So... after airing down to 15 psi, you knock a bead loose and go flat

How does one extricate themselves from that situation (assuming you have a jack and a compressor...)?

 

If you bust a bead starter spray and a lighter )

 

Ratchet strap around the tire to compress it. Then fill it up with air. If you blow a bead at 15 PSI something is way wrong though. I go down to 8 psi all the time and hardly ever loose beads.

 

The most straightforward option is your *spare tire*.

If you absolutely must re-seat the one off the bead, you'll need some flammable spray and something to ignite it with. Having a fire extinguisher on hand for this is a good idea just in case, but it does work.

 

Bad judgment can be surprisingly effective at hard-to-obtain results.

 

Story of my life...

 

Thank you-I am going to practice the procedure. Yes I have a spare...

 

A lot depends on tire/wheel size/type.

 

Take the tire off the truck, clean sand/crap out of the seating area, put the wheel (not tire) on something broken bead side down to elevate the tire, press down on the tire while airing it back up. A ratchet strap can help as can lubricating the bead with whatever you have banging around in someone's tool box. Its also easier with the highest volume compressor your group is carrying.

 

I did that trick once, using gasoline... worked like a charm! Only wish someone recorded it!

 

A spare tire?

The fire method works, but is also really dangerous.

I carry a portable air tank (and a compressor) for this reason, although I haven’t tried rebeading with the tank, but it’s gotta be better than just a compressor.

 

Interesting idea to blow up the inner part of the wheel/tire. I have a question though.

My off road playground takes me 18 miles of dirt road to get to and has its share of washboards. I like to air down for better traction and a softer ride. How much is too much? I like to go 16 pounds but would like to go down further. It's not just the bead I worry about, but the health of my tires. Can it be good to run your tires at up to 45mph for 18 miles (average 20)? Or should I wait until I realy need it?

 

Every single tire, and truck setup is different.

You need to make this call. You need to get out and check your tires, are they to hot? How do you check and know? Easy as put your wrist on the sidewall, just like a baby bottle. If it's to hot to touch, you are doing it very very wrong!


I know how I check.


I dont tend to go below 15 PSI in the summer often its 20 or so. In the winter 5 PSI can be the trick that we run at all day. Every single day and adventure is different.

 

Speed is your enemy when deflated IF you turn suddenly, brake suddenly, or hit a rock fast. 4WD allows you to go slow, save the parts, keeps the tires on the rim. I have gone as low as 6 psi (once) in sand when the tide was rising and the sand was super fluffy. That was long ago, in my 2001 Tacoma... now, 15 psi is the lowest I have gone using the tires I do (Hankook DynaPro ATm) with my 2010 Tacoma.

 

As @llamasmurf said, that depends. Everyone is different, with different equipment and skill levels.

Why do you think you want to go lower? I highly doubt you'll find a significant improvement in ride "softness" on gravel roads going any lower than 16. For that, you'll need nicer shocks. I don't really see a need to go lower for non-technical dirt roads. The lower you go, not only do you run the risk of blowing a bead if you turn or brake suddenly, it also negatively affects your handling. It's like driving on sponges, lol. Also the heat, as mentioned.

I typically air down to ~18psi the minute I hit dirt. I pretty much leave it there unless I get to a technical section and I need more traction. I've never gone lower than 10, I spend the vast majority of my time at 15-18psi.

 

The type of tire and the vehicle weight will dictate the pressure. Most all terrain tires do fine at 15-20 psi off road for floatation in sand or smooth riding on the rough stuff. However mud terrain, aggressive tires and 3-ply sidewall tires need to have more air removed. Cooper Discoverer STT tires and BFG All Terrain TA tires (for example) need to be dropped to 10 psi to equal what 18 psi does with my Hankook DynaPro ATm tires.

 

What ever you do, I would highly suggest practicing at home, you know when you can just walk inside if it doesnt work. Or get another beer.

Use an old spare tire, or even head to the local tire shop and they’d more than likely give you an old tire they were going to toss anyway. A 6 pack never hurts to help grease those wheels, as it were...

 

I re-seated the bead on all 4 of my tires after removing the TPMS in each of them. This was done in my driveway with minimal tools

These were KO2's and the bead was just begging to go back to its home, I had to fight to get it to compress to the point where I could comfortably ( and safely ) fit my hand in to remove them. This made it easy to re-seat. I just had to inflate them. I did remove the core out to remove any possible air flow restrictions. Did it help? IDK, but it worked. 4x in a row. ( oh and I used dish soap to lube up the bead, not so much for it being lube, but more to help the initial seal )

I've had great luck with ratchet straps on smaller tires ( snow blower ) and I've used the fire trick on smaller tires ( snow blower ) but I've never had to use either one for a large vehicle tire. If the bead is not catching to the point where its holding air I usually just stand on the rim ( keep them toes out of the way! safety sandals can only protect you so much... ) with some 2x4's under the tire to "lift" it off the ground giving the rim room for my fat @$$ to push it down. One time I think I bounced the tire on the ground while inflating to get the bead to catch the rim.

all it takes is a little bit of a seal and your in business.