Question Is it a bad idea to remove and reinstall tires on a rim?

[AbdRahim]

I think when patching the tire is not removed. It's just plugged while on the rim. That's how I've seen it done on my car.

Plugs are a bad idea. If tires are to be repaired it is much better to remove the tire and patch from the inside.

 

[Neal]

Plugs are a bad idea. If tires are to be repaired it is much better to remove the tire and patch from the inside.

I think it's important to distinguish in this thread when we're talking about cars vs. motorhomes such as Class A's, etc.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

I think it's important to distinguish in this thread when we're talking about cars vs. motorhomes such as Class A's, etc.

Ok. Why?

 

[Joe Dutchstar]

On a theoretical basis the idea on removing the bead from the rim is similar on most tubeless tire, some are clearly more difficult to mount/dismount. The popular very thin sidewalk tires I believe can be damaged more easily than a 70 sidewall tire. Larger sidewall has more give and material to grab on a larger size tire. Also tire machine is used.
Truck/Bus tires on the other hand are mostly mounted/dismounted with hand tools, this in my opinion increases odds of unexpected events. More skill and muscle need to be applied. Energy amount and application vectors are not predictable.

My $2

 

[GypsyR]

Ok. Why?

I'll take a shot. Because they are rather different. "Passenger" tires tend to run at lower pressures, have softer sidewalls, and beadlock rims. For reasons of passenger comfort via a smoother ride and the beadlock is a safety feature.
The main aim of tires for heavy vehicles is load carrying ability and longevity. This higher the higher pressures and more basic tread designs. I frankly do not know why "big truck" tires don't have beadlocks but I can certainly attest that not having them makes big tires a lot easier to change by hand or with a primitive tire machine.

While the two kinds of tires aren't quite apples and oranges, they are rather different animals. I'm not thrilled with tire plugs in general and prefer not to use them. That said, I have installed literally hundreds of them over the years. Sometimes in my personal tires. But I would refuse to put such a soft plug in a "truck" tire that normally runs over 85 psi air pressure. Though it's done, I'm not doing it nor would I have such a repaired tire.

In some countries (Pakistan for sure) they will literally sew and glue pieces of tire sidewall AND missing tread onto heavily damaged truck tires to put them back into service. (There are Youtube videos) And here I am not even wanting to put a basic plug in the tread of one, but anyway.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

I would argue that lack of beadlocks make a tire much less likely to sustain damage during repair.

Unlike some of you, I never worked in a gas station, or tire shop. What I have done is change and fixed my own tires. Be it motorcycle, car, MH, trailer! I carry tire irons, and other tools for the job. Road side assistance, is roadside, after all! I don't camp on roads, or in parks. So out of necessity I fix my own.

The one thing I will not do is use a plug! They are considered a temporary fix and the fear of sudden release of air has me! Yes I have had blow outs when young, so will not risk those around me by using them!!!

To be clear! I have not heard an argument that shows me a reason to separate tire use when talking about reseating a bead!

 

[Joe Dutchstar]

Granted your skill, care and experience will save you from most any tire damage, other than road hazard. For the rest of us, it pays to find a trustworthy tire shop for service.

Tire mfg are all too familiar with shop induced tire damage

for instance

 

[Crazydog]

Do tire manufacturers warn against mounting and unmounting a tire? No they do not.
People get these "beliefs" in their head with no actual evidence or info to support it.

 

[GTS225]

While I'm not anything close to an expert, I have done a fair bit of automotive tire dismounting and remounting during my life. (On an old school Coats 10-10, for the record.)
I do not know what the factory is doing in terms of TPM systems for truck & motor home chassis. I am familiar with automotive systems, and the fact that there's a battery in the sensor/air valve assembly that can die in service, with quite a bit of life left in the tire. What then? The tire MUST be at least partially dismounted in order to replace the sensor assembly. Is the OP suggesting tire replacement for a "lowly" $30 sensor?

I suggest, for all's consideration, the number of times an individual tire might be dis- and re-mounted in it's useful lifespan is quite minimal, such that it's a non-factor in the scheme of things.

Just my two-pence.....Roger

 

[Neal]

do not know what the factory is doing in terms of TPM systems for truck & motor home chassis. I am familiar with automotive systems, and the fact that there's a battery in the sensor/air valve assembly that can die in service, with quite a bit of life left in the tire. What then? The tire MUST be at least partially dismounted in order to replace the sensor assembly. Is the OP suggesting tire replacement for a "lowly" $30 sensor?

I think there is a good lesson to be learned from this story (thank you) in that if your tire has an internal battery powered TPMS then change the battery at each tire change! I never thought to ask this when my Chevy Colorado tires were replaced and will do so next time.

 

[GTS225]

I don't believe the battery can be changed.....it's a matter of swapping out the whole sensor assembly.
Many things out there use a "permanent" lithium-based battery in them that's "supposed" to have a 5-10 year shelf life. (Yeah, right) The place I retired from had two water meters on boilers that had remote readouts with "permanent" batteries. I got tired of having to spend a couple hundred bucks for new meters, and changed both out to regular old AA batts.
Can't be done with the sensor mounted inside the tires.

Roger

 

[GypsyR]

I think there is a good lesson to be learned from this story (thank you) in that if your tire has an internal battery powered TPMS then change the battery at each tire change!

I wouldn't really do that, though it wouldn't hurt. You can get very reasonably priced TPMS sensors (OK, cheap) off Amazon. I have personally used them, found them fine, and they are priced well within the throwaway price range.
But....to use ANY new sensors you have to program them to the vehicle. To do so you have to have one of the programming tools. It happens these same programming tools can read your current sensors and tell you the state of your battery. Or at least the two tools I use can. An Autel TS508 is one I use at work, I keep an Autel TS408 at home. About $200 for either one new if you are interested. The 508 works better.

So it's like the batteries in a flashlight or anything else. You want to throw them out just in case they might possibly be at end of life or you want to actually check them for charge? One issue with checking them first at a tire shop is that then you'll be stuck with having to buy them from the tire people or trying to get some at a parts stores. And they all stock ones that are at least $50 each (Autel again, for example) where the last set I bought from Amazon for a Toyota ran me $40 for a set of four. MAJOR price difference. An oddity with that particular set was that I had bought a single Autel sensor earlier (for $50) and had a devil of a time programming it to the car. You'd think an Autel brand sensor and an Autel programmer....apparently not. Not only were the generic sensors a breeze to program they actually appeared to be of higher quality construction than the one that cost five times as much. Weird but true.

Your idea is not bad at all, just throwing out FYI options based on some hands-on experience. If I were going to toss sensors like that I might make it every other tire change myself. BUT, people wear tires very much differently. Some eat them for lunch, some have tires dry rot before the tread ever wears out. Too many variables to make a rule of thumb.