Mounting Wide Knobbies on Wide Rim

#1
How tough is it to mount 12" wide tires on Super Bronc Rims (probably about 10" wide). OEM tires are 21 X 12 - 8 and would like something new in that size range. Read here and there that putting these on the rims will even bring tears to some tire shop "experts!" Secondly, I don't want to run the risk of tire shop damaging my rims. Maybe an ATV shop would be an option if I have to take them in? Also, what name brand tires might I want to shop for? Heard a few weird stories about some tires being "out of round" even brand new. I've done riding mower mounts and didn't cry like a baby but then again these are much smaller tires/smaller rims. I'm assuming that breaking and then re-setting the bead on wider rims might be a bit tougher though I can WD-40 the hell out of everything and "man-up" if I need to. The Marine Corps toughened me up many years ago and I survived the SE Asia War Games but I'm no longer as lean or as mean! Help me out with some opinions on how to proceed. I'm assumming too that hard rubber- vs - soft rubber might be a factor in how hard it is to get these puppies onto a rim? Thank you kindly in advance.
 

jackb.

New Member
#2
Mounting any tires are hard. Just the other day my dad and I were putting our tires on our 4" rims and accidentally popped both of the innertubes. We ordered 4 more on amazon incase we messed up again. After about 1/2 an hour we got them on without popping them. I imagine it would be hard because of how much tire you would have to bring up and over the entire rim. I got my tires from https://www.OldMiniBikes.com/ , and they're just fine.
 
#3
How tough is it to mount 12" wide tires on Super Bronc Rims (probably about 10" wide). OEM tires are 21 X 12 - 8 and would like something new in that size range. Read here and there that putting these on the rims will even bring tears to some tire shop "experts!" Secondly, I don't want to run the risk of tire shop damaging my rims. Maybe an ATV shop would be an option if I have to take them in? Also, what name brand tires might I want to shop for? Heard a few weird stories about some tires being "out of round" even brand new. I've done riding mower mounts and didn't cry like a baby but then again these are much smaller tires/smaller rims. I'm assuming that breaking and then re-setting the bead on wider rims might be a bit tougher though I can WD-40 the hell out of everything and "man-up" if I need to. The Marine Corps toughened me up many years ago and I survived the SE Asia War Games but I'm no longer as lean or as mean! Help me out with some opinions on how to proceed. I'm assumming too that hard rubber- vs - soft rubber might be a factor in how hard it is to get these puppies onto a rim? Thank you kindly in advance.
It's actually not bad at all, I have never had an issue, they will seat up nice...as long as you stay away from the flatted tires out there.
Some tire manufacturers compress and then band their tires in stacks for shipping. then they ship out to you almost looking like a disc. You will certainly have a heck of a time with those.. just make sure they aren't flattened...
 

old shed finds

Well-Known Member
#4
It's actually not bad at all, I have never had an issue, they will seat up nice...as long as you stay away from the flatted tires out there.
Some tire manufacturers compress and then band their tires in stacks for shipping. then they ship out to you almost looking like a disc. You will certainly have a heck of a time with those.. just make sure they aren't flattened...
Most of these too never turn out to be perfectly round...
 
#5
Well I know for sure that my current old tires are out of round b/c I took the beast out for a very short "shake down cruise" (ie., to see how many parts fall off on the road) and though nothing came flying off, I felt myself "bobbing" up and down on perfectly good pavement. I'm betting that is due to the tires being old, out of shape, and decrepid--just like me! The rear tire sat in the garage--flat for years! Hopefully I can purchase relatively good quality tires that turn an almost perfect circle and run smoothly.
 

old shed finds

Well-Known Member
#6
Well I know for sure that my current old tires are out of round b/c I took the beast out for a very short "shake down cruise" (ie., to see how many parts fall off on the road) and though nothing came flying off, I felt myself "bobbing" up and down on perfectly good pavement. I'm betting that is due to the tires being old, out of shape, and decrepid--just like me! The rear tire sat in the garage--flat for years! Hopefully I can purchase relatively good quality tires that turn an almost perfect circle and run smoothly.
This sounds like our old tote gote...
Bounce a ride away from camp then get back and hope all the parts are still there. .
 

