Don't Seat a Stubborn Bead this way! 

Genius!! I change motorcycle tyres for fun, my 4 machines and 5 others. I used to change all tyres with hand tools but since I've got older (now 71) I welded up a Bead breaking/tyre changing/wheel balancing station. Yesterday, whilst changing a cruiser stiff-walled bias tyre I gave up after a couple of hours of failure to seat the bead. There was one spot where no amount of pummelling made any difference. I did all the usual in that the valve core was removed and I used a ratchet strap (inside a nylon outer sleeve to force the tyre into the wheel. I began to think the tyre or rim was damaged. I decided to quit for the night and 'sleep' on it. I started to think I might need to make a bead blaster from an old butane bottle. Very heavy and I would need to buy parts and spend time. A few minutes on You Tube and I came across this 'crazy' idea of using my leaf blower. It worked , and first time!! Matt, don't listen to the nay-sayers, you came up with a great idea of using existing tools. I am very grateful. Many thanks.

Why buy a 60 dollar bead blaster when I can buy a 700 stihl leaf blower. 😅

After an hour of trying to seat the bead on a pair of cub cadet tires, I was about to set the whole machine on fire when I came across your site. At first I thought using a leaf blower to seat a tire bead sounded like the stupidest thing I’ve heard since ‘trickle down economy’ but I was desperate. Twenty minutes later I found myself sitting on the porch, drinking beer and trying to find a new reason not to mow the lawn, because those babies were seated tighter than a new bride. Guess you can teach old dog new tricks. Thanks! I'm a fan.

I tried everything. Starting fluid, rachet strap around the tire. Who would of thought a f ing leaf blow would set the bead and help it seal. Im amazed thankyou so much sir

Ingenious!!! My partner just tried it and worked like a charm! Saved us a trip to Autozone and a potential fire!

Why did the beat not seat with the 12V inflator while using the leaf blower? Is the bead going to seat only with a compressor?

Using starting fluid and light it is easier and it’s a snap process works every time 👍

WD40 baby works every time

It's hell to get those inside out shaped tires to seat. You almost need an industrial compressor to catch the bead. I heard if you don't need to change the tire right away, such as I have a slow leak in a tire & it needs changing; you can put an inner tube in it inflated for a few days in the sun will help it catch. Used tires, I never have problems. I did have a problem with the inner tube. The center closes up before you get enough air. I put a quart paint can in the middle. That cured my problem. I'll install it after it cools down.

too much works just spray some starter fluid and light it. Works way better

What I've done in the past ........remove valve stem Schrader valve take your air hose coupling directly to valve stem without the air chuck. This provides max air flow into the tire and usually sets the bead.

I already tore my head off! I got a Troy Bilt 19 hp and both tires were off the bead. I managed to get one seated but the other... well.. you know.

Ratchet straps always works for me

Bit of ether and a match...?

I will only use a can of ether I don't have time to put a strap around a tire and hope it catches the bead.. and I don't want to buy a leaf blower although that look pretty easy. You did good on that I didn't think it was going to work but I was wrong.

Totally get the frustration! It takes a LOT to get me mad/p*ssed off, but this process finally got to me last night. Going to try this trick tonight (keeping calm this time).

Respect man! Great video. When you said "$60 bead blaster worth it?" I said out loud "Yes!" Lol

If this or the rope tightening don’t work use an old inner tube placing it in the tire, over inflate it slightly an set it out in the sun for an hour. This should bring the tire back to its manufactured state and will easily set the beads upon installing on to the wheel. Also finding a dealer that does not stack their tires helps the most.

