replacing NDT tire myself???

[NAM VET]

One of the NDT's on my truck recently developed a big bulge in the tread, from a defective carcass. The tire has lots of tread left, and was new maybe 3 years ago. In the past, there was a chap at a tire store 100 miles from me, who would dismount and mount NDT tires, with new flaps and tubes for me. But I just spoke with him, and he has retired from this chore. I have sourced a Firestone 900-16 with proper tube and flap, and either need to somehow find someone to do this for me, or take it on myself. I watched the retired tire guy do it with sledgehammers and pry bars, and I know it is easy to be killed by this procedure.

I have a remote air filler, and would chain up the rings and such, if anyone here can tell me that it is possible for a non-experienced tire guy (me), to dismount and remount my new NDT. I know most tire shops I have called in the past won't attempt this.

hal

[John Mc]

Far from an expert, but did have a crash course when I replaced 5 tires on my truck. Fortunately, I had the advice, guidance, and tire tools of a good friend who knew what he is doing. I wish hd thought to video some of the process.

I'm not experienced enough at it to be comfortable explaining the process remotely, so I'll leave that to others who are more experienced.

One thing to keep in mind is that there is no danger to unmounting a tire (or at least no more danger than is involved hammering or prying on anything). The first step is to deflate the tire, which eliminates the chance of things blowing apart. There is also little danger in remounting the tire. Th e danger come when you first go to inflate the tire

If you want to save yourself some hassle, you might ask a truck tire shop if they would at least unmount the tire for you. I can't imagine their insurance companies would have fits about them doing that much, since it's no more risky than unmounting a modern tire

[Elwood]

Lock ring rims aren't that bad, but they do require some physical strength, especially dismounting. If the tires have been on the rims for awhile, they can be hard to separate the beads. I've had to take a sawzall to cut the wire bead cord on a couple. There are also portable screw-type devices made to push the tire from the rim. A backhoe bucket works well, too, but not everyone has a backhoe handy...

There are plenty of videos on Youtube on dismounting and mounting these tires and rims, with the usual variety of good, bad, and risky. The old printed Power Wagon Advertiser had a reasonably good article on doing this job - if you don't have it, let me know and I can scan and email it to you.

A few things to consider:
1. Measure and record the lock ring gap of each rim before disassembly. If the gap is significantly different after reassembly, you have a problem.
2. Keep each lock ring with the rim it was originally mounted on.
3. Inspect, inspect, inspect. These rims are old, and many (most?) of them have some corrosion, especially on the inside where water gets trapped. If the rim or lock ring is badly corroded, don't re-use it.
4. If you don't have access to a tire inflation cage, use multiple chains loosely looped around the tire and through the rim before inflation. I use three short lengths of Grade 70 chain with hooks. Use a lock-on inflator and a remote valve so that you can apply air and turn it off at a safe distance.
5. Use the right tools. There are special levers made just for engaging the holes on the lock ring. Ken-Tool makes them.

[Cal_Gary]

Check out this YouTube video from Watson's Wagons (not to be confused with Will A. Watson of this forum-I made that mistake last year)!
He bought a special tool to break down his rims. His channel is excellent, too, if you're not familiar with him, or his M37 work.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLic4rVXe2s
I used to dismount this type of rim as a much younger man when I worked on 18-wheelers. I leave them to the truck tire shop now.

John's (Elwood) post above is spot-on!

Don't hurt yourself Hal!
Gary

[sturmtyger380]

Hal, I have done these wheels a few times and have the tools.

If it wasn't for the forecasted snow this weekend I could drive up there with the tools. It doesn't take much snow or ice for SC roads to become a train wreck.

