tire changer

[Snarley Bill]

been looking at the harbor freight tire changer and adapter for motorcycles. anyone got one ,and how does it work? bill:2133:

[greg_in_london]

got a link ?

[MiCarl]

I've got one and I'm less than impressed.

 

Bead breaker works OK.

 

I've never used that long rod that comes with for mounting and dismounting tires. Too much trouble to set up and difficult to use. I saw someone pop the wheel loose from the machine trying to do one. I just use the machine to hold the wheel and use conventional irons.

 

Before I had the Harbor Freight machine I used an old car rim, with a piece of hose over the edge to protect the motorcycle wheel. Car rim on bench, motorcycle wheel on rim, threaded rod down through the wheel, rim and bench with a big flat washer and nut on each end. Used tire irons. Worked great.

 

For alloy wheels, I'd just get an inexpensive bead breaker and an old car rim. You cannot use the car rim for wire wheels.

Edited November 15, 2008 by MiCarl
Added pics.

[Snarley Bill]

thanks for the info. just got back from harbor freight. think i will pass. bill

[Alex]

I also have one, but I really like mine. I've changed 6 tires with it, and it takes no time at all. Biggest challenge was to seat the new tires to the rims. Solved that with a 16 inch bicycle tire tube. Get the bead areas and bicycle tube wet and soapy, stick the lightly inflated tube into the void between the bead and rim. Once the tire started to climb up the rim, just snatch the tube outta the way. Anyway, just my thoughts.

[midnightventure]

I also have one, but I really like mine. I've changed 6 tires with it, and it takes no time at all. Biggest challenge was to seat the new tires to the rims. Solved that with a 16 inch bicycle tire tube. Get the bead areas and bicycle tube wet and soapy, stick the lightly inflated tube into the void between the bead and rim. Once the tire started to climb up the rim, just snatch the tube outta the way. Anyway, just my thoughts.

 

You can also use a tie down strap around the center of the tire. When you tighten the strap the bead squeezes out to the wheel.

[Squidley]

You can also use a tie down strap around the center of the tire. When you tighten the strap the bead squeezes out to the wheel.

 

 

I do that also, both are really great ways to get them to seat

[timk]

I, like Carl spoon my tires on/off. I made a wooden box out of 2x4's with the square hole slightly larger than the brake disc, to give clearence to keep the disc off the floor. I use it for both breaking the bead, and spooning the tire on/off. Only tip I have is to use spoons designed for the job, NOT screwdrivers. I use 3 spoons.

[V7Goose]

I use the HF changer and like it. I have done a LOT of tires, both for me and friends. Once you get used to it, the changer is easy to use and takes a lot less effort than the old way with just tire irons. The only real comment I have is to note the importance of using sufficient rubber lube. This is MUCH more important on a changer than just irons, since the bead has to slide over the rim instead of being leveraged over it.

And you must use the lube on the tire coming off as well as the one going on!

Goose

 

(Some might remember me struggling hard with the first tire at Don's maintenance day last year - I forgot to lube the old tire before trying to get it off! Like I said, it's important.)

[Snarley Bill]

I use the HF changer and like it. I have done a LOT of tires, both for me and friends. Once you get used to it, the changer is easy to use and takes a lot less effort than the old way with just tire irons. The only real comment I have is to note the importance of using sufficient rubber lube. This is MUCH more important on a changer than just irons, since the bead has to slide over the rim instead of being leveraged over it.

And you must use the lube on the tire coming off as well as the one going on!

Goose

hey goose, my biggest concern is scratching the rim. and mounting chrome rims. also will i have trouble pulling the anchors out of the floor when i bolt it down? it looks like it would work good. bill

[V7Goose]

hey goose, my biggest concern is scratching the rim. and mounting chrome rims. also will i have trouble pulling the anchors out of the floor when i bolt it down? it looks like it would work good. bill

I have never scratched a rim, but initially DID have a problem with leaving some red paint scuffs on them that I had to rub off with alcohol or Goof-Off. That was easily solved just by using a slab of plastic from a shampoo bottle between the bar and the rim. Nylon rim savers would be a great solution too, but I ain't got any! LOL You also may want to tie strap a strip of plastic on each of the rim clamps too, since you will occasionally not tighten the clamps enough to stop the rim from turning a little while you are working on it. That red paint is ugly stuff on a rim.

 

A lot of folks say they successfully use the changer just by bolting it to a 4x4 piece of plywood, but I anchored mine to a corner of my driveway. When I am not using it I just stick it in a corner of the garage and plug the holes with a couple of short bolts to keep the dirt and crud out. I don't think there is actually much tension on them; nothing pulls the changer sideways while you are using it. Just make sure you use machine bolts to anchor it. I started out using lag bolts because that is what I had laying around, but they are too soft and I twisted a couple of them off by trying to tighten it down too much.

