Tyre problem

[leila60]

can anyone tell me the easiest way to get a solid rubber tyre off a 30 year old wheel belonging to a silver cross pram. Three spokes need to be replaced and the only way to do them is to remove the tyre which I am afraid may crack and disintigrate.Silver cross do'not make 24in wheels anymore so this is why I have to be careful.Many thanks

[Batman7070]

I did this job once but the silver cross pram was 10 years old not 30!.
Your success will depend on how flexible the tyre is now.
I would not attempt the job if the rubber has perished or shows sign of radilal cracks as its likely the tyre could fracture or even break in the process.
However If you want to give it a try....
I used standard bicycle tyre levers and some vaseline to ease them between the metal rim and the tyre. As with a pneumatic tyre start by inserting 2 levers about a foot apart and carefully loosen and ease the tyre off the rim working on one side of the rim. If that does not work move the levers to the opposite side of the tyre and try again.
Best of luck
Batman

[ACB312]

I did a similar job many years ago and found the job much easier when the tyres were warm. I perched them on a radiator for a while and they became quite flexible and eased off without too much force. However, I thought it would be a good idea to clean the tyres and popped them in the dishwasher. They came out almost brand new but about one-size smaller (in clothes terms). I only got them back on to the wheels by heating them in water in my largest cooking pot and by wearing industrial gloves to ease them back on. Cheers, Andy