Dual tire separator

[n-e-d]

Being retired and having the time figured I'd see what changing the rear dual tires would require. Loosened lugs,jacked passenger side,jack stand and dropped leveler to ground for safety and spent the next 3 hours trying to get the tire off. Went to google and youtube for advice no deal nothing worked Finally gave up Looks like I'll be calling roadside assistance for any tire change now. BTW when I had the MH in for its sticker and checkup I asked that the rear tires be rotated. When I picked it up mechanic said both rears were frozen but they had tool to loosen them. Looks like another tool for the box

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by n-e-d

Being retired and having the time figured I'd see what changing the rear dual tires would require. Loosened lugs,jacked passenger side,jack stand and dropped leveler to ground for safety and spent the next 3 hours trying to get the tire off. Went to google and youtube for advice no deal nothing worked Finally gave up Looks like I'll be calling roadside assistance for any tire change now. BTW when I had the MH in for its sticker and checkup I asked that the rear tires be rotated. When I picked it up mechanic said both rears were frozen but they had tool to loosen them. Looks like another tool for the box

Usually just a long pry bar is all that's needed. This tool comes in handy for lots of things, not just separated rusted together duals. Even handy to help lift the wheel/tire up and onto the studs when changing tires.

Installation tip: Rotate drum (even if you have to release e-brake. Wheels on ground should be chocked front and back) so one stud is directly at 12:00. Then turn wheel so one hole is also at 12:00. Now all you have to worry about is the Up/Down of the wheel while installing on hub. Once you "snag" the stud at 12:00 it's easy to catch the others. Using that new pry bar to lift will save your back.

[n-e-d]

Yup tried a 4' bar, tapped tire with a dead blow,and gave rim jolt with air gun. Just glad I gave it a try before finding myself on the side of the road with one dead tire and no way to release it on hand. Shop cleaned up rim and wheel and gave them an oil coat

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by n-e-d

Yup tried a 4' bar, tapped tire with a dead blow,and gave rim jolt with air gun. Just glad I gave it a try before finding myself on the side of the road with one dead tire and no way to release it on hand. Shop cleaned up rim and wheel and gave them an oil coat

Up here in the rainy Pacific NW most truck tire shops will clean the face of the wheels while off and then give them a thin coat of "Silver Anti-Seize Compound". It's also a great corrosion inhibitor. Also use a small "daub" on the wheel studs and "Budd Nuts" so they can get them off easily the next time they have to service the wheels. Note: for those who do this with single nut's on regular dual wheel hubs, use the LOW end of the torque range when torquing lug nuts. The lube means less torque is required to get the same tension in the stud which is the force that actually holds the wheel on.

For those not familiar with "Budd Nuts", they are used on the larger wheels used on HD chassis. The inner dual is held in place with a hollow stud threaded onto the solid stud pressed into the hub. The outer dual is then held on by a large nut that is then threaded over the hollow stud securing the inner wheel, that has threads in the reverse direction. One is LH thread and the other is RH thread. Inner one is tightened/removed with a square socket and the outer is tightened/removed with a standard Hex socket. Lots of surfaces to corrode hence the use of the anti-corrosion anti-seize, especially on logging and dump trucks.

[jlwardn]

After waiting 4 hours for a tire change from Roadside assistance I decided to buy a bottle jack and electric impact so I can change a tire myself. I even switched out crappy plastic valve extensions with all metal one piece stems. I then sold the MH without every trying stuff out. The new(2014) Sunseeker I just bought had new tires but on my first trip I noticed tires losing a little air. Of course I forgot my compressor. Once home I decided to do a trial run to see if I could fill air in my tires on the side of the road. First time filling the tires one of the valves stems broke. Now I really get to test out my tire changing skills. I got out bottlejack. Turned on generator and used extension cord to power air compressor and electric impact. I got to the lug nuts off and like you I was stuck not being able to get wheels off. I beat on it and nothing happened. I then sat on the ground and used both feet and kicked top-bottom and sides and finally got things to move a little. It took a lot of kicking and pulling but I got them off. It took and hour from start of jack to getting both off the hub. I then ran to get those plastic extentions replaced. It still a little difficult to get them back on the hub. Lots of kicking and pushing....plus a little slide lube. The other side duallys I got the time down to 1 hour from Jacking up to Jacking down. I feel confident I could do it on the road. Not really liking how heavy those suckers are.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by jlwardn

