R&R Beadbreaker & Tyre Refitting Tool
November 19, 2000
Dying of starvation, thirst or exposure can be a tragic and often times embarrassing fate for someone stranded in Australia's great outback. Perhaps that is why it comes as no surprise that the land of Oz has spawned two manufacturers of hand-operated, tire bead breaker tools. In a country where flat tires can mean the difference between life and death (and embarrassment), the ability to repair virtually any tire is a necessary skill.
The best thing about the R&R tool is that it makes the job easy.
If you've read our previous review about the Tyrepliers, your first question would be, "which tool is better?" And my answer would be, "it depends what you want to do with it and what your priorities are."
As with the Tyrepliers, we ordered the complete tire repair kit from R&R, which included a large, canvas carrying bag, tire spoons, a very complete repair kit, all the optional attachments, and instructional video and, of course, the bead breaker tool.
The similarities between the two kits was striking because they both came with high quality items. Both company's videos were excellent, both tire and tube repair kits were admirably complete, and both came with good quality tire spoons and carrying cases. The R&R case had the edge over the Tyrepliers' because it was larger and could hold extra gear. On the other hand, their repair kit came in a series of sealed plastic pouches which were not re-usable where as the Tyrepliers kit came in a compartmentalized plastic box that was re-usable. I talked to R&R about this. They chose to package their repair kit supplies in the divisioned 150 micron roll up sheath because it:
- eliminates damage to patch supplies by avoiding the components rubbing against each other,
- prevents the patch supplies from being contaminated with the kind foreign matter found in circumstances that are most likely to require using the kit (ie: dirt, mud, dust),
- can be easily re-sealed by using a piece of tape.
(editor's note: R&R has also upgraded the patch and plug tools since we acquired their kit)
The key difference between the two kits was in the bead breaker tools themselves. You can read about the Tyrepliers' details here. In this article, I will focus on the R&R. The R&R tool differs from the Tyrepliers in its use of a nut and threaded rod to apply pressure to the bead. This makes it much easier to break the bead because unlike the 'Pliers, you don't have to stand on the tire or exert your back muscles. This advantage was a design goal of the 75 year-old inventor who suffered from an arthritic back and shoulders.
In fact, R&R recommends working on the tire while it is sitting on a table or tailgate. I must admit that I found that much more comfortable. Breaking the bead on an old tire I had in the shed was extremely easy. In contrast, breaking the bead on a tire, especially an old one, was always a sure way to work up a sweat with the Tyrepliers.
Unlike the Tyrepliers, with the optional attachment, this tool can also be used to spread apart the tire when installing a patch. It can also be used during installation to hold one side of the tire in place and then as a lever to slip the last part of the bead onto the rim. In short, the R&R provides more functionality and ease of use than the 'Pliers. These added benefits come with some trade-offs. The R&R weighs a few pounds more than the 'Pliers; it is bulkier; and the unit we tested doesn't work as easily on mag wheels with the 5 on 4.5" bolt pattern. The problem with these rims is that the centre hole is too small for the R&R's anchor piece. To use the tool, the anchor had to be unthreaded from the tool, inserted from behind and then re-threaded. With these rims, the Tyrepliers were easier to use.
The R&R Beadbreaker can fit a variety of wheel sizes. Here, I've adjusted
its length to fit the popular 15" wheel.
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Once the beadbreaking end of the tool is against the bottom of the sidewall,
it's simply a matter of tightening the compression nut.
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Here's a close-up photo of the R&R Beadbreaker tool. Have a good look at the
anchor that hooks onto the wheel opening. On the 5 on 4.5" bolt pattern mag
wheels, that we tried this on, the anchor would not fit through the opening.
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Once the Beadbreaker is attached to the wheel, I turned the compression nut
and watched the tool press the tire bead off the rim. This took very little
effort. I repeated the process on two other areas around the rim and then
flipped it over and did the other side.
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After the bead was fully broken, I used the hefty R&R tire irons to lever the
rim out of the tire.
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All done!
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Unlike the Tyrepliers, the Beadbreaker also came in useful when installing a new tire.
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It was used to hold one end of the tire in place while I levered the rest of the tire
onto the rim. The last step was to pick up the anchor end of the tool and lever the
last bit of tire over the rim.
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So, the decision as to which is the better bead breaker tool depends on two major factors and then your preferences. The factors are:
- If you have a bad back, definitely go for the R&R tool since it requires the least amount of back work.
- If you need to use the tool with 5 on 4.5" bolt pattern mag wheels, go with
the Tyrepliers.
During the course of my testing of their beadbreaker,
R&R has
informed me that future Canada/USA models will have a re-designed anchor
that will allow easier use on 5 on 4.5" rims as well as the larger rim sizes.
When those models become available, Tyrepliers will no longer have an advantage
on the smaller bolt patterned rims.
After that, it's a choice between the smaller size and lighter weight of the Tyrepliers versus the added functionality of the R&R. Those added functions aren't necessities but they do make the job easier. Also, with tires that have been sitting on the rim for a long time, the R&R tool may succeed where the Tyrepliers fail. And finally, the R&R tool is less likely to scratch your rim because it doesn't rely on gripping the edge of the rim. Its major point of pressure on the rim is at the back centre which won't be an issue since no one will see it.
One thing is certain, it's nice to be able to choose from both of these great tools.
...lars
PS:
Due to popular demand, I will no longer wear that purple shirt in photographs that appear on this website.
