Tire changing time

JimD

Waiting for Godot...
Moderator
I have been sweating it out in the garage this afternoon. I am pulling 4 Hoosier DOT radials off my ATS Classics and will replace the Hoosiers with some Falkens. I have learned a lot about this process over the last couple years. Having the proper lube makes a huge difference when doing this job with a manual tire tool.

IM003454.JPG


I have the HF model, and while clumsy, it does the job. This jug of RU-GLYDE will probably last me forever, but it is like magic compared to using dish soap. Squirt it liberally around the bead whether you are mounting a tire or unmounting a tire. It is a huge help.
 
This jug of RU-GLYDE will probably last me forever, but it is like magic compared to using dish soap
Interesting-sounding stuff, Jim!! Does the container label have a manufacturer's name on it? I will sniff around down here in NZ for some (I'm going to be in the X tyre-changing "activity" myself quite soon! :().

cheers, IanL - NZ
 
Hi Ian,

It says "A product of AGS Company of Muskegon, Michigan". www.agscompany.com I ordered it off of Amazon. I am sure New Zealand has an equivalent product.

It is hard and frustrating work. I got 4 unmounted, but only 2 mounted. I am spent for the day. I better head back over to the "Getting old kinda sucks" thread. :)
 
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I have a similar manual tire changer. Yes, it is exhausting. Especially with old, hard tires that have been stuck on steel wheels for 20 years in the sun. Actually bent the rim before the bead came off. But agree completely the proper lube helps tremendously. Two other items I've found to also help are a different "lever" pry-bar goodie, and some tire "holder" gizmos.

The lever I like is this:
https://www.nomartirechanger.com/Mount_Demount_Bar_p/tc-mdbar.htm
There is a similar one from another company for a bit less money (don't have their link handy).

And the tire holders can be any of a couple types, that look like some of these:
s-l1600 (3).jpg tire-changer-acc-tcbc-gallery-350px.jpg Tire-Changer-Bead-Clamp.jpg AC-YellowThing-2.jpg

Basically they hold one side of a tire bead down in the center well of the rim while you remove the other side of it over the rim lip.

A modification I made to my changer that helps is to add some protective rim clamps, with a better design. I purchased the plastic covers that industrial machines use (see first pic below), and welded tabs to the original clamps to place the covers on (making them more like the second pic).
category_image.jpg tire-changer-coats-4-in-extension-clamps-for-9024e-1_1024x1024.jpeg
Helps hold the rim from slipping and no damage to allow wheels.

Lots of agony, research, and trial and error went into my changer. I have more info if you are interested, just drop me a message.
 
I am spent for the day. I better head back over to the "Getting old kinda sucks" thread. :)
OK Jim, thanks for the info! I will hunt around over here, see if I can find something similar!
Yeah, it ain't fair that clean-living, healthy "young bucks" (like you 'n me :rolleyes:), find that we aren't as feisty as we used to be all of a sudden!!
I wonder why that is, seeing as we have always maintained a "clean as a whistle" lifestyle over the years!!
;)

cheers mate!!
IanL - NZ
 
Dr Jeff,

I definitely need some type of bead holder thingy. I make due with whatever I have on hand, but the real deal would help. I will definitely look into one before my next tire job. Also, a better bar would help. The HF bar is very crude and is probably the minimum thing required to battle thru the job..
 
Years ago, I ended up in a relatively remote location with a car that had sidewall damage on a tire and the spare already in use. I did have a new replacement tire which I had planned to get mounted before the second tire failed. Not having many choices, I ended up using numerous pry bars, screwdrivers, and pipe clamps to remove the old 185/60-14 tire and put on the new one. It took a few hours and I recall that my hands and fingers got pretty battered in the process. That may be the one auto repair task that I never want to do again!
 
I got it done, but I made it hard on myself. On the last tire I really had to fight it because the clamp I was using as a bead stopper had broken on the previous tire. After battling a bit, I remembered I had another clamp somewhere. I found it and put it to use. I got the tire on, beaded and aired up. I stacked up the completed tires and then started cleaning up tools. When I looked at the clamp, it was missing one anti-mar pad. I looked around the floor before dejectedly picking up the last tire to shake it. Sigh. Yup, it was in there. So I had to break the bead again and fish the pad out, the re-bead and air it up again. Pretty typical for one of my projects. :rolleyes::oops::eek::Do_O:confused::mad:
 
I ended up using numerous pry bars, screwdrivers, and pipe clamps to remove the old 185/60-14 tire and put on the new one. It took a few hours and I recall that my hands and fingers got pretty battered in the process. That may be the one auto repair task that I never want to do again!
I hear you, tire irons can do some real damage...and I mean to the operator, not the wheel/tire. Experience speaking here.