Goose

 

Oh, another thought from experience - the rear wheel will fit on the changer with the disk down, but the front wheel will not. I have changed the front tire with only removing one disk to mount the wheel and leaving the other in place on top, but I just don't like having to worry about possibly screwing up and putting pressure on it. So now I just remove both disks from the front wheel. Only takes a minute or two with an air ratchet and gives me piece of mind that I can't accidentally damage them.

[Snarley Bill]

I have never scratched a rim, but initially DID have a problem with leaving some red paint scuffs on them that I had to rub off with alcohol or Goof-Off. That was easily solved just by using a slab of plastic from a shampoo bottle between the bar and the rim. Nylon rim savers would be a great solution too, but I ain't got any! LOL You also may want to tie strap a strip of plastic on each of the rim clamps too, since you will occasionally not tighten the clamps enough to stop the rim from turning a little while you are working on it. That red paint is ugly stuff on a rim.

 

A lot of folks say they successfully use the changer just by bolting it to a 4x4 piece of plywood, but I anchored mine to a corner of my driveway. When I am not using it I just stick it in a corner of the garage and plug the holes with a couple of short bolts to keep the dirt and crud out. I don't think there is actually much tension on them; nothing pulls the changer sideways while you are using it. Just make sure you use machine bolts to anchor it. I started out using lag bolts because that is what I had laying around, but they are too soft and I twisted a couple of them off by trying to tighten it down too much.

Goose

 

Oh, another thought from experience - the rear wheel will fit on the changer with the disk down, but the front wheel will not. I have changed the front tire with only removing one disk to mount the wheel and leaving the other in place on top, but I just don't like having to worry about possibly screwing up and putting pressure on it. So now I just remove both disks from the front wheel. Only takes a minute or two with an air ratchet and gives me piece of mind that I can't accidentally damage them.

thanks for the info. i may go take another look today. bill

[MAINEAC]

So now I just remove both disks from the front wheel. Only takes a minute or two with an air ratchet and gives me piece of mind that I can't accidentally damage them.

 

Yo Goose... I gotta pick your brain...

1. You ever snap or strip a bolt removing the disks?
   
2. Do you use lock-tite when replacing them?
   

I've been told these bolts are prone to snapping and stripping and that when I remove them I should plan on replacing them..

I gotta remove both of mine to install my chrome billet wheel covers and am considering leaving off the Pie Plate SS center covers as I also have chrome rotor covers going on... Do you think I could use hex head replacement bolts?? I'm assuming the allen heads are for astetics...

 

TIA

[V7Goose]

Yo Goose... I gotta pick your brain...

1. You ever snap or strip a bolt removing the disks?
   
2. Do you use lock-tite when replacing them?
   

I've been told these bolts are prone to snapping and stripping and that when I remove them I should plan on replacing them..

I gotta remove both of mine to install my chrome billet wheel covers and am considering leaving off the Pie Plate SS center covers as I also have chrome rotor covers going on... Do you think I could use hex head replacement bolts?? I'm assuming the allen heads are for astetics...

 

TIA

The rotor bolts are very tough. They are lock-tited in (required in the maintenance manual) and sometimes need some grunt to pop loose, but I have never damaged one, or the threads in the wheel. They are Torx, not allen heads, so you need the proper tool to remove them. I'm sure you could use any replacement bolt of the proper strength, but there is no indication on them what strength they need to be. In other words, I'd just stick with the stock bolts in a life-support application like brakes. And yes, I use blue Lock-Tite to replace them.

 

I have seen one RSV without the brake covers and thought it looked pretty cool - the pattern of cuts on the inside of the rotors looks nice.

[Squidley]

I have seen one RSV without the brake covers and thought it looked pretty cool - the pattern of cuts on the inside of the rotors looks nice.

 

 

Here is pic of mine with the covers off, I think it looks way better than those ugly covers

[Snarley Bill]

Yo Goose... I gotta pick your brain...

1. You ever snap or strip a bolt removing the disks?
   
2. Do you use lock-tite when replacing them?
   

I've been told these bolts are prone to snapping and stripping and that when I remove them I should plan on replacing them..

I gotta remove both of mine to install my chrome billet wheel covers and am considering leaving off the Pie Plate SS center covers as I also have chrome rotor covers going on... Do you think I could use hex head replacement bolts?? I'm assuming the allen heads are for astetics...

 

TIA

hit the bolts with a good hammer blow and drift punch in the bottom of the hex hole. that often helps to break them loose.