A bead breaker is a tool used for separating

tire A tire (American English) or tyre (British English) is a ring-shaped component that surrounds a Rim (wheel), wheel's rim to transfer a vehicle's load from the axle through the wheel to the ground and to provide Traction (engineering), t ...

s from rims. The innermost diameter of the tire that interfaces with the rim of a wheel is called the

tire bead Tire bead is the term for the edge of a tire that sits on the wheel. Wheels for automobiles, bicycles, etc. are made with a small slot or groove into which the tire bead sits. When the tire is properly inflated, the air pressure within the tire ...

. The bead is a thicker section of rubber, and is reinforced with braided steel cables, called the bead bundle. The surface of the bead creates a seal between the tire and rim on

radial Radial is a geometric term of location which may refer to: Mathematics and Direction * Vector (geometric), a line * Radius, adjective form of * Radial distance, a directional coordinate in a polar coordinate system * Radial set * A bearing f ...

and bias-ply tires. Often, the bead can become stuck to the rim after rusting or corrosion occurs, requiring the use of a bead breaker in order to be removed.

Usage

Tire changer A tire changer is a machine used to help tire technicians dismount and mount tires with automobile wheels. After the wheel and tire assembly are removed from the automobile, the tire changer has all the components necessary to remove and replac ...

s have a semi-automated bead loosening system for removing tires, but due to the high cost and lack of portability, these were not suitable in many cases. In addition, tire beads adhered to rims by heat or

rust Rust is an iron oxide, a usually reddish-brown oxide formed by the reaction of iron and oxygen in the catalytic presence of water or air moisture. Rust consists of hydrous iron(III) oxides (Fe2O3·nH2O) and iron(III) oxide-hydroxide (FeO(OH ...

must often be broken free manually; in these cases, a bead breaker is ideal. Used like a chisel, a bead breaker leverages a mechanical advantage to drive the bead away from the rim. A need was experienced by

4x4 Four-wheel drive, also called 4×4 ("four by four") or 4WD, refers to a two-axled vehicle drivetrain capable of providing torque to all of its wheels simultaneously. It may be full-time or on-demand, and is typically linked via a transfer case ...

enthusiasts and overland travellers for a simple tool to effectively and efficiently remove the tire from the rim of a wheel, in the event that a tire requires repairs to its inside. Many vehicles, including ATVs,

motorcycle A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruising ...

passenger vehicles A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people instead of goods. The year 1886 is regarded as ...

truck A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo, carry specialized payloads, or perform other utilitarian work. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, but the vast majority feature body-on-frame construction ...

off-road vehicle An off-road vehicle, sometimes referred to as an overland or adventure vehicle, is considered to be any type of vehicle which is capable of driving on and off paved or gravel surface. It is generally characterized by having large tires with dee ...

s, and

light aircraft A light aircraft is an aircraft that has a maximum gross takeoff weight of or less.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third edition'', page 308. Aviation Supplies & Academics, 1997. Light aircraft are used as utility aircraft c ...

have an additional feature on the rim called the bead retainer, a ridge that prevents the tire bead from slipping inward on the rim and losing the air seal. On ATVs and UTVs, these bead retainers are substantially large, as their tires are often run at very low air pressures (~) and experience severe side loading forces from trail riding. The large bead retainer is necessary to prevent unintentional dislocation of the tire bead from the bead seat. Furthermore, if an ATV tire does lose pressure from a puncture, the large bead retainer will keep the tire in place for low-speed riding, allowing the rider to navigate to the trail head without the tire coming completely off of the rim. While the large bead retainers of ATVs are quite effective at keeping the tire in place during operating conditions, they also prevent tires from being easily changed with normal tools even in a shop setting.

Types

There are three categories of tire bead breaker designs: the “shoe-and-lever" mechanism, the "plier-type" mechanism, and the "clamp-and-ram" mechanism. Clamp and Ram Bead Breaker

Shoe-and-lever-type

The shoe-and-lever mechanism performs well on many motorcycle tires, passenger vehicle tires and trailers, but with more difficult tires, it often fails because of the nature of the design. A shoe, operated by a

lever A lever is a simple machine consisting of a beam or rigid rod pivoted at a fixed hinge, or ''fulcrum''. A lever is a rigid body capable of rotating on a point on itself. On the basis of the locations of fulcrum, load and effort, the lever is div ...

, pushes down on the tire sidewall next to the tire bead, and if the bead is stuck, the shoe may slip and press against the middle of the sidewall instead. Furthermore, due to their design (which uses a stand), shoe-and-lever bead breakers are quite large, and thus not a good portable solution for tire changes. These bead breakers are typically inexpensive compared to other designs.

Plier-type

The plier-type mechanism has a spike that pushes in between the tire bead and lip of the rim, putting a separating force on the bead bundle. However, the pivot point results in an arc that quickly transitions to pushing on the sidewall. Plier-type bead breakers are generally more effective than shoe-and-lever designs, but they have some disadvantages. Such tools must be adjusted for different diameter wheels, and since the metal part of the tool makes contact with the rim, it may scratch aluminum or painted wheels. Some coordination and balance is required, as the user has to stand on the tire and use their body weight to operate the tool. It is fairly large yet portable, and is often used in races for

pit stop In motorsports, a pit stop is a pause for refuelling, new tyres, repairs, mechanical adjustments, a driver change, as a penalty, or any combination of the above. These stops occur in an area called the pits, most commonly accessed via a pit la ...

tire changes. Ultimately, this type of bead breaker also struggles to work reliably on the stubborn tires of ATVs, 4x4 trucks, and tractors. The cost of plier-type bead breakers varies.

Clamp-and-ram-type

Lastly, the clamp-and-ram mechanismhttps://beadbuster.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/bd381dcf84a06ddbf81e3aa6a82b4263.jpg is perhaps the most effective for breaking beads on ATVs and other difficult-to-change tires, in addition to being fairly compact. This style of tool has a pointed foot that sits on the sidewall and enters the space between the tire bead and lip of the rim, and a padded clamp that screws into position. The ram foot is then actuated by another screw, breaking the bead loose. Because the tool is clamped in place, it cannot slide down the sidewall and damage the tire. Since the ram foot pushes directly on the steel bead bundle of the tire, it works well on old and deteriorated tires. File:ATV Tire and Wheel.jpg, ATV tire and wheel File:ATV Tire Parts.jpg, ATV tire File:ATV Wheel Parts.jpg, ATV wheel File:ATV Rim Lip Parts.jpg, ATV wheel-tire interface

References

{{Tires, state=collapsed Tools Tires