Super swampers fitting cost?

[Redcoat Ranger]

I have 38" TSL super swampers on my (wife's) truck and as the truck hasn't been used for a long while the rear tires went totally flat and de-beaded. They also now have big flat spots where the rim was crushing the sidewalls. I think the flat spots will drive out but they might make it difficult to rebead.

A local 4x4 shop wants approx 80 bucks to re-bead them. I haven't found another tire place that will work with 38" rubber. Is 80 bucks expensive to reseat two tires? $80 is still better than forking out for new tires I suppose...

[72hiboy4x4]

Do you have a compressor? do it yourself.
and I think $80 is rediculous! try Les Schwab Tires. they should be able to do it. although they will just try and sell you new ones, saying the old ones are 'bad'.


first off, get the wieght of the truck off them. put them in a warm spot in the house for a few days so the rubber is pliable, then run some dishsoap and water mix on the beads. pull the needle valve out and apply air. use the wieght of the rim to help seat the beads.

aw heck, give me a call after this weekend. I may be able to come down and give you a hand setting them for free!

[68half/step4x4]

Yeah, I think $80 is to much also. Sometimes the bigger tires can be a pain. but you should be able to do it with help.

[fordman]

if you can't reseat them by just air and bouncing the tire. then take a tie down strap with the racheting mechanism on it and put it around the entire tread of the tire and tighten it down. that will force the bead outward toward the rim and make the tire reseat when you put air in it. another trick is to pack lots and lots of thick grease around the bead to seal the gap between the rim and the tire. then air it up. and 80.00 is too much money. some tire shops have a air blaster they can use and tractor tires to reseat the bead when they get a hard one to reseat. you could try a farm tire place. for a better price if you have to.

[Jake11]

You could even use rope with and a stick to twist it tight. Done it before.
Then all you need is air and determination. And a little luck helps too.

Good Luck, Keith P


80$

[1970F250]

hey! what about a place that works with semi truck tires they should be able to do it.

[460 crew]

That is a good one. Did this fellow have any eyebrows?

[Redcoat Ranger]

I'm not sure I want to try burning gas in the tires, knowing my luck they'd just explode.

I don't have a compressor and my local Les Schwab is more 4x4 friendly than most so I'm trying to get the sidewalls good again by leaving 100lb weights at certain places to correct the warping, then I'll take them to Schwabs and see if they can do it.

Thanks for the suggestions

[jeepermc]

Did this get resolved? 15"wheels should be a piece of cake to reseat, but I'm guessing you have 16.5's.....The easiest solution would be your local Les Schwab as suggested. I worked there for almost 4 years. Most have a bead seating tool called the Cheetah that will seat almost anything easily. If they won't do it, the ratchet strap mentioned works sometimes. Make sure you release the strap just after it starts airing up. Try putting the wheels over a five gallon bucket (or chunk of wood for 38's) that fits inside the wheel and gets the tire off the ground. That way the back bead will have the weight of the tire pushing it on and you pull the front bead up to seal. Also, the warmer the better...much more pliable and easier to work with. Starting fluid and a match can also work for those really tough tires, but I'd use that as a last resort only. It can be really tricky (not to mention life threatening) if not done right. I did a full set of 16.5's in my driveway like that and it was interesting to say the least.

[jeepermc]

The only possible reasons Les Schwab might not air them up for you would be if they were severely dry rotted or too worn out to be safe. And having the sidewalls deformed shouldn't affect the decision to air up or not. The deformations will go away with air in the tires. Any bias ply mud tire is going to be a rough ride no matter what. Even more so on cold mornings or after it has sat for awhile. The construction of the tires is just that way. They get flat spots that mellow out after a few miles.