DIY Tire Bead Seater?

[joshthemule]

Has anyone ever built their own tire bead seater like the Cheatah? I have an old 5 gallon air tank that I could use but I don't really know where to start as far as welding a pressurized tank. Well, not while its pressurized but you get my drift

[dopeassjackson]

there was a thread probaly less than a month ago with a DIY bead seating tool like your looking for. basicly a air tank with a small air hose fill and a big 1.5-2in output with a ball valve and a smashed piece of pipe on the end.

that being said this kind of bead seating tool make for a great drain cleaner, just wear your rain suit.:laughing:

[trkklr77]

my buddy built one/air cannon out of a old prop tank.

3-4" ball valve

a matching pipe nipple[to be welded to the tank incase you want to remove it, or it is a non weldable material like brass or alum]

1-5' of pipe

a 1/4" nipple and ball valve setup with a male air chuck. [for filling and sealing the tank]


smash the exauhst end flat and weld a small hook on the end to help rest the nozzle on the edge of the rim.

fwiw, i dont know how much presure you plan on using but this setup with 125psi[eqalized with the shop air] would put you on your ass 5' from where you started.

[dopeassjackson]

holy shit thats a long barrel. lol i dont think a full 125psi is nessary.

[joshthemule]

I like the propane setup. I watched the guys at my local truck tire shop use a Cheetah to seat mine and as loud as it was, it didn't seem to throw the guy back much.

[f250rollinon37s]

brake cleener and a match - works everytime :flipoff2:

[bucari]

just take the valve steam out and put the female end of your air hose directly on it and there you go. Works like a charm.

[Ed ke6bnl]

brake cleener and a match - works everytime :flipoff2:

and it seems safer the cheeta. we just did a 39" tire it was a snap(well a little pop) for our first time Ed

[trkklr77]

holy shit thats a long barrel. lol i dont think a full 125psi is nessary.

like i said, that was a air cannon setup. it would shoot a soda can about 1000 yards.

its the same as a cheeta but a little bigger.

[joshthemule]

I do understand that if you spray a flamible aerosole in the tire and light it, the controlled explosion will seat the bead. I went throught two cans of starter, seating the bead everytime but after a few seocnds, it always pops off. I think my rims are on the wide side for my tires and the tires just pulled in to hard for it to hold. Maybe I need more starter spray or maybe the 16.5 rim (haveing no lip behind the bead) just wont hold. For whatever reason, it didn't work and I'm not brave enough to spray any more in the tire. Either way, the cheetah set up would be nice to have if I can build it for cheep. Thanks for the input but I'm really not interested in controlled explosions in my tires.

[ChiScouter]

If it won't hold with using either, I don't see how the results would be different with a cheetah. Have you tried a ratchet strap around the perimeter?

[joshthemule]

If it won't hold with using either, I don't see how the results would be different with a cheetah. Have you tried a ratchet strap around the perimeter?

actually, if you read the whole thread, a cheetah is how the tires beads were seated. I just want my own. I have tried a ratchet and I've had it buckled all the way to the rim and it still wont seat. I was hoping, and I'm thankful for, ideas on building one. Not to seem rude but I'm not really interested in all the backyard tricks for seating a bead.

[randii]

I wouldn't mind having a Cheetah for shop use. Home-built options are pretty cool.

I went throught two cans of starter, seating the bead everytime but after a few seocnds, it always pops off. I think my rims are on the wide side for my tires and the tires just pulled in to hard for it to hold.
Wide 16.5 rims are a PITA -- I have them on my Dodge. The trick is to get the explosion to seat the rim and then IMMEDIATELY apply compressed air to the valve stem. You've got a few seconds before the explosion exhausts its head and starts to cool quickly, which will suck the tire right off the rim unless you're fast with the air chuck.

I'd like a Cheetah for the shop, but for trail use, you simply must know how to make the controlled explosion work...

Randii

[ChiScouter]

actually, if you read the whole thread, a cheetah is how the tires beads were seated. I just want my own. I have tried a ratchet and I've had it buckled all the way to the rim and it still wont seat. I was hoping, and I'm thankful for, ideas on building one. Not to seem rude but I'm not really interested in all the backyard tricks for seating a bead.

