REPAIRING A TUBELESS TYRE USING THE BEAD BREAKER

Repairing a puncture is simple or so we are lead to believe:  Remove the object causing the injury, push in a tyre plug covered in tyre cement, pump it up and you are on your way. Talk to the experts and they will give you another opinion and probably the correct advice.

Firstly dip-push+pull type plugs should only be used for very small injuries. Horror of horrors, I have heard of 4x4 owners who have repaired large injuries, by using multiple dip-push+pull plugs, up to 8 to plug a hole. If this is all that you have in an emergency, then use it, but be acutely aware of the danger of a blow-out which could have serious, if not tragic results.

If you take the correct advice, any repair to a tyre, other than a really minor puncture should always be done by removing the tyre from the rim, so that the repair can be done from the inside, using preferably a mushroom-plug or a gaiter, for larger injuries.

Probably the most difficult task in effecting a proper repair to a tyre is removing the tyre from the rim. Once the tyre is off, the rest is probably plain sailing, until it gets to the part where you need to re-seat the tyre, that satisfying plop sound that you hear when the tyre, now under pressure, forces the bead against the rim.

The following guide is recommended for the fitting of tubeless tyres. The techniques should preferably be practiced at home, so that you don’t have to make your travel pleasure, a learning experience.

Before we start  - Tyre & Rim Terminology

Remove the valve core/insert from the valve, using a 4-way valve tool, so that all the air escapes from the tyre.
The insert/core removal tool has a slotted point that you insert into the valve-stem and turn anti-clockwise until the valve insert is removed.

Quality valve-removal tools are usually four-way tools, providing you with the ability of chasing (re-cutting) the internal thread of the valve, as well as the external thread.

Removing a valve stem

In all likelihood, you will not have to remove the valve stem following a puncture or injury to your tyre. However, removal of a damaged valve-stem from the rim normally results in the destruction of the valve since it is probably the simplest to cut the valve-stem off with a knife and force it out.

Replacing a valve stem – the proper way

Replacing the valve-stem might need a little technique. Wet the valve-stem with a soapy solution or tyre lube and insert it, the easy way, from the inside of the rim using a valve-snapping tool such as the one alongside.

If you do not have a valve snapping /insertion/pulling tool, such as the one shown alongside, use the 4-way valve tool and a vice grip. Do not try and hammer the valve in or grip it directly on the stem with a vice grip. You will damage it and it could end up popping with a sudden loss of air and serious consequences.

Replacing a valve stem – using a vice grip

Screw the 4-way valve tool onto the outside of the valve-stem, as far as it will go, and grip the valve tool in a vice grip. Give it a gentle pull and the valve-stem should pull through the rim and seat itself.

Before you start, first mark the edge of the tyre with a wax crayon, where the valve is situated. This, so that you know where to reposition the tyre once you replace it on the rim, for two reasons.

In the excitement and rush you might put the tyre on back to front, which is a no-no with radial tyres.

Secondly if the tyre does not return to the “exact’ same place you will have a wheel that is out of balance.

The small finger shows the crayon mark where the tyre should align with the valve

Rim construction and design differ from vehicle to vehicle. One of the more difficult rims to de-bead is the Land Rover alloy rim, since it has a very large tyre safety bead which requires a lot of effort to force the rim off over the safety bead.

The bead of the tyre is something that is designed to stay stuck on the rim. Notice how the sidewall of the tyre in the picture below is totally destroyed, but the bead is still clinging on to the edge of the rim.

Removing this tyre from the rim is going to be a problem.

Note the huge safety bead that the bead breaker has to push the tyre over in order to remove the tyre form the Land Rover alloy rim.  Yip the British revenge.

Lubrication eases fitting

When fitting or removing a tyre from a rim life is a lot easier if you use some form of lubrication. Soapy water and a sponge will always do the trick, otherwise a Squeeze bottle of proper Tyre Lube which you should be able to get form your local fitment centre is recommended (Take your own bottle).

Since the rim is air tight, you will not have much effect by running soapy water / tyre lube on the edge of the rim, but once you have broken the bead lubrication will assist in getting the tyre over the edge of the rim.

NEVER USE OIL as lubrication, when fitting tyres.

Hit the edge of the tyre with a rubber mallet until it comes off.

