Seating a Bead

I went out yesterday and was going to mess around only to discover one of the rear tires went flat and came off the bead. The rear is still on, but the front is off.

I tried a ratchet strap and my wimpy 12vdc compressor and it didn't do the job. Any chance a gas station compressor will be able to put enough air in to pop the bead back in place. Also, if I remove the valve in the valve stem, will that help in getting air into the tire quicker?

I have a smaller compressor and have a hard time seating beads also. Not sure on the gas station compressor. If you remove the valve core, you'll need something in the air chuck to let the air in, normally the valve core does this. If all else fails there is starter fluid and a lighter, haha. In all seriousness, last resort and maybe not even then. I've used that method to seat 40" swampers, but what I feel safe doing isn't the same as what I'd recommend doing.

Jamus wrote:

I have a smaller compressor and have a hard time seating beads also. Not sure on the gas station compressor. If you remove the valve core, you'll need something in the air chuck to let the air in, normally the valve core does this. If all else fails there is starter fluid and a lighter, haha. In all seriousness, last resort and maybe not even then. I've used that method to seat 40" swampers, but what I feel safe doing isn't the same as what I'd recommend doing.

I've thought about the starting fluid method. I just figure on something as small as a lawn tractor tire, I could get away with a compressor.

Take the core out- thatll give it full pressure going in - stop by a hardware store and get PVC pipe cement - i liberally coat the bead and rim with it , helps seat it better , keeps it sealed. Between the ratchet strap and the glue/holding the one bead on - usually seats the tire pretty easy - i find it easier to do that on the tractor tho, lifted off the ground.

On another forum i herd of a 'poor man's tire slime' - liquid starch. I tried it in one of my regular tractors and so far seems to be holding - you have to remove the valve core, i used a small piece of tubing and a 'pointed' cap off a lucas oil bottle to help pour the stuff in the tire.

Most of the gas station compressors wont have much more than the 12v compressor. You might invest in a small bubble ( they sell kits to make one out of a propane tank)
take it to a tire shop to get this one popped.
I use a male quick connector over the stem with the core out. you can get more air in the tire quicker that way, but the 12v compressor wont keep up with that

Thanks for all the advice. I put a ratchet strap around the tire and took it to the speedway down the road. Their compressor allows you to set the tire pressure and that's what the compressor puts out. I was able to get the bead to seat about 3/4 of the way around. One good smack on the ground got the rest of it seated.