Tire Changers

[Matt Sup10]

Was wondering how many people do their own tire changes and what equipment they use? I know No-Mars are popular, but expensive. Any lower priced, good alternatives? With all the different types of rides I go on, was thinking about having different sets of tires and swapping out.

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[greg the pole]

I have the low end no mar.
it wasn't cheap. But I swap tires for two bikes, at least once a year. I hate the hassle of taking tires to the shop.

I also do riding buddies tires for half the cost of what it costs them at the shop, without the hassle.

It's paid for itself a while ago.

 

[WJBertrand]

Don't think you can get them anymore, but I use a Harbor Freight tire changer with the motorcycle attachment. It was only about $100 with coupons and such.

 

[Checkswrecks]

Don't think you can get them anymore, but I use a Harbor Freight tire changer with the motorcycle attachment. It was only about $100 with coupons and such.

::026::

 

[markbxr400]

You didn't spring for the integrated bead breaker option on your ST?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0nrZadIQxA

 

[Bryce]

Harbor Freight tire changer witt the Motorcycle attachments. I added Mojo Blocks and Mojo Lever so I don't scratch wheels.

 

[Bigbore4]

I have a few year old Jr Pro NoMar. I bought it one summer when between me and one of my boys we went through 4 or 5 sets of tires. Then it was $35 a wheel off the bike. I love it, I also help friends out for a much smaller fee, usually a jug of decent whiskey.

This and the bike lift are tools I really wish I would have found a way to buy even back when I was young, dumb and broke. I have had it about 10 years. Scored mine off of CL hardly used.

 

[RonH]

I changed tires for over 35yrs myself on the floor with tire irons. The super tenere is super easy to change tires on. Really a tire changer is not needed, but nice to have. For 2 or 3yrs now I've played around making my own, doing improvements, seeing what works and doesn't, modifying things here and there, and I think I got it. I have however looked at all tire changers and gained ideas, and learned a bit. Of course the Coats 220 is the benchmark by which all other changers try to duplicate. The Coats is about a $1500 item, so the Nomar is not "expensive", it's actually pretty reasonable depending on model chosen. The Cycle Hill, the lower priced one looks pretty good, the Classic I think they call it looks real good. The pro model looks great and still way less than $1500. The problem with the Nomar is the lever is not great. You can buy the coats 220 lever with the protectors, but it leaves a little to be desired as well. Trust me whatever changer you get, throw out the bar and buy a Mojolever. Works great. As to Harbor Freight, that may work, but need the Mojo blocks to keep from scratching as well as the Mojolever.
I made my own changer really out of necessity for the GL1800. Replacing the rear radial is near impossible, and after going to a runflat car tire completely impossible without some form of changer. For a Super Tenere as I said, not really needed. Look at Nomar site for several videos showing how they change tires.All those videos contain some real nice info that can be used regardless of what changer you have or even if you change on the floor with spoons.
If I was going to buy a changer I think I would go Nomar, either the newest Cycle Hill, or the classic, but also the Mojolever.

 

[verboten1]

Tire irons and a moving blanket. That's my tire tools!

 

[worncog]

I also have a No-Mar. Works good and has been getting a workout the last couple years with miles racking up and more than two bikes on the road at any given time. Initial cost is a bit steep, but it pays for itself in just a couple years.

 

[SilverBullet]

I wouldn't even risk that center stand bead breaking trick. It won't work for the front tire so you'll need an alternate method anyway. Lots of ways to do it at home; vise, clamps, blocks & leverage, etc. But on the trail this is the most compact and lightest solution I've found. Pricey but it works great and you have two of your three needed tire irons integrated.
http://www.motionpro.com/product/08-0519

Liked them so much I bought the bigger, heavier and cheaper version for the garage.
http://www.motionpro.com/product/08-0536

I changed tires for over 35yrs myself on the floor with tire irons. The super tenere is super easy to change tires on. Really a tire changer is not needed,...

+1 but 45 years
no garage queens here. Dirt, MX, dual sport or adventure bikes get rims scratched with irons, no biggie.
I've looked at those tire change stands to save the back from bending over but they take up valuable garage space.

Tire irons and a moving blanket. That's my tire tools!

