(800) 853-2651
SHOP NOW

Breaking tire bead recommendations

C

chas036

Member
I have a JD 720 with 15.5 X 38 tires (unloaded) and one of the tires has a one inch cut in the tread which blew out my tube. I want to remove the tube and put a tire patch over the cut because I still have 50% tread left on the tire.

My question is , what is an easy way to break the bead? I saw a tool called "Little Buddy Manual Bead Breaker" on the internet for $119 and I was wondering if anyone has used this and is it worth the money.? Is there another tool that can be used that will do the same and less costly?
 
Do you have any steel wedges for splitting wood? I just drive two of those in with a sledge hammer. Drive one,drive the next one,take out the first one and move it ahead,keep working around.
 
The best tool for breaking beads is s slide hammer.

You can probably buy one from Northern Tool for the price of the bead breaker that you mentioned.

Dean
 

We use another tractor with a box blade on it with power down on the hydraulics, in this case ih 300 utility. It works pretty well, if youcant get it to break with the box blade against that much tire, since the box is 5 foot wide you can set a 6x6 or something on the tire and just push in one spot which should break it.

We have a buddy that has access to a 4000lb rt case forklift and have also backed over the tire with the rear forklift tire and followed with the tire around. This works really well if you have access to one. If not another tractor might work by driving the rear tire up on the tire you want to remove a little at a time. I know for a fact that a 41 jd b was not heavy enought to break the beads on a couple of 14.9x30 tires I removed off my jd D but then again they had been on those rims god knows how long.

Hope this helps some good luck
 
You will need a boot for a cut that big you should be able to get one from a tire store. to break the bead I use a hydraulic jack
 
I have a 'duck bill' bead hammer that works well if the tire is on the ground,a bit more difficult if tire is still on the tractor. If tire is on the tractor.I use a handyman jack. throw a chain around the wheel and jack. place the foot as close to the wheel as you can. You can usually just push the tire right off the rim.I have never in my life used a fancy 'bead breaker' tool.Since it sounds like you have never done a rear tractor,be careful,those things can 'eat your lunch'.The pros make it look easy. Consider takeing the tire to a shop. For less than $25.00,might be well worth it.I've worked at a tire shop.I've seen what can happen.Seen people get hurt. Not pretty!
 
BTW,use plenty of 'lubricant'. Go buy a bottle of cheap liquid dish soap. Apply gererously. AND.. by the time you buy patches,glue,buffing compound,a 'boot'that may fail(sidewall breaks are almost impossible to fix/hold),any special tools,not to mention the aggrevation and possible redo.... You are probably way ahead to have a pro do it.Not to discourage you,just giveing you something to think about.
 
I bought a manual bead breaker similar to what you are looking at. It works like a champ. When I first got it, I went out to the scrap tire pile and picked out the ugliest rusted tire/rim combo I could find. Ten minutes later the bead was broken and I didn't even work up a sweat. I have even used it to break the beads on a tire while it was still on the tractor. Great tool. You might want to see just how small a tire it will handle. I bought the one that would go all the way down to ATV/lawn mower sizes. ATV tires can be just a big a pain as a tractor tire. The only limitation is it will screw up the paint on a rim. If this is a work tractor no big deal. If it is a restored "Trailer Queen" it would be.
 
"ATV tires can be just a big a pain as a tractor tire."

You sure got that right! Had to replace a tire on a 4 wheel ATV... What a wrestling match that turned into! Like to have never got the bead broken (used the forklift and a taper cut 2x4). Then getting the well soaped bead to seat, had to go way beyond the recommended max seating pressure! Scary ordeal!
 
Yup, changed ATV/dirt bikes tires for close to 20 years. Nothing like trying to change a 6 inch ATV tire (remember those miserable things?) or a 5.50 x 17 Trellborg with four or five rim locks! If you know anyone who has a vast vocabulary of self-invented cuss words, odds are pretty good he changed ATV/dirt bike tires for a living! Lol!!!!
 
Do you have a 3/4 T pickup?
Lay the tire on the ground and drive along the edge of the rim. Might have to back off, turn the tire a quarter turn and do it again.
I do all my own tire work and that always works.
Dunno if a 1/2 will work. 3/4T tires are harder.
A tractor will NOT work. Too soft.
 
