Anyone have any tips on getting rally tires stretched over a rim? I just picked up an old pneumatic powered tire machine but the beads and sidewalls on my Michelins are so tough I can't even get them started on the rim. I tried soapy water and silicone and pry bars but so far it feels like I'll wreck the rim of the tire bead before I get one started. I'm going to try practicing on some standard street tires with a bit more give to get the hang of the machine but any advice would be appreciated.

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www.DMackTyresUSA.com

Murphy's Oil Soap is what I like to use, mixed with a bit of water, it's the slimiest snot short of the big-dollar actual tire-goop that I've used.

Maybe get a second or third set of arms, and more prybars?

You're sure you're not trying to fit a too-small tire over a too-big rim? (I doubt it, but had to ask.)

Can you get the bottom side on, but not the top, or not even the first side? If you can get the first side on, rig up something to keep the bead in the drop center, so the tire has that minimal amount of flex.

I'm not so lucky to have an air/hydraulic/electric powered changer. My back's still killing me from manually busting 8 tires last weekend, with my $60 HF-style machine. Ugh... I want a Hunter TC3500!!!!!

--sarge

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---** To be in compliance with the Anarchy **---
Jorden R. Kleier
Baraboo, Wisconsin, USA
1990 Mazdog Protege 4WD
1973

I have another set of the same Michelins mounted to the same rims so the size should match but I can't even get the first bead over. I picked up some of the special tire lube at Napa and will try and put a bit more backbone into it this afternoon. I'm also going to make up another tire iron/spoon tool. I should have spent an extra couple hundred for a turn-table style machine (I'm too addicted to bargains).

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www.DMackTyresUSA.com

Make friends with a circle track shop and have them do them for you

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Welcome to the cult of JVL drink the koolaid or be banned.

I have an old Coats 20/20 Airflate ( I think) and mount Michelin Rally tires. Yeah, it's bitch, and I'm not saying it's smart, but it can be done. Some ideas that help me.

Warm up the tires. Warmer = softer tires

Lot's a lube. Good practice in general

A few tire irons and a big-ass dead blow hammer helping the arm along help too. Just keep working that bead around. When it goes the irons will want to fly into your skull so have a not-too-bright assistant (like your future ex-wife or Fiasco) holding onto them.

I've watched "pros" down at thew local truck tire place climb on top of the machine and chase the arm around with a sledge. Fun to watch from a safe distance, but i wouldn't do it to my own machine.

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Ted Mendham
www.rensport.net

I was able to get one bead on but the outside of a bead pushes on better than the inside of a bead. My other problem is that I have 6"w x 14" rims and the center hold down won't thread on, I'm going to have to make some modifications or buy an extender. I did practice with a 15" steel wheel with a standard DOT tire and the machine worked fine on that (barely had to use the machine).

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www.DMackTyresUSA.com

Getting the first bead is no problem. It's the second one that makes me sweat. I don't know much about the 14" problem. My recent gravel rally stuff was all 15" and street stuff is bigger. Before I bought my own, a local garage used to do my Sentra (14x5.5", I think) stuff on an old coats no probemo. I did some 14" snows on my son's Mazda truck on mine, no problemo. For me, smaller wheels go better. The 17" Sti wheels are a bitch. I am glad I am not any more of a ricer. Are your wheel center holes really big and the cone won't go down deep enough or what. I bet there is a simple fix. I have found Coats parts online, even on ebay.

You'll figure it out.

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Ted Mendham
www.rensport.net

Michelins are a bitch on any machine. Make sure you have the rim mounted on the machine correctly. The 'dip' always has to go up. Some rims it is closer to the outside but I've seen some where it was closer to the inside. The bead has to fall into that dip in order to stretch over the lip.

heymagic Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Michelins are a bitch on any machine. Make sure
> you have the rim mounted on the machine correctly.
> The 'dip' always has to go up. Some rims it is
> closer to the outside but I've seen some where it
> was closer to the inside. The bead has to fall
> into that dip in order to stretch over the lip.


And LUBE, dishsoap/water 50/50 and a BIG FAWKIN MALLETT.

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

i use my local shop to mount tires. never had a problem. it did look as though they had to use excessive force. michelin m4's same or similar tire to yours...

i would say your inexperience mounting tires is the situation. you'll figure it out soon enough what works.

they dont sell tires that are not mountable to my knowledge.

john vanlandingham Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> heymagic Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Michelins are a bitch on any machine. Make
> sure
> > you have the rim mounted on the machine
> correctly.
> > The 'dip' always has to go up. Some rims it
> is
> > closer to the outside but I've seen some
> where it
> > was closer to the inside. The bead has to
> fall
> > into that dip in order to stretch over the
> lip.
>
>
> And LUBE, dishsoap/water 50/50 and a BIG FAWKIN
> MALLETT.
>
>
>
>
> John Vanlandingham
> Sleezattle, WA, USA
>
> Vive le Prole-le-ralliat
>
> www.jvab.f4.ca


Yeppers..lotso lube..things get rough with no lube.

Mexicans.

I always take my rally tires to the little hole-in-the-wall Mexican tire shops (Los Amigos Tires was my favorite for a long time) and they'll mount the damn things with a tube for $5. Whitey doesn't even know how to install a tube...

-Dave

When I first mounted rally tires, it took for ever and looked like it would never work, later on I got fairly good at it and could mount them up fast with little wasted effort on the same machine. There is an art to it.

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In the long run reality always wins.

derek Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> When I first mounted rally tires, it took for ever
> and looked like it would never work, later on I
> got fairly good at it and could mount them up fast
> with little wasted effort on the same machine.
> There is an art to it.

BIG HAMMER!!
LOTSA LUBE!
>
>
>
> See me go at:
> www.11tenths.com
> In the long run Reality always wins.

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

Wallmart!!!! 5 dollah each. We wont get a tire machine at the shop since I wouldn't mount a rally tire for four times that.

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Gone fishing