Bead breaker

[rotorman]

Nose wheel has gone flat. Suspect the tube stem because the grommet is missing. Tube is a couple of years old. Do I need a bead breaker to get the tire off? 

Are there different lengths of 90 degree angled valves on the inner tube? If so, which do I need? I have a hub cap with a hole of the valve. 

 

 

[PT20J]

No.

Here’s how the wheel manufacturer suggests doing it.

I’ve also used a rubber mallet.

[N201MKTurbo]

You can get it off without a bead breaker, but it is hard on the wheels and on you. I recently bought the Harbor Freight bead breaker and it works great.

To get it off without a bead breaker, LET ALL THE AIR OUT! Place the wheel on the floor on a piece of cardboard. Get a tire iron with no sharp edges. Stand on the tire with one foot on either side of the wheel and bounce up and down. If the bead doesn’t come off bend down and carefully push the tire down with the tire iron while bouncing on the tire. This is your daily fitness and flexibility test. 
 

I’ve been using this procedure for forty years, but I just turned 65 and it’s not as easy as it use to be, so I bought the bead breaker.

BTW, my bead breaker is very popular at the airport. 

Edited May 22, 2022 by N201MKTurbo

[PT20J]

Also helps to spray around the bead with soapy water.

[A64Pilot]

Remove the valve stem, only way to be sure all of the air is out, and you need every bit out.

[rotorman]

I was wrong about the valve having a leak. There is a small hole in the tube. Is patching an option over replacement?

What are the odds of running over a sharp enough object at an airport that would puncture a tire and tube? Crazy.

[RLCarter]

 

DO NOT patch the tube… Be sure that what ever caused the failure is no longer in the tire, use a shop towel waded up and run it all around inside the tire, it will snag on what ever is poking through. The Milton S-446 2 in 1 Valve Core Tool works great, one end is for removing the core and the other (left side pictured) screws on like a cap and bleeds the air off leaving the core in the stem. I rarely pull the core since I got one of these (25~30yrs)

[A64Pilot]

Your not supposed to patch a tube, but I can’t honestly tell you why not, I’ve never had a properly applied patch fail on other things and you can tell if the patch was properly done.

I guess the safety default is always buy new

[rotorman]

1 hour ago, RLCarter said:

 

DO NOT patch the tube… Be sure that what ever caused the failure is no longer in the tire, use a shop towel waded up and run it all around inside the tire, it will snag on what ever is poking through. The Milton S-446 2 in 1 Valve Core Tool works great, one end is for removing the core and the other (left side pictured) screws on like a cap and bleeds the air off leaving the core in the stem. I rarely pull the core since I got one of these (25~30yrs)

Inspected inside visually with flashlight and with a cloth. No sign of a puncture or foreign object. Inspected the outside treads and sidewall. No evidence of any puncture or bruises. Nothing. This tire is about 3 years old and looks brand new. Any defect should be easy to spot. Interestingly, there is a patch on the inside that has a large "15G" printed in red and what looks like a round inspection stamp with the number 10. On the outside, corresponding to the patch, there is no damage

[Guest]

Be sure to use tire talcum powder on the tube and tire before assembly.  In the absence of tire talcum powder baby powder works as well.  Lately  we’ve seen a number of flat tires after the tubes get small pin holes in the side walls.

Clarence

[rotorman]

That must be what happened to mine. Small pinhole. No evidence of tire compromise.

[laytonl]

I’ve use a black and decker workmate for years as a bead breaker.  Lee

 

https://www.acehardware.com/departments/tools/tools-storage-and-organization/work-benches/21321?store=07479&gclid=Cj0KCQjwhLKUBhDiARIsAMaTLnFb7vV-QhZ58N0GiVNn5fuJFhQHRq4Oib7uxYbuXe7rIvYUgtXOYhcaArpsEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

[EricJ]

33 minutes ago, laytonl said:

I’ve use a black and decker workmate for years as a bead breaker.  Lee

 

https://www.acehardware.com/departments/tools/tools-storage-and-organization/work-benches/21321?store=07479&gclid=Cj0KCQjwhLKUBhDiARIsAMaTLnFb7vV-QhZ58N0GiVNn5fuJFhQHRq4Oib7uxYbuXe7rIvYUgtXOYhcaArpsEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

That's clever.    And repurposes well, too.

