Go Back   Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB > 4 wheels > Equipping the Overland Vehicle
Equipping the Overland Vehicle Vehicle accessories - Making your home away from home comfortable, safe and reliable.
Photo by Daniel Rintz, Himba children, Namibia

The only impossible journey
is the one
you never begin

Photo by Daniel Rintz,
Himba children, Namibia



Overlanders Handbook - everything you need to know, available NOW!

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 28 Sep 2007
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: the Netherlands
Posts: 219
Arrow Bead-Breaker: new gadget or a musthave tool

Today I saw a new tool/adaptor (for me that is) which turns a hi-lift into a decent roadside tyre bead breaker.

website: The home of Bead-Breaker

I don't know if it is as useful as it looks, most of you will carry a hi-lift, if only for the looks, this little tool don't take much space. I imagine you can use it with a other types of jacks too (exept an airjack).
I think having a fixed jack-points for the hi-lift would make this even more practical.

There is a very useful/informative tyre repair manual/instruction on their site too, which is worth printing out and taking with you, stored with your tyrerepair-stuff as a reminder for this propably/hopefully once in a lifetime opportunity/experience .

After trying to remove tyres with all the known methods from old rusty splitrims years ago, I obtained a tyreplier which did the job perfectly (and showed me painfully, standard rims with tubeless BFG-A/T's where the way to go). Never had to take the tool out of it's bag again (tough wood) which make me think this adaptor can be as practical too and less bulky.
BTW they have great instructions on repairs too.

cheers
__________________
bart & sophie
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 28 Sep 2007
silver G's Avatar
Gold Member
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: south Cumbria
Posts: 364
well found.
Chris
__________________
Chris
-----------------
"Never have a stupid argument with an idiot - he gets a lot more practice than you"
there I go again
not too hard really
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 28 Sep 2007
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 476
bead breaker

Bart,

As you probably found out too, the foot of the high lift works well enough as a bead breaker. To my opinion no need for more tools and weight.

cheers,
Noel
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 28 Sep 2007
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: the Netherlands
Posts: 219
Noel

What I found back then, trying to seperate rusty split-rims and wornout tyres, that using only the highlift to break the bead made a highly instable situation with no luck on breaking the bead. Imagine a toyota, nose high in the air, balancing on two backwheels and a swaying highlift. Also the driving-over-the-wheel-trick only resulted in wheels popping away through the street and again very worried looking neighbours. It was then that I went out to get a tyreplier (luckely on a wholesale somewhere in the neighbourhood) to succeed the next day, well to be honest I succeeded with five of the six wheels I was planning to sandblast, paint and take on our trip. Even with the tyreplier it took a lot blood, sweat and tears but 5 out of 6 is a lot beter than zero. That's why I went for steel rims and tubeless.

I agree with you, as we both found out, 'less is more' and KISS (as I wrote, never needed to use the tyreplier again).
That's why I wondered if this small adaptor could be a good alternative or adition to one's toolbox. Is it a gadget or a tool ?

I'm not looking for a replacement but maybe it's of use for someone who is in the process of outfitting his future transportation. Maybe the price is a bit steep (can't remember how much I paid for the tyreplier) but I can imagine someone making one for himself.

BTW the instructions/manuals on both sites are still usefull for anybody preparing for long distance or remote travels.

cheers,
__________________
bart & sophie

Last edited by Sophie-Bart; 28 Sep 2007 at 17:54.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 28 Sep 2007
Registered Users
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: cheshire/england
Posts: 57
bead breaker yes a must have

I Made A Bead Breaker , It Only Took 1hr Made It Out Of 1/4 X4inch Mild Steel Flat Bar. Works Atreet. Chris You Should Be Making These Very Simple
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 29 Sep 2007
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: USA
Posts: 992
IMO, buying a special bead breaker tool is foolish.
Do you need an automatic ash tray and floor board cleaner? Well, of course not.

You can drive over the tire to break its bead.
This type of gear is marketed towards people who have no clue; there are way too many of those people.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 29 Sep 2007
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Scotland
Posts: 775
Lone Rider,

Quote:
You can drive over the tire to break its bead.
Well, yes, provided you still have four good tyres to drive on, in which case you can just as well take the damaged tyre to the nearest town for repairs.

Quote:
This type of gear is marketed towards people who have no clue; there are way too many of those people.
You'd be surprised how many people have a clue in theory, less so in practice.
__________________
----------------
Roman (UK)
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 29 Sep 2007
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: UK/ZW
Posts: 725
Haven't tried this new SA bead breaker but I have used the Ozzie one and it was bloody useful and took alot of pain out of tyre repairs. Driving over a tyre is an inexact science alone and it has always worried me that I'd damage my tyre - tried it once but really would consign it to the bin of "last resort".

