There is a wealth of information available in the original WW2 Army Motors published by the Technical Service Division, Holabird Quartermaster Motor Base, Baltimore, MD
From Army Motors, August 1942.
We always like to sit in a, soft chair and tell people how easy it is to change a tire. Because for our money – there isn’t any easy way to change a tire. But there are ways of changing one that makes it easier, and is easier on the tire and tube.
While strolling through, the shop with our concealed camera lens peeping out through a cross in our shoe strings, we picked up the accompanying picture sequence with some comments both educational and profane that may help you save rubber and skinned knuckle’s.
As we see it, some trusting souls with a limited knowledge–of life and split rims, expect things to happen this way:
After removing the valve core to make sure that a11 the air is out of the tube, and then taking off the rim nuts, they stand back quietly, expecting the split-type rim to crumble away from the tire with no more activity on their part, part, than a close inspection of their nail polish.
But it does not happen that way. Any tendency of the wheel to dissolve away from the tiremust be aided and abetted by a few persuasive blows of the hammer and a few sweeps of the spoon iron.
Furthermore, there is a popular misconception that the close affinity between tire and rim, is due to the halves of the split rim having got stuck together. And any amount of preying, pounding and imprecation has been showered on the innocent rim without result.
One little group we know of, attacked a tire and rim unsuccessfully for three hours, inflicting considerable damage to the beads and their tempers, and finally, in sheer desperation, drove a 2 1/2 ton truck over the sidewalls in an attempt to dislodge the tire from the rim – with, we might a d d, further unsuccess.
The truth of the matter is twofold: First, there’s the beadlock supporting the tire from the inside. Second, the bead does stick tenaciously to the rim.
The proper approach is scientific and deliberate.
The spoon iron must be driven between the bead and rim and worked around to completely loosen the bead. The reward at, the end of the few short minutes it requires to loosen the bead, is the rim seperating as effortlessly as an egg dropping out of a halved shell.
As our pictures prove, there’s nothing more to it, than that.
A few words of caution though: Tubes that have been in service long enough to have become stretched, wrinkle when returned to the tire, and are sure to give trouble in time — replace them.
When reassembly of the rim has begun, it’s a good idea to round out the tube with a little air — this helps hold the valve in place, and keeps the tube from getting pinched.
Well, it’s been easy changing a tire with our big, fat mouth –we’re sure you won’t find it so easy with your hands. But that’s all right — you like hard work.
Now follow our photography.