Mounted Mower Tires, Dad Would Be Proud

[WardenRoss]

Well, my thirteen-year-old zero-turn mower needed new rear tires. Found them on sale at Northern Tools. "This shouldn't take long to do." I mused.

Jacked the mower up and took off the left wheel. Boy those lug nuts were tight. Removed the valve core. Then I TRIED to break the bead on the tire. Thirty minutes of everything you can imagine. It ain't gonna break loose. Called my local tire store and was tempted to drop them off there but they were booked up today.

Scratching my head and wondered what my Dad would do. I'm an old man, but in my youth NOTHING ever whipped my Dad. Then the proverbial light bulb over my head lit-up.

I took a scrap piece of 2x6, jacked up the mower a little taller, placed the tire/wheel under the 1000 pound mower's frame. Then I lowered the jack allowing the weight of the mower against the 2x6 to compress the tire. I had to go around the tire twice and then the bead broke. Flipped the wheel and did the other side.

Once the bead broke, the tire change was easy. I noticed that the factory tire had some kind of black adhesive on the wheel that was sealing the bead.

The right side went a little easier. I sprayed some soap on the bead while compressing it with the 2x6.

All I can say is "Thanks Dad." You taught me to never give up.

 

[Marshwheeling]

The tires that used to drive me nuts were wheelbarrow tires. Getting them off was usually ok, but getting the bead over that tiny rim gave me fits. It stumped the local gas station guy too. I know a little more about mounting tires now, but I'm still not eager to try another soon.

Was that really a sealant on those rims, or could it have been rubber residue that had bonded to the rim over time? In either case, I'd have been tempted to spray some WD40 between the tire and rim, down as close to the bead as I could get it. That is usually the magic ingredient that allows me to break a crusty old motorcycle tire that has bonded to the rim. I can usually get it done with a spoon and a lever, or a set of spoons, but often only with help from WD40.

 

[WardenRoss]

...I can usually get it done with a spoon and a lever, or a set of spoons, but often only with help from WD40.

Roger that.

Pretty sure it had some sealant on the rim. I know low pressure, off road type tires, sometimes have to have a sealant.

I had a riding mower years ago that kept popping off the front tire from the rim. My local tire guy told me to bring it by and he sprayed some sealant on it and it fixed it. He said low pressure tires have to have it.

Either way, that bead was really on there.

I guess my real reason for my post was philosophical. I'm old, but I'm amazed how many times I think back to how my Pop would fix a problem. Anytime I come across a challenge, it's like he's looking down and waiting to see me complete the task.

This makes me wonder how the new generation of men will survive.

#1. I had a Dad.

#2. My Dad insisted that I accompany him in doing just about everything. I was his sidekick and like a hired-hand. In other words, he spend valuable time with me.

#3. I never had any feeling of ever being alone or being afraid of being down-and-out. One call, that's all. He would be there. Hell or high water.

Just some thoughts. Man is my back sore this morning!

 

[snowman]

#1. I had a Dad.

#2. My Dad insisted that I accompany him in doing just about everything. I was his sidekick and like a hired-hand. In other words, he spend valuable time with me.

#3. I never had any feeling of ever being alone or being afraid of being down-and-out. One call, that's all. He would be there. Hell or high water.

You had one really fine father, Warden. Thanks for posting that; did my heart good.

Regards,
Andy

 

[Rustyt1953]

My dad's highest praise for those blessed with hillbilly engineering skills was: "He's smarter than a house cat".

He'd of been proud.

 

[BC38]

Good idea - similar to what my "hillbilly shade-tree mechanic" dad always did to break a bead.
He always used a bumper jack with the removable rectangular base. He shoved the edge of that base between the rim and bead and then started jacking up a vehicle. Worked almost as well as the bead breaker on a tire machine.

 

[amazingflapjack]

Yeah, The Old Man gets smarter every year...

 

[carpriver]

My dad was pretty smart, didn't have much money which meant we fixed things, rebuild things, did it your self. I helped my dad break a bead on a tire off a tractor, we used a very similar method used a frame wielded together from old railroad track. he used it to lift cars or jacket up the side of a tractor with a chainpals. Raise the tractor take the wheel off jockey under the tractor lower the tractor and the bead would let go.

I learned to rebuild carburetors, I fixed a worn fuel pump, the pump was worn, it pumped it just needed a piece of bar stock wielded it on the arm, worked great, build a engine for a car I had that I drove a rod threw the side of the block. all the parts were from the junk yard except the gasket and belts.

Dad said if you ain't got money you better be smart and handy, think things trough, just because it ain't been tried don't mean it won't work. My dad showed me what to do and then let me do it, and as I got older he would tell to go do something and left it to me to do it or figure old how to do it. The one thing I love to here form my dad was "you did good son". I always wanted my dad to be proud of me.