Removing Tires fom Wheels

Needed to process about 40 wheels with tires so I thought it would be a good time to try several methods. In the past I have used the old fashion method of Tire Irons...bit of a wrestling match but the more you do the easier/faster you get. This time I bought a Harbor Freight Tire Remover for $45 so I could run it thru the paces and see if it was a keeper.

At first it worked pretty good but then I started getting into some wheels that had sat for years and breaking the bead was a chore. My son who has worked a a tire place says that even with a nice machine old tires that have been on a rim for years can prove to be difficult...so I trudged forward but my time per tire grew.

About 25 tires in things started bending and loosing so I kicked the HF Remover to the curb and grabbed the sawzaw which I will give credit to Tatorjuice for saying, IIRC, this is a good way to go. Sawzaw works best if Bead is not broke and you can get a tire done in 3-5 minutes. I would start my cut across the tread then work my way down to the bead then flip. Propping the tire at about a 45 degree angle seemed to help, use your foot to steady the wheel. You have to cut into the rim to get the bead so plan on scrapping it.



HF Remover could be a keeper if a few things are beefed up but this one is done and will be returned. You can see in the pic how the bar has a nice Dog-Leg in it now.

I have a place not far from me that will take unsellable tires for $ .75 each.

Originally Posted by wayne1956

Wish there was a place near here which I could sell worn tires like that. Here you have to pay someone else to take them.

Sorry for the confusion but I have to PAY .75 per tire. In this cast that expense was passed on to the client.

I've only ever used a sawzall after ONE time trying to pop a tire with a couple pry bars. never again lol.

Huh, thats genius Trot!

Originally Posted by Trot

had an old man tell me to take one of those old stand up car jacks. Put the foot next to the bead by the rim, the other part under my bumper and raise it up till the bead popped. hope that makes sense.

Used to work great when the vehicle had metal bumpers, now you'd probably rip the cover off.

Originally Posted by Trot

had an old man tell me to take one of those old stand up car jacks. Put the foot next to the bead by the rim, the other part under my bumper and raise it up till the bead popped. hope that makes sense.

Sure does ! Ive dismounted amany of tires using the bumper of a pickup and a handyman jack, and a pair of ken tool atv tire spoons.
Btw kz, thanks for the shout out. I think I *might* be getting a cement saw in the not too distant future so I'll let you know how that works!

Originally Posted by bigburtchino

Just a question and a word of caution. Do you need permits in your states to haul tires? Here in California you need a permit to haul (ten is the limit) tires. It's a stiff penalty as it's considered hazardous waste. Not trying to ruin anyones activity, just trying to maybe keep you from a big fine.

Are you freaking kidding me ? Hazardous waste ?!! Really ?? What can you do in cali without a permit ? Here in the great state of Kansas you could haul around 2,000 tires if you wanted to. Now I have really heard it all.

Take a dump or go to the dump! Yea it's for real here, one of my trucks got sited by California Highway Patrol. We were doing a cleanup at a shopping center and someone dumped 20+ old tires. The crew was taking them to dump to get properly disposed of. We were ticketed for not having hazardous waste hauling permit. CHP sets up portable scales all the time at entry to dump to check commercial vehicles for safety, permits and over weight. Just thought I would bring it up save someone a fine, I'm sure Calif. isn't only state with rules like this, here the limit is 10 tires without a permit. As it was explained to me, if a truck was to have accident and catch on fire, we could be facing fines, plus hefty cleanup bill for hazardous waste. Iv'e decided we wont haul more than 10 tires anymore, not worth the additional insurance cost.

Idaho...I bent the bar on the upper part when you are spinning to remove the tire from the rim. It was gradual at first then I had one tire that didn't want to let loose...the bar ended up coming out and I landed in the pile of tires. First I had to find my glasses then the bar...and it was bent pretty good by then.