I did read the whole thread twice. You said you tried using either and the bead wouldn't stay seated. I stated that if the bead wouldn't stay seated with either than I didn't think the results would be different by using the cheetah as ultimately they were using the same principal. Is there something you don't understand about that? If I was in the shop I would have the air hose hooked up and running to alleviate the problem with the air contracting as mentioned by Randii. If I was on the trail I would remove the valve core to allow it to suck in air. You can be as rude as you like but if your going to call me out maybe you should try to understand what I wrote before doing so.
Did you really go through 2 cans of either trying to seat the bead? I find that hard to believe.

[ttuburbo]

With regards to the strating fluid technique. What about one of those clip on air chucks. Think the resulting flame would blow it off? Just an idea!

[nissancrawler]

I do understand that if you spray a flamible aerosole in the tire and light it, the controlled explosion will seat the bead. I went throught two cans of starter, seating the bead everytime but after a few seocnds, it always pops off. I think my rims are on the wide side for my tires and the tires just pulled in to hard for it to hold. Maybe I need more starter spray or maybe the 16.5 rim (haveing no lip behind the bead) just wont hold. For whatever reason, it didn't work and I'm not brave enough to spray any more in the tire. Either way, the cheetah set up would be nice to have if I can build it for cheep. Thanks for the input but I'm really not interested in controlled explosions in my tires.

Pull the valve core out, and as soon as the tire inflates, get the air chuck on it.

If it won't hold with using either, I don't see how the results would be different with a cheetah. Have you tried a ratchet strap around the perimeter?

BAAAADDDDDDDDDDDD!!!! Only good if you're trying to air up normally, do not do that when using ether or a cheetah. Ever see a ratchet strap go flying across a shop after? I have. A guy I know fucked up his leg pretty good doing that.

With regards to the strating fluid technique. What about one of those clip on air chucks. Think the resulting flame would blow it off? Just an idea!

No, it will blow the flame out. remove core, light the fluid, get a chuck on it as soon as it seats.

[joshthemule]

I like the propane setup. I watched the guys at my local truck tire shop use a Cheetah to seat mine and as loud as it was, it didn't seem to throw the guy back much.

Read it twice huh? Here I am quoting myself. Now if you think I didn't go through two cans, then you must be calling me a liar. Why don't you just say that instead of beating around the bush. (and by beating around the bush, I mean being a pussy)

Now, I didn't know about removing the valve core. I guess that makes sense. The bead would seat and I'd try to get the air on it as fast as I could but it would just pop off before I could get enough air in.

All the same, I wonder where to get that large fitting for the nozzle of a cheetah.

[Mike C2]

I have a rubber "donut" that seals one of the beads to the center of the rim while the other is on it's side. As you air the tire up, the donut moves across the rim and then pops out. It came from ATS in Houston I think and cost $20. Designed for 16.5 tires. They also have 19.5 and 22.5. Best $20 I ever spent...

[braxton357]

Nissancrawler is on spot. I thought it was common knowledge that you pulled the valvestem before using ether on a tire?

[nissancrawler]

Another tip that should be painfully obvious, but isn't to some people...

If you go light on the ether and it's not enough, you can always use a little more the next time.

If you use too much...there's usually no going back.

I came up on a jeep where some hoser mama's boy had blown two beads. They had "heard" of the ether thing and had tried it on one tire...blew the fucker up.:eek::laughing:

They were spraying the second one, and I told them it was too much, and they needed to let it air out...nope. That one didn't blow up, but when it was all over with, the wheel was inside the tire.:shaking:

They were also spraying in only one spot, didn't go around the wheel, which is why I suspect it blew up the first one right there.

[Hillbilly]

No, it will blow the flame out. remove core, light the fluid, get a chuck on it as soon as it seats.


I always put the "clip on" chuck on the valve stem when I do this, but i have the valve shut off from my air supply. Once the tire is seated then I immediately open the air supply valve and allow it to fill.