Attachments

#7
How tough is it to mount 12" wide tires on Super Bronc Rims (probably about 10" wide). OEM tires are 21 X 12 - 8 and would like something new in that size range. Read here and there that putting these on the rims will even bring tears to some tire shop "experts!" Secondly, I don't want to run the risk of tire shop damaging my rims. Maybe an ATV shop would be an option if I have to take them in? Also, what name brand tires might I want to shop for? Heard a few weird stories about some tires being "out of round" even brand new. I've done riding mower mounts and didn't cry like a baby but then again these are much smaller tires/smaller rims. I'm assuming that breaking and then re-setting the bead on wider rims might be a bit tougher though I can WD-40 the hell out of everything and "man-up" if I need to. The Marine Corps toughened me up many years ago and I survived the SE Asia War Games but I'm no longer as lean or as mean! Help me out with some opinions on how to proceed. I'm assumming too that hard rubber- vs - soft rubber might be a factor in how hard it is to get these puppies onto a rim? Thank you kindly in advance.
Tough. Baby powder, padded jaw vice grips, pot of simmering water, and there is a good thread here about home made tools to make it all work.
 

I74

Well-Known Member
#8
The best trick I found with any ''tough'' tire, is to put the tire outside in the sun for awhile, let it get hot,, & flip it a couple of times.

Put a tubeless one on the back of my bike the other day after letting it set in the mid morning sun for awhile, & didn't even have to use tire tools,, just a bit of Dawn w/hot water.

A lot of times with the tire getting hot in the sun,, it will get most, ''if not all'',, of it's shape back,, especially if you can also help that by spreading it apart, & working the shape with your ''gloved'' hands. ;)

I
 
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rugblaster

Active Member
#9
I had to make this mounting tool from a length of 5/8 hot rolled round bar. I heated the end of the bar and flattened it out as shown here and folded the edge over to grab the rim lip. I added a short piece of 3/8 square bar to the piece and welded it on to block the tire bead. Finished it up by super smoothing everything up with a flap disc. It is just a miniature version of a tool I have used on a manual tire changed at the farm and other places growing up. The wheel is placed over a short piece of square tubing mounted in a big vice and the homemade tool is leveraged against the square tube. I would further suggest you go to a tire/truck tire shop and hand them a small container and request a small amount of tire mounting lube.....Tell them your working on an old mini bike for your grandson and they will give it to you. The stuff come in a five gallon bucket, so you don't want to have to buy it unless your a farmer.
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DaddyJohn

Well-Known Member
#10
#11
Thank you. Good stuff to have in the garage when these things come up. Beats the hell out of soapy water and rusting the inside of the rim.
 
#13
Thank you, good to know. I got the tires on w/o breaking down and crying. Minor trouble getting the bead to seat on the Duro 22 X 11 - 8 (Front) mainly because the sidewall on this tire is pretty rugged and stiff (4 Ply) but I put the squeeze to it with a strap and it finally aired up. The ITP Holeshot 20 X 11 - 8 (Rear) went on easier and aired up without an argument. Note: Sidewall and the tire as a whole is softer rubber. This info might be helpful to others looking to buy and/or mount these tires. I suspect too that the rear tire will wear much faster due to the soft rubber makeup and the obvious fact that the "drive" is centered there. Add to it that my grandson is putting the "pedal to the metal" (on a motorcycle grip accelerator, if you can picture that) and putting some "spin" on that rear end. Added note: I put a different tread tire on the rear to see what this Super Bronc will do in snow (I have to find or make the hardware to put the ski under the front tire). Anybody have any experience in the snow with these mini-bikes or have a picture of what that ski hardware looks like?
 
#14
I had to make this mounting tool from a length of 5/8 hot rolled round bar. I heated the end of the bar and flattened it out as shown here and folded the edge over to grab the rim lip. I added a short piece of 3/8 square bar to the piece and welded it on to block the tire bead. Finished it up by super smoothing everything up with a flap disc. It is just a miniature version of a tool I have used on a manual tire changed at the farm and other places growing up. The wheel is placed over a short piece of square tubing mounted in a big vice and the homemade tool is leveraged against the square tube. I would further suggest you go to a tire/truck tire shop and hand them a small container and request a small amount of tire mounting lube.....Tell them your working on an old mini bike for your grandson and they will give it to you. The stuff come in a five gallon bucket, so you don't want to have to buy it unless your a farmer.
View attachment 263893
24" johnson bar, blast shield, asbestos glove WD-40 and a bic lighter should do it... have someone film it... should be a blast :)
 
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