I just learned that my 86 4-zinger has two piece wheels. I got it cheap knowing it needed tires, ordered some (only got 3, other is still backordered). While I was waiting around I tried removing one tire by hand and couldnt do it. Tried it on two tire machines and no luck. So took it to a bike/atv shop and they told me about it being split rims. Told me how to try to take it apart, but it's not working. I am just bending and damaging the rim. I couldn't find new ones online, is there a source for replacement rims? Should I just bail out of this thing now? I'm tempted to try to sell it and recover some money out of it. I got it running and bought 3 or 4 new tires for it, recovered the seat, it's got to be worth a couple bucks. At this point I feel like I'd be better off with a Chinese quad than a hundred year old quad thats hard to get parts for. And I'd definitely rather put the boy on a 4 stroke for his first machine.
Anywho, appreciate any help with the wheel issue.

 

pix?

I'd heat it up maybe. what exactly is stuck?

not sure what a 4-zinger is tho lol.

did you pop the bead on both sides? could the tire be holding the halves together?

 

the bead is popped off both sides, so it isn't holding them together, but that was a good idea. About the only thing I have left to try is to cut the tire off with a sawzall, then attack the rim from the side, with a chisel and hammer. I'm just worried I'll have no rims left by the time I get done beating on them. I can try heat but I'll probably just end up mishaping them worse.
what a stupid idea. I get that it's easier when they're new, but guess what nothing stays new for long.

 

and a 4-zinger is an old 80s Yamaha 4 wheeler. It was a by-product of the three wheeler Tri-Zinger. 60cc 2 stroke with some sort of direct drive, one speed gearbox. No neutral or clutch. It has cool plastics on it, the back half looks like a regular wheeler, but the front is shaped like a pickup truck. So it looks like a little monster truck. Pretty cool looking, and goes like hell.