After waiting 4 hours for a tire change from Roadside assistance I decided to buy a bottle jack and electric impact so I can change a tire myself. I even switched out crappy plastic valve extensions with all metal one piece stems. I then sold the MH without every trying stuff out. The new(2014) Sunseeker I just bought had new tires but on my first trip I noticed tires losing a little air. Of course I forgot my compressor. Once home I decided to do a trial run to see if I could fill air in my tires on the side of the road. First time filling the tires one of the valves stems broke. Now I really get to test out my tire changing skills. I got out bottlejack. Turned on generator and used extension cord to power air compressor and electric impact. I got to the lug nuts off and like you I was stuck not being able to get wheels off. I beat on it and nothing happened. I then sat on the ground and used both feet and kicked top-bottom and sides and finally got things to move a little. It took a lot of kicking and pulling but I got them off. It took and hour from start of jack to getting both off the hub. I then ran to get those plastic extentions replaced. It still a little difficult to get them back on the hub. Lots of kicking and pushing....plus a little slide lube. The other side duallys I got the time down to 1 hour from Jacking up to Jacking down. I feel confident I could do it on the road. Not really liking how heavy those suckers are.

Yes, they are heavy. Take some time and visit a truck tire shop and watch or have a "tire buster" show you how to use a long pry bar to help lift the tire/wheel onto the hub and lugs.

Pry bar under tread with one hand on bar and other directly opposite at top to "steer".

As for putting on the decorative caps? Rubber mallet from Harbor Freight or any other cheap source.

[n-e-d]

I'm hoping the cleanup job the truck shop did on my duals would make them easier to remove just in case. But added 40" pry bar to what I carry as Titanmike suggested and thinking I might try this https://www.ebay.com/itm/Ken-Tool-34...-/400721050830 .Depending on the situation I'd rather road assistance change the tire but feel better being prepared Caught a few youtubes where mechanics used the lever method you described

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by n-e-d

I'm hoping the cleanup job the truck shop did on my duals would make them easier to remove just in case. But added 40" pry bar to what I carry as Titanmike suggested and thinking I might try this https://www.ebay.com/itm/Ken-Tool-34...-/400721050830 .Depending on the situation I'd rather road assistance change the tire but feel better being prepared Caught a few youtubes where mechanics used the lever method you described

Ken-Tool is probably the largest manufacturer of tire service tools so this "separator" tool is most likely a great tool. A little expensive for one to carry for just changing out a flat. The cleanup job will probably make it unneeded.

Like I posted earlier, around here most shops will add some corrosion resisting "Anti-Seize Compound", usually the silver type in a thin coat on the face of he hub and around the "Pilot" the wheel center locates on. Also a thin coat between wheels.

As for Road Service? For those who can't change a tire it's essential. As for myself, I would rather just put on the coveralls, set out some traffic warning devices (the triangles we're all supposed to be carrying) and just get to it. Not fun but neither is sitting and waiting for "Road Service". Some shops don't make it a big priority to send out their truck and will wait until work in the shop is finished before leaving on the call.

[Joe_GA]

I lost all the air in my left inner dual on my truck while towing my fiver. Got off the interstate at a nearby exit and pulled into a large parking lot of a failed business. I could have called Coach-net, but decided I could change it faster. It was easy enough to do and they were not stuck together.

While I was doing that, a young Army Soldier pulled in with a flat tire on his truck. It was a used truck and he had just bought it. Then he found that there was no jack or tire tools. I helped him change the tire and and found his spare and the other 3 tires needed air. Fortunately, I have an on-board air compressor, so I pulled my rig up near his truck and aired up all his tires. I'm so glad I could help him.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by Joe_GA

I lost all the air in my left inner dual on my truck while towing my fiver. Got off the interstate at a nearby exit and pulled into a large parking lot of a failed business. I could have called Coach-net, but decided I could change it faster. It was easy enough to do and they were not stuck together.

While I was doing that, a young Army Soldier pulled in with a flat tire on his truck. It was a used truck and he had just bought it. Then he found that there was no jack or tire tools. I helped him change the tire and and found his spare and the other 3 tires needed air. Fortunately, I have an on-board air compressor, so I pulled my rig up near his truck and aired up all his tires. I'm so glad I could help him.

Acts like this tend to come back in the future when it's you that needs assistance.

[Joe_GA]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

Acts like this tend to come back in the future when it's you that needs assistance.

Yup. Treat others as you would like to be treated. Personally, I love to help others. It's how I'm wired.