Dismantling Manco Wheels

[Hellion]

The classic cast aluminum split "mag" wheels. I've gotten two chipped wheels separated from the tires but it took major elbow grease and 2 or 3 days, on/off of pulling (with a claw hammer, no less). I wasn't concerned about damaging them further, hence the crude use of a hammer, but the front wheels are intact and I need better options.

There's got to be a better way. The problem is the wheels have oxidized or corroded and mated themselves to the tire beads. Do they have a natural tight fit when new? Maybe it's just the nature of the beast (shrugs).

Afterwards, there needs to be preventive measures--possibly polishing the tire contact areas inside the halves. Maybe painting those areas is another option...?

Crappy cell phone pic for reference:

 

[Poboy kartman]

Spray around the bead with WD-40 SPECIALIST Penetrating Oil or PB Blaster. Don't try to pry on the lip but compress the tire instead.(A large C clamp would be great.)

If not...position the tire where you will run over it and not the rim in front of your car and pull forward. Make sure the valve stem is out.

 

[Kelly Wood]

Hey,


I replied to your pm, but it's here too for anyone that might benefit.

I've come across many that have fused into what appears to be one piece. Usually, the tire is old in that case as well, so the old tires & tubes are gonna go anyway. What I've done is punch a hole in the tire dead center, 12, 3,6 and 9 o'clock around the wheel. Then, some (any) penetrating stuff, liquid wrench, wd40, whatever to the inside where the two meet.

Then, flat head screwdriver into the middle of the rims & tap, tap tap. Eventually, they pop apart.

If the rubber is fused to the rims at the bead, same story but it's painfully SLOW work. just work a big flat head into it, twist. Work it in a few inches around, twist.... etc. Eventually they do come loose. Force it and the typical manco wheel lip/bead will break.

Note: if the beads are fused too, start with the beads & get them loose, then split the rims. If you split the halves first, then it gets squirrely separating the beads.

For reassembly... clean em up really good then a thin coating of light grease between the halves generally keeps em ok for a long time.

Oh yes, those nifty alignment nubs... I've found that often when you pull apart these rims, those nubs always get strange when you try to put them with a different half. Either keep em together as pairs or you have to mess with cleaning up the nubs & the holes and that gets time consuming. It is best to keep the nubs there or the manco wheels get seriously hard to get true.

 

[itsid]

it's a tubed tyre... so I'd use that first..
well, if it still holds air that is

deinflate the tyre (yes that's right and important!) and try to seperate the beads
remove all the nuts and bolts that hold the two halves together and reinflate..
the tube can then seperate the halves just nicely.
(at least that worked for me... although I must admit, I forgot the seperate the beads first )

'sid

 

[Denny]

Or you could try what I used to do with my rusty rim to tire fused motorcycles. That is to use a large bench vise as a tire breaker along with some PB Blaster and a large flat chisel on the exposed bead then beat them loose. it never failed for me.

Denny

 

[itsid]

well.. that's an aluminium rim.. obviously rusted already (yes I know.. it's still technically rust)
So brute force (unequally applied) can easily break the rim..
I wouldn't lever the the beads loose (that's likely the reason for most chipped rims)
bench vise I like...

I just jumped on my deinflated tyre to break it loose, luckily that was enough.

In case it's not.. you can also try it Miller Lite style..
get some single strand of wire (reasonably gauged) wrap it around the seam line
and twist to open

'sid

 

[Hellion]

For the record, the wheels so far (knock on wood) haven't fused together, half to half. Each half is just bonded to the rubber; to their respective side of the tire. Removing the wheel bolts has the halves separate from each other free and easy like it was nothing. In fact the inside surfaces look as fresh as harvest day except around the tire bead area which seems to be a long-term moisture magnet.

Good ideas here all around.

 

[chancer]

well.. that's an aluminium rim.. obviously rusted already (yes I know.. it's still technically rust)
'sid

Not technically.

