When you find yourself needing to dismount a tire on your vehicle, it can be a pain to have to go to the auto mechanic and pay an exorbitant fee (learn how much does it cost to get tires mounted). Without much experience with auto repair and maintenance, most people probably feel it’s safer to leave these tasks to the experts. But dismounting a tire is actually fairly simple to do once you understand the process.
If you’ve never been shown how to dismount a tire before, it can be easy to make a mistake that will damage the tire or rim. So this shouldn’t be attempted without the proper understanding. Luckily, the rules are not complicated, and you’re sure to learn them in no time.
So what if you don’t know how to dismount a tire? No worries! We’ve got all the information you need to know to execute the process properly and safely. Read on below for detailed instructions to accomplish this task.
Short Answer
Learning how to take a tire off a rim isn’t nearly as complicated as it might sound. It’s a straightforward process, but one that must be followed carefully to avoid unnecessary damage.
First, it’s important that you deflate the tire completely before doing anything else. You can do this by removing the valve stem and applying pressure until the air escapes. Next, use a tool such as a pry bar to break the rubber seal by applying pressure to the sidewall against the inner edge.
Finally, apply a safe lubricant to the rim and use a pry bar to carefully remove the tire from the rim. It’s that simple!
Step 1: Deflate the Tire Completely
The most important thing to make sure of before you start removing the rubber from the rim is to make sure the tire is completely deflated. This can cause damage to both the rim and the tire itself and could also create a safety hazard.
To begin the deflation process, you’ll first need to remove the valve stem. This will allow the air to freely escape through the opening. It could take quite a while to deflate if left unattended, so if you’re pressed for time you may want to give it some assistance. You can apply gentle pressure to help push the air out, but be careful not to apply unnecessary force, which can lead to avoidable damage.
Step 2: Break the Seal
The next step is to break the seal, or the “bead”, which is keeping the tire attached to the rim. This is a hard rubber part along the outer edge, sometimes reinforced with steel. You’ll need to sever this connection before you can start separating the tire from the rim.
To do this, you just need to apply pressure to the side of the rubber with a tool such as a tire iron or a pry bar. You want to concentrate most of this pressure on the inner edge. When the bead breaks, you should hear a soft popping sound, and you’ll know it’s safe to proceed to the next step.
Step 3: Lubricate the Rim
The final step before the tire gets removed is to apply some lubricant to the edge of the rim and the inner edge of the tire. This will prevent any tearing, puncturing, or another kind of damage from occurring during the dismounting process.
Keep in mind that there are some kinds of lubricants that can cause damage to your tires. When selecting your lubricant, avoid anything that is hydrocarbon or silicon-based. There are plenty of commercial lubricants available that are designed for this purpose, but in a pinch, animal soap and vegetable oil soap are safe alternatives.
Step 4: Carefully Pry Off the Tire
Finally, once all the previous steps have been executed, it’s time to get that tire off of the rim. All you need to do at this point is to slowly and carefully pry the tire off. A pry bar will be very useful for this task.
Be careful not to cause any damage to the rim while prying off the tire. It may help to cover the rim with a towel to protect it from contact with the pry bar.
After dismounting, you will have to mount your tires back on the rim. Feel free to check out our guide – How To Put A Tire On A Rim At Home.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, the dismounting process is really quite simple. Now that you know how to dismount a tire all by yourself, you can save yourself the money and hassle associated with having it done by a mechanic. Just think of the savings and independence this new skill will bring you!