The Wedge Works Great

[Barrman]

I got one of these a few months ago and never have had a need to use it since I have been too lazy to finish my M35 rims.

http://www.kentool.com/images/35327.jpg

Here is the company site without the picture.

http://www.kentool.com/kentool%2011.pdf

Yesterday I decided to start on the M35 rims again and since one complete tire/rim combo was sitting next to my shop, I decided to try the hammer out. I know for a fact that the tire has been on the rim for the last 25 years minimum. The date stamp on the tire was 5/56. It was so rotted and hard that when it was on the truck, it looked full of air even when the valve core was pulled.

This is the 5th tire of about the same age/ condition that I have pulled apart. I used a Hi-Lift under the M35 to break the bead on the others. This was usually a 1-2 hour process that lifted the front of the M35 off the ground a lot.

Yesterday, I pulled the valve core, laid the tire down and swung the wedge. One good solid hit to the lock ring dented the ring up and hurt my hands. The next swing with gloves on got the wedge all the way to the lock ring with the bead out of the way. I worked it around the tire, pried the lock ring out in a few minutes, turned the tire over and did the same to that bead. The can was out of the tire in less than 10 minutes from the first hammer blow.

I wasn't breathing hard, my back, legs, arms and shoulders weren't on fire and it only cost me 10 minutes. Big improvement. I would recommend these to eveybody that has split rims. Carry it and a spare tube everywhere you go and you will be all ok.

[fisherman]

Nice tool, but isn't that what our mattocks were used for? I mean I think it would work fine without having to spend the money on a special tool. Glad you had success, how many more to go. Al are you listening?

[gimpyrobb]

Tim, I saw a guy at Aberdeen use angle iron steel, opened up from a 90 to maybe 130degrees. He set them on the tire and used a sledge. Similar out come, tire off of rim in under 10 min. Once I make up a set I will post pics.

[Barrman]

I tried the pick that is part of the Pioneer set and could never get it to sink in. I think the extra weight of the Wedge Hammer is what makes the difference. Plus, subtle differences in the shape of the curve and the thickness of the wedge too.

I have tried log splitters, picks, just about every piece of metal I have at home and have never gotten anything to work before this. If you can get something else to work, great.

I didn't post this to bring up the old "My way is better" arguement. I figured we have a lot of new people here and they might not even know about these tools.

Chris, please post pictures once you make up your set. I like having an individual tool set on each truck that doesn't have to be transfered around. So, I will need something for the M35 once it gets on the road.

[hiker]

Did you get the 9.2 lb long handle or the short handled 4.8 lb wedge?

[Barrman]

I honestly don't know which one it is. I will look tonight

[kwai]

He has the long handle version. The short handle version is meant to be hit with a sledge hammer. The duck-billed hammer is different in shape than the mattock.

[rpgdeity]

I LOVE my duck billed sledge for taking the split rings apart. Put a little soapy water around the ring, and the wedge will drop the bead down without going around the tire more than twice. Requires a little work to swing that sledge around, but I can completely disassemble a tire in 10-15 minutes.

I agree with you that this is a topic that should be talked about, as I see the most "mysterious" thing new people come to find on the M-715 is the split rims. Simply because its something most people have never seen or heard of, and if caution, care, and knowledge of how split rims work are not used then they can become frustrating and deadly quick.

I don't mind the split rims. I've worked on both the civilian style "widow makers" and the style found on the M-715. I like the M-715 much better. Its obviously not as safe as regular rims, but hey, I can mount, dismount, do whatever to my tires on the M-715 and not have to pay a dime to a tire store.

[Kaiserjeeps]

You bet I'm listening. I have my duece spare on the shop floor right now. I worked on it for a couple hours with a hilift with no success. I worked on it again for 30 minutes a little earlier and it was just to hot outside to do anything. I talked to Brandon about an hour ago and he offered some pointers. I then went to napa and found a duck bill prybar about 2 feet long. I'll give it a try but I want the hammer type like you guys mention. I have 11 of them to do. I don't want to spend a week and some colorful language doing it. Thanks for posting Tim B. I'll go check out the site. What timing.

[k8icu]

Didn't you buy a new fangled bead breaker on your trip cross country that you showed me at 22:00 when you swung by my place? Did that not work or was that Kwai's new toy?