Mount your own tires?

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

Has anyone mounted their own tires? I have 4.80-8 tires.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Mount your own tires?

Yes,The worst part is breaking the bead loose. I big hammer and hope you don't hit the rim..

Put dish soap on the new tire beads and put them on...

 

[mthieme]

Re: Mount your own tires?

Yup.
Did three today matter of fact.
In another thread you said you can get the tires and rims for $20 each.
This is a much better option.
Doing an 8" tire by hand is one of the most hateful experiences ever.
The smallest I'll do by hand is 12". The bigger they are, the easier they are.

 

[HAV2FISH]

Re: Mount your own tires?

Remove the valve from the tire stem. Place a jack on the tire next to the rim then placed the tire and jack under the car and start jacking the car up. The weight of the car will brake the seal on the rim. Use two crowbars to remove the tire from the rim.

Using dish soap on the new tire and rim will help get the new tire on. When the tires are on the rims spray a little starter fluid all the way around the tire and drop a match on it. This will pop the tire on the rim and seal the bead. The starter fluid will not hurt the tire but be warned it might startle you when it pops.

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

Re: Mount your own tires?

Yup.
Did three today matter of fact.
In another thread you said you can get the tires and rims for $20 each.
This is a much better option.
Doing an 8" tire by hand is one of the most hateful experiences ever.
The smallest I'll do by hand is 12". The bigger they are, the easier they are.

I found some load range "C" on ebay $15.88 each + $17.66 shipping.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Mount your own tires?

I do it all the time, I have a Coats 40-53A tire machine in my garage.

For tires that are too small, I made up a vise mounted rig, I use two pieces of wood in a 12" vise to break the bead off the rim, soap up the bead and pry the tire off with a pair of tire irons.

Have a ratchet strap on hand if the bead on the new tire won't seat, wrapping it around the tread and giving it a few cranks usually does the trick.

I bought a tire machine and wheel balancing machine years ago after getting tired of paying $15 per tire for mounting and balancing on tires I bought wholesale elsewhere. It just plain makes life easy when you deal with old cars, boat trailers and trucks all the time. I've also got a 120 gallon 10 HP Quincy commercial air compressor to back it up.

 

[xxxflhrci]

Re: Mount your own tires?

I do my own small trailer tires and motorcycle tires. I bought a Harbor Freight tire changer just for the bead breaker. I do the mounting by hand on a piece of old carpet using a couple of tire spoons.

 

[djvan]

Re: Mount your own tires?

Mount and dismount the tire over the side that faces out.

DougV>

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Mount your own tires?

Mount and dismount the tire over the side that faces out.

DougV>

...Or which ever side of the rim has the narrow edge or least distance between the bead and first diameter decrease in the outer rim.
(I've seen some of these newer aftermarket rims and some small tractor tires which need to mount from the back side).

 

[Shizzy]

Re: Mount your own tires?

I did my share of those working at the tire shop back in High school. Ill just spend my $20 for a rim and tire from now on.....

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Mount your own tires?

I have but it can be pain in the rear at times without all the correct equipment. In a pinch I will still do it but otherwise I will drive down to my friends auto shop.

 

[jasper60103]

Re: Mount your own tires?

I bought a new pair of wheels (tires+rims) off craigslist. Plan to put them on the trailer in the Spring.

 

[blueoval1]

Re: Mount your own tires?

They aren't bad at all with a pair of tire spoons that are about 8" long. Gettting them off is always easier than putting them on for me. I use a pair of vise grips to hold the bead down around the rim while using the spoons to install the tire. Airing can be a ***** too , but if you use lots of lube they air fairly easy. I always leave the valve core out until the new tire beads are seated on the rim, then put in cores and run presure to max PSI for the tire.If I get real lazy I take them down to my buddies tire store and let the kids put them on!

 

[109jb]

Re: Mount your own tires?

...When the tires are on the rims spray a little starter fluid all the way around the tire and drop a match on it. This will pop the tire on the rim and seal the bead. The starter fluid will not hurt the tire but be warned it might startle you when it pops.

You can just put a ratchet strap around the outside of the tire at the center of the tread and tighten it up. This will compress the tire and the bead area will flex outward to meet the rim. Then just air it up till the bead seats, then add or remove air to specs. Done it on car tires, trailer tires, skid steer tires, etc.

 

[bassboy1]

Re: Mount your own tires?

I do it. Of course, my dad is the manager of a fairly large shop, so I have access to a mounter and a nice balancer.

 

[jayboonze]

Re: Mount your own tires?

i did a set of 4.8-12's a week or so ago, I laid the old tire and rim on the ground and backed over the tire (only the rubber part) to break the bead. use two tire spoons and work your way around the rim. vice versa to put the new tire on the rim, the soap and water does wonders.

the method i used to set the bead on the new tire is 1" wide rachet strap. With the valve stem removed I racheted the tire onto the rim real snug, then hit it with the air. it may take a couple of tries resetting the rachet strap but it worked for me.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Mount your own tires?

i did a set of 4.8-12's a week or so ago, I laid the old tire and rim on the ground and backed over the tire (only the rubber part) to break the bead.......... ...

I watched a neighbor do that one time, he backed onto a small tire to break the bead and the tire shot out from under his car tire like a rocket, smashing in his garage door. It works much better on larger tires than on small tires I guess.

I have better luck with a couple of pieces of wood and a large vise. I use the wood to block the opposite side and break the opposing bead. I then stick an old hub or piece of pipe in the vise and work the tire off with some soapy water and a pair of motorcycle tire irons. Going back on is easier, with a some lube, they usually pop on buy hand, especially 12" tires and larger.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Mount your own tires?

Be aware that when ordering small trailer tires like the 8-12 inch rim sizes, they are sometimes shipped in a "compact" or "crushed" state. That means that the tire has been folded over on itself to where it is 1/4 its original size. Picture a tire standing upright. Then it is pressed down collapsing the upper half into the lower half to form a half circle. Then it is done again to make it 1/4 size and a strap is put on it to keep it from unfolding.

Tires shipped like this are nearly impossable to mount yourself. (and I wonder what affect it has on the tires integrity). So when ordering tires it is a good idea to ask if the tires are compressed or crushed when shipped.

 

[cbavier]

Re: Mount your own tires?

Yup.
Did three today matter of fact.
In another thread you said you can get the tires and rims for $20 each.
This is a much better option.
Doing an 8" tire by hand is one of the most hateful experiences ever.
The smallest I'll do by hand is 12". The bigger they are, the easier they are.

Or if you already have the tires take them to a local Auto repair shop. I just had six done for $15. I thought I would do my own and after struggling for an hour trying to do the first one, I gave up and had them done. That was much easier.