One of the best buys I have made is a rim jack. Found it at a flea market. Paid $15. Like brand new, don't think it was ever used, still had the paint on it. It hung in my garage for a couple of yrs. Didn't realize how invaluable a tool this would be. Well, I just installed 5 new tires on my Durant, and I am here to tell you, without this tool, I wouldn't have been able to change tires. I struggled with the first one, but as I continued on, I got better at it. By the time I changed the fifth one, I think I could get a job at a 1930 gas station,changing tires,I got it down to about 15 minutes. The trick I found out, is to tighten the jack far enough to overlap the split part of the rim about 2 inches, then you can peel off the old tire and install the new one. After installing the new tire, reverse cranking the jack to expand the rim again and the split will pop back in place and the pin can be installed. I would advise installing new tubes also, this is a job you wouldn't want to do very often. I had sore arms and hands for a while after. For others who have done this job, I'm sure you can relate.

Do You own a car built by Durant? yes. 1930 Durant 614 Sedan

One of the tricks to doing this job successfully is knowing how to position the jack correctly. I've done this before but have completely forgotten how I did it. A good article could be made with photos or drawings if someone has the opportunity.

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1923 Star touring, 1927 Star M Coupe

I hope that you also installed a liner as well. If not you may have a problem with the rim pinching the tube.

I positioned the 2 legs of the jack one on each side of the split and the other single leg directly across the other edge of the rim. (Sort of looks the peace sign of the 60's era.)When cranking the jack, watch to make sure one end of rim starts to overlap the other. Crank SLOWLY, you might have to pry one part of the rim at the split to start the overlap process.Also you don't want to distort the rim. I found that a pair of vise grips clamped to the rim beside ea. leg of the jack at the split will keep the jack from slipping. You're right Don, I should have recorded this on camera, it would be easier to explain. Now, about the tire liners. Of the ones removed, one was brittle and fell apart, one was glued, (someone used a very tough rubber cement)so I took it off in pieces, the other two were still intact. After wondering why these were installed in the first place on this type rim, and talking with Lucas Tire, where I bought new tires, they said the liners were used on the rims with metal spokes, and not necessary on my type rims. So I bead blasted my rims and made all as smooth possible with 2 coats of primer, 2 coats of gloss black enamel,2 coats of clearcoat. When I installed new tubes, I made sure to not pinch them, and I didn't air up the tire until I had the rim securely locked with the rim pin in place.(to stop any movement of the two ends of rim) I then aired up the tube without the valve core installed to seat the tube, then installed the core and put in 32lb. of air. All seems well, and after a first run I rechecked the wheel mounting lugs to make sure all is tight.

Do You own a car built by Durant? yes. 1930 Durant 614 Sedan

One other expedient that might be mentioned is the use of talcum powder. It works very nicely on a baby's butt and does a great job of assisting the tube to find its seating on the rim and the tire.

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1923 Star touring, 1927 Star M Coupe

I positioned the solid arm of the rim jack next to the split on the side I wanted to pull in and overlap the other. Then I positioned the legs so that the jack formed three roughly equal triangles. Nothing slipped this way.

The hard part was finding something to pry the tire over the rim. I couldn't find any tire irons so I took some old screw drivers and rounded and smoothed the ends.

Also, keep an eye on the valve stem. It can get bent when the rim ends overlap.

One good trick if you've got a flat is to mark the tire at the valve stem before dismounting. When everything is off, blow up the tube and find the leak. Note the distance from the valve stem and check the corresponding area inside the tire for anything poking through. Nails, wires, etc. tend to stay in the tire. (I went through five bike tubes in a day before another rider showed me this trick.)

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1925 Star

I guess it goes to show there are more than one way to do the same job. I tried positioning the jack the way Vince did, and the split end did pull in ok, but the rim didn't squeeze together and it looked like it might bend the rim, so I reversed jack position and it worked better for me. As one end of the rim began to overlap, the two legs of the jack would pull the two ends past each other reducing the diameter of the rim to allow the tire to be removed.

Do You own a car built by Durant? yes. 1930 Durant 614 Sedan

Don:
You need to read the Durant magazine. That is what my last article is about with pictures. Make sure you remeber to inflate the tubes partialy so you will not pinch them.
Jan

Could you post a picture of the jack. Sure would like to see what it looks like. I think I may have passed one over at a garage sail. Would not want to do that again.
Lawrence

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1928 d65

Hi All......

Check out this ebay item for a picture of one of these very useful tools. They show up fairly often on ebay. I have purchased a lot of these at garage sales and tractor flea markets. Most people don't know what they do.

eBay item : 200246029768

Frank ---

Do You own a car built by Durant? 14 Durant & Star Cars & a Durant-Dort buggy

All,
Agreed, this is a "Must Have" item for all of us with Demountable rims. There is no way to break-down a rim or get a tire off, or on one of these rims with out it. They are very cheap, my new reproduction one was under $20 on E-bay,and they usually come with pictured directions.

I'm really looking forward to fixing a couple of tubes and a putting a new set of "big" tires on my Locomobile project. Ha Ha, not really; but the tool should make it at least possible and easier. Lance C.

Do You own a car built by Durant? 26 Locomobile JR-8 Sedan and 26 JR-8 Roadster project, 30 Durant 410 Special Deluxe 4Dr.