Easy junk tire removal from rusted rims

NDT · Jul 5, 2010

I'm sure most of you have struggled with beating a tire off a split rim that has not been disassembled since the Vietnam war. If the tire is no good anyway, here is a 10 minute dismount method that does not involve the duckbill hammer.
Picture 1: 9.00-16 from a M-37, been assembled for 40 years at least
Picture 2. Cut out a chunk of the tire with a sawzall using a demo blade
Picture 3. Cut away the rubber until the bead wire is exposed
Picture 4. Cutting torch burns away the bead wire
Picture 5. Cut away the remaining charred rubber and peel off the tire for recycling

This method works for all tires, even non-split rims.

SCSG-G4 · Jul 5, 2010

We wound up doing something similar when the group changed the tires at the Ft. Jackson Military Museum. We just didn't use the torch, but probably should have. Hardest ones were the WWII runflats on the Scout Car (solid rubber tires - no valve stem) Combat rims had been on probably 60+ years. Lesson learned, not to be repeated!

Recovry4x4 · Jul 5, 2010

Funny story comes to mind when I see the Sawzall. Couple of years back I decide to do the right thing and take 3 900x20 tires to the dump. Arrive, the guy asks me to guess the weight. I make a guess and he say "No Way" $65 to dispose of the 3. Now I'm mad! I took all the tires back home and proceeded to cut them into 1' sections and dropped them in my trash cans. The dump got the tires and I kept the $65. Had lots of sweat equity in them though.

timntrucks · Jul 5, 2010

wow i need to bring some old tires to the dump.. i thought it would be free!!!!!!

nhdiesel · Jul 5, 2010

Up here it's between $3 and $5 to recycle tires, depending on size. Funny thing though, the recycling center then loads them into a trailer and GETS PAID AGAIN for the trailer load. Tax money at work right there.

They actually make money getting rid of the tires, why not let people drop them off for free? It would keep a lot of junk tires out of the woods and from being buried.

Jim

goldneagle · Jul 5, 2010

timntrucks said:
wow i need to bring some old tires to the dump.. i thought it would be free!!!!!!

Tim i think in Louisiana you can take them to any tire place for recycling. I was told we pay the recycling fee when we buy the tires - so they should take them at no charge.

jhooah · Jul 6, 2010

After struggling all day to get a 3/4 9:00x16 tire off a WWII rim, and finally doing one of the five, I tossed the remainder in the pickuptruck, headed to the truck tire place. In 30 minutes, a crew of four with the sledge shaped wedge and "Experience" de-mounted all four tires and I was on my way for $20....
I learned my lesson well...
Now in Afghanistan last year I used your technique (minus the torch) to demount a Gator tire...I had the Sawzall and a chisel . They had destroyed a rim by using a forklift to try and demount the other tires and I decided it was time for a little more care as the nearest "supply" store was several thousand miles away from our location for the parts we needed...
V/R W. Winget

Wrench Wench · Jul 6, 2010

I've been cogitating on the idea of using a flat tread used tire to try my hand at a little cobbling by cutting out foot-shaped soles for a pair of home-made boots. What do you all think of that kind of endeavour?

SCSG-G4 · Jul 6, 2010

W W,
Lots of people in third world countries do that every day! Go to it Girl!!

maddawg308 · Jul 6, 2010

I have talked to vets who said during Vietnam, a lot of old tires got swiped from US bases over there, to get turned into VietCong tire sandals. The tire tubes usually got stolen and weapons were cached in them to keep the weapons dry.

maddawg308 · Jul 6, 2010

I had an easier way to remove the tire from the rim. I found out how when towing my M37 home from Haspin. Take some 42 year old tires, expose them to 45-50 mph towing speeds, on a 90-degree day, and you get this. A few more miles, and I would have had no rubber left on the rim.

Floridianson · Jul 6, 2010

Recovry4x4 said:
Funny story comes to mind when I see the Sawzall. Couple of years back I decide to do the right thing and take 3 900x20 tires to the dump. Arrive, the guy asks me to guess the weight. I make a guess and he say "No Way" $65 to dispose of the 3. Now I'm mad! I took all the tires back home and proceeded to cut them into 1' sections and dropped them in my trash cans. The dump got the tires and I kept the $65. Had lots of sweat equity in them though.

That's sad when the dumps we pay for charge you as you could have just droped them off on the side of the road like low life does. Here in Putnam county they take at no charge tires/ tires on rims. They also don't care how big the truck or trailer is just have to hand unload.

123mack · Jul 6, 2010

Then sandals were called Ho Chi Minh sandals.

olgraybeard · Sep 12, 2010

those sandals wear like iron

dragonman · Sep 12, 2010

nhdiesel said:
Up here it's between $3 and $5 to recycle tires, depending on size. Funny thing though, the recycling center then loads them into a trailer and GETS PAID AGAIN for the trailer load. Tax money at work right there.

They actually make money getting rid of the tires, why not let people drop them off for free? It would keep a lot of junk tires out of the woods and from being buried.

Jim

They do the same thing here in Iowa. They all so do it with washers, dryers, refrigerators, water heaters and I think air conditioners and dehumidifiers.
We used to take them to the scrap yard and get paid for them, not any more.

wilber · Sep 13, 2010

I have a 2' long piece of 22" diameter steel pipe to break down 20 inch wheels. I put the tire flat on the ground and place the steel pipe on the tire. Then I use my ford 7500 backhoe's front bucket to push the pipe down. Most of the time on the older wheels I have to anchor the hoe down on the back. This method has saved me a bunch of sledge hammer work. I also use the same set up with an old truck hub to press the back bead off.

jbingvtx · Sep 13, 2010

Wrench Wench said:
I've been cogitating on the idea of using a flat tread used tire to try my hand at a little cobbling by cutting out foot-shaped soles for a pair of home-made boots. What do you all think of that kind of endeavour?

just make sure you match speed ratings and never mix bias-ply and radials...handling gets really screwy.

steelandcanvas · Sep 13, 2010

nhdiesel said:
They actually make money getting rid of the tires, why not let people drop them off for free? It would keep a lot of junk tires out of the woods and from being buried.

Jim

That just makes too much freakin' sense.

jesusgatos · Sep 13, 2010

I just paid $150 to have four 9.00 tires dismounted and disposed of here in CA. The disposal fees were $20/tire!

Easy junk tire removal from rusted rims

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