Aluminum corrodes but it does not rust. Rust refers only to iron and steel corrosion. Aluminum is actually very prone to corrosion. However, aluminum corrosion is aluminum oxide, a very hard material that actually protects the aluminum from further corrosion.

 

[Hellion]

....and a large flat chisel on the exposed bead then beat them loose. it never failed for me.

Denny

I understand everything until you mentioned to "beat them loose". I don't think any beating is needed, just prying around the tire's perimeter where it meets the rim or where the bead is seated. Can you elaborate on that? ...

 

[itsid]

Not technically.

Aluminum corrodes but it does not rust. Rust refers only to iron and steel corrosion. Aluminum is actually very prone to corrosion. However, aluminum corrosion is aluminum oxide, a very hard material that actually protects the aluminum from further corrosion.

Oh Eric... really?

technically rust is oxidation (of iron.. and IRON alone!... steel happens to be alloyed iron therefore some can rust)
rust itself is iron oxide and water (mix of Fe²O and Fe³O and some water of crystallization [trapped H2O]) and some hydrogen leaving the scenery

What you see on the rim is technically the same process
the "blooming" is in fact Al(OH)3 (which bonds not only the oxyggen but also some of the hydrogen to the aluminium) and again some more hydrogen out for lunch.
which chemically is different indeed, but still a water induced corrosion.

Unlinke the toplayer of nearly any aluminium part that's been left to oxidize which indeed forms a very hard layer of a "pure" aluminium oxide protecting the part. which is refered to as anodized aluminium
speaking of which.. some steel alloys can build an anodized layer as well for protection not unlike aluminium like carbon steel

So,with your kind permission, technically it's both times..
corrosive adding of oxygen in the presence of water, weakening the part.
both processes can be sped up with the help of salt and slowed down by anodized layers...

Yes, strictly speaking there is no such thing as aluminium rust (but mix of both called thermite *giggle*)
technically it's the same though... chemically it's not indeed (because of a single hydrogen atom.. the smallest atom there is)

'sid

 

[chancer]

Oh Eric... really?
Yes, strictly speaking there is no such thing as aluminium rust
'sid

Hehehe. I found that on Google. I could not resist. You know, nobody calls it that anyway.
But, I must agree with your last line I quoted above.
I want to go with "strictly speaking" not "technically" I just makes me more right!

 

[itsid]

Oh Eric... really?
Yes, strictly speaking there is no such thing as aluminium rust
'sid

Hehehe. I found that on Google. I could not resist. You know, nobody calls it that anyway.
But, I must agree with your last line I quoted above.
I want to go with "strictly speaking" not "technically" I just makes me more right!

Yes, you must agree with the last line you quoted

You must agree with

'sid

'sid

 

[chancer]

Again, you with the technicalities!

 

[Hellion]

Success! The last two wheels I had I used these techniques on. I didn't douse them in water or use any other lubricants--I sat in a chair and used both feet to mash the tire flat (after letting most of the air out), alternately going around the rim. I also stood on the tire letting more air out in the process also making sure to press right up close to the tire bead.

The wheel halves popped free when I used an 8" pry bar to gently twist the tire from the rim. I followed the spoke pattern and pried every 3" or so around the rim, inserting the pry bar and twisting. The pry bar was what I needed because it's stronger than a screwdriver and has a wider head for maximum leverage.

I think dunking them in water may have caused the tires to swell a little which is not what you want...

 

[chancer]

Awsome!

 

[Hellion]

You must agree with



'sid

. . . . .

 

[Poboy kartman]

You know the funny think is....most people with above average intelligence...are modest....and try to "dumb down".. both to "fit in" ....but more importantly...not to disgrace...their "unarmed" companions.

On the other hand....the brain damaged ones...tend to want to try prove they have brain cells they don't....and can't keep their mouths shut!

I'm sitting on a fence....trying to figure out which I am....give me a minute....I've suffered a traumatic head injury and a hangover just recently....