Tier-1 Group has one of the greatest driving programs on the planet. Besides just teaching High-Speed Vehicle Dynamics, T1G also covers some really great field vehicle repairs. If you saw our video on repairing bullet holes in a radiator, you’ll recall Chad is very direct and to the point. You’ll find the same here, where Chad takes us through reseating a tire bead in the field.
First, what is a tire bead, and why would I need to reseat it? The “Bead” is the lip of the tire that touches the metal rim of the wheel. On modern tires, this bead is heavily reinforced and is very hard to work with without an actual tire machine. So What?
In a perfect world, we never get flat tires and, if we did, we would just put on the spare tire and take the flat to a local tire shop. Now, fast forward to the real world and you may find yourself in need of a repair with no mechanic. You don’t have to be an SOF Operator in the middle of a covert op in some foreign desert; you might just be out in the mountains hunting or just enjoying the great outdoors. Whatever your situation, having the knowledge to reseat a tire bead in the field may just be the mental tool that saves the day (or at least your afternoon).
Reseating the Tire Bead requires a airtight seal (to keep air from escaping) and a air source to provide enough air pressure to “pop” the tire bead back into its proper location (seated within the lip of the rim).
Many 4x4 off-roaders will teach a simple technique of placing a rachet strap around the circumference of the tire and tightening the strap to bulge the tire out to seal it around the edges. They’ll then air up the tire with a on-board air compressor until the tire bead properly seats. Air up to your desired tire pressure and you’re rolling down the road again. While this technique works fairly well for large over-sized tires, it does not work well in every situation...
Enter Chad, with his lighter and can of starter fluid. In this video, Chad is going to show you a really easy and fast technique for reseating the bead of a tire in the field. We’ve done hundreds of tires like this. You can buy a can of starter fluid in just about any country on the planet. Add it to the list of other supplies that you purchase right after you pick up your rental car. Toss it in the trunk, and you’ll probably never need it.
So, watch the video three or four times, then go out and practice in the back yard? Nope. Some of this skills seem really easy, but it’s also really easy to screw it up. Drop the coin, and sign up for one of Chad’s courses. Besides just this trick, he also covers dozens of other really cool expedient field repairs. Chad will properly demonstrate the task, and then have every student do each task. Try finding that at other driving courses. Knowledge is power; learn from the Best. Strength and Honor, Tactical Rifleman.
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