By Chad Love

When it comes to sheer creativity there are very few groups more talented than off-roaders. There aren't any garages in the woods so if something goes wrong you have one of three options: Fix it, hoof it, or tow it.

As someone who has at one time or another done all three while pursuing fish, fur, and fowl I have a keen appreciation for little tricks that can get you out of big jams, and if it looks like it came straight from the "Beavis and Butt-Head" school of automotive repair then so much the better.

Like this, for example:

No tire-mounting machine needed, just a can of something flammable like WD-40 or starting fluid, a match or lighter and (if done incorrectly) the knowledge that you're gonna look pretty freaky until your eyebrow hair grows back.

Now this trick doesn't actually inflate a tire, it simply re-beads it on the rim, but if you encounter a tire/rim separation it could come in handy sometime. In the interests of legality neither I personally nor Field & Stream (I'm assuming) take any responsibility for any potential accidents arising from this practice. It does, after all, involve fire and pressurized flammable material.
 
Anyone have any other cool, handy or creative off-road tips or tricks they'd like to share?
 
Here's mine: If you tell yourself  "Aw hell, I don't need to put it in 4WD for THAT..." then you most assuredly do. And quickly. Before it's too late.

Comments (13)

from bnorth1 wrote 3 years 6 weeks ago

Its been a long time since I've seen someone do that. Growing up my dad was in a 4 wheel drive club and there were many times I saw guys re-seat a tire with starter fluid, very cool.

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from rabbitpolice88 wrote 3 years 6 weeks ago

Very interesting, I will have to keep that one in mind. Would it work on a tractor tire anybody know?

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from Mike Diehl wrote 3 years 6 weeks ago

I got a driving tip for 4wds. DON'T DRIVE OFF THE DAMB ROAD!

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from bnorth1 wrote 3 years 6 weeks ago

You might need more than just a couple sprays of WD40 to get it to work on a tractor tire.

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from rabbitpolice88 wrote 3 years 6 weeks ago

Wow, who was immature enough to give every one a negative vote? My question is what's wrong with these posts, anybody know?

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from 2Poppa wrote 3 years 6 weeks ago

Abracadabra, hocus pocus!

I just had a flash back, and remembered a fellow years ago doing that, in of all places, a tire shop!

That was sleight of hand, nice trick!

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from MidnightBanjo wrote 3 years 6 weeks ago

Just for reference - Take it from an HVAC tech. "Freon" (refrigerant of any kind) is NOT a good choice for inflating a tire either. Temperature increases from driving or ambient air temperature will GREATLY increase the pressure to the point of catastrophic failure.

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from jlfreeborn wrote 3 years 6 weeks ago

I had seen this trick before, but you better know what you're doing before you try this. If you put to much starter fluid or whatever, you'll have a cool little boom instead of the desired re-seating.

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from jbird wrote 3 years 5 weeks ago

Cool. Hadn't seen that done before, just heard about it. Hope i never have to try it myself.

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from FloridaHunter1226 wrote 3 years 5 weeks ago

I do not think I will ever need to use a trick like thise but if I do, then now I atleast know. I have never seen nor heard anything like this until now. Great little trick.

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from dannyjs25 wrote 3 years 2 weeks ago

I know it would work and it's cool, but unless you have an air pump it wouldn't do much good. Isn't this what spares are for?

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from rocketman121 wrote 3 years 5 days ago

hahaha. I'll have to remember to keep a bottle of WD-40 handy...

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from bnorth1 wrote 3 years 6 weeks ago

Its been a long time since I've seen someone do that. Growing up my dad was in a 4 wheel drive club and there were many times I saw guys re-seat a tire with starter fluid, very cool.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from rabbitpolice88 wrote 3 years 6 weeks ago

Very interesting, I will have to keep that one in mind. Would it work on a tractor tire anybody know?

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from bnorth1 wrote 3 years 6 weeks ago

You might need more than just a couple sprays of WD40 to get it to work on a tractor tire.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from rabbitpolice88 wrote 3 years 6 weeks ago

Wow, who was immature enough to give every one a negative vote? My question is what's wrong with these posts, anybody know?

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from FloridaHunter1226 wrote 3 years 5 weeks ago

I do not think I will ever need to use a trick like thise but if I do, then now I atleast know. I have never seen nor heard anything like this until now. Great little trick.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from dannyjs25 wrote 3 years 2 weeks ago

I know it would work and it's cool, but unless you have an air pump it wouldn't do much good. Isn't this what spares are for?

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from rocketman121 wrote 3 years 5 days ago

hahaha. I'll have to remember to keep a bottle of WD-40 handy...

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from 2Poppa wrote 3 years 6 weeks ago

Abracadabra, hocus pocus!

I just had a flash back, and remembered a fellow years ago doing that, in of all places, a tire shop!

That was sleight of hand, nice trick!

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from MidnightBanjo wrote 3 years 6 weeks ago

Just for reference - Take it from an HVAC tech. "Freon" (refrigerant of any kind) is NOT a good choice for inflating a tire either. Temperature increases from driving or ambient air temperature will GREATLY increase the pressure to the point of catastrophic failure.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from jlfreeborn wrote 3 years 6 weeks ago

I had seen this trick before, but you better know what you're doing before you try this. If you put to much starter fluid or whatever, you'll have a cool little boom instead of the desired re-seating.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from jbird wrote 3 years 5 weeks ago

Cool. Hadn't seen that done before, just heard about it. Hope i never have to try it myself.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Mike Diehl wrote 3 years 6 weeks ago

I got a driving tip for 4wds. DON'T DRIVE OFF THE DAMB ROAD!

-3 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

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All submitted comments are subject to the rules set forth in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.