Tire Changers

[Ranger James]

ok so i need to change a lot of tires off and on other wheels, a shop wants like 120$ to do it. is it worth getting a cheep harber frieght changer? do they work? or am i best just having someone do it for me?


thanks,

James


ps i would like to learn to do everything on my truck, changin out tires doesnt seem that hard....

 

[landbruiser1]

mine worked until I tried dismounting a 39.5. The bead breaker on them suck. use another rig and a piece of wood. Mount it really good to the floor, and its only like $30 bucks, so go for it..

 

[jjduedall]

the harbor freight ones will NOT mount anything bigger then a 31.
we have one at work that we use because the big one is broken and it sucks. the bead breaker doesnt work worth a ****, atleast the bottom part doesnt because you cant line it up like you can the top one. so it never gets set properly on the tire to pop the bead. i would just pay the shop or take a week and jump up and down on them untuil the bead pops, then get some nice tire irons and do them yourself :flipoff:

 

[skrause]

Pull valve core, set tire flat on ground, drive over it with another rig. Bead broken. Crowbar to mount/dismount. Come on guys, this ain't brain science. :flipoff:

 

[Eric]

I have used the harbor feight tire machine, it works ok, it takes a little finesse, just make sure to use a tire lube, other wise good luck, and the bead breaker works just ok...nothing special, driving on them will most likely work better. Also with the HF model make sure its mounted to something good, like a concreat slab

 

[leadfoot067]

put the foot of your highlift on the bead,then try to jack up your truck...bead will pop...

 

[dkbstoy]

what you need is a duck bill hammer (basicly a 10 pound axe with the head sideways and dull as hell 1/2" rounded edge) lay the tire/wheel on its side stand with your feet against the tire and swing at the opposite side of the wheel work your way around until the bead pops flip and repeat next you need atleast 2 good pry bars they do have ones designed for tires that work great but you can get by without push the bead on one side down into the dropcenter and pry the other side off working your way around by holding one bar and moving the other once youve done about 10 sets of tires youll get pretty good but its still a bitch even after doing it for a living for a year

 

[dkbstoy]

o yeah dont forget lots of lube... dish soap works ok

 

[79chevy39.5's]

i say a highlift and some tire spoon (i use .75 metal chizles and 1" dom pipe in 8 foot section) have changed small car tires to 40's and not a problem

 

[Hip]

the harbor freight ones will NOT mount anything bigger then a 31.
we have one at work that we use because the big one is broken and it sucks. the bead breaker doesnt work worth a ****, atleast the bottom part doesnt because you cant line it up like you can the top one. so it never gets set properly on the tire to pop the bead. i would just pay the shop or take a week and jump up and down on them untuil the bead pops, then get some nice tire irons and do them yourself :flipoff:

i have mounted hundreds of tires on the POS harbor freight machine including up to 39.5 irocks:flipoff:

i never thought it would work but it has prooven me wrong. go for it. agreed the bead breaker is weak i use a hilift under a truck to break beads.

 

[Ranger James]

ok im going to do it myself, im sure by time i take off 9 tires ill be an export at it


info i found here


the tool....

http://search.harborfreight.com/cpisearch/web/search.do?keyword=tire+spoon

and a nice summery here


http://www.mgexperience.net/article/mounting-tires.html


i think what im going to do it just drive over the tire to break the bead....

 

[Ranger James]

ok will after work today i tryed taking off the tire that has a sidewall slash, got it off after a bit of good hard work, but i tryed one of my 33's the things are twice as heavy, and thick compared to stock. i went over it about 15 times b4 i gave up, the bean didnt break, there is a lot of tread on them, oh and the 33's have been retreaded so lots of thickness i think ill pay 5 per wheel to have them taken off lol, at least i know how to do it on stock tires oh and motercycle wheers(ez)

 

[skrause]

It helps if you let the air out first. :;

 

[Ranger James]

steam valve was out for like 2 weeks now

 

[johnboy1]

i just use the highlift trick to pop the beads and then take 2 steel fence post and drive them into the ground , set the wheel over the stakes and then use a 60" steel breaker bar thing to dismount.