Harbor Freight Tire Mounting Tool

[GSequoia]

Just a heads up that this tool rocks. It's $50 (full price) well spent.

http://events.sequoia4x4.com/d/12862-2/IMG_0004.jpg

http://events.sequoia4x4.com/d/12893-2/IMG_0010.jpg

More pictures here: http://events.sequoia4x4.com/v/20060923-tiremount/

There was a bit of a learning curve at first with mounting but once I got used to it I was able to easily mount the 35's. As for dismount EASY as you can get. The bead broke with almost no effort and pulling the tire off the rim is easy as well.

I am G. Sequoia Armstrong, and I approve of this tool. :laugh3:

[shortxjdoug]

balancing? thats the only reason i don't buy a tool like that, i still have to pay to get them balanced

oh by the way, where'd u get it, i likey :D

[GSequoia]

First of all I'm not convinced that I'm going to do standard balancing, I may be going to internal.

Second the mounting is much more expensive than the balancing.

Third I got it from Harbor Freight.

[dan89XJ]

$50 is worth it ! I do my own tires too.. but I dont have a changer, my father has a old manual tire changer that is pretty simlar to yours. Did you have any trouble seating the beads after mounting those new tires ? I did.. when I mounted my interco mt's. But I did eventually figure out a way to do it. For the balancing.. I didnt bother.. I dont have any bad vibrations going down the hwy at 60mph. Faster than that.. I'll probably get some vibes, but I dont go that fast. I did look into internal balancing - powder type. But, I figured it's not worth the trouble - with the powder, you'd feel the powder balancing out every time you take off from a stop. I wonder if my tires will wear funny ? I dont put that many miles on them anyway.. and only want to use them for off roading.

[GSequoia]

I had no probles seating the beads with my CO2 set at about 125psi. I'm sure it'll also work well with my compressor but I was too lazy to haul it out of the garage and plug it in.

[w_howey]

I've got the same one, on Lawn Chair's recommendation. Works pretty darn good, But I had to mount mine to a big piece of plywood to keep it from walking around.

[GSequoia]

I just drove four 3/8" wedge anchor bolts into the concrete. It ain't moving.

[BRIANHO13]

I used this when mounting my 37" boggers, the extra thick sidewall made it a pain, but they still went on.

[IntrepidXJ]

i got it for $30...loser.

told you you'd like it :D

[scorpio_vette]

balancing? thats the only reason i don't buy a tool like that, i still have to pay to get them balanced

oh by the way, where'd u get it, i likey :D

not if you use airsoft pellets to internally balance your tires. i don't balance them any other way. do it once and you never have to balance again till you get new tires.

[IntrepidXJ]

plus....trail rigs don;t need tires balanced :D

[shortxjdoug]

plus....trail rigs don;t need tires balanced :D


trail rig?!?...... i drive my junk like 400 miles in a week...... speaking of i should really fix that bent driveshaft :D

[shortxjdoug]

not if you use airsoft pellets to internally balance your tires. i don't balance them any other way. do it once and you never have to balance again till you get new tires.

is it working for you? cause we have had trouble with it...... but those were bias ply swampers, maybe that had something to do with it

[IntrepidXJ]

http://pictures.myxj.net/tirechanger9-2-06/DSC00108.JPG

:D

[scorpio_vette]

is it working for you? cause we have had trouble with it...... but those were bias ply swampers, maybe that had something to do with it

daily driver 95XJ with 31's and average 300-400miles a week, and 97TJ with 33's and same mileage, and i've been running the airsoft pellets for about a year. it's been great since the beginning, and even after several offroad events, the balance is perfect.

my XJ had some vibs at first, but turns out i had some other issues that where causing the vibs. i love being able to wheel in mud and rocks and not have to worry about whether or not i need to balance my tires afterwards. plus when i used to run regular weights, i wanted to see how badly the wear on aggressive thread tires was on balance, so i checked it about 4 months after i balanced them, and they were about 1/2oz off. now with the airsofts, i've been riding for a year and they feel just as good as they did on day 1.

best investment i made for my tires was the harbor freight tire changer and airsoft pellets from walmart.

[shortxjdoug]

daily driver 95XJ with 31's and average 300-400miles a week, and 97TJ with 33's and same mileage, and i've been running the airsoft pellets for about a year. it's been great since the beginning, and even after several offroad events, the balance is perfect.

my XJ had some vibs at first, but turns out i had some other issues that where causing the vibs. i love being able to wheel in mud and rocks and not have to worry about whether or not i need to balance my tires afterwards. plus when i used to run regular weights, i wanted to see how badly the wear on aggressive thread tires was on balance, so i checked it about 4 months after i balanced them, and they were about 1/2oz off. now with the airsofts, i've been riding for a year and they feel just as good as they did on day 1.

best investment i made for my tires was the harbor freight tire changer and airsoft pellets from walmart.


this is very encouraging, i think im gonna start pulling up the couch cushions and get my own hf tire tool

[DrMoab]

What are those tires Geoff?

Oh and a can of starter fluid and a match will seat any tire.

[OT]

Says Maxxis Big Horn.

