Some more questions about spares...

I read through the "Who has beadlocks and still carries a spare?" thread and have some questions, really quite a few... At the risk of actually putting my inexperience into words, I might add. I don't get to wheel with the "big boys" very often (that is, virtually never) and my rig can't handle the really tough trails (yet) so forgive me if I ask questions you take for granted...

I have never needed my spare, nor has anyone I've wheeled with. I can see pulling the tire off the bead with very low air pressure - but how low do you have to go before that's a risk? Also, how do you reseat the bead? I've seen pictures/videos of people using lighter fluid.... but surely there's an easier/better way?

I've heard of slashing the sidewall, but I tore up one of my rims on the sharpest rocks I've seen and the sidewall was just stratched - hadn't even made through the first layer of rubber. So how can a much larger tire with less air pressure get slashed? And finally, if a tire does get a hole of some sort - how do you patch it? Does Fix-a-Flat work? Beezil mentioned pulling the tire of the bead and fixing it from the inside...??

TIA

Well generally if you're not going to carry a spare you must carry tire plugs and a on board air source. I carry both and carry a full size spare. I've cut four MT/Rs in the past year so I've used a lot of tire plugs in that time. Usually the cut is pluggable so it's easier to just plug it, air it up, and keep wheeling rather than put on the spare.
If you're running under 12 PSI popping a bead can be a concern, although I've never lost a bead. The easiest way to reseat a bead(and the safest) is to jack up the vehicle so the tire is off the ground, remove the valve core, and hit it with a blast of air. If you're having difficulties reseating it try a little water on the rim to lube it, also a ratchett strap around the tire carcass can help sometimes too.

Jes

Usually when we go out at least one person cuts down a tire.Most of the time its an un-repairable sidewall cut.Last year we did fix(got home anyway) one with about 2dozen plugs.

A regional thing

In the past I've had OK luck with tires, but this year I've killed/cut sidewall in 4 (2 TSL radials, 1 BFG MT, 1 Wide Climber MT) all of them in muddy rocks, at approx 15 PSI

Clay mud seeps past the bead and flat's ya out. At reduced pressures, dry tires hold onto the beads better than slimy ones. Also slimy rubber cuts very easily.

I was riding with Jes when he got one of his MT/Rs, hit a rock a little too fast and pinched the sidewall between the rock and the rim. This is how I got my Wide Climber too, except mine went flatter faster and bent the wheel too His took some plugs to fix, mine was too gashed and too mucky to patch (easier to swap the spare on)

I think wheeling w/o a spare AND a repair kit is nuts...and after Tellico last summer, I was glad I had two spares.

*insert usual not responsible disclaimer*

sometimes when a bead is to stubborn to be reseated w/ the use of normal forces, such as compressed air, ratchet straps & curse words then an alternate method is required..

one that has worked for me is *White Rain Hairspray*
(others that i've tried that fall short of being sufficiently *explosive* include starter fluid, wd40.. the burn is just to slow & you'll just be wasting your time & possibly starting a fire)

w/ the wheel & tire jacked into the air & all foreign debris cleaned out from around the rim & tire bead area spray a generous amount of the aerosol hair stiffening spray into the inards of the deflated tire..

then quickly toss a lit match or burning paper towel @ the bead..

the quick woosh of air being sucked into tire by the fire & the rush of expanding rubber will usually create a small pop that will most often securly seat the bead..

just remember i'm not liable for any damages to you or your equipment if you choose to use this inflation method...

but in the 3 or 4 times i've used this method the only thing i've hurt was a ratchet strap that i forgot to remove from around the center of the tread that i tried to use to squeeze the tire enough to allow compressed air to inflate the tire..
the 1" nylon strap couldn't withstand the force of the hairspray inflation method, so as a note the bones in your fingers probably won't be able to either so keep em clear..