tire changer?

Some one talk to me about the tire changer that H-F has is it any good ?dose it work good? I would like to start changing my own tires.I would like to watch some one use one. or maby some one would hold class on changing tires.... I want to buy one of the changers if they work good.

jack:12101:

My friend has one, and we mounted my CT with it, but couldn't mount a new front tire. The center it too tall for the three clamps that clamp the rim. He cut the clamps off and added an inch to each one, and welded them back on, now we can mount any tire with it.

BTW, after you get it figured out, it works well. He mounted it to the floor of his garage.

You have to get the MC adapter to go with it.

Steve

Buddy of mine down in Dallas has one in his garage bolted to the floor. He says to chunk the bars that come with it and get the NoMar bars and it works great. He has a get together about once every 2 months to show and let others change tires.

I save my cash for chrome.. yeah.. a tire changer is nice to have, but I change mine on a moving blanket on the floor.. it's a little bit more work, but it's not near as hard as you would think.. Practice makes perfect.. LOL

I save my cash for chrome.. yeah.. a tire changer is nice to have, but I change mine on a moving blanket on the floor.. it's a little bit more work, but it's not near as hard as you would think.. Practice makes perfect.. LOL

What method do you use to break the bead?

Most times a couple smacks with a 5lb hand sledge on the end of a 2x4 placed against the bead at the rim will break it, if stepping on it with the heel of your boot doesn't work..

for the hard times, a C-clamp will usually break it..

I'm not a dark sider, so I don't have to worry about breaking tire beads on a MC rim... I used to change Bobcat tires on the floor without a bead breaker, and I'm sure that's a little worse than trying to break a car tire from a MC rim.. It is doable if you know how to hold your mouth right.

I guess I've gotten lazy in my old age, and maybe had to pinch too many pennys.

But my local shop only charges $40.00 from drive the bike in to drive the bike out on the new tire. My thoughts are how many $40.00s would I have to save :mo money:to pay for all the tools to change my tires once or maybe twice a year?

Just my

If you have two big screwdrivers, that's all you really need.. so long as you have the normal wrenches to remove the wheel...

If you don't have all that, $40 should buy you everything you need... so everything after the price of one change will be saving you the rest..

To each their own though.. some people don't like to take the time to change their tires..

My reason for doing it is, I don't like ANYONE working on my bike. They aren't the ones that have to ride it. It only takes one loose bolt or nut...

I changed my front today on lunch break and everytime I get done I look at a HF changer and say "one of these days I'm going to buy one of those" I seem to have more trouble with the smaller front than any I have ever done. My local "stealer" charges $70.00 so I don't mind busting a nuckle or two.

I have one. Frankly my old method works just as well:

Get an old car or light truck wheel (I had a light truck wheel). Put it on a bench with the deep end up. Slit a piece of fuel line and place it over the wheel edge to protect your wheel.

Drill a hole through the bench in the center of the wheel. Set your wheel and tire on top of the car wheel - the depth of the wheel protects your brake disc. Now put a piece of threaded rod down through everything with a washer and nut on both ends.

Now your wheel is firmly held to the bench. You can add a lever attached to the wall with a foot to break the bead. I used a porta-power to the ceiling joists. Clamps or even a hammer should also do the trick.

Now tackle it with tire irons and some soapy water. Whole set up should run you less than 20 bucks (I got my wheel from the dumpster behind a tire store).

I was using a 16" truck rim. Probably too big for a 2nd gen rear. Probably want to find a 13 or 14" rim.

What method do you use to break the bead?

This is what I do making use of things I have. Lay the tire and wheel next to your truck or, in my case, the trailer that I haul my tractor on. Cut a 2x2 or 2x4 at an angle and as tall as the vehicle frame. Then use a long piece of pipe or 2x4 as a lever, put it under the frame and on top of the 2x and push down to break the bead. Doing it that way was the easiest part of changing my rear tire.

Here's everything I need to change my tires in the pic. Dilute a couple of capfuls Murphy's oil soap in a quart of water for bead lube. Didn't cost me anything...had the bicycle tire irons already. Shorter, sturdy old 3 gal chlorine bucket works better than a taller 5 gal drywall bucket. I can break the bead in less than a minute by going around the tire at 12, 3, 6, and 9 oclock spots. No struggling with clamps or pounding on the tire risking rim damage. And you can be sure to clean up your rims, something the garage won't do.http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm262/lurch12_2000/100_1506.jpg