Who here mounts their own tires?

[Grizzlypeg]

I get some sort of sick sense of satisfaction out of doing my own tire swaps. I use a boomarang shaped piece of steel I cut that I put on my homemade hydraulic press, for breaking the beads. After that, I use a couple of short, tapered leaf springs as tire irons to work my way around the rim. Lots of liquid dish soap for the seating of the bead.

Now I wouldn't be crazy enough to say no to the shop if I bought 4 new tires for my truck, but for a single tire or motorcycles and quads, I kinda like doing it myself.

Anyone else confess that they like doing things the hard way?

[NINJA]

I do all my own tires, but not the hard way. Got a nice tire machine at my job. Though I will say this, 18" Fast Trekkers on 10" wheels can be a struggle.

[3 or die]

I do mine too. I slice the tire and break the wire one at a time with whatever is handy. Mounting, I also use soap, pry bars, lots of cuss words, and sweat.

[3wheelmecca]

I use my Die grinder or sawzall to shop the tire off. i will admit I have ued my Portaband. I use PB blaster or Zep45 to lube the tire, then some 1/4"X2"X16" long irons I made and they all slide on like a fat kid on a cupcake. I Have a Coats 220 machine but the handle is too big for it.

[86trizinger]

Harbor freight sells a car bead breaker for around $30.. Then 2 tire irons for $7 each.They usualy take about 15 minutes to get them on and off.

[cattle-dog]

i do my own trike tires , cut the old ones offf the rim slide the new ones on with a little soap , slap a small rachet strap around the tire. let it sit while i do the next one, it seems to give the pressure time to squeeze the tire out, give it a good shot of air and bang its done.
i do my 9x20 dump truck split rims all myself useing a tire sledge and bars to pop the ring. when i reinstall the new tire i use my tie down chains and wrap the tire and split rim so if the rim pops it wont kill me, its allso chained to two giant chains mounted in our 12in thick concrete floor, i have had the ring pop but the big chains keep it in place.

[atc350xer]

Harbor freight sells a car bead breaker for around $30.. Then 2 tire irons for $7 each.They usualy take about 15 minutes to get them on and off.

I've been wondering about this bead breaker... it works well, then?

[250rAL]

I do my own with a homemade beadbreaker. The only ones I haven't been able to get with it was a pair of stock Blaster rears. Even the 20 ton press wouldn't get 'em. I took them to a motorcycle/ATV shop and it took them a half hour with their power breaker. I bought a pair of beadlocks for my R. That makes tire changes MUCH easier! I have done a car tire by hand and it was actually easier than an ATV tire.

[Tri-Z 250]

As a HINT to the do it yourselfer....when setting the bead use a tie-down strap to miniumize the expantion of the tire. BE CAREFUL!!! You can snap a tie strap quickly so take note. The strap wraps around the tire along the centerline of the tread(causes tire to expand width wise and not tall). Use only 50psi to set the bead, with the valve stem pulled with LOTS of liquid soap...NOT WD40! Once she pops replace stem to correct psi.

[86trizinger]

The harbor freight bead breaker works great so far as long as you get the one for the car.. the motorcycle on is too small. I'm not gonna say it will work on all tires.. but so far I have changed 8 tires with ease.

[84atc200]

I do mine too. I slice the tire and break the wire one at a time with whatever is handy. Mounting, I also use soap, pry bars, lots of cuss words, and sweat.

Thats my method

[Thorpe]

I usually do most things the hard way, but for 8 bucks a tire, I dont screw with it....

[rdlsz24]

I usually do most things the hard way, but for 8 bucks a tire, I dont screw with it....

same here

I have the Harbor Frieght atv set but I bent the crap out of it the first time using it lol. I got the 2 tires changed but the tool is pretty much junk now.

Rob

[Walkerallen]

i do my own too.

[Ironbnder]

I cut out a plate that fits halfway around the tire, just bigger than the rim and welded it to a 4' piece of pipe. Drive the Z-71 up on the pipe and the tire breaks right off. It has never failed. I also have found that the bigger the tire, the easier it is to mount and dismount. Tractor tires are easier that ATVs.