I definitely need some type of bead holder thingy.
Jimbo, I can relate to your experience with the pad falling inside the tire, sounds like something typical for my projects as well.
I have 3 different types of those tire depressors/holders. The yellow 'claw' (pic #4) seems the worst, although it is popular so maybe others like it. I find you have to hold it with one hand, leaving you only one to work with. The one with the 'quick-pin' thing (pic #3) does not tend to slip out/off leaving both hands free, but it does not seem to hold the tire as far down as some others. Seems to me the pin should be at a much greater angle. The little 'blocks' (pic #1) hold the tire down into the recess better on most wheels, but they tend to slip out and you have to start over. I don't have the ones in pic #2, but they seem to be similar to pic #1 only attached to a rope (not sure that offers any advantage). So all have advantages/disadvantages. I think someone could design a hybrid version of them that would work better. Or perhaps there are other styles out there that I haven't seen. But in general any are better than none. Based on my limited experience I think I'd recommend the ones in pic #1. And they are not expensive; that image is from this eBay listing:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/3Pcs-Car-B...r-Clamps-Black-Hot-Sale/153028310648?var=null

As for the lever/pry bar, take a look at this video for a demo:
 
A balancing act as they say.... All 4 tires mounted and balanced. I won't declare victory till I get to drive on this set, but at least the hard part is over. The wheels and tires on the 124 sedan in the background were done with these tools and same tire man. ;) That set came out perfect and still run true with no tremors, so here's hoping! :)
IM003457.JPG
 
Before had easy access for tire mounting machine used same (homemade) tool as in first pic. After that used just two levers on first side to take tire off, other one just with a hammer. And two levers to put another back on. Few drops of gasoline into tire to blow it on (when didn’t have air compressor).

For lube used to use motoroil..
8CDACD99-6AEB-41AE-AD42-89D3955B6395.png
 
Before had easy access for tire mounting machine used same (homemade) tool as in first pic. After that used just two levers on first side to take tire off, other one just with a hammer. And two levers to put another back on. Few drops of gasoline into tire to blow it on (when didn’t have air compressor).

For lube used to use motoroil..View attachment 12072

BOOM!!! :D I have seen videos of people using gasoline to put really big tires on rims for trucks. You are a brave man mkmini. ;)
 
Jim, I also have one of those bubble balancers. But often I just take them to a local shop that spin-balances for around $3-4 each. Mainly because I don't keep the weights on hand. Seems you need different types of weights for various types of wheels. And I've had a couple issues with them staying on, but that is likely operator error.

Ya, some great online videos of guys blowing up their wheel/tire/hand/face using various combustibles to seat the bead. I've never tried one, but those 'air bazookas' seem to work well. Again, a good lube helps a lot. I've used a ratchet strap around the perimeter of the tire to help squeeze the beads outward while seating difficult ones. Also remove the valve core and crank up your compressor as high as it will go, and hold on.

Janis, those are the tire irons that I mentioned will give you a really cool "tattoo" looking scar on your forehead when it slips off the bead. :)

Back on the subject of lubes. Because I'm currently living in a climate with 0 humidity, off the chart UV levels, and excessive heat, things tend to evaporate and dry-out REALLY fast. Even normal tire mounting lubes will get too dry to work by the time you get things going (I know, an extreme situation...it turns powder coat finishes to chalky dust). So I found one that is more of a thick cream, almost the consistency of petroleum jelly, but also kind of waxy. It does not dry out so quickly and helps for my conditions. It came free with the "No Mar" lever-bar I posted about earlier. I like it, but the stuff you show will work great in most environments. [If my shop wasn't so crowded with other equipment, so I could use the tire changer inside instead of out in the sun it would also help. That's another reason I don't use the 'bubble balancer', just to exhausted and hot by the time the tires are mounted.]
 
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