Removing CMP tires from rusted &*^%%* rims..

[Jacques Reed]

No doubt it has been covered before on MLU, but if not, and you intend to scrap the tyres anyway, I have found it easier to cut the tyre off. Usually the tubes and rust bands aren't worth using again as the bands gets imbedded with heavy scale along with the tube where it comes through the wheel so destroying them in the process is no great loss.

I can get a tyre off in 15 minutes using just an electric drill, sabre saw, hacksaw blade holder, and a cold chisel and hammer.

Drill 2 holes with a 3/8" diameter drill near the bead on opposites sides of the tyre. cut out a wedge with the sabre saw to give you room to work, cut through the bead as much as you can up to the wires using the hacksaw blade holder, then cut through the wires in the bead with the hammer and chisel. Even before the last wires are cut the wheel often comes free.

Of course if you are fitting/removing good tyres the need for good hydraulic or powered tools is essential.

Cheers,

[Ian McColl]

I remove tires from CMP wheels using a simple tire hammer. The secret is not to use the tire hammer as a hammer. I use it in combination with a sledge hammer to ensure accuracy. I simply work my way around the rim. Once the rim starts to separate from the tire it usually comes off pretty quickly. The first pass is the slowest. The worst tire I had was a 20" run flat which had been on since 1942. It took a little more hammering but eventually came off. A modestly stubborn tire takes between 30 minutes to an hour to remove.

[Jacques Reed]

Just a word of caution:

I still remember my high school metal shop teacher cautioning us not to ever strike two hammers faces together.

Apparently because the faces are case hardened, chips from the hard surface can break off and fly out if struck together with disastrous results to eyes.

Perhaps the tyre hammer face isn't case hardened but I would still suggest wearing goggles when striking it with a sledge just in case.

Cheers,

[Ian McColl]

Hello Jaques,

Thank you for the advice; however, safety always comes first. Safety glasses or even a face shield is used for this activity. The head of the tire hammer does suffer from hitting it with the sledge and starts to collapse over time. I have purchased extra hammers at automotive flea markets for this reason. I should have mentioned in my earlier post that you don't have to strike the hammer with full force. Slow and steady is the secret to this activity.

[rob love]

I was gong to say the same thing about the hammer with a hammer. It won't just be your eyes at risk. A guy at work took a chip into the neck.

I swear by the tire hammer when all else fails. When I was a young Craftsman, we had a tractor trailer come into the shop from Petawawa with two flat tires. I had never seen so much rust in my life. We removed the tires, and tried to disassemble them with the Coats 5000 HIT tire machine, which is normally capable of taking apart anything. No dice, we had that machine almost to the point of bending into two.

The contracts guy ran them downtown, and the good old tire hammer and wedges came out. He said the little guys had them apart in about 5 minutes each.

[Ian McColl]

Personally I have never found the need to use any wedges when removing a tire from a CMP wheel. Once the tire starts to separate from the wheel it does not want to go back in.

I prefer removing these wheels and tires in the colder weather for two reasons:

A) You work up a fair sweat doing it.

B) You can wear heavier / full length clothing to protect your entire body in the event that a piece does break off the hammer.

I also split field stone on occasion and every once in a while a piece comes off the stone that sounds like a 0.22 firing off.

Long story short - you have to use caution and common sense when performing any activity to ensure your own safety and the safety of those around you.

[Jacques Reed]

Hi Ian,

I like your idea of using a tyre hammer to remove stubborn tyres especially as even new tyres on clean rims can present a problem in removing them.

It got me thinking (dangerous in it's own right!). Perhaps using a large copper hammer would be good to use as it would reduce the chance of chipping the face of the tyre hammer and prevent damage to it.
There is still is a small possibility of steel on steel contact if there is a miss hit with the steel collar on the copper hammer so goggles etc still are a good idea.

I find my 2.5 Kg copper hammer a very valuable tool in the restoration kit. Prevents putting flat spots on steel parts where they need a bit of "persuasion". Ideal for whacking sides of tie rod ends and anywhere there are tapered pins to remove them.

Cheers,