Has anyone ever used one of these ?

[Little6pack]

I am sick of paying my local tire dealer $ everytime I change tires.

Has anyone ever owned one of these or used it. OPINIONS please.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=34542

 

[turbofish38]

I have never used the manual method for car tires. Your going to need guns the size of Arnolds to get any type of leverage with todays low profile tires. I dont think I would even use that tool to do my motorcycle tires. I've watched some of my stock car buddies mount slicks at the track with 4-5 foot long irons and even the thin sidewalls are a PITA to do. It looks like it would work if you bolt the stand to the floor and use a longer pivot bar. Leverage is the key to make the job easier.

Oh and I forgot to add you are going to need a tool to break the beads. I was trying to figure out what the adjustment thingy on that tool does. Maybe a bead breaker? Anyway you could probally fabricate a bar and use the tool to break the bead.

 

[85HOT-T]

Yes, that thingy looks like more of a hassle than not. Turbofish is right about the beads, they take some power to break. Those low profs are a pain in the ass with the pnumatic tire machines too. i would pay the tire shop to do it, time is money and you will waste too much time with that thingy.

 

[mydesigner]

I tried using one like that and it was alright for normal size tires but the smaller the sidewall the harder. Its a lot of work with one of those, but it can be done, the more you do it th eeasier it would be im sure.

Rob

 

[Buick From Hell]

I've been putting a bug in everyone's ear to see if santa will bring me one of those this year (and a tire balancer)... I learned to change tires with a manual unit just like that one... and no, the tires won't take themselves off, you need to add some elbow grease! But change one set of tires and it's paid for itself...

 

[Little6pack]

I don't do the new style tires. I am still in the dark ages so I guess this may work for me. The tire guy must see me 5 times a year. I am constantly changing & buying rims/ tires on a used basis.

I am sick I tell ya As rodney dangerfield would say

 

[denn454]

a friend of mine has that one he uses to change bfg drag radials with (he went through 3 sets last searon) he swears is worth it and he likes it.

in the time it takes him to change and blance the tires i can go to mcdonalds, get a job for a few hours, make a few bucks, go the the tire store have them do it for me and we would probably finish at the same time. ony i'd do half the physical work he has to do.

Its not worth it. and thats with soft drag radials with tall sidewalls. just make friends with one of the guys in the shop.

 

[TexasT]

My Brother bought one of those...

for $34.99 and got free shipping. I think it is great. We mounted it to a wooden pallet. Ya stand on the pallet so it doesn't move. Then when you're done it can be stored out of the way. Works great on trailer tires, my larger tractor front tires, my small garden tractor rear tires. I can see where a guy might have a 'fun' time with some low profiles tires but us 'rednecks' haven't graduated to them yet. Also balancing the tire is an issue if you need that done, though I don't worry about that on the tire types I mentioned.

That is the bead breaker on the side but one must be careful with it and rotate the tire around and 'work' the bead down. It is not an hydraulic thing that can bust the bead in one try unless the tire hasn't been on there long. We had to learn that the hard way by bending the bar a couple of times. Now I have a big slide hammer pole bead breaker we fabbed up that works much better.

When ya live out in the country the thing pays for itself in one use instead of having to take a tire into town to get a flat repaired. Ya just hafta bust er down patch it and remount. I think the small one would be nice for smaller lawn n garden tires but I just use some 'spoons', as you don't have as many flat problems with them.

Rich