A bead breaker is pretty essential if you are doing your own tube changes etc on a 750/16 12 ply tyre, especially if you've ever watched how your friendly african tyre and tube shop does it! Once you've spent alot of money on tyres and alot of hard work re-assembling everything in a clean environment watching a jua-kali do it amidst the dirt and sand is a bit of an experience so you'll end up doing it yourself.
__________________
Enzo
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 1 Oct 2007
silver G's Avatar
Gold Member
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: south Cumbria
Posts: 364
Quote:
Originally Posted by steve/m View Post
I Made A Bead Breaker , It Only Took 1hr Made It Out Of 1/4 X4inch Mild Steel Flat Bar. Works Atreet. Chris You Should Be Making These Very Simple
I know I should Steve but with 2 cars in various states of repair (trip in february), a house with no heating or kitchen and up to the eyeballs in real work I just fancied spending a tenner on an easy solution.
I've tried using the base of the jack - opportunity to tear the side wall.
driving over - damage steel plys in wall and tread.

This type of gear is marketed towards people who have no clue; there are way too many of those people.

btw.I'm a blacksmithfor those of you who don't know.
cheers
Chris
__________________
Chris
-----------------
"Never have a stupid argument with an idiot - he gets a lot more practice than you"
there I go again
not too hard really
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 1 Oct 2007
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 476
tool or gadget

I don't understand what all the problems are with breaking a bead. You don't need to drive over it, so you don't need 4 good wheels. In a worst case you have 2 flats (one on the car and one in your hands) and you still can put the high lift under the rear bumper and use the foot to break the bead. The car is not jacket up or anything. Nothing more stable than a car on all 4's. When I had to do it, I didn't even come close to an instable car or tearing my side wall. Just a bit of jacking and it popped off, easy as that!! No worries what so ever.

oh jeah, stay away from those bloody split rims. They are from another era.

Cheers,

Noel
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 1 Oct 2007
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: UK/ZW
Posts: 725
Oi, I like my split rims! Make tyre changing a doddle!

Admitedly though they can be a problem if they've rusted up abit.
__________________
Enzo
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 1 Oct 2007
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Wiltshire,UK
Posts: 288
They equate to £13 UKP (plus shipping)..



crikey! i can buy heaps of 5 or 6mm plate form my local steel stockholder for that!

think i'll dust off the MIG welder and make one this weekend, should be a giggle.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 1 Oct 2007
Gold Member
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Philadelphia, US
Posts: 646
Add this tool to the list of unnecessary...unless you've got a MAN/Kamaz lorry/Unimog...and weight isn't really a concern.

If you're carrying a 2nd spare tire on a rim, use that.

If you're carrying a 2nd spare tire without a rim...why?
The extra weight of the rim is comparable to the weight of the bead breaker, and tire irons...no?

If you carry too much stuff for those rare situations, you will create problems for yourself due to the weight...like busted mother springs, or wheel bearing failures, etc...now that would be a bugger...carry a spare set of wheel bearings...much better investment on weight.
__________________
edde
93 BMW K75s
www.motoedde.com
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 1 Oct 2007
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Manchester, UK
Posts: 456
Looks like the thingy would work really well. But... do have to agree with the rarely-used tool argument. Better to spend a little time improvising than a lot of time carrying dead weight.

Still... Looking at the design, it strikes me it could be half the size and just as effective, hmmm? Sub-500gms and I'd be tempted...

Jamie, if you get into a swing with the welding perhaps we could chip in for a spare ? ;-))

Always surprised me that no one has come up with a 'hydraulic-press'-style attachment for a hi-lift. Maybe it could be combined with a bead-breaker? Does anyone know a patent lawyer?
__________________
Pictures, Mauritania 2011
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 2 Oct 2007
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Ghana
Posts: 289
Useless stuff

I am on holiday in Germany at the mo, and was in the Daerrs shop a couple of days ago - a veritable mine of overlanding stuff... You name it it is there! I was there with my credit card at the ready and salivating, but finally walked out with a bag of ratchet straps which always for some reason disapear! Of course I must admit I am a bit of a kit fanatic, and get almost (maybe even more, when you are restricted by time to how much travelling you can do) as much fun from tinkering with my vehicle and getting it how I want as I do from travelling. To be honest maybe most of us have this tendency or are in this position? But this tool I reckon could be genuinely usefull... Of course it could be easily made (maybe even just make one which replaces the whole 'foot' from a hi-lift to minimise weight issues) and an improvisation can almost always be made, but there is a certain satisfaction from using a well designed tool to do a job - otherwise we would all use chinese spanners and drive 1985 Ladas and just buy new ones when the old ones break. Of course there is also the opposite to this where we get a kick from making do with the bare minimum and shrugging off 'materialistic entrapments' and paring everything down to the minimum. I reckon this is a well thought out and usefull piece of kit (like the tyre plier) but is not 100% required for everyone. I wont buy one but I certainly wont knock it, and if I was really that weight concerned then the fridge and the /fresh cheese would also get slung out, but they wont. Neither will the GPS, Stereo, Hiking boots, Books, folding chair and toilet paper

