Mounting tires at home

[Vbb199]

I've been struggling with a harbor freight manual tire changer for years, it is not anything like what I thought it would be, bought it way before you could walk in a harbor freight store, wouldn't have bought it if I could have seen it in person and wasn't paying the freight to send it back.Ive used a good manual changer and the harbor freight one, is not a good one. I've seen all the vids on YouTube about modifying them etc. Did the duckbill thing, blah blah blah.
Then I saw the r and r bead breaker video and saw how easy that guy did them.No distributors in the USA that I could find,so I bought the speedway tire mounting kit, all would be good except the feet that push on the tire are too thin and welded on,well the feet bend, so that sucks, found the All-Star bead breaker that has a different foot design,so that solves that problem.
I am undecided whether to drill a hole in my work bench for a threaded rod and piece of plate, spare tire hanger style, to hold the wheels down or build a tyre pliers style post to hold them probably going the tyre pliers route on a reciever hitch that way I can take it with me.

Anyways watch the videos, Google search the part numbers and videos I've listed I think it will be cheaper and you will be happier than buying a harbor freight unit and modifying it.



Manual tyre changer 4:52 video YouTube. Aug 5th tyrepliers

R and R bead breaker demo Adelaide caravan 2:57 video 2018 Apr 7th 2018

Speedway Motors. Tire removal kit 9162007

All-Star performance. 44028

I have tried to add pics from my phone but can't, so I've given enough info that you all can look this stuff up.

I'll bet Rusty knows how to link all those pics and video's.

Got all the links to work they are down a few posts

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https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Speedway-Motors-Tire-Install-Removal-Kit,340158.html


https://www.summitracing.com/parts/aaf-all44028

 

[Dmack]

I did. I my have to experiment with something too.

 

[Ricko1966]

I guess I have low standards. I've had the harbor freight tool for probably 10 years and used it more times than I can remember. Yes, the bead breaker sucks, but I like not having to work on the ground. It was well worth the $40 I spent on it.

Look at the post I just put up in the homemade and modified tools thread actually look atvthe bead breaker I just put up, and a week or So ago the mounting bar I put on there.

 

[80BrownK10]

I may be lazy. I just pay a local shop $10 per tire to mount and balance them for me. I do a lot of tires but not that many...easier to pay them either take the vehicle to them to do it or take the wheels off and drop them off with the tires I had shipped to my house and pick them up at the end of the day. I use the time I would be jacking around with them on other stuff that would cost me more money if I were to have someone else do it.

 

[Ricko1966]

I may be lazy. I just pay a local shop $10 per tire to mount and balance them for me. I do a lot of tires but not that many...easier to pay them either take the vehicle to them to do it or take the wheels off and drop them off with the tires I had shipped to my house and pick them up at the end of the day. I use the time I would be jacking around with them on other stuff that would cost me more money if I were to have someone else do it.

Wow!!! Down here drive to the nearest town carry in 20.00 each you can get them back the next day, if they aren't too busy.

 

[idahovette]

It is getting hard to have a tire shop mount tires that you bring in to them, all the BS about liability. We only have one game here in town and it's Les Schwab, a big deal in here in the Northwest. Thankfully, I have my own tire machine, balancer and front end alignment machine that I do my own stuff with and make a little on doing other folks.......the ones that I LIKE!!!!

 

[shiftpro]

I may be lazy. I just pay a local shop $10 per tire to mount and balance them for me. I do a lot of tires but not that many...easier to pay them either take the vehicle to them to do it or take the wheels off and drop them off with the tires I had shipped to my house and pick them up at the end of the day. I use the time I would be jacking around with them on other stuff that would cost me more money if I were to have someone else do it.

Well up here they don't r&r without balancing, and with over $20 each and taxes it becomes $100. So out comes my iron tires. They work better than tire irons.

 

[80BrownK10]

Well up here they don't r&r without balancing, and with over $20 each and taxes it becomes $100. So out comes my iron tires. They work better than tire irons.

