OT. Removing stuck mini bike tire from rim

[bborr01]

I have an old 5hp minibike with a torque converter that all of the sudden started leaking air slowly from the rear tire. I pulled it off and checked and it's a tubeless tire and it has a bead leak. My thought is to put a tube in it but I can't get the bead broke loose. I even made an attachment for my arbor press and tried with that but it seems to be glued on. I am guessing that someone used inflate a spare or some other type of sealant in it.

I also took it to a mower shop and all they did was dent the rim with a hammer. Took it to a motorcycle shop and no joy there either. The tire has a really soft side wall and the motorcycle guy said they usually leave a pound or two of air in them to keep the side wall from collapsing but it didn't work for him this time.

Anybody got any other ideas short of throwing it in a fire and burning it off?

[Tundra Twin Track]

I have an old 5hp minibike with a torque converter that all of the sudden started leaking air slowly from the rear tire. I pulled it off and checked and it's a tubeless tire and it has a bead leak. My thought is to put a tube in it but I can't get the bead broke loose. I even made an attachment for my arbor press and tried with that but it seems to be glued on. I am guessing that someone used inflate a spare or some other type of sealant in it.

I also took it to a mower shop and all they did was dent the rim with a hammer. Took it to a motorcycle shop and no joy there either. The tire has a really soft side wall and the motorcycle guy said they usually leave a pound or two of air in them to keep the side wall from collapsing but it didn't work for him this time.

Anybody got any other ideas short of throwing it in a fire and burning it off?

If your replacing the tire take a zip cut and cut through side wall very close to rim and peel tire off rim,I've done this with truck tires when only salvaging the rim.

[Doozer]

Dish soap.

--Doozer

[Dave C]

Lay it on it's side and pour some lacquer thinner on the bead area. Maybe it will penetrate into the area that's stuck and soften the stickum enough to let you break the bead free.

[redlee]

Spray a full can of Ether in the fill valve light it and it will come off.
Just kidding.

[754]

Jeez man clamp in a vise or beadbreaker, and start working it with a tire iron.. yes a tire iron, .. rather than a screwdriver.. and try working it off..

[bborr01]

I'm trying to salvage the tire to keep it original. A new pair is only $39 on Amazon and if it comes to having to ruin the tire I'll probably do what TTT suggested and cut it off. It's only a 6" rim so not much room to get a tire iron under the bead. I may try some dish soap or thinner to see if that will release it. I also have some 3M adhesive remover that might be a good bet and I hadn't thought of using a liquid to break down the glue. I'll keep you posted and thanks for the suggestions.

[BCRider]

Spray a full can of Ether in the fill valve light it and it will come off.
Just kidding.

I'll say "just kidding"... EVERYONE knows this trick is for seating the bead and instant inflation. Not removing it...

OK, back to serious... When you used your arbor press did you take the time to make the little curved and coned shoe that will push in evenly at the edge of the rim or did you just go at it with the square end of the ram?

Take a little time to make the curved shoe that matches the curve of the rim. I'll bet that the reason the motorcycle shop didn't have any luck is because their own curved shoe is sized for much bigger diameter rims. The match of the curve and the fact that it is angled a little so it tries to self direct itself in and under the rim's edge becomes way more important on these small tight sizes and with a very soft sidewall.

[Baz]

You did check with water that the bead is leaking and not the valve? I had a slow in a trailer tyre last month and couldn't find the hole in the tube at all. Pumped a little more air in to 'open up' the hole and low and behold it's the valve. Sometimes it seats and sometimes it doesn't.
On my Landrover tyres I use the jack on the bead and get the pressure point right close to the bead. It can lift a whole corner of the vehicle up and jump on it to get the pressure.

[Willy]

Don't think of this as a problem, think of it as an opportunity to get in the shop to build a new tool.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1n5HfUJz1Q

[The Metal Butcher]

I like using a backhoe. Lol. If the tire is really stuck on it will just collapse the rim though.

[redlee]

I'll say "just kidding"... EVERYONE knows this trick is for seating the bead and instant inflation. Not removing it...

OK, back to serious... When you used your arbor press did you take the time to make the little curved and coned shoe that will push in evenly at the edge of the rim or did you just go at it with the square end of the ram?

Take a little time to make the curved shoe that matches the curve of the rim. I'll bet that the reason the motorcycle shop didn't have any luck is because their own curved shoe is sized for much bigger diameter rims. The match of the curve and the fact that it is angled a little so it tries to self direct itself in and under the rim's edge becomes way more important on these small tight sizes and with a very soft sidewall.

Ya but enough explosives will remove it, or at least most of it.

[Arcane]

You did check with water that the bead is leaking and not the valve? I had a slow in a trailer tyre last month and couldn't find the hole in the tube at all. Pumped a little more air in to 'open up' the hole and low and behold it's the valve. Sometimes it seats and sometimes it doesn't.
On my Landrover tyres I use the jack on the bead and get the pressure point right close to the bead. It can lift a whole corner of the vehicle up and jump on it to get the pressure.

Yep. Always check the valve first if you have a tire that won't hold air. It's the easiest check to do and can save a lot of time and effort.

[3illmesmart]

Let the air out and ride it.

[Michael Edwards]