What's The Best Way To "UN" Compress A Tire

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101stpathfinder

Trading miles for memories
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I received my shipment of tires today. Usually I order from Dennis Kirk or Revzilla. This time was Revzilla, an order of 4 rear PR2s and 3 front PR2s. The tires usually come in boxes with one or two per box. Maybe because of the quantity of the shipment (?), the tires came plastic strapped together, also with a shipping label squeezing them together. I mount my tires with basic equipment: 2 spoons, bicycle tire pump and a plastic carton for a stand. I have had 2 instances of having a really hard time getting tires to bead due to compression of the tires. So the rears look fairly decent, but 2 of the fronts are squeezed quite bad.

I do not plan on mounting them until June/July. Will they expand naturally before then or should I do something to them to

aid in their expansion? I was thinking of stuffing them with newspapers (?)

Does anyone have any thoughts on this? or do you all just use a compressor that blows them out?

BTW; The dates on these tires are all within the last year!

Dates ranged from 21/18 - 41/18

Tires as they came

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3 Fronts

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Bands & labels

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Tony

Let them sit in that Florida sun for a couple of hours before mounting. They should become very pliable. I have had that experience at least once when the tire was distorted. It was a bitch to get it to seal. I must have bounced it on the ground 50 times.

Good luck

Dave

 
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I've had success in the past using a ratchet strap on the center of the tire once it's mounted on the rim to squeeze the sides out so that they make enough contact to help seat the bead.

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Tony, I have cut some wood pieces to space the beads apart. Cut about 6 per tire , about 5" long for rear and 3 1/2" for front

 
I got a set sent to me from a supplier once, even more tightly wrapped than those, the beads themselves were bent inward and I never got them inflated by myself. Took them to a regular tire store where they had that system where they blast a large amount of air in quickly and they popped right up. Never again, I ask the supplier specifically if they "band" their tires and won't order from them if they do.

 
Tony uses a bicycle pump, I have a compressor running through about 250 feet of hose. I made a special fitting that connects to hose.. it slides over the shraeder sp? valve.. with valve stem out that normally works.

 
I used to struggle with an electric pump - and often gave up and took the wheel to the nearest gas station to use their air compressor. I then bought a small air tank and that is really nice. I can pump it up to 100+ psi with my electric pump, and it can release air very quickly, which is always enough to seat the tire on the rim...best money spent on tire changing gear so far!

 
IF I have a tire which won't seal the bead, I will use starting fluid (ether). Spray a small amount in the tire and throw a match near it. the ether will burn rapidly and the expanding air will seal the tire to the rim. It has worked any time I have had issues. All the usual cautions, well ventilated area, no flammable material close by, etc. etc.

I usually leave the tire and rim on the changer for this.

Old school, cheap and effective. The ether is consumed by the fire so no residue to worry about, but if you're concerned then you could pump up and deflate the tire several times to flush any residue out. The key is not to use too much,

FWIW

Also, I'm in Canada and don't have that hot Florida sun to rely on, so often I'm doing tires in the spring in the 30-40 degree F temps.

 
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Another vote for the strap, though I have also used a length of rope and a stick to tighten it like a tourniquet. That and the warm sun like 08FJR4ME said and it should work fine.

 
I cut pieces of 2x4 blocks and put them between the beads where they were compressed and store them like that. Then put them in the sun periodically until I need to put them on. Still may need a strap but not always.

 
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