PRODUCT EVAL: Beadbuster Tire Bead Breaker

When installing new tires on your existing rims, you have the task of breaking the bead seal from your old tire and rim. This can be a tedious task without the proper tools, so we picked up the $104 XB-450 tire bead breaker from BeadBuster to help make tire changes and repairs easier. This tool is made out of 1020 cold-rolled steel, with grade-5 and grade-8 zinc-plated hardware and a padded clamp to prevent any scratching of your rims. You can use this tool on all rim sizes found on ATV, UTV, car, truck, trailer and lawn equipment.

HOW IT WORKS
When beginning to dismount your old tires, remove the valve-stem core to release all the air from the tire. With the tire deflated, you can insert the BeadBuster ram foot between the tire and rim using the leverage handle to aid in getting the foot positioned. We found that lubricating the tire with soapy water helps the ram foot slide in easier. Using a 3/4-inch wrench or socket, tighten the clamp bolt on the BeadBuster until the tool is vertical and the body is touching the rim. Make sure the BeadBuster ram foot is fully inserted to prevent any damage to the tire or rim.

Over-tightening the clamp will cause the tool to lean back and the ram foot to catch on the bead retainer of the rim. With the BeadBuster tool properly in place, you can now begin tightening down the ram bolt using the same 3/4-inch tool used for the clamp bolt. Run down the ram bolt until the tire bead has been pushed past the retaining lip on the rim. Depending on the age of the tire and condition of the rim, the bead may partially return to the seated position. Move the BeadBuster tool 2–3 inches to another location and repeat the same process until the tire bead is completely loose from the rim. Make sure not to over-tighten the ram bolt past the point where the flange head contacts the tool body, because doing so can cause damage to the threads.

WHAT WE THINK
The BeadBuster XB-450 works great on and off the trail when tire repairs are needed. The compact size allows you to fit it in storage compartments or tool bags on your machine. You can use this tool to remove rocks that may get lodged between the rim and tire bead on non-beadlock wheels causing air leaks. We used this tool on smaller ATV wheels and the larger 15-inch UTV wheels without any issues or adjustments needed. BeadBuster has three different models to choose from with their $104 XB-450, $139 XB-451, and $199 XB-454 Pro. These models differ in additional accessories included for use on rims with reinforcement rings. We found that the XB-450 is a universal tool for most standard wheel and tire combinations. To contact BeadBuster to order your bead breaker tool, visit www.beadbuster.com or give them a call at (215) 948-2302.