[DrMoab]

Says Maxxis Big Horn.
Stupid laptop...couldn't see the Maxxis...the BigHorn looked like Bigthorn or something.

[scorpio_vette]

What are those tires Geoff?

Oh and a can of starter fluid and a match will seat any tire.

recommending something like this on the internet is very stupid and can get people injured. even if you "know how to do it properly", it's still very dangerous. for somebody that doesn't know how to do it, and simply goes by a one liner that says "starter fluid and a match will seat a tire", it's an ER visit waiting to happen.

that method should only be used in very extreme emergencies and only if you know how. there are other ways that you can seat the bead on tires using nothing more than a regular air compressor and a air chuck that you use for inflating your tires.

[shortxjdoug]

recommending something like this on the internet is very stupid and can get people injured. even if you "know how to do it properly", it's still very dangerous. for somebody that doesn't know how to do it, and simply goes by a one liner that says "starter fluid and a match will seat a tire", it's an ER visit waiting to happen.




well somebody had to do it first.......... the learning curve isn't that bad, and if it gets on you starting fluid doesn't burn that long, or with any persistency for that matter. Nobody would learn anything if they never had to visit the ER :D

[Lawn Cher']

I've got the same one, on Lawn Chair's recommendation. Works pretty darn good, But I had to mount mine to a big piece of plywood to keep it from walking around.

I've had mine since '01 and it has paid for itself many times over. My average pace for replacing a tire on a rim is about 15 minutes. Lube helps, soapy water does just fine. Some tire and wheel combinations are easier than others... I think the toughest were the LT265/70/R17 tires I put on H2 rims for my Suburban.

[XJ_ranger]

I've had mine since '01 and it has paid for itself many times over. My average pace for replacing a tire on a rim is about 15 minutes. Lube helps, soapy water does just fine. Some tire and wheel combinations are easier than others... I think the toughest were the LT265/70/R17 tires I put on H2 rims for my Suburban.

the lower the profile on the tire, the harder it is... but the easier it is to rip the bead off...

[Tradesman300]

What quantity airsoft pellets per tire do you use?

[shortxjdoug]

What quantity airsoft pellets per tire do you use?

its based on weight there is a general chart here (http://www.innovativebalancing.com/BigTirechart.htm)

[Fairmonco]

You guys use a tire-machine???? All I have to use is a bead breaker and a couple prybars.....I thought I was spoiled!

[GSequoia]

You guys use a tire-machine???? All I have to use is a bead breaker and a couple prybars.....I thought I was spoiled!

$50 is well worth the amount of effort I save over using Hi-Lift jacks and tire spoons.

[IntrepidXJ]

You guys use a tire-machine???? All I have to use is a bead breaker and a couple prybars.....I thought I was spoiled!

tried that. hated it. this works much better.....if only for the fact that the wheel and tire is clamped down and not moving where while trying to use the bar :)

[Fairmonco]

Just dismounted and mounted 4 new rear tires on my Dually using a bead breaker as the only specialized equipment,only took about an hour.

[montanaman]

$50 is well worth the amount of effort I save over using Hi-Lift jacks and tire spoons.

I want to get some tire tools for our trips into the desert ... seems we always pick up a nail or some cholla cactus or something.

This tool looks a little too big to throw in the back (with all the camping gear, etc.).

Where can I get some tire irons? Do normal pry bars work as well? What can you do to break a bead without a special tool?

Thanks!!

[Geepfreak]

What can you do to break a bead without a special tool?

Thanks!!

Drive over it..:D
Actually I have done this once or twice while in Moab.:gee:

[GSequoia]

You can also use a Hi-Lift jack. Just put the base on the bead (after removing valve core, of course) and jack the Jeep up, the weight of the Jeep should push the bead off.

But... I just carry a box of safety seals with me. Patches such, plugs rock!

[old_man]

It never hurts to carry a tube under the back seat as well. We sewed up a tear with safety wire, then put in a tube to get a rig back off the trail.

[shortxjdoug]

just got my hf tire changer and it is awesome! i pulled a set of swampers off and swapped on my firestones and did the airsoft balancing and it worked out great, thanks for the heads up on the hf changer

[Skullver]

just got my hf tire changer and it is awesome! i pulled a set of swampers off and swapped on my firestones and did the airsoft balancing and it worked out great, thanks for the heads up on the hf changer
we just got one also, mounted it in the back of my parts yoda, and mounted our first set of tires, not a bad deal for sure.
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a230/skullver/DSCN1085.jpg

[Ludakris]

i gotta get one of these. .
as for the powder balance, I have equal in my ltb's, I am not a fan of it.. I dont drive it too often, and I have moisture problems, it feels like the equal clumps up and takes a while to break up.. the pellets wouldnt do this. after i get this tire changer, i will be doing the pellets..

[Monkey55]

Would someone explain the theory of using airsoft pallets to balance the tires??

I think I'm going to get the tire changer this weekend. I have a few sets of tires I want to swap around.

Elias

[scorpio_vette]

do a search on "airsoft".

basicaly the short version is that as the tire picks up speed, the airsoft pellets locate the high/low spots and distribute themselfs to balance the tire.

so bascially your tires don't get balanced until you hit about 15mph, but you can't feel it at that slow a speed anyways.

