Tyre fitting - paste, wax, or lube?

[Kevin Poole]

I fit around a tyre or two a month or so, on average, using a basic tyre
machine (pneumatic bead breaker and wheel clamp, I heave on the tyre bar).

I see a range of substances to ease the process and/or help the bead to
seal: tyre mounting paste, tyre mounting wax, or "tyre lube". I'm
prepared to spend the time wire brushing and painting rims when they're
too corroded, so may not need any very magic properties.

What are the pros and cons of these various gunges? Any particular
recommendations?

--
Kevin Poole

[Mrcheerful]

You can of course do without it and for years I used washing up liguid
(watered down a bit)
but for ease of fitting, convenience, a reduction in bead leaks use the
right stuff. A big tub lasts me years and like you tyre fitting is
irregular. I keep a basic tyre fitting paste which is like soft soap, and a
bead sealer glue for awkward occasions. I have bought from harvies,
tyrebaydirect.com and most recently from bealuk www.beal.org.uk who seem to
do a lot of good stuff, deliver quickly and even have a real catalogue.

[Mark]

Kevin Poole wrote:

i have always used ordinary tyre soap and never had a problem with it and
this is on my own small fleet of assorted vehicles, never had a leak from a
bead on a tyre that i have fitted. (yet) ;(

-

[Adrian]

Mark <ma...@127.0.0.1> gurgled happily, sounding much like they were
saying:

> i have always used ordinary tyre soap and never had a problem with it

Likewise. Just whatever's in the tub next to the tyre machine I've
blagged a go on. That's the easy bit.