I just put 2 new tires on my JD mower, and they looked exactly like your wheel and tire here. Same caved-in tread on the ew tire from shipping, same diameter wheel. I used a 4-quart round Pyrex bowl, and put about a 2' strip of half-inch OD silicone tubing around the lip. Then, I put masking tape over the backside of the axle hole to seal it from air escaping. Placing the tire on the tubing-lined bowl, carefully centered, I pressed down on the hub with one hand, and filled air into the stem with the other hand. I didn't remove the valve stem, and the air compressor is a tame little guy that looks about the size of a small carry-on bag with a telescoping handle and wheels. I wetted both tire beads with soapy water, just wetting my fingers and wiping that on until they were wet but not all drippy. Pressing down on the open end of the hub while adding air pushes the wheel against the outer (upper) tire bead. Pressing the wheel down onto the bowl also seals the back sidewall against the bowl, which should begin to puff up the tire as you add air in the valve stem.. The tire should start expanding lime a cake rising, lifting the wheel until it touches the inside (underside) bead of the tire. Once it does that, you can stop pressing and filling, and check to see if the tire and rim are together on both sides. If not, repeat steps as needed, and do it again. Once it is seated enough to hold air on its own, just set the tire on the floor, and fill to the correct PSI. (Around 12-18 pounds - check a manual or something) AND IT WAS EASY PEAZY! NO SWEATING AND CUSSING (Like when you wish you had 3 arms when removing the old tire and mounting the new one). I watched a video where a guy used a 5-gallon bucket against the inside sidewall, but my tire's raised letters are at the bucket diameter, so it was unable to keep air in the bucket and puff up the tire to hit both rim sides. And I didn't have to push down very hard when the wheel and tire were sitting on the bowl. Just enough to bring the underside bead and rim together. It worked great, and the Pyrex bowl worked because it touched the sidewall where there were no raised letters, only some of those small rubber nibs on new tires. If you don't have any soft tubing you ca slit to put arou d the tol edge of the bowl, try it without any. It might work. I just had some in a junk drawer, left over from some other project, like a solar birdbath fountain, I think. The goal is to trap air pressure in thw bowl. That's why masking or painter's tape (blue or green) is put over the axle hole in the back of the wheel.

Just run a rat he strap around the tire in the middle of the tread and ratchet it down until it forces the tire to touch the rim and the start filling it and the tire will seat. Definitely soap the bead as well. You can use a rope and a stick as well. But then you have to hold the stick while you air it up.

soap that rim up

Don't have a leaf blower. Don't have a bead blaster. Any other bright ideas?

I wish I had watched this first. I must've tried so many videos, started a fire, lotsa soap, ratchet straps (2) at once and got nowhere. Watched your video and 8 minutes later the tire was seated and ready to go! Brilliant. I suppose the tire needed high volumn low pressure to expand the tire. Good job. Now if we could conquer the mosquitos and wood ticks I'd get out there and get that tracktor unstuck!

If this works I’m buying you a steak dinner. I’m in a pinch and need to get the old lady back on the zero turn so I can get back to the porch drinking beer

Thanks man , you got me out of a hole today, great idea

I can appreciate that I didn't waste my money on the bead blaster, done enough playing around with straps and chains and tire irons and I've done the explosives too... Bead blaster works so good you'll forget to do a video lol

I looked on Facebook market place n found a beed blaster for $10

Ether and a match is much more fun.

Go to harbor freight and pick up a $3.50 ratchet strap. Wrap the treads side of the tire and tighten the belt. The tire will get very close the rim, start putting air in from the compressor. It may seat right away, if not, tighten the ratchet strap. Repeat to tighten if needed. You’ll get it to seat and you spent $3.50.

wow! tried and it worked!! thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

👍🏿👍🏿 weak

Hey. Why don’t you try putting water in side that tire, may not work ...try and make sure that you the Valve-stem as a way to get your air and water in . Just a thought

Pull valve core out, spray starting fluid on 4 sides (a second or two ) leave a trail to light with lighter. Light it. If it don't pop on bead hit tire with hammer/tire iron, ect. The shock of o2 will set bead.

Ugh, new tires on to a rim looks like it's a pain. My used riding mower tires always lose air in between cutting seasons so I'd have to use a ratchet strap around the flat tire until the bead set... In the case of new tires fresh out of the box, I wonder if leaving them in the sun would help... Using the leaf blower seems to help blow up the tire like a balloon since riding mower tires are not as thick as vehicle tires. Might work faster if blower & air compressor used together with someone on each air tool...

This is obviously some cruel joke. What is he doing? Blowing the leaves off of the tire so that they won't get stuck?