Sorry guys, just feeling a little bit philosophical on the last day of my hols...
Gil
This evening enjoying a few fine German Beers - super!
Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 Registered Users and/or Members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
The best tool ever!!!! Bead breaker. bikerfromsark Equipment Reviews 17 28 Jul 2007 16:47
Pro Lever bead breaker Tim Wood Equipment Reviews 3 23 Jan 2006 20:07
tyre bead breaker simonandmags Equipping the Bike - what's the best gear? 3 24 Mar 2004 10:23

 
 

Announcements

Thinking about traveling? Not sure about the whole thing? Watch the HU Achievable Dream Video Trailers and then get ALL the information you need to get inspired and learn how to travel anywhere in the world!

Have YOU ever wondered who has ridden around the world? We did too - and now here's the list of Circumnavigators!
Check it out now
, and add your information if we didn't find you.

Next HU Eventscalendar

HU Event and other updates on the HUBB Forum "Traveller's Advisories" thread.
ALL Dates subject to change.

2024:

Add yourself to the Updates List for each event!

Questions about an event? Ask here

HUBBUK: info

See all event details

 
World's most listened to Adventure Motorbike Show!
Check the RAW segments; Grant, your HU host is on every month!
Episodes below to listen to while you, err, pretend to do something or other...

2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.

2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.

"Ultimate global guide for red-blooded bikers planning overseas exploration. Covers choice & preparation of best bike, shipping overseas, baggage design, riding techniques, travel health, visas, documentation, safety and useful addresses." Recommended. (Grant)



Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance.

Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance™ combines into a single integrated program the best evacuation and rescue with the premier travel insurance coverages designed for adventurers.

Led by special operations veterans, Stanford Medicine affiliated physicians, paramedics and other travel experts, Ripcord is perfect for adventure seekers, climbers, skiers, sports enthusiasts, hunters, international travelers, humanitarian efforts, expeditions and more.

Ripcord travel protection is now available for ALL nationalities, and travel is covered on motorcycles of all sizes!


 

What others say about HU...

"This site is the BIBLE for international bike travelers." Greg, Australia

"Thank you! The web site, The travels, The insight, The inspiration, Everything, just thanks." Colin, UK

"My friend and I are planning a trip from Singapore to England... We found (the HU) site invaluable as an aid to planning and have based a lot of our purchases (bikes, riding gear, etc.) on what we have learned from this site." Phil, Australia

"I for one always had an adventurous spirit, but you and Susan lit the fire for my trip and I'll be forever grateful for what you two do to inspire others to just do it." Brent, USA

"Your website is a mecca of valuable information and the (video) series is informative, entertaining, and inspiring!" Jennifer, Canada

"Your worldwide organisation and events are the Go To places to for all serious touring and aspiring touring bikers." Trevor, South Africa

"This is the answer to all my questions." Haydn, Australia

"Keep going the excellent work you are doing for Horizons Unlimited - I love it!" Thomas, Germany

Lots more comments here!



Five books by Graham Field!

Diaries of a compulsive traveller
by Graham Field
Book, eBook, Audiobook

"A compelling, honest, inspiring and entertaining writing style with a built-in feel-good factor" Get them NOW from the authors' website and Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk.



Back Road Map Books and Backroad GPS Maps for all of Canada - a must have!

New to Horizons Unlimited?

New to motorcycle travelling? New to the HU site? Confused? Too many options? It's really very simple - just 4 easy steps!

Horizons Unlimited was founded in 1997 by Grant and Susan Johnson following their journey around the world on a BMW R80G/S.

Susan and Grant Johnson Read more about Grant & Susan's story

Membership - help keep us going!

Horizons Unlimited is not a big multi-national company, just two people who love motorcycle travel and have grown what started as a hobby in 1997 into a full time job (usually 8-10 hours per day and 7 days a week) and a labour of love. To keep it going and a roof over our heads, we run events all over the world with the help of volunteers; we sell inspirational and informative DVDs; we have a few selected advertisers; and we make a small amount from memberships.

You don't have to be a Member to come to an HU meeting, access the website, or ask questions on the HUBB. What you get for your membership contribution is our sincere gratitude, good karma and knowing that you're helping to keep the motorcycle travel dream alive. Contributing Members and Gold Members do get additional features on the HUBB. Here's a list of all the Member benefits on the HUBB.




All times are GMT +1. The time now is 11:44.