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Question - I wanna start mounting and balancing my own tires

Eric M.

Eric M.

1/2 ton status
Joined
Dec 10, 2001
Posts
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Location
Oakland, CA
Tire mounting and balancing is getting pretty expensive these days, I was thinking of trying to do it myself. I've found 2 balancing systems that use beads.

Equal http://www.imiproducts.com/equal/index.aspx
and
Dyna Beads http://www.innovativebalancing.com/service.htm

Both systems seem relativly inexpensive. You can install the beads while mounting the tire so you don't need expensive applicators.

My question is, how would I go about mounting and balancing a tire? I'm not planning on purchasing a pnumtic machine like at the tire shops (well, not unless I can find one real cheap!).

How do you do it?
What tools do I need and where can I get them?
Is it difficult?
How hard is it to seat the bead? I do have a large 5 HP compressor.
Is this a waste of time? I don't want to spend an entire afternoon mounting tires for my dually and then have to see my chiropractor ther next day.

Anyone ever use one of these?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Speedway-Series-Portable-Tire-Changer-05093_W0QQitemZ4623243719QQcategoryZ63699QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Thanks,

Eric M.
 
Last edited:
Get a tire spoon and a big ratchet strap. I mounted one in the other night, in the mud, with a 4 way and some carb cleaner.
 
Maybe things are different in CA, but around here in CO, mounting/balancing is like $10 a tire. To me it's worth it if you've ever tried to mount a big tire on a rim manually. Heck even with an old school machine it's a pain.

Balancing on a big tire could be cut out if you use an in the tire method over rim wieghts. Might do some searching on the balancing stuff, but from what I've seen on here, the equal is not as desirable for two reasons. The requirement of filtered valve stems (so you don't loose it when you air down) and the potential for clumping if you introduce moist air into the tire. Dyna beads are better because they are larger and should not clump as bad if at all, no filter's needed either. Airsoft BB's are another choice too.

If you are willing to wrestle 4 tires in an afternoon to mount them, more power to you. I'm lazy and only have one truck to worry about so the expence in the tire spoons isn't worth it if I plan on keeping my tires a long time. Still could save the $5 a tire for balancing and put it to doing the balancing at home in the tire.
 
Eric M, Innovative Balancing say you need 10 oz per tire at $12.10 of Dyna Beads or 10 oz per tire $12.35 EZ Open Bag™ per tire. Is this for a DD? Then maybe! IF your talking about a rock crawler. one sharpe rock, say good by to your beads!.... Buy some more...

As far as mounting the tires a couple of spoons, armerall or soapy water to make it slide easier some time, valve core tool, cheeta air tank (making it easier to seat the beadwithout having to light a match)....
 
That Ebay thing is the same as the HF unit, 'bout the same $$ when the one is one sale ...

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=34542

It *has* to be fastened down to get good leverage, but once you get into the swing of it it's doable.

I think mount&balance is only like $10-15 out here, donno how it is on your side of the Bay, but I'm fine with paying somebdy most of the time.

-- A
 
dremu said:
That Ebay thing is the same as the HF unit, 'bout the same $$ when the one is one sale ...

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=34542

It *has* to be fastened down to get good leverage, but once you get into the swing of it it's doable.

I think mount&balance is only like $10-15 out here, donno how it is on your side of the Bay, but I'm fine with paying somebody most of the time.

-- A
Click to expand...

4WPW wants $120 for all 6 tires on the dually. Every time I go there I have a problem, they put the wrong weights on and they are knocked off by the caliper, 3 black walls out and 1 white wall, decided that Equal wasn't the best way to go and used weights, static balanced instead of dynamic. They will usually take care of it, but it's another trip out there.

If the tire mounting isn't that hard, I think I might give it a try. Have you ever used that Harbor Freight unit? Is it a back breaking experience? How long to dismount and mount a 33 x 12.50 or a 36 x 15 tire?


