[TR] Small tire changer -

[Bob]

On Tuesday 18 August 2009 03:05:28 pm v6spitfireguy at cox.net wrote:
> Its getting harder and harder to find a shop that will change tires on
> wire wheels, especially since I have to have tubes installed.  they are all
> afraid of pinching the tube, or damaging the wire rim from the force of the
> machine, or they just don't want to deal with anything smaller than 24
> inches...so, I was considering using one of Harbor Freights small tire
> changers. The tire in question is a 165/70 13 - Has anyone used one of
> these manual tire changing tools and if so, how well did it work?  I am not
> too concerned with balancing the tire in question because I will be using
> it for the spare anyway.  I was also thinking that possibly a motorcycle
> shop may be able to do the work since they regularly handle wire wheels
> with tubes.  Anybody try that as well?  I would think that they might also
> be able to balance it, although most of their wheels have a different hub,
> probably without a hole in it, so I'm not sure how they balance motorcycle
> wheels.
>
> The changer can be seen at:
> http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=34542
>
> Barry Schwartz
> San Diego, CA
>
>
Barry,

I have the same tire changer and used it to mount my 165/15 Coopers on my TR4  
dayton wire wheels. 

It works but it is hard work.

To insure the changer did not scratch the wheels I used electric tape 
everywhere the wheel would contact.

Also it is hard to keep the wheel tight to the changer because wire wheels 
dont have a lug hole. You have to go through the spokes and hope the nut to 
tighten is tight enough.

It was slow working but I managed to get my tires with tubes mounted without 
too much colorful language.

Another thing is the assembly has to be mounted to a solid floor. I had to 
drill holes in my cellar floor and use those expanding things with lag bolts,

Now last week I tried to use the changer to remove a 185/15 tire from a TR6 
rim but the part that is used to get the bead off was not long enough to 
generate the torque to get the lower bead off the rim. Had no problem with the 
top bead but the lower wouldnt budge.

Or I am getting to old and not strong enough?

Bob