Manual Tire Changer, Harbor Freight - Page 3 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

tdoublenastywitit · #31 02-02-2018, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OM617YOTA

Yes I was also confused by this comment....

vonsmog · #32 02-02-2018, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdoublenastywitit

What is a liquid balancer?

Made for truck tires.

https://www.zoro.com/escoequipment-supply-co-liquid-tire-balance-pk12-20471/i/G7443339/

tjts1 · #33 02-02-2018, 01:21 PM

Some people use airsoft BBs in car tires instead of liquid. I've heard mixed results.

Diesel911 · #34 02-02-2018, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OM617YOTA

Nice tutorial, well written out and shown.

Tires are just one of those things I've had zero desire to do myself. Shops charge too little to do a much better job than I could, using much better equipment than I could afford, and I'd still need to take it to them to balance the tires. 90% of my driving is at ~70mph, unbalanced tires would be completely unacceptable. Most places won't even think of warrantying a tire unless it's installed by them, anyway. Seems like a lot of trouble for very little return.

If you have some nice Rims the Manual Tire Changer is not a good thing to use on them.

Diesel911 · #35 02-02-2018, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdoublenastywitit

Most of the time i cannot set the bead and blow on thetire with just an air compressor.

The wd40 trick is needed more times that not. And then after that u can pump up with compressor

If you watch the Tire guys what they do is (remember the valve core is not in the valve stem) they shove the Air Hose Coupling (no air gun) over the Valve Stem and push it over it and without the Valve Stem Core that most often allows enough air volume to enter the tire and lift it into the bead.

That is what I do and it works most of the time. However, an Air Compressor with a certain size tank. My older Air Compressor has a 10 gallon tank so you need enough volume of air to do the job. My newer Air Compressor has a smaller tank and it is just enough.

What I bought is like a huge rubber O-ring that is supposed to fit 14-15 inch rims. It is about 2 inches in diameter. It was expensive around $40. I have only had that for about 1.5 years.
I get mixed results with it because it needs to be properly lubed in order for it to move and pop off of the rim.

One of the oddities of my life style is I don't use dish soap. I use Laundry Detergent to was the Dishes with (because I have to have that). And water and detergent don't make a good lube for that inflation ring.

In the case of the tire in the picture I used the inflation ring and the ring got pinned between the tire edge and the rim x3. However, the edge of the tire on one side got seated on the bead which was a good thing.

Since one side of the bead was set I removed the inflation ring and turned the tire over on the Tire Changer and I was able to lean and push down on the Tire forcing the other tire lip close enough to the rim that the compressed air worked.

Another name for the Tire Inflation Ring is a Tire Bead Seating Ring.

mbolton1990 · #36 02-02-2018, 05:37 PM

I totally approve this idea.
I have to pay $75 to swap tires from one set of rims to another. That gets old quick, and that's me disposing of my old tires. (Another $5-10 for the to dispose of the old ones)

What gets me is that they swap them over in 5 minutes for $75 which comes out to paying ~$900/hr for their labor. I'm all about paying people fairly but that seems a bit excessive.. if it was still $40 I'd have no qualms about it.. no one will touch them for that anymore.

koooop · #37 02-02-2018, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OM617YOTA

I have a 240D, 70mph is torturous.

oilslick · #38 02-02-2018, 07:04 PM

Reading through some of this thread brings back memories of a few Summers ago when I change 6 tires on my Silver Eagle Bus (a full grown bus &#128513

. Anyway, I changed all 6 tires (11R 24.5) with tire spoons and lots of sweat. I would seat the bead using starter fluid (some folks should NEVER attempt this method) and used balancing “bags” inside the tire. Everything worked out well. That is one more miserable job to during the Summer in the South. I’ll just take my car tires to a tire shop.

leathermang · #39 02-02-2018, 09:49 PM

If someone wants a real challenge..... try a 12 inch Subaru tire change.... LOL

Out on a farm where trailers which may never see a highway... it is common for people to change tires around themselves....

BillGrissom · #40 02-02-2018, 10:28 PM

I was faced w/ that recently when I bought a new spare 13" tire for my camping trailer. I had bought the tire on Amazon because not even listed by America's Tire where I usually go. I could have gone to a garage, but a hassle and you seem like a cheap beggar when you bring them the new tire. I watched the many youtube's on using the HF changer, but didn't want to spend the money, plus it takes a lot of space after bolting to a base. I recalled my 1965 Newport FSM showed how to change a tire using the bumper jack, so tried that.

I used a newer scissors jack, pressing down on the tire between the tire bead and trailer's bumper. After pushing on both sides, the bead popped off. It was harder to peel the tire off the wheel. It is similar to a bicycle tire, just thicker and stiffer. One trick is to keep the far side of the bead down in the valley to give that extra 1/16". I used several crow-bars. The new tire went on easier, because pushing w/ the jack is easier than prying. I soaped it. I couldn't get the seal started at first, so removed the Schraeder valve so the compressor air flowed in faster, and got the seal started. I could probably do it faster on a 2nd pass, but since that should be all 4 trailer tires, I'll take them to a shop. They also dispose of the tires. I would hate to try installing a low-profile tire.

