Tractor Tire Mounting and Unmounting Tip

Just wanted to share a bit of tractor repair advice I've picked up. The old Ford 640 you see in some of the pictures is a great little utility tractor for a small plot. Although it lacks a few amenities, it was also about $15,000 cheaper than a new one.

It needed to have the rims replaced. After collecting the parts, it was time to unmount the tires. Breaking a bead on an old tractor tire is NOT an easy task. The tire and rim are bonded with rust and time.

EHow offered excellent advice: buy a specialized tool, then follow the manufacturer's instructions. Great. I don't have one of those. Instead, the people on the forums at Yesterday's Tractors had more useful advice: Use a car jack, a log, and a bit of chain. It worked well. (Pics to follow.)

Oh, and an unsolicited plug: Yesterday's Tractors had some hard-to-find parts, and while their catalog isn't comprehensive, the service was excellent. Parts arrived days before I expected them, and the tractor is up and running again.