Removing tires from wheels

[Rdub]

whats the best way to loosen the glue on wheels? Need to keep the tires in tact so I can remount!

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but I'm from the days of 3 piece bolted together wheels!!

 

[BigSplit]

I used the CA remover from the hobby shop successfully. Just takes some time and patience. Put some remover on the seal and play with pressing the tire to work it in. Let sit for a few minutes. Wipe off the glue that starts coming off. Keep repeating until the tire is off.

 

[Rdub]

I used the CA remover from the hobby shop successfully. Just takes some time and patience. Put some remover on the seal and play with pressing the tire to work it in. Let sit for a few minutes. Wipe off the glue that starts coming off. Keep repeating until the tire is off.

Awesome! Thank you!

 

[Dustin Mustangs]

I was able to get all 4 of my granite's tires off intact with out a debonder, just good old elbow grease. I used my thumbs to roll the sidewall of the tire away from the lip of the rim and towards the center. Some spots were weaker than others, I started at a weak one and just worked my way around. Maybe 15 minutes for all 4.

 

[WoodiE]

Boiling the tires also works pretty well as well.

 

[ajdragon]

Hi

Here is what I do to get tires off of rims. I take a cookie sheet and put a piece of cardboard on it. I then put the tires on the cardboard and bake them in the oven for 15 min. at 300 to 350 degrees. After that the tires pop right off of the rims . I have been using this technique now for quite a few years and have yet to ruin a single rim.

 

[jt101]

I do something similar to baking. I use a heat gun. You can put the rims down on a baking sheet then heat them by applying heat around the bead moving the heat constantly. I have heard of others using a hair dryer but im sure that would take forever. just be careful and use gloves a heat gun can get very hot very quickly.

 

[Unusual RC]

Hi

Here is what I do to get tires off of rims. I take a cookie sheet and put a piece of cardboard on it. I then put the tires on the cardboard and bake them in the oven for 15 min. at 300 to 350 degrees. After that the tires pop right off of the rims . I have been using this technique now for quite a few years and have yet to ruin a single rim.

In Celsius that would be 150-160 degrees, which I did this afternoon:

I let them in for 15 minutes, as you suggested
And indeed one side of the rim came of easily, without damage to both the tire and rim:

As you can see the other side was still bonded, without any sign of coming off.

Next I did the second set I have, same procedure.
And nothing let loose, even with applying a lot of force to it!

What went wrong?
Next I will test @WoodiE 's boiling trick.

By the way, have two blisters on my thumbs. First because I was foolish not to wear gloves
Secondly, there was so much sand in it. Sand keeps it's warmth quite well, so the tires stayed a long time bloody hot!

 

[Mahrensx4]

whats the best way to loosen the glue on wheels? Need to keep the tires in tact so I can remount!

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but I'm from the days of 3 piece bolted together wheels!!

Go to Lowe's or home depot or any hardware store, buy an empty gallon paint can and a gallon of acetone. Then what I did was drilled a small hole in the lid to tie the wheel too. Hang it tight to the lid, pour just about an inch of acetone in the can then seal it up. After about a day the tire will almost fall off the rim. No need to stink up the house with the oven. Let alone all the chemical u are releasing from the plastic

 

[Unusual RC]

Go to Lowe's or home depot or any hardware store, buy an empty gallon paint can and a gallon of acetone. Then what I did was drilled a small hole in the lid to tie the wheel too. Hang it tight to the lid, pour just about an inch of acetone in the can then seal it up. After about a day the tire will almost fall off the rim. No need to stink up the house with the oven. Let alone all the chemical u are releasing from the plastic

Thanks for another option!
But acetone is quite some Chemical fluid, known for reacting with most types of plastics.
3D prints can even be "polished" by the fumes of the acetone.

About the oven method: the only smell noticeable is that of the rubber.
My concern with the oven was the melting temperature of some plastics is around 150degC/300degF

As far as I could see no damage has been done by this method (other then to my thumbs )

 

[Mahrensx4]

Thanks for another option!
But acetone is quite some Chemical fluid, known for reacting with most types of plastics.
3D prints can even be "polished" by the fumes of the acetone.

