how many of you dismount/mount your own tires?

[tri5ron]

just wondering how many change their own tires? seems like getting the bead to break, and getting new ones on, is dang near impossible by hand.

also, has any one tried using anything like these small tire machines?
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=34542

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=34552

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=36133


I'm considering getting one if anyone here has tried and likes them. So what do you guys think? ever tried them?? any good??

[KXRida]

I used to mount my own quad tires, but I'd rather just pay the $10 and have the shop do my bike tires. I figure by the time I get it done I probably would have three tubes wrapped up in it lol.

[ProspectorJim]

this is one of the perks of having a dad that's a mechanic.:D
plus I get some of his old tools when he orders new ones.

I believe he uses a something like you listed, but he says they're still a ***** to break the bead.

[gcart2]

i have dual bead on the rear and the fronts i just spend the $20 to get it done once in a while.

[400exrider707]

I do all of my own tires and I only use tire spoons to mount and dismount. I have good snap-on tire spoons that are designed for car and truck tires so they're extra long, work awesome. Once you know how to use them and use them often, it goes a LOT quicker, but sometimes some tires can just be a royal pain.

[Ruby Soho]

i did my quad tires by myself

for my 110 i use the tire machine at my school.

[Mxjunkie]

ehh cut em off :devil:

[C41Xracer]

i have one of those and unless its mounted to the floor have fun with getting the tire off the rim

[DJJ450r]

I change my own tires and my tire balls. My friend has a bead breaker, tire spoons, nitrogen tank, and a nice tool to air up all the balls at once:macho

Walmart only charges like $12 to take the old tires off and put the new ones on for a pair.. it doesn't pay to do it yourself lol

[250x_kyle]

Originally posted by DMC-4OOEX
Walmart only charges like $12 to take the old tires off and put the new ones on for a pair.. it doesn't pay to do it yourself lol

does when your trying to make money

[scuzz]

I mounted my paddle tires...mainly because I'm impatient and didn't want the paddles offset.

[Pipeless416]

i broke the beads on some old shredders by drilling through the bead. they were glued.. now i run over the bead with the truck to break them. works like a charm.. most of the time. :macho mounting them is much easier.

[ohsobad_chevy]

Originally posted by scuzz
I mounted my paddle tires...mainly because I'm impatient and didn't want the paddles offset.

You know you can line up the paddles by rotating the hub on the axle.......much easier that way. ;)

[Bruce300ex]

i get my tires mounted for free because my mom gets a discount at the place so they do it at no charge

[honda250xman]

we take ours to the shop to get them broken down then take them off ourselves and put them back on. usually take about 30 minutes for all four


we use screw drivers :eek2: hahaha

[scuzz]

Originally posted by ohsobad_chevy
You know you can line up the paddles by rotating the hub on the axle.......much easier that way. ;)

Not with a 700XX.

There's a LOT more parts involved.


Also, I hadn't set the bead yet so I mounted them on the quad, soaped the bead, put the quad in gear and turned it by hand.

[ohsobad_chevy]

Originally posted by scuzz
Not with a 700XX.

There's a LOT more parts involved.


Also, I hadn't set the bead yet so I mounted them on the quad, soaped the bead, put the quad in gear and turned it by hand.

Right on. :)

[Rich250RRacer]

Since I do alot of work on bikes and quads from my garage, I bought a used Coats Rim Clamp machine. Used machines can be found at a reasonable price if you're patient and willing to look. I paid $900 for mine, and it will pay for itself. A Coats 220 manual motorcycle changer works OK for quad wheels too, sometimes it can be a pain to break the beads though. This is the changer ITP uses to change tires at the GNCC's. A used one can usually be found on Ebay for around $200. It's MUCH more durable than the cheap ones out there.

In fact here's one on Ebay now.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Coats-220-tire-rim-wheel-changer-changing-machine_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ63699QQihZ020QQ itemZ300286615905QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

If that doesn't work, here's the item number.

300286615905

[cmaxx]

i change my one with a beadbreaker and 2 straight screwdrivers.and i change them about 3 times a year.

[alltorquedup]

I work as an auto tech and I do mine on our Snap-on machine made for car tires. I found out if you let a little air in the tire, the bead usually breaks real easy. I put a little air back in, not enough to seat the first bead, then break the other bead. Then I use the machine to dismount and mount the tire. 8" wheels can be a little tricky, but 9" and up go good.

[tri5ron]

C41Xracer,
which one of the machines do you have?
(I linked 2 machines, and 1 spreader)

Yeah, I figured I'd mount it to a piece of 3/4" plywood, 4'x4' square, so I would be standing on the plywood while using it. that way it would be stable while using it, but movable when not using it.

Rich250RRacer,
looks good, and I'd love to bid on that one, BUT...
since the seller says pick-up only, I dont think I can bid on it.
Takes ALOT of gas to go from Ca. to N.Y. round trip!
LOL!!!

pipeless416,
Yeah, I have found the **Truck/Bead Breaker Method** to work pretty well myself, but if my 1 ton crewcab dually wont do it, I can always use my 52,000 lb Concrete Truck.
(Pretty sure that will do it) :D

400exrider707,
You da MAN !!
(Just dont let one of those spoons slip!) OUCH!

and to all the rest, who have free access to a real tire machine,......
I HATE YOU !!!

[KXRida]

haha as far as truck tire though, I mount and balance them myself. I wish I had a tire machine for bikes!

[ccdhowell]

I can dismount and mount every tire I've ever tried until I came to trying to mount a pair of Holeshot HD rears on 9 inch wheels. Couldn't do it; me and my irons didn't have enough power, watch out for those.

[KXRida]

Originally posted by ccdhowell
I can dismount and mount every tire I've ever tried until I came to trying to mount a pair of Holeshot HD rears on 9 inch wheels. Couldn't do it; me and my irons didn't have enough power, watch out for those.

One my worst was a 6 ply michelin starcross mh3. No way in hell was I getting that on...


Originally posted by honda250xman
we take ours to the shop to get them broken down then take them off ourselves and put them back on. usually take about 30 minutes for all four


we use screw drivers :eek2: hahaha

Just make sure you don't chew up your rims with them. haha also, make sure they don't slip when you're legs are split with the wheel inbetween them. I catapulted a screwdriver into my nads once. It wasn't pretty.

[C41Xracer]

i have the first link that was posted

[Robin Hood]

Easiest way to break the bead is to let all the air out and just run the tire over with a car. Helps if you have another friend to line the edge of the rim/tire up to your car tire without you hoppin in and out.

[honda250xman]

Originally posted by KXRida
One my worst was a 6 ply michelin starcross mh3. No way in hell was I getting that on...



Just make sure you don't chew up your rims with them. haha also, make sure they don't slip when you're legs are split with the wheel inbetween them. I catapulted a screwdriver into my nads once. It wasn't pretty.

yeah we're pretty careful when putting the new tires on. and yeah we've had some pretty funny stuff happen when we finally pulled a tire off or got one on.

usually it's me falling down or something

[wilkin250r]

I've this the smaller one, it's an absolute piece of junk. I was able to do it, but it was a nightmare, the tool was too small to hold the rims properly.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos/34500-34599/34552.gif


It would work if it was three times bigger.

I am strongly considering buying the larger machine. It seems like I'm ALWAYS changing tires. I don't think I need a big Coats machine like Rich posted, but I might. It seems like I'm doing about 10-15 tires a year.