Make sure that you have friends with wet towels and lots of liquid refreshment around, because this can take a little while, especially in the mid-day heat, on a sandy track, during high summer in the Zambezi valley. Also ensure that your Medical Scheme covers self-inflicted back injuries, because it is a back-breaking task.  

OK I was joking. It isn’t gonna work like this!!!!!!! A rubber mallet is however one of the more important items of your tyre changing equipment.

Place the deflated tyre in a position, in-line with a fully inflated good tyre, so that when you drive over the punctured tyre, the vehicle will climb up onto the deflated tyre and force the tyre from the rim.

Please no standers by! A little too far from the rim, and the punctured tyre will first of all stand upright, smacking the side of your vehicle, just before it pops out from under the driven wheel flying a short distance and landing on an interested onlooker.

Place the tyre under your bumper and place your Hi-Lift jack, between the tyre and the bumper, in such a way so that the foot of the Hi-lift jack is as close as possible to the edge of the rim. Jack away, but be careful, the tyre can start lifting on the side where there is no pressure.

Have a heavy-weight innocent bystander with whom you or anyone else has not been able to build up a great relationship. Have him hold the side of the flat tyre down, as it lifts.  He will be smiling and consider this his moment of glory. So he probably will feign Rambo and pretend to have no pain as he grips his hands between his legs holding both the damaged thumb and any other part of his anatomy that got knocked when the jack’s foot slipped off the tyre. Be very careful of this method if you are still planning additional family.

The base plate has been known to do damage to the sidewall on tyres where the bead is really stubborn, due to rust forming between the bead and the rim.

Use a tyre de-beading tool, there are a couple on the market, some more elaborate and quite expensive.

Some will require a minimum of two people to assist, whilst others might require three people and someone waving and wiping a wet towel over your sweaty body.

The Bead Breaker is a solid steel tool, guaranteed for life. It is powder coated and has three indexing studs; one threaded, which needs only finger tightening of the nut, to keep the Bead Breaker in position on the Hi-Lift Jack.

Bead Breaker comes in two models, one for the “Welded” foot and one for the “Cast-iron” foot, since the indexing holes differ.

In this photo the Bead Breaker is fitted to the base plate of the Hi-Lift jack and the nut is then finger tightened.

Bead-Breaker order from

Place the rim under your bumper and place the semi-circular push-plate against the edge of the rim.

Ensure that the jack, the tyre and the bumper are vertically aligned and jack away. You will notice that the body will lift slightly which is a clear indication of the force required to remove and break a bead on a rim. Tyres don’t come off the bead that easily, because they are designed to remain on the rim.

Be warned, the edge of the tyre (Bead), sits very snuggly against the rim of the wheel. If you have neglected your tyres, or you have used your vehicle in salty water, there might even be a little rust between the tyre and the rim which makes it exceptionally difficult to break the bead. In this case you might have to release the jack and turn the tyre a little and then go through the process a second time, pushing the bead off a little further on the rim.

But be assured tough that the tyre will dislodge itself from the rim, without damage to the tyre and the rim.

Once completed, turn the tyre over and using your Bead Breaker, break the bead the other side of the tyre.

To see a video clip of the operation of the Bead Breaker

You need to have some knowledge about rims.  Rims differ amongst vehicles, but in many cases you will notice when looking at the cross-section of your rim, that there is a narrow section and a broader section where the tyre bead meets the rim. Always take a tyre off the rim by levering the tyre over the short section and not the long section.

There is another aspect about a rim that can easily be missed. Again looking at a cross section of a rim, there is a “deep” area, called the tyre-well or drop-well (See tyre terminology above).

The tyre-well, together with the short seating side is what makes it possible to get a tyre onto a rim.

Now you can start using the tyre levers, but hold it!

Some lubrication will make life a lot easier. Again soapy water / tyre lube dabbed onto the edge of the tyre with a sponge will allow the tyre to slip over and off the edge of the rim a lot easier.

Alongside are the tools you will need to remove a tyre from the rim. Two tyre levers will suffice, but three can make it easier. At least one tyre lever should be a  magnanimous creature.

Gedore – A number 39 and a 38 will usually do the trick.
 Buy quality, it pays in the long run

Levering a tyre off is best viewed in the flesh and is a learned technique, which you are again advised to practice at home. With the opposite edge of the bead, forced into the tyre well, insert the tyre lever below the tyre bead and lever the bead/edge of the tyre over the rim. If it does not come over easy. Then you are doing something wrong.