About the oven method: the only smell noticeable is that of the rubber.
My concern with the oven was the melting temperature of some plastics is around 150degC/300degF

As far as I could see no damage has been done by this method (other then to my thumbs )

You never let the wheel touch the acetone, and if ur worried about acetone then don't use debonder. Every debonder I've seen use acetone to break up the CA glue. All I know is I have a kid and a fiance that greatly appreciate me not baking tires because of the nasty smell.

Also have u handle a wheel after it gets hot enough to break the CA bond, not to mention boiling isn't great for the foams. They don't like water

 

[Unusual RC]

I used acetone once to remove paint from a body. It did the job, but the downside was it reacted with the clear body making it "smoky" (translucent instead of clear).

Thanks for the comment about the inserts.
I have two of those out, so I will see if they are made out of open foam or closed cell.

Agree the smell is not nice, but got no comments from my wife and kids yet

 

[djBarren]

Boiling the tires also works pretty well as well.

This method worked well for me.

 

[Aboulafia]

Probably the best way to remove the tire easy and keep the rim without any glue (tested for my buggy 1/8) is to use a pressure cooker. I put the wheel on the steam gasket and let it "cook" for 30 mn. The wheel stay dry, and the tire is easy to remove. The steam is degreaser too.
If some glue stays on the rim, put the rim and cook it a new time (15-30 mn) and you will remove the glue on the rim easy.
I tried on boiling water, air gun (pro) and pressure cooking is really the best method. Try it, you'll never change.
Never, use acetone. It's bad for almost all things and for your health. It's popular because it is the cheapest cetone. Acetone is often bad quality cetone and can make some issue when glueing (principaly with epoxy). You can use denatured alcohol for degreasing or MEK instead of Acetone if you want to use a cetone based family. But not on plastic.

 

[Unusual RC]

Thanks for another method!

Did some googling to this matter, and some say factory glued wheels and tires are impossible to get loose these ways. Mine are factory glued...

Unfortunately I have no pressure cooker, but since the steam is way more hot than under atmospheric pressure, I guess 300degF can be reached that way too.

Will try the oven on 300degF for 15 minutes again as soon as the house is empty

Next set of tires will be glued myself

 

[Aboulafia]

I didn't found this on Google, It's my home made method.
I'm thinking, if it works with boiling water, steam schould be better and steam with pressure truely effective.
But, I schould not be the only one on this planet to had this reflection ;-)
Tell me if you find something about that on Google

Next test will be when i'll change the truck of my Nero.
Factory glued or not, it schould work.

 

[Mahrensx4]

View attachment 5424

Probably the best way to remove the tire easy and keep the rim without any glue (tested for my buggy 1/8) is to use a pressure cooker. I put the wheel on the steam gasket and let it "cook" for 30 mn. The wheel stay dry, and the tire is easy to remove. The steam is degreaser too.
If some glue stays on the rim, put the rim and cook it a new time (15-30 mn) and you will remove the glue on the rim easy.
I tried on boiling water, air gun (pro) and pressure cooking is really the best method. Try it, you'll never change.
Never, use acetone. It's bad for almost all things and for your health. It's popular because it is the cheapest cetone. Acetone is often bad quality cetone and can make some issue when glueing (principaly with epoxy). You can use denatured alcohol for degreasing or MEK instead of Acetone if you want to use a cetone based family. But not on plastic.

You never actually put the acetone on the rim. The fumes alone break up the glue. Out of all of the chemicals that I've used, I'm in the paint business btw. Acetone is one of the better ones or it wouldn't be in things such as nail polish remover that goes on the skin.

 

[Unusual RC]

But, I schould not be the only one on this planet to had this reflection ;-)
Tell me if you find something about that on Google.

As far as my search went: I did find the boiling and acetone-in-a-container trick a few times.
But your pressure cooking trick was completely new to me! If I had one, I would definitely try it!

Indeed what would they use in the factory concerning glue? What would be the difference with the tire glue you buy in the HS's?

 

[Aboulafia]

But your pressure cooking trick was completely new to me! If I had one, I would definitely try it!

Be confident. It's safe for your pressure cooker and your rim. It's better the wheel do not touch the water on your steam basket. Like this all stay dry ! I left the wheel for long time (around 30 mn or more if necessary). Like this, the glue begin hard and brittle and can be easy removed ;-)

 

[Unusual RC]

I have no pressure cooker unfortunately, otherwise I would definitely try it.

I did have a look what they cost locally. More than a new set of two wheels...