[Mechanos]

Nothing really to add, but if you happen to have someone standing around with a camera and they just happed to snap the pic at just the right time, you can get a really cool pic. :flipoff2: The explosion is over in an instant and in real time, it's not real impressive. Just a pop and it's over. Catch the explosion in a darkened area at just the right instant in time and you get something like this.

[joshthemule]

I have a rubber "donut" that seals one of the beads to the center of the rim while the other is on it's side. As you air the tire up, the donut moves across the rim and then pops out. It came from ATS in Houston I think and cost $20. Designed for 16.5 tires. They also have 19.5 and 22.5. Best $20 I ever spent...

I've been searching and haven't been able to find this rubber "donut". Got a link?

[Rockrunner86]

I do understand that if you spray a flamible aerosole in the tire and light it, the controlled explosion will seat the bead. I went throught two cans of starter, seating the bead everytime but after a few seocnds, it always pops off. I think my rims are on the wide side for my tires and the tires just pulled in to hard for it to hold. Maybe I need more starter spray or maybe the 16.5 rim (haveing no lip behind the bead) just wont hold. For whatever reason, it didn't work and I'm not brave enough to spray any more in the tire. Either way, the cheetah set up would be nice to have if I can build it for cheep. Thanks for the input but I'm really not interested in controlled explosions in my tires.

Thats becasue you have to hit the tire with some air after the starting fluid gets the bead on. Otherwise when the hot gasses cool inside the tire they will suck the tire back off the rim. DUH!!!

[RustoleumWhite]

Thats becasue you have to hit the tire with some air after the starting fluid gets the bead on. Otherwise when the hot gasses cool inside the tire they will suck the tire back off the rim. DUH!!!
Yep. Found this out myself when I was setting the bead on one of my H1 rims (without the bead-lock) and it kept pulling off.


This is also why the Cheetah would work as opposed to ether. The air from the Cheetah doesn't cool and contract afterwords, its just in there.


I like the ether trick, works well. Heck its fire and controlled explosions, who wouldn't :nuke: but you have to be careful.

[joshthemule]

Thats becasue you have to hit the tire with some air after the starting fluid gets the bead on. Otherwise when the hot gasses cool inside the tire they will suck the tire back off the rim. DUH!!!


No kidding, like OMG, who doesn't understand the 2nd Law of Thermal Dynamics? who started this thread anyway.

So anyway, does anyone have a link to this "donut"

[Stuntopts]

I do understand that if you spray a flamible aerosole in the tire and light it, the controlled explosion will seat the bead. I went throught two cans of starter, seating the bead everytime but after a few seocnds, it always pops off. I think my rims are on the wide side for my tires and the tires just pulled in to hard for it to hold. Maybe I need more starter spray or maybe the 16.5 rim (haveing no lip behind the bead) just wont hold. For whatever reason, it didn't work and I'm not brave enough to spray any more in the tire. Either way, the cheetah set up would be nice to have if I can build it for cheep. Thanks for the input but I'm really not interested in controlled explosions in my tires.You have to be either REALLY quick getting the air hose hooked up to the tire, or just have it already hooked up and then get it flowing fast.... either way, be safe.:homer: Mechanos= Really cool pic!

[JohnnyJ]

Good grief. I typed "ATS Houston" into google and came up with this link in the first 5:

http://www.alltiresupply.com/

and it about midway down the page on the right. "Rubber Bead Seaters/ Doughnut-Style Bead Seater
These rubber bead seaters are used for mounting hard-to-seat radial, bias-belted, or conventional truck tires. Sizes range from 13 in. to 24.5 in. "

[Haggar]

Good grief. I typed "ATS Houston" into google and came up with this link in the first 5:

http://www.alltiresupply.com/

and it about midway down the page on the right. "Rubber Bead Seaters/ Doughnut-Style Bead Seater
These rubber bead seaters are used for mounting hard-to-seat radial, bias-belted, or conventional truck tires. Sizes range from 13 in. to 24.5 in. "


Or, use a 16" BMX tire (for a 15" rim, anyway). Slip it over the rim, pump it up, it fills the gap, then a good blast from the air tank with the valve core removed. Helpful for doing trail repairs, too. Works well for me.