OM617YOTA · #41 02-02-2018, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diesel911

If you watch the Tire guys what they do is (remember the valve core is not in the valve stem) they shove the Air Hose Coupling (no air gun) over the Valve Stem and push it over it and without the Valve Stem Core that most often allows enough air volume to enter the tire and lift it into the bead.

That is what I do and it works most of the time. However, an Air Compressor with a certain size tank. My older Air Compressor has a 10 gallon tank so you need enough volume of air to do the job. My newer Air Compressor has a smaller tank and it is just enough.

What I bought is like a huge rubber O-ring that is supposed to fit 14-15 inch rims. It is about 2 inches in diameter. It was expensive around $40. I have only had that for about 1.5 years.
I get mixed results with it because it needs to be properly lubed in order for it to move and pop off of the rim.

One of the oddities of my life style is I don't use dish soap. I use Laundry Detergent to was the Dishes with (because I have to have that). And water and detergent don't make a good lube for that inflation ring.

In the case of the tire in the picture I used the inflation ring and the ring got pinned between the tire edge and the rim x3. However, the edge of the tire on one side got seated on the bead which was a good thing.

Since one side of the bead was set I removed the inflation ring and turned the tire over on the Tire Changer and I was able to lean and push down on the Tire forcing the other tire lip close enough to the rim that the compressed air worked.

Another name for the Tire Inflation Ring is a Tire Bead Seating Ring.

Yeah just no thank you. Many things I am all about taking the time, enjoying learning the process, and maybe saving some money or at least breaking even on. Many of those, it's not about the money or the time, it's about doing it myself and the enjoyment, and I definitely understand and appreciate that in others.

Tires just aren't one of them. Tire pros do the job in way less time, to a higher quality level, on better equipment than I will ever have, and warranty it for what is really very little money. I hand them my keys, go eat a bowl of pho across the street, come back and it's done. If I have any issues, I go back and they deal with it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by koooop

I have a 240D, 70mph is torturous.

Got you! Put a brick on the gas pedal and take a nap.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbolton1990

I totally approve this idea.
I have to pay $75 to swap tires from one set of rims to another. That gets old quick, and that's me disposing of my old tires. (Another $5-10 for the to dispose of the old ones)

What gets me is that they swap them over in 5 minutes for $75 which comes out to paying ~$900/hr for their labor. I'm all about paying people fairly but that seems a bit excessive.. if it was still $40 I'd have no qualms about it.. no one will touch them for that anymore.

I don't understand this point of view. You're paying them to do a job, not grunt and groan for X amount of time. Most people would pay more to have it done faster.

oilslick · #42 02-03-2018, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leathermang

If someone wants a real challenge..... try a 12 inch Subaru tire change.... LOL

Out on a farm where trailers which may never see a highway... it is common for people to change tires around themselves....

Give me bus/truck tires any day!

leathermang, that would be quite a challenge. No thanks!

leathermang · #43 02-03-2018, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oilslick

Give me bus/truck tires any day!

leathermang, that would be quite a challenge. No thanks!

EVEN the local Subaru salvage yard... with big equipment ... did not mess with them.. if you wanted a new Wheel... they sold you a Wheel with an old Tire on it... LOL
I tried taking one 12 incher off... I do not remember if I was successful ... I may have cut it off.. which was not easy either.... and realized I was not going to be able to mount a good one on that rim....

But you could buy a set of four tires for $100 for them... LOLOL

JB3 · #44 02-03-2018, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OM617YOTA

Yeah just no thank you. Many things I am all about taking the time, enjoying learning the process, and maybe saving some money or at least breaking even on. Many of those, it's not about the money or the time, it's about doing it myself and the enjoyment, and I definitely understand and appreciate that in others.

Tires just aren't one of them. Tire pros do the job in way less time, to a higher quality level, on better equipment than I will ever have, and warranty it for what is really very little money. I hand them my keys, go eat a bowl of pho across the street, come back and it's done. If I have any issues, I go back and they deal with it.

Got you! Put a brick on the gas pedal and take a nap.

I don't understand this point of view. You're paying them to do a job, not grunt and groan for X amount of time. Most people would pay more to have it done faster.

this.

Changing a tire manually is a massive pain in the rear. That is something I will gladly pay someone else to do faster, easier, and on a machine that is less likely to damage the wheel. Totally worth the money.

The only tires ill change manually these days are tractor tires, and its still a pain in the rear. Don't get me started on tractor trailer tires

JB3 · #45 02-03-2018, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diesel911

Never had one and the one Harbor Freight sells is about $80. Maybe some day I will look on ebay for a cheaper alternative.

I have been not balancing tires for a long time now and only once or twice had an vibration issues. I don't do a lot of Freeway driving and most of the time in the Los Angles basin the Freeway is slow.

so you do a lot of work for a half done result that isn't going to be comfortable past a certain speed. That would be an unacceptable solution for most people.