Tire Changer Design/Questions

[dl19]

I ask this question here because the other forums like general seem to get a lot of young kids answering who really have no clue. I finally am getting tired of changing tires on the bench, and have been looking at getting or building a tire changer. Most of them run around 90-100 or more for the better looking ones. The question is do you think if you had a stand with only a shaft (exact axle diameter) holding the wheel would be adequate and will no bend your rims/mess up bearings while mounting tires on/off? Otherwise I would need something to support the rim, and then we are starting to get real complicated. I know a lot have the rim resting on the changer frame, but I was thinking of building one with interchangeable axle shafts. I have four bikes to change tires for, and everyone has a different diameter axle shaft. I don't know if all the slop of a hard steel axle shaft banging around on the bearing race (sp) would be ok.

[farkawi]

Harbor Freight sells a manual auto tire changer and a motorcycle adapter for it. I have the changer but must confess that I've not popped for the motorcycle adapter. I use the tire changer primarily for its bead breaker; and still change all my bike tires on a 30 gallon oil drum.

[WR450F_RDR]

I also have the harbor freight model. it works OK but tire holdowns could be better, most definitely nice to have the tire at waist height instead of on the floor. As for your question I believe you would be putting too much stress on the axle/bearing and even the spokes during the tire changing process.

[yamwr426]

I bought the one from Rocky Mountain that clamps the wheel and the unit slips in to the receiver hitch on the truck. It works awesome. I forgot to bring it last trip and got a rear flat (2 bead locks) and had to change it on the tailgate. I am spoiled with the holder. I think I paid around $80.00 for it several months ago. Hope this helps.

[top norm]

I wrestled with the idea for a while as well. I am getting old and bending over a 30 gal pail is hard on me. Full blown tire changers are expensive up here and difficult to come by. I thought of getting something and modifing it, but it was cheaper to just build a stand. I use a c-clamp as a bead breaker if I really need one.

I got some steel from a local place and picked up a piece of truck frame; 10 3/4 x 5/8 about 14" long.

I welded a square tube verticle onto an "X" base also out of of smaller square tubing, with 3/8" bolts as adjustments on the bottom edge of each leg as levelers.

I drilled a hole and put a 3/4" nut welded to the underside of the piece of frame. Then I welded the frame piece to the stand, flanges down. With a long shouldered 3/4" fine thread bolt ( from a 3406E Cat cylinder head bolt) as the clamp for the wheel assy.

The bolt is the same diameter as the axle shaft on three of my bikes and I use a collection of spacers/washers/collets for the others. No damage to the bearings, can loosen it and rotate tire/wheel assy. or lock in place and tire slides down over stand when removed from rim.

It works great, no bending and great leverage and it cost me about $40 CDN bucks but I had the frame laying around.

[AUS_WR450]

G'day Norm,

Any chance of posting a few pics of what you have done? I would be keen to see your jig.

Nigel

[bluebike1999]

found this , might help.

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

good luck

[odonnks]

Nice link but WOW that looks like allot of work.

I dreaded changing rubber on my kart rims when I raced but that was on the floor and darn things were only 8-in diameter adn very tough to get a good grip on.

I can now see the advantage of getting a cycle rim up higher so you can get some leverage.

I may give this a shot myself. The changer that goes into a hitch receiver sounds like a good idea and I'g guess you could make-up a stand for your garage that it would slip into, or a large vice maybe?

[bluebike1999]

yeah the bead breaker was a bit of overkill, i just stomp em off, but the car wheel on a stand sounds like the go.

i want to build a swearless tyre changer.

[WR450F_RDR]

you can get one of those factory dealer swearless tire changers. They only charge between $10-15 per wheel these days I think.

[crazy42wheeledtoys]

I wrestled with the idea for a while as well. I am getting old and bending over a 30 gal pail is hard on me. Full blown tire changers are expensive up here and difficult to come by. I thought of getting something and modifing it, but it was cheaper to just build a stand. I use a c-clamp as a bead breaker if I really need one.

I got some steel from a local place and picked up a piece of truck frame; 10 3/4 x 5/8 about 14" long.

I welded a square tube verticle onto an "X" base also out of of smaller square tubing, with 3/8" bolts as adjustments on the bottom edge of each leg as levelers.

I drilled a hole and put a 3/4" nut welded to the underside of the piece of frame. Then I welded the frame piece to the stand, flanges down. With a long shouldered 3/4" fine thread bolt ( from a 3406E Cat cylinder head bolt) as the clamp for the wheel assy.

The bolt is the same diameter as the axle shaft on three of my bikes and I use a collection of spacers/washers/collets for the others. No damage to the bearings, can loosen it and rotate tire/wheel assy. or lock in place and tire slides down over stand when removed from rim.

It works great, no bending and great leverage and it cost me about $40 CDN bucks but I had the frame laying around.

Now I know what you are doing on those dealer visits...... Now, whose truck did you steal the parts off of????

(We work for the same company) He covers the Canadian area, I cover the Midwest area.