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Watched a senior mechanic swap a tire bead with a ratchet strap and a prayer
I was out at DFW apron C last Tuesday watching a guy reseat a stubborn 737 main tire bead using nothing but a ratchet strap cranked tight around the tread. Took him maybe 5 minutes flat. I had always used starting fluid and a match which works but feels sketchy near fuel trucks. Has anyone else tried the strap method for big tires?
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keith_rivera195mo ago
Man is that strap trick not the greatest thing ever? I saw a guy do it on a 737 nose tire at Hobby once and it blew my mind how fast it worked compared to the ether way. @richard_anderson I feel you on the singed eyebrows though I got lucky that day because my coworker had a fire extinguisher ready just in case. I used to be all about the starting fluid method too but after a close call with a flashback near a fuel truck I switched to the strap method for good. The trick is to get the strap real tight around the tread then pump the tire up slow and let the pressure pop the bead back in place. Ive done it like 30 times now and only had it fail once when the strap snapped on me which was loud as heck but still safer than a fireball.
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richard_anderson5mo ago
My bead seater is a can of ether and a prayer but that's probably why I singe my eyebrows off weekly lol.
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val9495mo ago
Used to think the strap thing was just some internet hype but Keith_rivera19's comment got me curious so I tried it on a dumptruck tire last weekend and yeah I'm converted. Way less sketchy than the ether trick especially when you're working near anything flammable.
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