Thanks,

Eric M.
 
i have an old manual tire changer similar to the harbor freight one and i usulay can do a change in less then 20 minutes a wheel if evrey thing woorks right (that is un mounting the old and mounting the new)

you may want to make sure it will handle the back spacing of a dulley wheel
 
ct85k10 said:
i have an old manual tire changer similar to the harbor freight one and i usulay can do a change in less then 20 minutes a wheel if evrey thing woorks right (that is un mounting the old and mounting the new)

you may want to make sure it will handle the back spacing of a dulley wheel
Click to expand...

Good point. I have custom rims on 2 of the trucks with some crazy offset. Do you think the unit could be modified to accept different offsets? Cut / fab / weld work?

I could live with 20 min. a tire. All my rims are powder coated, does this method tend to ding or scratch the rim more so than the professional machines?

Thanks,

Eric M.
 
Eric M. said:
4WPW wants $120 for all 6 tires on the dually. Every time I go there I have a problem, they put the wrong weights on and they are knocked off by the caliper, 3 black walls out and 1 white wall, decided that Equal wasn't the best way to go and used weights, static balanced instead of dynamic. They will usually take care of it, but it's another trip out there.

If the tire mounting isn't that hard, I think I might give it a try. Have you ever used that Harbor Freight unit? Is it a back breaking experience? How long to dismount and mount a 33 x 12.50 or a 36 x 15 tire?


Thanks,

Eric M.
Click to expand...

Well, for god's sake, 4WPW sucks, we know this. Don't you have Big-O or something over there? :)

-- A
 
dremu said:
Well, for god's sake, 4WPW sucks, we know this. Don't you have Big-O or something over there? :)

-- A
Click to expand...

Yeah,

I have found someone else, but, they don't do Equal. I really like this stuff, it works great in my 35 x 14.50 swampers. My 33" BFGs need to be rebalanced so often, I really want to start using Equal in them as well, but, 4WPW won't put Equal in 33s even thought Equal lists tires that small on their site.
Sometimes if you want something done right (or what I think is right!) you gotta do it yourself.

Eric M.
 
I have the inovative balancing beads on my rig using them inside my 44's. and they work great I can run from 0-70 I feel absolutly no vibratiion or shimmy at all and that's with super swampers.

as fro mounting like a bunch of others here have said...tires spoons (same as a dirt bike tire spoon), soapy water, and your good that's all I used to mount my 44's on 15 inch rims work great. when airing them up wrap a rachet strap around the diameter of the tire rachet it down to buldge out the bead of the tire to the rims edge and fill with air as long as you have enough lube around the bead they will set.

good luck
 
Eric M. said:
Yeah,

I have found someone else, but, they don't do Equal. I really like this stuff, it works great in my 35 x 14.50 swampers. My 33" BFGs need to be rebalanced so often, I really want to start using Equal in them as well, but, 4WPW won't put Equal in 33s even thought Equal lists tires that small on their site.
Sometimes if you want something done right (or what I think is right!) you gotta do it yourself.

Eric M.
Click to expand...

Oh oh oh. Makes sense then. 4WPW is, as we know, the antichrist reincarnate :D

-- A
 
dremu said:
Oh oh oh. Makes sense then. 4WPW is, as we know, the antichrist reincarnate :D

-- A
Click to expand...

Aaron,

Do you own or have you used one of those Harbor Freight tire changers? How hard is it and can it be modified for using with a DEEEEEEP offset dually wheel?

Eric M.
 
Yup, I have one. I've only dismounted a coupla tires with it, junk tires I was tossing. I have not yet permanently mounted it to the garage floor, which is terminally stupid on my part. It is freaking impossible unless you do so. (Too many projects...)

Anyway, seems to me like you could just flip the thing dish side up and be good with it, so the depth shouldn't matter. I did one of the regular dually wheels, like the one I got from you, on it no worries.

-- A
 
I use the HF one for my atv tires. Its alright, we mounted ours on a pallette, Works great and is portable. I never tried taking off car/truck tires with it. I do have some red paint from it on my atv rims so may want to be careful.
 
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