Tire Changer

[BlueDevil]

Harborfreight does it again.


http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=42927


Word is it may be in the store at 35.99.

Anyway, Im thinking about getting this. Its like 70.00 to mount and bal tires and that big when U R replacing them so often.
First of all, anyone have one of these? WHat tools are needed to take the tire off and on w/o scratching rims?

Also Im told that some shops will computer bal them if U already have them mounted for like 7 - 10 bucks? That true? Coyote? TK ? Discount?

Anyway, I figure getting some takeoff for around 100.00 and them mounting them myself and paying 10 to balance them will save me a ton of costs next season.

Due tell all? Thanks

D

[yakuza]

Dave and I have the Harbor Freight bead breaker in my garage, and he made a tire changing station out of a 14" car rim mounted to a table. We use tire levers and rim protectors to remove the tires, and dish soap mixed with a little water to ease tire installation and removal. It works really well, especially if you leave the tires in the sun for an hour or so before you mount/remove them.

I haven't tried that motorcycle tire tool, although I've seen it on the website for awhile. Our setup works fine for what we do with it.

A static tire balancer is about $120 I think, Tfog can get the Metzeler one I believe.

[Kim-n-Dean]

he made a tire changing station out of a 14" car rim mounted to a table.

I'd like to see that. I'm about ready to break down and buy a pneumatic changer and a computer balancer. Anything to save money!!!! And make sure the job is done RIGHT!!!!!

[BlueDevil]

Static balancer?

[Kim-n-Dean]

Static balancer?

Probably a bubble. Not sure. On a car tire, static usually means one sided - weights on inside or outside of wheel.

BTW - I wanted to say earlier that everything I've bought from Harbor Freight was a total piece of shit!!! Except for my 12 ton jack stands. I guess they can handle stamped steel and a few welds.

[BlueDevil]

Well its not expensive stuff but on a budget, its fine. I have tons of stuff from there and so far so good. I love my pair of 1000 lbs ramps I got for 34.00. All my tools have done very well also.

Get what U pay for is always the idea.

Id love to see this static balancer and see hwo it works.....

But I may just see if Tfog or TK or a local shop will balance them cheap.

Who knows.

[yakuza]

The static balancer performs the balancing by the use of gravity as opposed to a computer-controlled spinning device. This is the same type of balancer that is used by Tfog, Vanmar, and others at the racetrack. Here's an example:
http://www.webbikeworld.com/Motorcyc...ycle-tires.htm

I'm sure a local race shop like Tfog would balance them for a nominal fee.

I'll try and remember to take a picture of the tire station in my garage for you guys. It's a little ghetto looking, but we've done dozens of tires and never scratched a rim. I find the ability to change tires to be a nice differentiator for myself when it comes to selling my takeoffs.

You have to be careful what you get at Harbor Freight, a lot of it is junk, but good stuff can definitely be found. Or if it is junk, it's so cheap that you don't mind buying a new one every couple dozen uses.

[Kim-n-Dean]

This is the same type of balancer that is used by Tfog, Vanmar, and others at the racetrack. Here's an example:
http://www.webbikeworld.com/Motorcyc...ycle-tires.htm

That's a cool balancer. I've never seen that style before. The one I used to have held the tire horizontally instead of vertically. That looks like a giant version of what I used to balance my R/C plane props

[Nick_Ninja]

Kim-n-Dean wrote:

That's a cool balancer. I've never seen that style before.

Vanmar has replaced five sets of street tires for me this past summer and each set has been balanced on this type of device. Not all are created equal though. The newer one that Mark uses in the race trailer does a WAY better job (less friction) than the older one. But you can't tell the difference at any speed. They work GREAT! You don't need no stinking computerized machine to get the job done.

[bratt]

Alex, you may want to reconsider the soap and water - and use Tire mounting Lubricants instead.
http://www.morrowmarsh.ca/concours/t.../chemicals.htm
"If you use dish soap mixed with water you run the chance of your wheel rotating inside your tire under hard acceleration or braking."
When I use to work for a place changing tires, I believe we used Soapy solution too but that was for passenger cars not Race Bikes

also here is a Home-brew Tire Changing Equipment like what you've described.
another with pictures: http://www.clarity.net/~adam/tire-changing.html

[yakuza]

Thanks for the input, Bratt. On my racebike I buy new tires and have Tfog mount them, but I'm guessing they use some sort of soapy lubricant, not sure though. That's a good point I should bring up with the tire vendors. I will say that we've never had a problem to this point, but I don't ride as hard on takeoffs as I do my new race tires (obviously ).

Interesting stuff in those links, thanks for sharing. The last one with the pics has a very similar setup to what we're using, with the 14" tire and all that.

Good stuff!

[mra828]

Thanks for the input, Bratt. On my racebike I buy new tires and have Tfog mount them, but I'm guessing they use some sort of soapy lubricant, not sure though.

TFOG has a propreitary tire lubrication solution they employ.

Even when they make me [attempt to] change my own damn tires [and then they get worried I'll hurt myself and take over - suckers!! ] they won't tell me what's in it.

Sure smells like dish soap and water to me though. Cleans grease off your hands good too!

geoff

[BlueDevil]

Whats TFog charge for mounting and bal if U bring in the tires and rims?

[Hoopty]

Not much. They charged me $50 for both on the bike, so maybe 10-15 each off the bike?

[Boy Scout]

Harborfreight does it again.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=42927
Word is it may be in the store at 35.99.

D,

Did you realize that this is just the "Motorcycle Tire Changer Attachment" to be used with the "Portable Tire Changer", which is an additional $35 for a total around $70ish or so:

Change motorcycle tires in no time flat. Excellent timesaving device for all auto shops. Includes assembly hardware. For use with Motorcycle Tire Changer, Item 34542.

[mikesf4i]

I changed both tires on my bike this summer. I used a floor jack and my truck to break the bead. Then i used some plastic rim protecters and tire irons to pull the tire off and mount the new one. Breaking the bead is the only hard part.(Hence the jack and truck). I used two pieces of angle iron and two coolers to make a stand to balance them. Just lay the angle iron between the two coolers and make sure they are level. Set your tire in between the pieces of angle with your axle resting on the edges and balance away. Total cost, about $5 for weights and i have enough left over for about 4 more sets of tires.

[KooLaid]

that harbor frieght tire changer is on sale right now for $20 bucks. I went to check it out. I like it for the rim clamps and cheap price. Opened up the box, and it's missing the pry bar. So you gotta get that to make it work. Not bad actually, but I rather just pay BASH like 15-20 or however much he charges to change tires off the bike. On the bike, not sure of his pricing but he did it for a friend of mine for either 40 or 50 for both. Can't remember for sure. Better than 70-80 that the shops charge. I say spending 20 bucks each is better than building or buying a stand, buying a bunch of various weights, buying/making a balancing stand and then having to have faith in urself that you balanced it right. For guys who go through alot of tires like racers and track day frequenters, then I say hit up that rocky mountain tire sponsor peps, or buy the equipment. For the average Joe/bob/bill/ernest/willy then paying to get it done once a year is worth it. I expect tires, street to only last me one rear or two per season. Unfortunately due to my BAD luck, and a crappy replacement, I'll be on my 4th rear this season.