Put your no 12 boot on that lever and step down on that lever by placing most of your weight on the foot that is on the first lever that you have inserted.

The chances are good that the first action will keep the opposite edge of the bead will in the tyre well / drop well. If not have a friend step onto the sidewall forcing the opposite edge of the bead into the tyre well.

A section of the tyre will now be above the rim. Having easily achieved this with one lever, you must now use your longest lever to get the best fulcrum effect to move the next short section of tyre above the rim. This one often needs a bit more force, because the tyre bead is now at its maximum circumference.

Take the long lever and hook it under the tyre about 75 – 100mm from where the first lever is. Lever away and a small section of tyre will be lying on top of the edge of the rim. Remove the lever and again move it 75 -100mm further along the edge of the rim. Hook it under the tyre bead and again lever away so that some more of the tyre bead is lying above the rime. Repeat this process until the whole tyre is now lying outside of the rim.

Sometimes it is easier once a portion of the tyre is partially on top of the rim to stand the tyre vertically and then to hook the tyre lever in between the rim and the tyre and then to give the tyre lever a coupe of smart raps on its side with a rubber mallet, thereby freeing the tyre from the rim.

Depending on the type or repair that needs to be done, in some cases it will not be necessary to remove the other side of the rim to gain access to the injury. Luckily the other side always seems to come off easier.

In the event that you have to remove the tyre completely from the rim, it can now be easier to work with the tyre in the vertical. Ensure adequate lubrication and now pinching the tyre between your legs, insert the tyre lever between the edge of the rim and the tyre, again ensuring that the opposite edge of the bead is in the deepest are of the rim (tyre-well) lever the tyre off. Again the rubber mallet comes in handy and you can smack the tyre itself, thereby moving it over the edge of the rim.

With the tyre off the rim, you can now proceed to affect the required repairs to the inside of the tyre.

This tyre was destroyed when the driver reversed off the track to make a U-turn. Damage to the shoulder can be terminal

Here is a picture of damage caused by a sharp stone.

Mark the intrusion
Mark the area of the intrusion with a crayon, especially if it is a small hole. If you don’t, you could waste time trying to find it again and in worst cases, you might have to put the whole tyre back. Re-inflate and put it in water to find the hole. Don’t laugh. It has happened.

What to use
Having inspected and assessed the damage, it is now time to decide how you are going to proceed with the repair. Will you use a mushroom plug or a gaiter?

I have not included a detailed photographic section here on repairing a small hole, since this is relatively simple to describe.

• Remove the object causing the whole.
• Use the rasp like section of the tyre awl to clean out the area inside the intrusion.
• Fit a tyre plug to the plugging tool.
• Liberally apply tyre cement to the plugging tool and even to the hole in the tyre.
• Force the plugging tool with the plug and oozing glue halfway into hole.
• Remove the plugging tool.

Job Done!

Tyre Plugs

Cleaning the intrusion area

Gently probe the damage with a tyre awl and note the angle of the intrusion. Always maintain the angle of any work with the hole rasp in the same direction as the angle of the intrusion

It is recommended that for all tyres where the intrusion was caused by an object bigger than 3mm in diameter, that a mushroom-plug be used.

If the injury is bigger than 6mm, then a gaiter should be used.

Cleaning the area

With the object removed clean the area on the inside of the tyre, where you are going to fit the mushroom patch or gaiter, using MEK or Acetone.

The reason for this is that the inside of a tyre was coated with mould release agent during the manufacture, and the residue must be cleaned or else the glue will not bond the patch to the tyre.

Making it stick

Roughen up the area where the patch is going to be fitted. A piece of coarse abrasive paper that does not leave a residue behind will work, but requires a lot of effort. At the same time there are tyre-rasps that can be used.

Ensure that you clean out any rubber residue left inside the tyre before proceeding with any vulcanizing cement and patches. You need a nice flat surface to secure the patch.

After roughening, clean the area again with MEK or Acetone.

A handy combination tool is this on that provides a rasp on the one end and a wheel for rolling over the patch thereby ensuring proper adhesion of the patch to the vulcanizing cement.

As part of any serious of-road equipped, you need to invest in a rotational tool. A 220 Volt electric drill running of an inverter or a rechargeable drill, or my personal preference, air-tools – being either a die-grinder or an air drill.