Helped dad change the tires on his 50. He got a wooden 6 inch fence post, had me position the post next to the rim, then he got in the 6420 with the loader, put a little down pressure on the post, then I got out of the way, and he put more pressure on the post, bead came loose. Had to do it twice on the flip side, but it worked well. Just do not stand close if you are the post handler.

Mike
 
some folks below mentioned taking the tire to a shop. I have found local tire places are getting really fussy with what they will fix especially with boots on a tractor tire.
 
I have been doing tire repairs since I was very young and started with bike tires then motorcycle tires and then cars etc. Having the correct tools to do the job is the only way to do it both correctly and safely. A tire hammer works well if you know how to use it or a slide hammer or that tool you ask about. Then you need a couple tire irons/spoons so you can get the bead off so you scan then get the tube out etc. If you have not ever done a tire send me an e-mail and I'll send you a page out of a tractor manual that show and explains how to do what your wanting to do
 
(quoted from post at 09:59:27 02/22/16) Do you have a 3/4 T pickup?
Lay the tire on the ground and drive along the edge of the rim. Might have to back off, turn the tire a quarter turn and do it again.
I do all my own tire work and that always works.
Dunno if a 1/2 will work. 3/4T tires are harder.
A tractor will NOT work. Too soft.
Click to expand...

A tractor will to work! At least one with a back hoe attached to it will :twisted: :twisted: ! That's how I break beads. Lay it on the ground, put the hoe bucket teeth as close to the rim as possible and back curl the bucket. Pops em right off! 8)

Rick
 
I bought one of those bead breakers from Gempler's a few years ago. It was a POS. I leave mine on the tractor and use a backhoe. I know that's not an option for most. I have used a handyman jack and left them on the tractor.
If you are going to take the wheel off the tractor I have used a handyman jack and set the jack on the tire next to the rim and backed my pickup bumper over the tire and jacked up the pickup.
I much prefer leaving the wheel on the tractor.
 
6" tedder tire last year, ended up cutting flat one off the rim after wasting an hour or more. Took 3 of us over 1/2 hour to get the new tire on.
 
I took a solid bar, a piece of pipe, and a brick chisel and made a slide hammer with stuff lying about. I had to grind the chisel a little to fit the bead. Works great.
a216529.jpg
 
Ken tool T26B slide hammer type bead breaker or a similar knockoff is the only one to have. You can break beads horizontal on the ground using your feet and weight to help the tool work. You can also break tractor tire beads vertically while the tire is still on the tractor. It takes a bit of technique to use them properly but I have not found a bead I could not break including industrial tires.
 
I HAVE ONE CALLED A BEAD BUSTER AND IT IS THE ONLY WAY I CAN DO SOME OF THEM. I HAVE A BAD BACK AND NEVER REALLY GOT THE HANG OF THE HAMMER TOOL. HIRE MOST DONE ANY MORE,BUT TAKE ADVISE FROM OLD.RICK
 
(quoted from post at 10:42:30 02/22/16) I leave mine on the tractor and use a backhoe. I know that's not an option for most.

I much prefer leaving the wheel on the tractor.
Click to expand...

I've done that too. Works pretty slick with the hoe.


Rick
 
I have that one. Not fast but works. You will need additional tire spoons after breaking the bead to pry away from rim and then pry out over the rim.
 
I have broken the bead on an 18-24 by using 2 bridge planks and a high-lift jack, I should of taken a picture of it. On the tractor, just had to change a valve stem.
 
I spent 22 years in the farm tire business, you are going to need more than a patch. These guys are unknowingly trying to get you hurt. Call a professional tire repair man, have them come fix it. Do not take the tire off the tractor and take it to them. Makes it so much more work for them and you.
 
My question will a tire company put a patch in a tire , or will they just try to sell you a new tire?
 
I used that bead breaker to take an 18.4 radial off my 4430. For me it worked slick. It was a lot safer and quicker than a handi-man jack and a chain which I'd done more times than I want to admit. I had to have the tire sectioned. Something made a silver dollar sized hole in the side wall, fortunately it didn't get the tube.
 
