There are many ways to get a tire off a rim, and none of them are easy. You may think you can simply slice a tire with a knife and remove it that way, but the rubber is very thick and the knife will probably just end up breaking. But don’t despair! There are other ways to get that tire off the rim. Here’s how to remove a tire from a rim. There are multiple ways in which removing a tire from a rim can be accomplished. However, it’s up to you as to whether or not you want to put that old tire back on as an accessory when finished removing it from the rim. Whatever your reason for removing the tire, here’s how to remove a tire from a rim.
How To Remove A Tire From A Rim
- The first step to removing a tire from a rim is to remove the valve stem and the valve core. If you have the type of tire that has a removable valve stem, then all you need to do is unscrew it. However, if you have a tire with an integral valve stem that’s molded into the body of the tire, then you’ll need to cut off the stem. The easiest way to do this is with a utility knife or other sharp blade. Carefully slice through the rubber at the base of where the stem sits in order to remove it.
- Next, remove any remaining pieces of rubber that are still attached to your rim by using a putty knife or similar tool in order to scrape away as much rubber as possible from your rim. This will help reveal any other spots on your rim that may be holding on to parts of your tire.
- Remove any additional pieces of rubber from around your rim by using an old rag and some WD-40 or another lubricant in order to get underneath those stubborn pieces of rubber and pry them off from your wheel rims. Once you’ve removed all visible remnants of your tires from your rims, you can move on to removing whatever else may be holding onto those tires which may include:
- Remove any remaining pieces of dried glue or adhesive which was used during installation by using a solvent like acetone in order to dissolve away those leftover remnants which are still stuck to your rim.
- Remove any remaining pieces of rubber from your rims by using a wire brush in order to scrape away any remaining pieces of rubber which are still stuck onto your rims.
- If you’re planning on re-installing the tires back onto your wheels, then be sure to clean everything off with a rag and warm soapy water in order to remove all traces of whatever it was that you used in order to remove the tires from the rim. This will ensure that it will go back on smoothly without any additional problems that may arise due to residue left over from whatever you used in the removal process.
- Once those tires have been removed, you can now install new tires onto those wheels if you so choose, or you can simply toss them into a recycling bin if they’re not going back onto the car. Remember, never attempt this without being fully prepared for what could possibly happen during this process. It’s always best to have someone there with you as well as some form of protection such as gloves and eye protection should something go wrong while removing that tire from the rim.
Hammer And Chisel Method
- Start by chipping away at the tire near the valve stem until you make a hole large enough to fit your hand into.
- After you’ve made a large enough hole, put your hand inside and find the metal rim strip that keeps the tire attached to the wheel. Grab it with your fingers and pull it off.
- Now that you have removed the metal rim strip, grab your hammer and chisel and smash the tire slowly around its circumference until it is completely off of the wheel. This can take some time; be patient!
- Once finished, if you want to use that old tire as an accessory, simply roll it up and tie it with string or rope in whatever fashion you see fit!
- If you don’t want to use it as an accessory, throw it away! This is not recommended though; old tires are great for making things like swings for kids or even dog houses!
- Repeat this process for any other tires on your car before disposing of them properly in accordance with local laws and regulations.
Scrape The Rubber Off With A Knife
- The first thing you want to do is scrape the rubber off the rim with a knife. The tire is attached to the rim by glue. If you can remove the rubber, you can get it off without much trouble.
- Use a flathead screwdriver to pry any rubber that is stuck to both the rim and tire off of either one and then scrapes away at what’s left with your knife. You may have to apply some elbow grease if the rubber is really stuck on there.
- Once all of the rubber has been removed from both the tire and rim, take a look at how much of it there was and how much of it you were able to get off with your knife. Be sure that all of it has been removed or else you’ll end up having problems removing your tire from your rim later on down this list.
- Once all of the rubber has been removed from both sides, use an air compressor or air duster to blow away any leftover residue from either side as well as any dirt or dust particles that may have accumulated in between where the tire meets the rim (also known as “the valve stem”).
- Now that all traces of rubber have been removed, use another flathead screwdriver (preferably one with a sharper edge) to pry away at any leftover glue between where your old tire used to be and where it now needs to be so that when we go back to insert a new one, there will be plenty of space for it to fit.
Using A Tire Iron/Breaker Bar
- Place the rim over the tire you want to remove.
- Using a tire iron or breaker bar, place it between the rim and tire.
- Using leverage, twist the bar until it breaks through the rubber and comes in contact with the metal edge of the rim.
- Twist again until you’ve broken through enough of that metal edge to pull out at least one of the spokes of the tire and then use a hammer to pound them out from there. You may have to repeat this process for all four tire spokes depending on how tightly they were laced onto their respective rims, so be sure to have patience when doing so.
- Once all four spokes are removed, you can now pull out your old tire from its respective rim using brute force and some strength! If you’re having trouble removing your old tire from its respective rim, try hitting it with a hammer while pulling on it with your hands; this should loosen up whatever is stuck inside of it enough for you to get a better grip on it!
- Once the old tire is removed, you can either put it back on as an accessory or throw it away and use a new one instead!
Using Chemicals
- If you have a lot of patience and don’t mind waiting for the chemical to work, it’s possible to remove a tire from a rim using chemicals. The chemicals will dissolve the glue holding both the tire and rim together. It’s best to use this method in a well-ventilated room because chemicals can be dangerous when used in high concentrations.
- Place the old tire on some newspaper or other kind of protective covering that will prevent the chemical from ruining your floor or carpeting.
- Apply the chemical with a spray bottle evenly over both the inside and outside of the tire, making sure that you get all sides covered equally.
- Let it sit for about an hour or so before attempting to remove it from the rim.
- Once you think it has soaked through enough, place your hands in water and then rub them over where you want to remove the tire from its position on the rim. This will help loosen up some of that rubber that is still stuck to the rim by its glue.
- Next, try pulling at it with your hands. If this doesn’t work, try grabbing small sections of rubber and pulling at them gently until they are free from their spot on the rim.
- If all else fails, grab a knife or similar sharp object and carefully slice off some sections of rubber around where you want to remove it from its position on top of your wheel.
Conclusion
Removing a tire from a rim is no easy feat. It can be a very difficult and ultimately frustrating process. The best thing to do is have patience and be sure to take your time. If you rush it, you’re bound to get frustrated or even hurt yourself. Luckily, there are numerous ways to remove the tire from the rim. Not all of them are easy, but with a little work and patience, you’ll be able to remove the tire with no problem.
