By: Bob Y. - Qld - Friday, Feb 23, 2018 at 15:04

Friday, Feb 23, 2018 at 15:04

Allan,

In my previous life, I ordered one(as per Ron's top link) for the station workshop, as we were often repairing truck tyres, 11R22.5's, and they were sometimes difficult to re-seat the bead. This unit had an outlet at least 40mm in diameter.

Another problem I had was occasionally fitting new BFG AT tyres, 265.75R16's to Landcruiser 8" steel wheels. What should have taken 10-15 mins, would extend for many more minutes, while I struggled to get the bead onto the rim. Arrival of the air cannon fixed everything!

Bob

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Can't remember most of it.

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Follow Up By: Ron N - Friday, Feb 23, 2018 at 18:13

Friday, Feb 23, 2018 at 18:13

Allan, the major use area for the "bead bazooka" or "bead blaster" is on truck tyres and the small-to-medium size front-end-loader and tractor tyres.

It's rare that you'd need one for most 4WD tyres, as a strap (or even fencing wire, if you're stuck!) around the middle of the tread, is usually enough to spring the walls outwards.

But occasionally, you do get a heavy wall tyre that really gives you a hard time, and that's when the bead blaster comes in.

Of course, having a decent air supply and large diameter hose, and making sure the valve is out of the stem, are the secrets to getting a sizeable volume of air into a tyre quickly, to seat the bead.

Cheers, Ron.

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