Manual Tire Changers - Any Good, or Junk?

[Xhumeka]

I finally need to change a rear tire on one of my machines, so I'm looking to buy a tire changer/bead breaker.

Do you guys have any experience with these type of combination changers?

http://www.ragefaction.info/images/psych0/orv/misc/2010/manual_tire_changer.jpg

Are they heavy-duty enough to change ATC/ATV tires, or are they only good enough for trailer tires etc?

Any advice greatly appreciated!

[vector292]

ive got a similar one in my shed it works fine for atv tires in my experiences.

[swifty]

i have a few of these there good 4 car tires they dont break the bead worth a sh%t on atv tires and the top where you mount the tire is not right for atv tires but i have done a few atv tires in a pinch

[AutoXer]

I have one and think that it works great .... i have no problem breaking beads with it , it is securely mounted to the floor in the shed

[Xhumeka]

hmmmm - mixed opinions huh... If it doesn't break a bead, it's useless to me... that's pretty much the only reason I want it.

Royal Distributing sells a "bead breaking tool" but it's $150 friggin' bucks and looks like garden shears:

http://www.ragefaction.info/images/psych0/orv/misc/2010/bead_breaker.jpg

I don't think I could ever justify paying $150 for _THAT_ thing...

swifty: so you find it doesn't break the bead very well at all? Is it just HARD to break it, or is there a design flaw?

[scottp597]

I would first ask how often do you need to change tires? I usually can get my local mechanic to do it for me for about 10 bucks.... so that gets me 15 sets of tire changes vs that tool...not including the time and effort it would take for me to do it myself.

[Xhumeka]

I would first ask how often do you need to change tires? I usually can get my local mechanic to do it for me for about 10 bucks.... so that gets me 15 sets of tire changes vs that tool...not including the time and effort it would take for me to do it myself.

I WISH I had a shop that would change my ATV tires... you'd think in a city of 6 million, SOMEONE would... but after calling around to more than 15 tire shops in my area, each one saying "no, we don't change ATV tires" I gave up.

If I had a local ATV shop that would be great, but living in the city people look at me like I'm crazy when I ask about changing ATV tires. The closest place I found is in a small town 45 mins away from me... I'd spend $15 in gas just there and back.

Hopefully I won't have to change tires very often - but I'd rather spend money on a tool that allows me to perform work myself, than pay someone else to do it.

[rdlsz24]

I have one from Harbor Freight that you put in the bench top vice and it sucks: http://www.harborfreight.com/mini-tire-changer-34552.html. I don't know if it was really designed for atv tires.

I changed one set of front quad tires and bent the hell out of it and said never again. It took me like 2 hours. I take them to the farm store now. $4 to take a tire off the rim

Rob

[gregbails4]

I have used these before, we use them on flat track and TT tires with soft compound. But i would'nt reccomend one to anybody running normal tires because they don't work and you will break your knuckes trying. The one we use was only like $50 though, which is well worth it for the ammount of tires we change especially at the track being compact and portable it has been a life saver.

hmmmm - mixed opinions huh... If it doesn't break a bead, it's useless to me... that's pretty much the only reason I want it.

Royal Distributing sells a "bead breaking tool" but it's $150 friggin' bucks and looks like garden shears:

http://www.ragefaction.info/images/psych0/orv/misc/2010/bead_breaker.jpg

I don't think I could ever justify paying $150 for _THAT_ thing...

swifty: so you find it doesn't break the bead very well at all? Is it just HARD to break it, or is there a design flaw?

[RoscoW]

BJ
The one you show is the same one I Have and I would say I've had about a 50% chance of it breaking the bead. A lot depends on how long that tire has been on the rim. I've already repaired the bead breaking part because it broke off. As for mounting and dismounting a tire it works better than nothing. It needs to be rigged to work on 8" deep bell rims and front ATC rims with the big bolt pattern are also a challenge. I would be afraid of using it on some rare OEM or really nice polished rims for fear of it turning and scratching them. Watch Princess Auto, I got mine for 65.00.
Walk into your local tire shop with the rim / tire and show it to them. Any tire machine can break the bead for you, once the bead is free a couple good tire irons (big screw drivers on crappy rims) will dismount and mount a tire. You could probably find a local garage that has a tire machine in the corner as well. Find a good dirty truck and industrial tire place and I'm sure they'll take care of you.

Ross..

[Dirtcrasher]

They must be bolted down and then any creative ways you modify it help it hold the rim still while you mount the tire.

Sometimes the bead breaks, sometimes it doesn't. It isn't a 5K$ Coats tire machine so it is what it is........

[tapper190]

That's the same one I have in my shed as well. I did a few mods to mine I had to after I bent it, lol), and there hasn't been a bead that I have broke with it now. It works great to remove the tire from the rim as well. Hope this helps. You could come for a visit and I'll hook ha up free of charge!
Tapper

[Vootie]

Like the others have said, it mainly depends on how long the tire has been on the rim. My tecate still had the original tire on the front when I bought it last year. I brought it to two shops. The first gave it a half assed attempt and gave up, the second shop finally got it after about two dozen squeezes on the insustrial bead breaker before it came loose. Even a high dollar mechanical breaker would have never broken it.

[Xhumeka]

Thanks everyone - the first model I posted seems to be the best "backyard-mechanic" solution so I'll give it a shot. Good advice Ross - if this fails I'll walk into some shops tire-in-hand... I'm bound to find a shop sooner or later I guess!

Tapper - one of these days I'll come visit ya, thanks for the offer! I've been curious for awhile now to see your collection of parts and cool stuff :)

Thanks again guys!

[Yamaha_Rules69]

I have a real old automotive bead breaker from the 1930's. It is somewhat like the first one you have shown above design wise. It is just a base on the bottom that the tire sits on, and a solid backbone, with a piviot lever. I have gotten most all my tires off with it. Some tires take more patience, and the ones that have "rusted to the rim" will require penetrating oil - IT WORKS. It all depends on experience, and patience. It takes a while, but once you get the hang of it, it is really easy to do. Mine has saved me over 1,000 dollars between my atv's and vehicles.

[tommerp]

Dosen't every freaking town have a "Discount Tire"? $15 off and on rims...

[broook]

Bought mine from Princess Auto on sale. [$50]. Works good on 15 inch truck tires but had a hard time with those small 8inch trailer tires. Never tried a trike or quad tire yet but my buddie has and he had no problem.
I screwed a piece of steel plate to the shed floor, [About 30inch x 30inch and about 20 screws] then welded four bolts on it to seat the tire changer on to. That way I can take off the four nuts and move the changer out of the way if I have to in about a minit.

[xxllmm4]

I have never used one like that before but I have done a fair share of ATV tires. I would soak the bead down really good with PB BLASTER for a couple hours first. I would really be surprised if it would take the beads off ATV rims but make sure and let us know how it works. I do all my own tires for my atv's and Cars, you will save a bunch of money!

[broook]

then welded four bolts on it to seat the tire changer on to. That way I can take off the four boltsand move the changer out of the way if I have to in about a minit.

Sorry I should have said I welded four nuts to the plate and screwed the bolts down through. That way there is nothing sticking up and you can drive your truck,car,etc right over them.

[84cj]

I just got back from the shop I work part time at, they have a tire machine. Even with the tire machine, the bead was a PITA to break. I can't imagine using a manual bead breaker.