[NAM VET]

Greatly appreciate the suggestions and offers of help above. But I used my engine hoist to load my now deflated tire/rim onto my truck and drove over to a truck tire place, and the manager looked at my truck, and asked one of his outside men to take the ring and tire off, mentioning that they did not put them back on. So a strong chap rolled my tire over to his over-the-road tire truck, and then proceeded to sledge the tire off the rim, then pry up the ring, and in about ten minutes he loaded the now empty rim and ring back onto my truck. Tipped him ten bucks, and paid the shop another $20. The older chap told me he would be willing to remount my new tire when I got it in, sometime next week. Just finished wire brushing and cleaning the rim and ring, and will paint them in a day or so. By the way, I ordered a center fill tube on the tube I have coming, looks to me like the air inflator is in the middle of the rim, so if I need an off-set tube, please let me know.

Basically he used a duck bill sledge to break the tire bead from the rim then two pry bars to lever up the ring, and pulled it off.

hal
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[NAM VET]

then....

[NAM VET]

try again...
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[NAM VET]

about done...
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[NAM VET]

the older worker looking on mentioned that some time in the past, a ring flew off and landed on the roof of a nearby house, unfortunately taking off one hand of the worker who had that misfortune. Hal

[sturmtyger380]

Glad you could get someone to work on it. When installing the locking ring, if you examine it well you can see that it is seated in the rim. Not to say that it won't still come out. That's why I wrap a heavy chain around the tire and rim when I inflate.

[signsup]

Are flaps necessary for these wheels? I am going through this process right now. Took old tires and wheels to truck tire shop and they sledged the old tires off for a $50 tip to the crew. Dropped the wheels and rings off at the sandblaster and got them home, primed and painted them. Got new NDT's and tubes and going to install first decent weather day like the videos show. I may just lay the wheels under my trailer and air them up and tap the rings with a wax hammer like in the videos but not mess up my new paint with chains. As I understand the process, if you slowly inflate and tap the ring as you go to insure a good seal, the worse that can happen is you will slowly pry the outer lip off as you inflate slowly. I'm only picturing a total fly off if there is a massive failure after full 40 psi inflation.

But, with the new primer and paint after sandblasting, I'm not feeling any sharp metal or the need to a flap. The flaps are more expensive than the tubes.

I'll hang up and listen.

[Elwood]

The flaps are there for a reason. The tube can (will?) get pinched as the tire and wheel work during use.

The flaps can usually be re-used, unless for some reason they're torn or hard from age.

Chains or a cage during inflation. The potential energy in even a partially inflated tire is nothing to mess with. If you're worried about the finish on the wheels, wrap the chains in old towels or something.

[signsup]

Just ordered new flaps. When the tire shop took off the old tires, I did not think to check the old flaps if they were present. I know the tubes were toast. So new flaps to go with new tubes and tires only makes sense. And, I was thinking of using web rachet straps on the tires instead of chains to pretect the paint and wrap a possible safety issue. A 10k strap wrapped several times around the wheel should be up to the challenge. And I have a clip on air inflater and I control the pressure from the compressor tank many yards away. I've done a dozen or so and not had an issue yet, but it only takes one.

[Elwood]

Just ordered new flaps. When the tire shop took off the old tires, I did not think to check the old flaps if they were present. I know the tubes were toast. So new flaps to go with new tubes and tires only makes sense. And, I was thinking of using web rachet straps on the tires instead of chains to pretect the paint and wrap a possible safety issue. A 10k strap wrapped several times around the wheel should be up to the challenge. And I have a clip on air inflater and I control the pressure from the compressor tank many yards away. I've done a dozen or so and not had an issue yet, but it only takes one.

Good idea on the new flaps. Pricey, yes, but better than a punctured tube and flat miles from home or in the middle of a parade.

Personally, I wouldn't use anything but chains (or an inflation cage if I had one). You have to leave some slack in the chains (and same for the web straps you mentioned) to allow for expansion of the tire as it inflates and seats on the rim, and that space is enough to allow an uncontrolled release of the lock ring. 10K rating wouldn't be enough to convince me to rely on web straps.

There are some interesting videos on Youtube of tire and rim failures during inflation. The deformation of a welded tube cage when an inflation goes wrong shows just how much energy is released.