I have fitted onboard air and have a York air-conditioning compressor filling a 14 liter tank providing an endless supply of air. A rotary cup rasp works best. This is used to gently buff the area to create a rough surface, which provides the proper adhesive surface for the vulcanizing cement to bond the patch to the inside of the tyre. Make sure that you clean out all residues from inside the tyre before proceeding with the net step.

The Gluey part

Tyre glue is better referred to as vulcanizing cement. This is a highly volatile mixture and once opened, especially small tubes, will soon evaporate and cause more damage to the ozone layer.

Be careful, the tube you used last year might look full, but when you open it, there just might be nothing left inside it. Glue needs to be spread liberally on the roughened are inside of the tyre covering an area larger than the size of the patch.

Read the instructions and let the glue dry before carefully placing the patch on the carcass of the tyre. If you are inserting a mushroom plug, you might want to first feed the cable partially through the hole to the outside of the tyre before commencing to cover the inside with vulcanizing cement.

Do not put vulcanizing cement on the mushroom plug or the gaiter. Cement only needs to be applied to the tyre carcass. Gaiters and some mushroom plugs have a plastic seal protecting the face (where it attaches to the tyre, in this case the yellow brown plastic) of the patch. This must carefully be removed without allowing the edge of the patch to curve in on itself. If the edge of the patch does roll up on itself, it could result in an ineffective seal, so be careful and rather work on a flat surface using a small tweezer or a knife. At the same time, don’t touch the face of the patch with your dirty, dust covered hands.

Mushroom Plug

Once the glue has dried, either pull the mushroom plug through the hole by attaching a pliers or vice grip to the protruding cable outside the tyre.

If you have used a mushroom plug, run the roller over the plug on the inside of the tyre so that the patch sticks to the inside of the tyre, snip of the wire in the outside and consider the job done.

Gaiter

If you have used a gaiter, carefully place the gaiter on the cemented area. Push it down as hard as you can and then using a roller wheel to ensure proper adhesion. Run the wheel over the entire area vertically, diagonally and horizontally. Use just enough pressure so that you don’t damage the edges of the plug or the surface of the gaiter.

Gaiters usually have a protecting plastic sheeting cover on the outside of the patch. When rubbing the gaiter the plastic becomes loose. When satisfied that the patch is properly seated, remove the inside plastic fro the gaiter.

That’s it!

Do a final inspection to ensure that there is no residue, on the inside of the tyre and now start the next exciting job of getting the tyre back onto the rim.  Maybe you need to sit down and relax a while with a cold one.

Step - 6  - Refitting the tyre to the rim

Refitting the tyre to the rim is again something you should practice at home before doing it along some sandy track in the depths of the Kalahari with 40 km to your destination and half-an-hour to sunset.

Re-fitting the tyre is a reversal of the taking–off process. You will again work with only the outward facing edge of the rim (or the thin side), inserting it into the back of the tyre, and then levering the front of the tyre over it again, to complete the job.

Fitting the rim to the tyre is best done with the tyre standing in the vertical position. Get the thin end of the rim in as deep as possible, making judicious use of the rubber mallet to get it in deep. With the tyre now half way in the wheel well, just before you lay the rim down flat put some soapy water or tyre lube on the edge of the tyre with a small sponge. This will make the job a lot easier.

Now lay the tyre down flat and gently lever the tyre over the rim.

Once one side of the rim is in, you must now lever the outside face of the tyre into the wheel. Again force the edge of the tyre as deeply as possible into the wheel well and then use your tyre lever to gently lever the bead over the edge of the rim. Again you will have to stand on the sidewall of the tyre so as to force the tyre into the wheel well. Be very careful that you do not force the bead of the tyre onto the rim in such a way that it gets damaged on the sharp edge of the rim.

If it does not want to go or is difficult to move, you are doing something wrong. Check and ensure that you do not damage the bead of the tyre. If the bead is damaged then there is a strong possibility of a leak occurring.

Remember the crayon markings mentioned earlier.  Align them so that your crayon markings line up with the valve, obviously having made sure that you did not fit the tyre on the wrong way around.

It is now time to inflate the tyre.

Connect your electric pump to the tyre and start inflating. Now is the time to get your mirror from your shaving kit, so that you can watch your face drop. Because the more your little electric pump, pumps, the more air escapes around the edge of the rim. So what now?

How did they manage to fit the tyre at the garage? Well it was easy there, because they had a huge compressor and a huge reserve of air that was forced into the tyre with a huge rush, overcame the slight leaks and just popped the tyre onto the bead.