 

[N201MKTurbo]

43 minutes ago, laytonl said:

I’ve use a black and decker workmate for years as a bead breaker.  Lee

 

https://www.acehardware.com/departments/tools/tools-storage-and-organization/work-benches/21321?store=07479&gclid=Cj0KCQjwhLKUBhDiARIsAMaTLnFb7vV-QhZ58N0GiVNn5fuJFhQHRq4Oib7uxYbuXe7rIvYUgtXOYhcaArpsEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

I guess you could just use a bar clamp.

[RLCarter]

 

even though I have one of these in my hangar I’ve never used it (storing it for a buddy), the last 7 or so sets of tires I’ve just placed the wheel assembly on a piece of carpet and stood on it (both feet) to break the bead then flip it over and do the same for the other side…. I always apply pressure with my hands 1st, sometimes it takes very little to break the bead

 

[Guest]

5 hours ago, RLCarter said:

 

even though I have one of these in my hangar I’ve never used it (storing it for a buddy), the last 7 or so sets of tires I’ve just placed the wheel assembly on a piece of carpet and stood on it (both feet) to break the bead then flip it over and do the same for the other side…. I always apply pressure with my hands 1st, sometimes it takes very little to break the bead

 

You’ll find that the bead breaker is required for most Goodyear tires, they stick to the rim really well.

Clarence

[M20F]

On 5/22/2022 at 5:38 PM, M20Doc said:

Be sure to use tire talcum powder on the tube and tire before assembly.  In the absence of tire talcum powder baby powder works as well.  Lately  we’ve seen a number of flat tires after the tubes get small pin holes in the side walls.

Clarence

Tire Talc is the key normal Talc has abrasives which over time rub against the tube and thus holes and leaks.  It’s cheap and a bottle lasts a lifetime.  

[A64Pilot]

14 minutes ago, M20F said:

Tire Talc is the key normal Talc has abrasives which over time rub against the tube and thus holes and leaks.  It’s cheap and a bottle lasts a lifetime.  

Didn’t know that, I’ve been using baby powder forever, of course now we know it has asbestos in it.

[47U]

3 hours ago, M20F said:

  On 5/22/2022 at 2:38 PM, M20Doc said:

Be sure to use tire talcum powder on the tube and tire before assembly.  In the absence of tire talcum powder baby powder works as well.  Lately  we’ve seen a number of flat tires after the tubes get small pin holes in the side walls.

Clarence

 

3 hours ago, M20F said:

Tire Talc is the key normal Talc has abrasives which over time rub against the tube and thus holes and leaks.  It’s cheap and a bottle lasts a lifetime.  

Should tubes be placed on a time-change schedule?  Say, 5 years in service?  

I used tire talc, but after 9 years (6 years in service, I was grounded for other issues) my nose tire developed a pin hole.  No evidence of a puncture on the tire which had tread for maybe one more year.  An A&P friend told me anything over 5 years old should be replaced.  

 

 

[Fly Boomer]

1 minute ago, 47U said:

Should tubes be placed on a time-change schedule?  Say, 5 years in service?  

Nothing lasts, but that sounds pretty short.

[47U]

3 minutes ago, Fly Boomer said:

Nothing lasts, but that sounds pretty short.

It does sound short, but if we’re flying 75-100 hrs/yr, the tires will probably be worn out by then anyway.  I need to fly more.

A disabled aircraft on the runway at a busy airport is a huge inconvenience.  I was able to clear the runway, but if I could have prevented the occurrence in the first place…