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Tire Changing Machine ...

Jim Moore

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 7, 2022
Member Number
1056
Posts
86
Location
Jax, FL
I'm old. My back hurts. The skin on my hands is made of paper. I think I'm done getting on my knees in the garage and mounting tires with hand tools. So, what do I need? What's a No-Mar?
 
When I was looking at getting something I looked at those.
All the best bits for it to make it all it can be add up!

I got a harbor freight stand that has the pole you stick in the middle... it's pretty rare on a bike tire I actually use the bar that you sweep around the rim.

I also have the tire changing stand that is essentially just an elevated ring. That plus the magic tool that goes in the axle and pushes the bead in place is by itself 100x as good as doing it on the floor.
 
Spend the money for a power machine.
That may be a little pricy. What do you guys think of this thing?

 
I have to No-Mar and like the machine, but it has trouble dismounting the Dunlop TMM, as they have ridiculously stiff sidewalls that still require the old fashioned use of tire irons.... Normal street tires are not a problem at all however. For mounting those Dunlops I use the zip-tie method and they will pop right on with a bit of lube.. :deal YMMV
 
That may be a little pricy. What do you guys think of this thing?

I hate it. Dad's got one. Rim barely stays on. Needs to be fixed to the floor. the leverage bar with the plastic tip can be a nuisance with tubed tires. I stopped using it and use three spoons on the floor.
 
I hate it. Dad's got one. Rim barely stays on. Needs to be fixed to the floor. the leverage bar with the plastic tip can be a nuisance with tubed tires. I stopped using it and use three spoons on the floor.
Damn. That's a minority view, LOL. On YouTube the tires literally fling themselves off the wheel at the sight of the mighty NoMar. I'll keep it in mind though. Thanks.
 
Damn. That's a minority view, LOL. On YouTube the tires literally fling themselves off the wheel at the sight of the mighty NoMar. I'll keep it in mind though. Thanks.
yea, I don't know what the deal is. we've watched all those videos too. Dad and I have had no luck with it. it does better with the street tires on his VFR. The real narrow tires are a pain. We've got it mounted to a platform that extends out like 8'. We drag it out, and park a vehicle on the platform to hold it in place.

it just sucks when the rim pop out of the clamps because now you have to reset everything.
 
yea, I don't know what the deal is. we've watched all those videos too. Dad and I have had no luck with it. it does better with the street tires on his VFR. The real narrow tires are a pain. We've got it mounted to a platform that extends out like 8'. We drag it out, and park a vehicle on the platform to hold it in place.

it just sucks when the rim pop out of the clamps because now you have to reset everything.
The vast majority of my tires will be sport-ish tubeless tires. In fact, I have a VFR. You s ay it will work for those?

Tell me about your platform. 8 feet? I was planning on building something sorta pallet-sized. Too small?
 
The vast majority of my tires will be sport-ish tubeless tires. In fact, I have a VFR. You s ay it will work for those?

Tell me about your platform. 8 feet? I was planning on building something sorta pallet-sized. Too small?
yea, Dad's used it for his 2000 VFR. For those bikes it seems better. there's a plastic nub on the end of the leverage bar, and it kept interfering with the tubes. I've found using smaller spoons are easier to manage, and avoid pinching the tube.

the platform is just a simple thing. couple 2x4x8s with plywood over it. however wide the machine is by 8'. just bolted to it. it was on a smaller square platform, but with the vehicle parked on it to hold it in place, it didn't give you enough room to move around- the vehicle got in the way. extended it to 8'. works fine now. you'd need something to stop the entire setup from turning as you walk around it to get the tire off. just the pallet alone, it will spin on the ground. it needs to be fixed. maybe use a pallet, but some rebar spikes or something in the ground to hold it there.
 
This is my back saver. 30gal steel drum, (pool treatment was shiped in it)

I set it on a HF wood moving dolly, loaded it with the left over gal cans of house paint (Heavy and doubles as storage) Streched a XR 80 tube over the rim, rug used when cleaning up.

15 - 1.jpg


A good set of Motion pro levers and one long curved lever. I use the levers to break the bead also. I take my time and never break a sweat. No need for gimmicky tools taking up dedicated space and thinning my wallet.

Don't drop the little parts down into the stack of cans. DAMHIK :lol3

Here you can see the tube on the drum rim and paint storage.

IMG_20170824_105513467_HDR.jpg
 
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I can post photos of my weird system for 30plus years hundreds of tires. It is based on a heavy wood workbench (in use almost every day) and includes shop made wood stuff. Some Tractor Supply stuff. Some Motion Pro stuff. You would definitely need woodworking tools to make a copy. I’ve done mostly 17 wheels including BKS CF but can do 18 19 21 spoke. Would not be worth buying WW tools or a badass bench. Let me know.
I have a miter saw. If It's more complicated than that I don't think I can build it. I'd like to look at a few pics anyway if you don't mind.
 
The Derek Weaver 898 (https://www.derekweaver.com/bikers-garage/weaver-w-m898xs-motorcycle-atv-car-truck-tire-changer/) with assist arms is supposed to be a nice machine, enabling you to change a tire with one hand. My buddy does his car wheels as well. Big downside is that you need a pretty hefty air compressor as well. By the time you are done, you have $4k in it.

As mentioned above, changing sport bike tires is a walk in the park compared to changing Goldwing tires.
I have less than 1500 in my machine and compressor. It runs on a 20g 5hp HD oil-less cheapo.
 
The bench, the wheel holder base bolted to bench. Base fits 17 wheels exactly. It is rounds of 3/4 ply laminated. The doughnut hole clears rotors. The top touching wheel surface is scrap commercial carpet. The post is 1 inch diameter all-thread. The red top pin stops wheel rotation.
0CF6895E-B558-4238-8260-740590D143D1.jpeg

Bead breaker bar is Tractor Supply tire spade with 1 1/4 hole drilled in flat. The breaker block is 4x4 scrap drilled and bandsawn. The white spacers are 1 inch pvc scrap.
07DE96BA-02A0-4EB8-AAD9-7B88E60987F8.jpeg

The bench weighs 300#. A 36 inch cheater on the bar makes even Dunlops a one hand deal. Break flip break. A bit slow to set up. A few seconds to do the business.
Man, that's cool. I don't have room for anything remotely like that though.
 
The Derek Weaver 898 (https://www.derekweaver.com/bikers-garage/weaver-w-m898xs-motorcycle-atv-car-truck-tire-changer/) with assist arms is supposed to be a nice machine, enabling you to change a tire with one hand. My buddy does his car wheels as well. Big downside is that you need a pretty hefty air compressor as well. By the time you are done, you have $4k in it.

As mentioned above, changing sport bike tires is a walk in the park compared to changing Goldwing tires.

Jeez. 5K will get a BendPak 2 post carlift.


I used a german tire machine like that when that type first came to the US, all the locking stuff was pneumatic, was really cool to put the on/off spoon right on the rim, twist the lever, and watch the spoon jump immovably 1/8 away from the rim.
 
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