Two things, that you should know before trying to reseat the tyre:

• Firstly the valve core must not be in the tyre valve at this stage, since it restricts the inflow of air.
• Secondly you must try and seat one side of the bead of the tyre as far as possible onto the rim. Use the handle of your rubber mallet, and try and force the bead onto the rim as far as possible, so as to create an air-tight seal. It is probably more prudent to force the tyre onto the narrow side of the rim working from inside of the wheel. The reason for this is that it should be easier for the tyres natural expansion to seat the bead against the broad side to create an airtight seal. With one side air-tight, you only have to concentrate on creating a seal on the other side and just maybe you are lucky and the tyre naturally seats and seals itself against the rim.

There are a couple of tricks that you need to know about and for which you need to prepare yourself for, by carrying the required equipment with you for each of these scenarios. Since you might need a combination of them to get the tyre seated onto the rim prepare for one or more. These tricks are in order of “old to bold” because as they say; “There are old pilots and there are bold pilots, but there are no old bold pilots.”

Use your ratchet strap, which you use to tie your equipment down and run it around the circumference of the tyre. Tighten it and ratchet the outside of the tyre as far as it goes. The pressure on the outside will force the tyre bead onto the edge of the rim and you might just get a tight enough seal for the mini air compressor to do the job. Smear some tyre lube or soapy water onto the edge of the tyre, since it will help to make a seal and will also make it slippery and ease the process of seating the tyre. With a bit of luck this might do the trick.

The ratchet strap needs to be a “Meneer”, since the 4x4 tyres are resistant to being deformed from the  outside.

Buy yourself a bicycle tube which when inflated just fits snugly around the edge of your rim, between the tyre and the rim. A tight fit is essential. A liberal dose of tyre lube or soapy water, but preferably tyre lube, should help to create a seal, so that your electric pump can start building up the pressure.

As the tyre starts to move onto the rim, gently manipulate the tube out of the way so that it does not end up being pinched between the tyre bead and the rim. Be careful that you do not get your fingers between the edge of the bead and the rim. When the tyre “pops” onto the bead it does so with a huge force. This could easily result in serious injury to one or more fingers.

Once a seal has been obtained, remove the bi-cycle tube completely and let the compressor do its work.

There are three possible sources, to get a “whoosh” of air.

• The first is to make up a set of connector hoses that can be connected to two or more tyres. Your full tyres, slightly over inflated are then the source of air to inflate and seat the flat tyre. The picture alongside (Compliments of Morne Stevens) gives and idea of how to make up a set of these hoses.
• The second is to use a Co2 cylinder.
• An adaptor made to fit onto a Scuba cylinder can also be used.

Alternatively a York or Sanden type compressor fitted to an engine pumping into a reservoir provides a continuous supply of air at the flick of a switch. See  fitting_a_york_compressor.

Something to note when using a tyre gauge to inflate the tyre hoping to get a rush of air. Many tyre gauges have a restriction in them that does not allow a whoosh of air to exit the nozzle that attaches to the tyre. A hand held push down nozzle is always better to use. This type of filler nozzle is depicted in the photo alongside.

Morne Stevens’ connector hoses

By connecting tyres together to form a combination, three or more tyres can create a whoosh of air.

If at all possible, remove the valves from the tyres so as to create an obstruction- free flow of air.

I have personally not tried this method and consider it to be one of the more dangerous ideas, but it does work, and some people swear by it and use nothing else.

Spray some lighter fluid inside the carcass of the tyre. Then run a bead of fluid to a safe distance, away from the tyre and throw a match. The flame will form a burn path to the tyre and then explode seating the tyre.

Here is a link to a video that can be downloaded to give you an indication of how the Zippo trick works.

From other sources, “Quick start” has been reported as successful and so can any other form of combustible material be used. BE CAREFUL and if you have no other way and must use this method, ensure that you are in an area where there will be no possibility of the flames/explosion setting anything else off.

This guide is an attempt at helping those people in the 4x4 community to keep their wheels rolling in the adverse conditions that we sometimes experience in Africa. 

If you wish to add any additional information, or provide pictures of your tyre repair experience, I would be glad to publish it on this site and give you the recognition for that information. 

If you have any comments on the article please do not hesitate to contact me. 

If you find the article useful and have made use of the advice given here, I would also like to hear from you. 

Best wishes for your travels through Africa. 

Guy Boardman