Tyre Bead Breaker

Post date: 03-Jan-2014 23:39:34

A very important tool infrequently used by most of us but affecting most of us from time to time is the tyre bead breaker. The bead is that part of a rubber tyre in contact with the wheel rims and by design a tight fit on the shoulders of the rim. To enable the tyre to be removed for replacement or repair the bead needs to be forced inwards off both shoulders.

For this purpose a slide hammer, known as a bead breaker, is used. Previously found in all tyre shops, transport depots,service stations, road houses and farm workshops it is today less common for a variety of reasons.

The bead breaker consists of two parts, the lower, or driven, end which engages between the tyre and rim and the upper hammer part. The lower end, generally, is a long round or hexagonal shank with a smooth curved spoon end designed to be inserted between the bead of the tyre and the rim. The hammer encases the upper part of the shank and sliding up and down on it provides the weight to drive the bead from the rim. The force is provided by you, the operator, when you grasp the hammer with both hands, raise it to its full extent and slam it down as hard as you can.

In use the the end of the tool is inserted between the deflated tyre and the rim and a series of blows are delivered by raising the hammer and driving it down, sometimes a couple of blows is enough to free the tyre but more often you will have to work your way right around the tyre until it comes free.

 Bead breaker in use on a light truck wheel.

The bead breaker in the photo has a weight of 7.8 kg of which 5.1 kg is the hammer, length is 970 mm retracted and 1375 mm extended.

Various factors have contributed to the decline in the use of this tool in recent years, top of the list would be the huge improvement in tyre technology, especially in the field of tubeless tyres, which sees less punctures and blow outs occurring. Coupled with the fact that it is possible to repair a punctured tubeless tyre without removing it from the rim,  it is virtually impossible to remove a 17 inch Land Cruiser,for instance, tyre without the use of a sophisticated tyre fitting machine usually only found in tyre shops.

Most service stations and road houses no longer offer a tyre fitting service due to O H & S issues.

Nonetheless, I'm certain that a few bush truckies, farmers and prospectors still have a bead breaker amongst their gear.