Yea , I am balancing them too. I take my vehicle up there...in the case of my truck. 4 tires in the bed. They pull the truck in take the wheels off, dismount tires, mount my tires, and computer balace them on the tire machine...I am watching it. Mount them back and I give the owner two $20 bills and it's done. Or I can even charge my credit card.

Now they get a bit back when they do a trailer tire or tractor tire or mower tire that I choose not to do cause it isn't balanced. I know it's best to balance a trailer tire but I haven't had any issues with weird wear or anything. But on a mower tire or tractor front tire I can get them to put a new tube in it and everything usually for the same price or less than I cAn buy a tube for myself. Most of the time I don't fool with one, I take it up there and pay $10 or $12 or whatever for them to pull and replace the tube in my mower tire.

Now this is a very small town of like 4,000 people and it's a guy who owns the shop himself and has a couple employees, I'm not walking into like Discount Tire or Firestone.

 

[Ricko1966]

Yea , I am balancing them too. I take my vehicle up there...in the case of my truck. 4 tires in the bed. They pull the truck in take the wheels off, dismount tires, mount my tires, and computer balace them on the tire machine...I am watching it. Mount them back and I give the owner two $20 bills and it's done. Or I can even charge my credit card.

Now they get a bit back when they do a trailer tire or tractor tire or mower tire that I choose not to do cause it isn't balanced. I know it's best to balance a trailer tire but I haven't had any issues with weird wear or anything. But on a mower tire or tractor front tire I can get them to put a new tube in it and everything usually for the same price or less than I cAn buy a tube for myself. Most of the time I don't fool with one, I take it up there and pay $10 or $12 or whatever for them to pull and replace the tube in my mower tire.

Now this is a very small town of like 4,000 people and it's a guy who owns the shop himself and has a couple employees, I'm not walking into like Discount Tire or Firestone.

4,000 people wow that's huge,nearest town to me is 1,200 people. All my neighbors are animals.

 

[80BrownK10]

4,000 people wow that's huge,nearest town to me is 1,200 people. All my neighbors are animals.

Yea, it's decent size for gas station and a grocery store, an dollar general. My town I live in has 100 people.

 

[Ricko1966]

I guess I have low standards. I've had the harbor freight tool for probably 10 years and used it more times than I can remember. Yes, the bead breaker sucks, but I like not having to work on the ground. It was well worth the $40 I spent on it.

A little update, the reason I hate my HF tire machine is I worked at 3 shops that had Coates manual machines. The bead breakers actually work and the mounting bar actually spins around and pulls the tire on the rim,everytime.In 20 years I've never successfully pulled a tire on with th HF mounting bar it always pops out and you end up mounting the tires with irons.Got my hands on an d Coates bar last night I'm as happy as a fat kid with a candy bar.If anyone needs pics or measurements I'll be happy to provide them.I can tell you the hook is a full 2" wide and 1" deep.

 

[bucket]

A little update, the reason I hate my HF tire machine is I worked at 3 shops that had Coates manual machines. The bead breakers actually work and the mounting bar actually spins around and pulls the tire on the rim,everytime.In 20 years I've never successfully pulled a tire on with th HF mounting bar it always pops out and you end up mounting the tires with irons.Got my hands on an d Coates bar last night I'm as happy as a fat kid with a candy bar.If anyone needs pics or measurements I'll be happy to provide them.I can tell you the hook is a full 2" wide and 1" deep.

Pictures and measurements please!

 

[Ricko1966]

The hook end is 2" wide the hook is 1" deep 1/4 " thick. The roller is 2" Dismount end is 1/4 thick x 1 3/8 . A timing belt idler is real close as a match for the mount end roller. These bars really work.

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[Dmack]

If you get a chance, I would like to see a pic of a bar that actually works. Thanks

 

[Ricko1966]

The one I pictured works awesome. I'll get more and better pics for you. But the Coates absolutely works perfect,it was the only thing I had used until I got the HF bar,which is why I was so confused and disappointed by it.