Instead of blanket I use carpet samples, only 99 cents at the dollar store. I also have a yoga pad I bought as a sleeping bag pad that is too bulky for the bike so I cut it in half.

_

 

[racer1735]

Harbor Freight tire changer with the motorcycle attachment, bolted to a sturdy pallet. Mojo blocks, mojo lever, RuGlyde, 3 tire irons. I've swapped many tires, cursed many unseen forces, scratched many a wheel but have enjoyed every moment of it. And saved a ton of $$$.

 

[markjenn]

I've used everything from $3K high-end tire changers, to No-Mars, to HF, to blankets and tire irons on the floor. The more sophisticated machines do make the job somewhat easier, but they're not cheap. It's never a picnic no matter what you use and the machines tend to be heavy, bulky, and often have their own problems that have to be solved. (The NoMar folks give easy-as-pie demos at the cycle shows but the tire they used has sidewalls of butter and has been mounted a thousand times not to mention that the tire is at indoor room temperature, so don't believe everything you see. Don't get me wrong.... I like the NoMars, but don't think that buying a NoMar solves everything or makes the job easy.) I've two friends who have HF machines and they're borderline junk IMHO - if you're willing to ante up to a full machine, I wouldn't dink around with one.... get the NoMar.

I prefer my setup..... which is basically a 14" junkyard steel car wheel with split garden hose on the rim clamped to a shop bench to hold the wheel, a homemade wood bead breaker attached to the wall, rim protectors (you can use cut-up soda bottles), and lots of RyGlyde tire lube. The most important thing is PROPER tire levers, not screwdrivers or 8" spoons you see in dirt-bike toolkits.

This reference details the basic setup, but you can improvise in a variety of ways.

http://www.clarity.net/adam/tire-changing-doc.html

A shop compressor is not absolutely required, but life gets tough without one. Likewise, you're probably going to need a balancing stand with proper cones for the wheels - I splurged on a $100 shop model, but you can improvise here also.

Getting setup to change tires is quite a bit of trouble and if you have a shop that charges you a nominal fee for mounting/balancing (say $20 or so), I'd just let them do it. But once you're setup, it pays off big time over time.

- Mark

 

[shredmeister]

Harbor Freight tire changer with the motorcycle attachment, bolted to a sturdy pallet. Mojo blocks, mojo lever, RuGlyde, 3 tire irons. I've swapped many tires, cursed many unseen forces, scratched many a wheel but have enjoyed every moment of it. And saved a ton of $$$.

+1 on this set up. The Mojo lever and blocks are what make the HF set up work. Definitely need to bolt the set up down to something. I use inserts in holes I made in the garage floor, remove the set up and plug holes when not using. It takes a little practice but, once I got the hang of I'm not going back to tire irons. Takes less time to change the tire than balancing. Remember to use plenty of lube.

 

[Indyrider]

I've had the No Mar Classic model a few years now and am very happy with the purchase. Wished I would have bought years ago. Makes swapping out tires for different occasions an easy reality..........unless it's a Mitas Dakar E07 rear on a cold afternoon! ::010::

 

[rbernie]

How do y'all balance the wheel once you've changed the tire?

 

[Bryce]

I got a Harbor Freight wheel balanacer. The bearings in it were junk, but I replaced them with form roller blade braings from Amazon for a few bucks and it works great. Balanced like the Service Manual or the Balancer manual states and use stick on weights.

 

[Jabba]

How do y'all balance the wheel once you've changed the tire?

I use the Marc Parnes balancer on a couple of jack stands. I've done the air soft pellets, too. Both work fine.

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[justbob]

10 yrs ago I bought a electric/pneumatic tire machine from Greg Smith Equipment, yes it was $1000 but it is worth it.
I had previously changed tires with tire irons, most werent too bad except for the GL1800 tires, wow those side walls are stiff.
The ease of using the bead breaker on my tire changer is worth the cost of the changer.
I have also used it for car, truck and small farm tractor front tires.
Just sorry that I waited so long to get it.

 

[racer1735]

I also have the harbor freight tire balancer My original bearings have been going strong for five years now. The only modification I had to make was to pull the uprights apart slightly to make them parallel That allowed the spindle to rotate freely.