Tire Change On Collapsible Spare Wheels

[FS1973]

Dear all,

I am looking for a spare wheel collapsible date stamp late 1972. I have a spare wheel with the wrong date stamp 33/81.

Some offer only the steel wheels without tire (5,5x15). Can I buy only the rim and put the tire from my other spare wheel (33/81) on it? Would that fit and do the tire shops have the right tools to change these tires?

Thanks.......Oliver

[fourteenten]

Oliver,

You should be able to do that, or at least the tire shop. These old space savers are very stiff, but normally not a problem to get them on. Taking them off is another matter, they need to inflate the tire a bit so it has expanded (folded out) and only then they can try to remove it. I had a few shops that refused, other tried very hard but failed and the third shop knew what they were doing.

Good luck,

Cees

[FS1973]

Thanks, good hint to inflate a bit before start to dismantle.......Oliver

[Harvey Weidman]

We have dismounted and remounted well over 100 of these.
If you break the top bead and remove before breaking the bottom bead (then remove the tire) there is room enough in the drop center for the bead.
This advise is contrary to all that tire shops know about removing tires. If both beads are broken, we inflate until they are seated again and then do deflate it correctly.
But if you understand that there isn't enough room for all of the sidewall of both sides to be in the drop center at the same time, it makes sense.
To install, they act more like a normal tire. Inflate to seat the beads. Then deflate and leave the core out while using a strap to condense the size.
We leave it this way overnight and then replace the core. if it is still large we pull the strap again and leave it a while to shrink.
HTH
H

[FS1973]

Hi Harvey,

Thanks for this perfect repair instructions. I would be happy to have you here ��

I went to my tire shop this morning. They had a few of these tires already and they always had the problem putting the tire back in its right position after installation. But you descibed how to handle this!

Harvey, what do you mean with "break" the top and bottom bead"?

Cheers and thanks.......Oliver

[Harvey Weidman]

"Break" the bead is referring to pushing the tire off of the bead seating (some call safety bead)
H