Bead breakers

Submitted: Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 20:29
ThreadID: 68796 Views:4634 Replies:9 FollowUps:11
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Hi all,
I was at the show a few weeks ago and saw the R&R bead breaker and yes I thought it was a very good design its just the fact that I have so many other things that I need to buy and I thought surely there is a cheaper alternative because this was like $ 200 plus with an extra bit that spreads the tyre ,I did find a simple Sth African product that fits the high lift and seems like a good alternative if it works ,I saw it on www.beadbreaker.co.za
so do any of you guys own one of these or have another type that is as compact as the other two mentioned?

Regards John
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Reply By: Member - Nick (TAS) - Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 20:32

Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 20:32
Tyre pliers...work for me.
AnswerID: 364725

Follow Up By: Robin Miller - Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 20:39

Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 20:39
Worked for me also - even better when a friend made a copy optimized for 15 & 16 inch wheels which weighted 1 kg less at 2kg and was even more compact.
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Follow Up By: Johnny boy - Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 20:42

Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 20:42
Hi guys ,
How big are the tyre pliers and how much and Robin was it hard to copy as Im pretty good with a welder?

John.
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Follow Up By: Member - Nick (TAS) - Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 20:48

Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 20:48
Tyre Pliers
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Follow Up By: Robin Miller - Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 20:58

Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 20:58
Hi John

I brought mine brand new but now I think they are overpriced at $150 +

A friend knocked a copy up a copy of 6mm steel plate in a morning leaving out the adjustable part for ease of making at my suggestion. You have to be able to cut plate steel easily , if you
can they aren't hard to make.

They are about the thickness of a shovel handle roughly 400mm long so they slip in anywhere.

Personally I think the RR beadbreaker is great but it was to cumbersome for me.

My mates one was so good , I kept it and he has the original.





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Reply By: Tim Owen - Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 20:49

Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 20:49
I had one tailor made for my hilift by a local steel fabricator for $30 or something. Have only ever used it 'practicing' in the shed - but it was very effective - even on the old rusty rim I borrowed from the local wrecker for the purpose.
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Follow Up By: Johnny boy - Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 08:28

Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 08:28
Hi Tim,
does it look anything like the bead breaker that's made in STH Africa as I thought it was simple and small and as William stated I will have to find or make some mounting points on the 100 ser L/C so I can use my high lift ,I'm thinking the tow hitch receiver maybe? who made yours are they in SYD?

Cheers John.

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Follow Up By: Tim Owen - Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 20:28

Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 20:28
John, It looks similar - not powdercoated or anything. It is buried in the cupbards of my troopy camper and I'm not going to dig it out now (too cold out there!). Next time I'm in there I'll take a photo for future reference. I had it made by a guy who makes trailers in the Latrobe Valley, Victoria. I don't have mounting points, just stick the highlift under the tow ball plate (I don't keep the tow ball on, so it is just flat) and away you go. I like the bottle jack solution too and I'd probably go that path if I had my time over. I'd prefer to avoid using the high lift if I can - I'm just not very comfortable/confident with it.
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Reply By: Member - Bentaxle - Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 21:09

Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 21:09
Johnny boy I've had the R&R Beadbreaker for about 2yrs and have used in anger a few times and find it a breeze to use especially when replacing tyre back on rim gettinf those last few cm of bead over the rim is a breeze. OK they are a bit pricey but mine was a Father's Day pressie
Mike
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Follow Up By: tim_c - Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 12:17

Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 12:17
Wow - I hope I never find myself on YOUR list of enemies! ;)
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Reply By: Member - Ian H (NSW) - Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 22:00

Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 22:00
The other good idea is a length of 50 mm square tube (thick walled) about 250 mm long with a hole or pin to take the top of the normal jack. Fit the tube in the towbar receiver and put the base of the jack on the edge of the tyre near the bead and simply wind the jack to break the bead from the rim. It works well. I have made one and if you want a photo just ask. I also have an R & R bead breaker which is better and a bit more versatile but heavier,bigger and much more expensive.
AnswerID: 364739

Follow Up By: Johnny boy - Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 08:34

Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 08:34
Hi Ian,
I didnt see your post and just posted that same Idea ,mate if it is not too much trouble I would love to see that pic as Im home today (my 6Yrold boy is sick) and Im thinking about pulling out the welder and playing around a bit while he snoozes ?

Regards John.
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Follow Up By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 14:21

Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 14:21
Ian means something like this:




Link here
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Follow Up By: Johnny boy - Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 15:42

Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 15:42
Ian & Phil,
I think you both just made my day,that looks like I can even forget my hilift and still be able to change tyres PERFECT!!
absoutally PERFECT!! :)

Thanx again John.
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Follow Up By: Hairs & Fysh (NSW) - Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 15:53

Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 15:53
Yeap, Got one of them and it works a treat.
A mate made us each one, Instead of a hole cut into the 50x50, he welded a collar/ring to it, about 25mm deep, so the 80 series bottle jack sits in it with a locating pin.It would work the same for any bottle jack.
Used mine not that long ago to pop a couple of split rims that were fairly rusted, worked a treat.


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Reply By: Member - Redbakk (WA) - Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 22:00

Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 22:00
I have the R&R beadbreaker as well for a few years now.....never used it yet...LOL....but it goes everywhere I go and so it is well travelled... : )

I also have a tyre plug kit and I have had to use that and it works great........ it has saved the day more than once...glad I have that.
The original safety seal kit.....it's a bewdy.
AnswerID: 364740

Reply By: Willem - Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 08:11

Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 08:11
John

I bought my first Tyrepliers in 1992. Still have them and have split many rims in the ensuing years. Think I paid about $80 for them then. They are very good for working with split rims.

R&R Beadbreaker is good for normal tyres and steel or alloy rims.

Any device needing the use of a Hi Lift jack, needs a mounting point on your vehicle, and this needs to be a special fit as modern vehicles do not have places to mount the Hi Lift


Cheers
AnswerID: 364762

Reply By: Member - Mick O (VIC) - Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 08:57

Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 08:57
John,

I bought the R&R at the Caravan Show. Hopefully I won't have to put it to much use outback this trip but it certainly looked to make the whole process a lot easier. I'll have to do a bit of practise over the coming weeks. Will let you know how it goes.

Cheers Mick
''We knew from the experience of well-known travelers that the
trip would doubtless be attended with much hardship.''
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AnswerID: 364767

Reply By: Member - Rodney B- Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 09:38

Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 09:38
Made mine from a piece of square hollow tube and welded a lip on it. Slides into the tow bar slot and then use my hydraulic bottle jack (flat base on the tyre and lift point in the lip under the hollow tube) workes every time on my 16" steel rims.
Cost me nothing and weights about 1/2 a Kilogram. You just have to remember to put the hand brake on as it tends to lift the vehicle and push it forward.
AnswerID: 364783

Reply By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 14:29

Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 14:29
I've used and made lots of beadbreakers over the years. Started with the scissor jacks, which work well, then got fancy by welding up ones that work similar to the bought ones, then went back to using jacks, because they were something that I rarely used on trips and were just extra weight. I made the one in the photos above for the Prado because I didn't carry a highlift jack, but my current vehicle has solid, stable jacking points, so I've gone back to using a high-lift because its very quick and easy and has many uses.

I agree with Willem in that if you use split rims, a tyrepliers works best because you have to work around the bead a fair bit to get the split out. Tubeless are easier and quicker in my experience. I took 5 tyres off splits and put them onto tubeless rims last week, and it just reinforces my preference.
AnswerID: 364831

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