[Monkey55]

Thanks. I found some good info.

I bought the tire changer from Harbor Freight last weekend for $40. It already paid for itself. I removed 4 tires in a short amount of time. My next lesson will be mounting a tire.. :lecture:

Elias

[splitz]

I'm trying to use mine, but I keep eating up my rim. Does anyone have any tips on how to use this thing?

[GSequoia]

It will cause scratches to the rim as it doesn't have the advanced non friction surface of professional tooling. To augment this I would mount the tire from the backside of the wheel (while it will still scratch the surface of the wheel it will not be noticable).

Also as with any tire mounting tool you must lubricate the bead while you are mounting it to prevent damage to the bead. I used a solution of dishwashing soap and water and it worked out fine, I used about a 60% water to 40% soap solution but this was a bit strong (it didn't spray easily), the next time I work on it I will most likely use about a 20/80 mixture.

[scorpio_vette]

have you managed to remove/re-install the tire??? unfortunately it's hard not to scratch rims with that tool, which is why i only use it with my old wheels. you can try to wrap the part of the handle that contacts the wheel with some heavy cloth (like from a bathroom towel) and duct tape. and make sure you use a good lubricant around the bead of the tire. it will make it come on/off easier.

[89Daytona]

It will cause scratches to the rim as it doesn't have the advanced non friction surface of professional tooling. To augment this I would mount the tire from the backside of the wheel (while it will still scratch the surface of the wheel it will not be noticable).
You could make your own nylon/teflon pads to put on the end of the mounting device that touches the wheel's rim.
Teflon (http://www.nolansupply.com/bysubcategory.asp?category=Fasteners&supercategory=Plastics+%2D+PTFE+%28Teflon%29&subcategory=Plastic+Sheet+%2D+PTFE+%28Teflon%29&type=False&specs=True) Nylon (http://www.nolansupply.com/superfas.asp?supercategory=Plastics+%2D+Nylon)
It looks like all you have to do is cut some pieces to fit and coutersink screw them (or attach however you see fit) to the bar so that no metal scraps the wheel lip.

[splitz]

Ok, so now I've got 1/2 of the tire off the rim, but I'm having trouble getting it off the rim. The instructions say to pull the tire up to the top & insert the tool, but that's really f'n hard with a 33 (so I have no idea how you guys do the bigger ones). Does anyone have any tips for getting the 2nd half of the tire off?

[GSequoia]

Actually bigger tires are much easier! It's all about the sidewall deflection, your 33 should be easy to do actually (provided it's not an obnoxiously large rim) you're just still learning.

I assume by "half the tire off the rim" you mean you have one bead off, yes? (LIke this:
http://events.sequoia4x4.com/d/12882-2/IMG_0008.jpg)

Now what you want is for one side of the tire to have the lower bead (the one still on the rim) to ride in the sunken portion of the rim (the safety for flats), that will make it easier to get your bar in place on the opposite side. Then lift up on the tire while pulling the bar around.

http://events.sequoia4x4.com/d/12928-2/IMG_0025.jpg

It's really a lot easier than you think, after you do it a couple times you'll get the hang of it and it'll be a breeze.

[splitz]

Does the tool go between the bottom bead and the top lip of the rim? I can get it in there, pull up and have a gap between the bottom bead & the top lip of the rim, but when I try rotating the tool, the gap just follows the tool, and the bead never goes over that top lip.

[GSequoia]

Yes, if you look closely at this picture you can see that the tool is pulling the bead up over the rim.

http://events.sequoia4x4.com/d/12928-2/IMG_0025.jpg

[splitz]

Oh yeah, now I see it. Yeah, that gap just keeps walking with the tool! Any tips on how to stop that from happening?

[splitz]

Ok, here is a video on what I'm talking about.

http://www.dontsuckatlife.com/images/forum/tirechanger.wmv

[89Daytona]

When moving the bar pull the tire towards you so it stays ontop of the wheels rim, or have another person hold the tire up (so it doesn't just fall back down) on the side the bar is pulling the tire off of.

[Blue XJ]

I picked one up last weekend and successfully dismounted my tires and mounted them on beadlock rims. However when I went to do the non bead lock one, I can't seem to get the last 20% of the outer bead back on. The inner bead goes right on and the first 3/4 of the outer bead go on, but I can't get past that point.

Any tips or tricks? I used soapy water to lube the bead, but the tire looks like it needs to stretch about 2" before it will go over the last part of the rim.

[scorpio_vette]

make sure the bead opposite to the part you are trying to stretch over the rim is well below the wheel bead. if the tire bead is sitting where it would be on the rim while inflated, it will be 10x harder to get the tire on even with a tire machine. sometimes all it takes is an extra pair of hands to push down on the opposite side of the tire while you seat your end.

[Blue XJ]

worked great thanks!! took about 2 minutes to get the outer bead back on.

[scorpio_vette]

:) glad to be of assistance

[fender]

Coupon FYI:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/emails/12/RetailB_1/images/4.gif

On sale for $39