Wanted: Tire Bead Breaker

With my business dead due to increased interest rates I find I have the time to get to work on my brass-era cars. I have to change tires on four cars (3 with 36 x 4 1/2 tires and one with 34 x 4). All have rims with lock rings. This appears to be a daunting task. Yesterday, while looking through a 1915 Dykes book, I found that there were tools known as tire bead breakers. I went to eBay and lo and behold there was a Ken-Tool T-200 Tire Bead Breaker. Just what I needed but with only 30 seconds to go. Needless to say, I lost it as I did not even have time to log in. So, does anyone have a such a tool they would sell me? I really need one as I do not quite have the strength I used to have and this many tires to change will be a feat no doubt. Please contact me at edfors@charter.net. Thank you indeed! Thomas.

Tom, I have one Ill sell Ill dig it out Mike West

Lock ring wheels aren't too bad, you'll lose a little paint and a little skin. Make sure the rings are well seated when airing up tire, and preferably air it up on the ground with lock ring facing down. If on the car, stand to the side and use the hand you could do without to hold air hose.

If you had four cars with clincher tires to change, I would have recommended selling one car and using the money to hire someone to do it!!

Hello Mike and David. Over the weekend I was able to remove the circa 1960's tires on the 1910 IHC J-30 with much sweat and toil. The new 36 x 4 1/4 Silverton Cords have the inner tubes and flaps properly in place and one tire was put on a wheel. But I just can not compress the new tire enough to get the lock ring on as the lock ring had an extra 'lip' that slides under the outer metal ring. Frustrating to say the least. Mike, did you by any chance find the Ken-Tool Bead Breaker? The 1911 IHC J-30 still has the original tires on it, which are rock hard, so they will have to be cut off but the same problem will exist when it is time to mount the new ones. Before that however, I have to mount four 36 x 4 1/2 tires on a 1912 Oakland with a different type of lock ring and again a bead breaker would help squeeze the new tire. I have tried C-clamps on the old tires but no matter how I tried to protect the tires, the clamps left a 'dimple'. No problem on the old tires but not good for the new ones. Any help would be appreciated. Please stay tuned for a thread from me asking for information on what new updraft carburetor would be best for replacing an original so that I may tour with my 1909 Regal next year. I really need help on this one! Tom.

What is the original carb,,,,and whats wrong with it,,,what symptoms,,Ben

Hello Ben. The carburetor on the Regal is a Schebler Model R. I do not believe it is original but probably put on before WW1. It worked very well until the original float broke. It did leak gas from time to time when the engine was shut off but not too bad. A new copy of the original float was installed and then all went wrong. Now the car is hard to start where before it started on second pull of the crank. Once running it seems to work well until one has driven for a few miles. Suddenly the engine will back-fire and start stalling. If it keeps running it runs rough. Most of the time the car just shuts off and gas leaks out the bottom of the carb, a lot of it. It may or may not start again. If it does start, it will do this again. This has happened on three tours and I am tired of being left behind. On tour, others stop to look at it but no real help. It has been adjusted per original instructions. Someone said it is haunted. I tried a modern Zenith carb, a tractor one. I like the way the car runs on this carburetor but it actually leaks more gas then the Schebler and the instructions that came with it say it will leak up to 1/4 cup of gasoline. Not a good thing. I do not know if the Schebler can be made right again. I would like to find a more modern replacement so I can get on the road with confidence but I need one that will not leak gasoline. Hotels and other parking lots frown on this. I want to go touring again in this Regal and sure could use some help. My wife loves touring with me but now does not want to go unless this problem is solved, or we get another brass era car for touring purposes. Any thoughts? Thanks. Tom

Hi Tom, post a photo of the carb on the Regal. I can then see if one of the odd-ball or orphan carbs I have would bolt on.

Or email me a photo of the carb on the engine.

Greg L

Hi again Tom. I did a quick search on Harbor Freight's website. They have the same bead breaker I've had for many years.

Here it is: http://www.harborfreight.com/bead-breaker-92961.html