Twp 150mm pices of 50mm angle iron and a big hammer is what I use and it works much of the time. Place anle iron onto tyre close to the rim and hit with the hammer, should find it jambs between tyre and rim the more you hammer the further in they go and the more the tyre pushes back.
to be honest its the next stage I have the most difficulty with, prying the tyre off is always real hard going for me.
Bill
 
Jack it up, let all the air out, turn the wheel so the cut is on top, cut a blow out patch out of an old tire or belt, push it through the hole with a wooden handle and blow it back up
 
(quoted from post at 13:05:40 02/22/16) I spent 22 years in the farm tire business, you are going to need more than a patch. These guys are unknowingly trying to get you hurt. Call a professional tire repair man, have them come fix it. Do not take the tire off the tractor and take it to them. Makes it so much more work for them and you.
Click to expand...

Funny, we have a shop near me that has a machine to handle tractor tires. They prefer that you bring em in. Takes em a lot less time and same money.

Rick
 
I use what they call a bead cheta. JD dealers and other places sell them. You mount it on a rim and use a breaker bar or air to screw it in. It pushes the bead right in.
 
A good tire place will do as you ask but now days many will try to sell you a new tire. These guys who say use a jack or a loader bucket etc tell you good ways to hurt your self or the tire or both., I like hd6gtom have done tire repair as a living off and on for decades.
 
I agree with the others unless you have and plan on doing a lot of tire repair take it to a shop. Tool are expencive and you can get a knowledge knot fast (hurt). There are many ways to do this and many variables like rusty rim.
 
I did both rears on my 720 with http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200350008_200350008
worked great
71600_65x65.jpg
 
I bought a little buddy bead breaker a couple years ago, best way to break a tire down that I've seen yet, I have used every kind of bead breaking tool known and this is by far the best tool. Yeah it's over a hundred bucks but look at the cost of any other tool you have, tools are expensive. If I just need to patch a tube I can jack up the tractor and pull the tube without taking the tire off the tractor.
 
Many times I've laid a 2x6 of some length on the tire close to the rim and driven a car or truck up the "ramp". The 2x6 mashes to the ground and the bead of the tire breaks with it.

Also use candle wax with heat to remove stuck bolts..... ;-)

Bill
 
I've used the bucket on both the tractor loader and Bobcat. If the tire is off bucket straight up an down close to the bead as possible. Tire on tracttor use the corner of the bucket close to the bead and push sideways. As always you need to pay attention, but it wors well for me.
 
This works surprisingly well. The trick is to make sure the 2 ends that are on the tire are 6x6's. 4 pumps on the jack and POP!
33220.jpg
 
We never take them off of then tractor. We take the backhoe bucket and push the outside bead and a chain and pull the inside bead off
then jack the tractor up and fix it.
Ron
 
I also have a BeadBuster XB-450. That model works on smaller tires like ATV's, cars and trucks....I love that tool...I've used alot of different bead breakers over the years, but the BeadBuster takes the cake for sure. They have a new model for Tractor Tires and other big stuff, called the XB-550. Looks like its not for sale yet, but I think you can contact them to get put on a waiting list or something. Anyway, it looks a bit like the AME little buddy, but more heavy duty. I know a guy who has a Little Buddy, and the quality is so-so. You can't use an impact wrench on it because the drive head is only attached with a roll pin. I think the BeadBuster is a much more solid design...and that new model looks like it works on all sizes of tires, even ATV's
XB-550-Hero-Shot.jpg

BeadBuster XB 550
 
(quoted from post at 08:12:08 02/22/16) I have a JD 720 with 15.5 X 38 tires (unloaded) and one of the tires has a one inch cut in the tread which blew out my tube. I want to remove the tube and put a tire patch over the cut because I still have 50% tread left on the tire.

My question is , what is an easy way to break the bead? I saw a tool called "Little Buddy Manual Bead Breaker" on the internet for $119 and I was wondering if anyone has used this and is it worth the money.? Is there another tool that can be used that will do the same and less costly?
Click to expand...

For the really tough ones, nothing like bridging a 10,000 lb machine as a bead breaker....

 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Geo-TH,In
Bead was leaning on my rear tire
Replies
13
Views
541
Texasmark
T
J
Tire recommendations
Replies
15
Views
1K
caterpillar guy
C
2
tire trouble
Replies
6
Views
264
paul
P
A
Trouble getting tractor tire bead up on rim correctly
2
Replies
20
Views
1K
showcrop
showcrop
A
Anyone have problems with import tractor rear tubes?
Replies
13
Views
898
Destroked 450
Destroked 450
Tractor Parts Tractor Manuals

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Copyright © 1997-2024 Yesterday's Tractor Co.

All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters
Website Accessibility Policy

Back
Top