<VV> Speaking of tires...

[Rick Loving]

Most shops will balance for a couple bucks, they want considerably more
to dismount and mount a tire. Not to mention mandatory tire disposal
fee's whether or not you leave the tire of take it with you.....

I am not old enough to actually talk to the "good ole days" but I help
my father-in-law farm from time to time and learned how to use tire
spoons to put tires on and off rims.  He keeps every old tire he has (or
finds) for use on the old hay racks or seed storage wagons, since they
are normally old and dry rotted they often split/fail and no loger hold
any air.  No problem just pop it off and throw another one on, good for
another coupe seasons....

He and I have also worked together to spoon off semi and tractor tires.
We used multiple spoons and pipes on the ends for leverage.

So yes,  any tire can be spooned, radial or otherwise, but the longer
the better for radials and big tires.

The only word or caution is on really, really, old tires and rims.  I
had around a dozen old (I mean vintage bias-ply, mounted in th e60's
old) mounted Corvair tires that were dry rotted and I wanted to take the
tires off so I could sandblast and paint the rims.

The cheapest tire place wanted $10 a tire just to dismount so I decided
to do it myself and save the $120.

Those tires were so rusted/stuck on the rims that it took me all day to
dismount them, pounding, cursing, and screaming the entire time.  I bet
a few of them took me an hour or better just get one off, normally they
are a lot easier.

My reccomendation would be to get the long heavy duty tire spoons
designed for truck/tractor use via truck stop or farm equiptment stores.

You can also check Ebay item 4532472108 only $9 starting bid or search
for "tire spoon"

Or the internet http://www.aginukraine.com/juel/tire_spoons.htm and buy
some new.

Rick Loving



  <SNIP>
Subject: Re: <VV> Speaking of tires...


In a message dated 4/4/05 12:05:10 PM US Mountain Standard Time, 
NicolCS at aol.com writes:

> Considering the  cost at a tire store
> these days, it could be a fit for us. Please let me know  your
thoughts one 
> way or the other.  I won't take offense if you aren't  interested. 
> Craig Nicol
> 

Hi Craig,
Sounds interesting, but I've got a few concerns that maybe you will 
answer.....

Where can we get the necessary tire irons? Does anyone have these for
sale?

Will ordinary hand-irons actually allow a person to remove and install
radial 
tires?

Considering that most of us have no balancing equipment, what will be
the 
recommended procedure for balancing/re-balancing tires?