Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[Skyco]

I was wondering how you found the tool tho for installing the new tire. I thought the ends were just too bulky , and I use the "spoons" instead..

The included tool worked fine for both getting the old tire off and remounting the new tire. One key is to use plenty of tire lube, I use Ru-Glyde, probably had the same gallon jug for 10 years now

 

[Danno1]

.

So, does this tire changer need to be bolted to the floor, or could it be mounted to a piece of 3/4 ply to be moveable?

.

 

[Bedlam]

There although of twist pressure to it.My first installation was in concrete with lags and shields. But loosened up.
Then I moved it to another location and welded some bolts onto some angle iron and set it in the floor before. I cast the floor.
When breaking the bead it isn't to bad as it is more of a squeezing action.
But to answer your question, I haven't tried that . I would think it would be marginal. and you'd defiantly have to find a way for it to not turn as you remove the tire with the bar.
Gosh I hope someone else knows. I'm interested now to know if it could be mounted any other different way.

 

[Travelover]

Some of you Harbor Freight diehards might enjoy this link. It appears that this guy did a net search and compiled feedback on all the Harbor Freight tools he could find. It is a bit of an echo, 'cause he seems to think this thread is one of the best sources on the net.


Buyer Beware, A Harbor Freight Buying Guide: The Good Enough, The Bad and the Abysmal - ToolCrib.com Blog

 

[Travelover]

There although of twist pressure to it.My first installation was in concrete with lags and shields. But loosened up.
Then I moved it to another location and welded some bolts onto some angle iron and set it in the floor before. I cast the floor.
When breaking the bead it isn't to bad as it is more of a squeezing action.
But to answer your question, I haven't tried that . I would think it would be marginal. and you'd defiantly have to find a way for it to not turn as you remove the tire with the bar.
Gosh I hope someone else knows. I'm interested now to know if it could be mounted any other different way.

here is what happens if you don't mount it properly

YouTube - harbor freight tire changer

 

[Skyco]

What a doofus!

Since I don't need mine often I simply use my cordless driver to drive 4ea 1/4 lag bolts through the mounting holes into the wooden deck out back. Do my tire stuff, zip the lags back out and put it away.

 

[radioman]

I mounted my HF tire changer to the floor and made it removeable. I used metal wedgits and bolts in the cement floor. What I did was I drilled the holes in the conecrete floor going only about 1 1/2" deep. Then i vacuumed the dust out of the holes. Next i applied expoxy to the wedged anchors and then inserted in the holes. I would put together the bolts, HF changfers the way i intended to use it and tightened up the bolts and left it that way for a few days. Now whenever i needed the HF tire changer, I would just insert the bolts and tighten them down snug, no need to crank them down and it does a decent job. I can easily put them away by removing the bolts and save it for next time. The only modification i did since was get another set of bolts and cut them short so its about 1 long and cut a slot in the top for the screwdriver so i can use it as a plug to keep the sawdust ,dirt out. The mounted holes is right next to my table saw so there is alot of sawdust and i got tired of vacuuming out the stuff from inside the wedgits until I made the plugs.

 

[dfkrug]

here is what happens if you don't mount it properly

YouTube - harbor freight tire changer

Interesting video. Not only was the guy able to break the bead, but he was
able to remove the tire WITHOUT ANY BASE MOUNT. A very easy tire,
evidently.

Here are two things he did not do correctly: he was mounting/dismounting
an aluminum wheel with a steel tire iron and a steel wrecking bar. Hard to
watch. He also did not use the mounting side of the HF bar to put the tire
ON the wheel. Watch how a pro at your tire store does it.

Anyway, I have had my HF mounter for years, and I have done ALL of my
tractor tires with it, but only a few (steel) car tires. I have not been able
to break the beads on some car tires. I first bolted it to some long 4x6
boards, then I went to a mount for my pallet forks. Using your tractor's
pallet forks allows you an easier way to lift a heavy wheel/tire onto the
mounter, and you can put ANY amount of leverage on it without it moving.
No holes in the floor, either.

 

[dfkrug]

Some of you Harbor Freight diehards might enjoy this link. It appears that this guy did a net search and compiled feedback on all the Harbor Freight tools he could find. It is a bit of an echo, 'cause he seems to think this thread is one of the best sources on the net.


Buyer Beware, A Harbor Freight Buying Guide: The Good Enough, The Bad and the Abysmal - ToolCrib.com Blog

Thanks for the link, TRAVEL. I especially liked their list of the

10 Things I Wouldn稚 Buy from Harbor Freight:
1) Parachutes
2) Fire Extinguishers
3) Pacemakers
4) Vaccines
5) Birth control devices
6) Elevators
7) Bullet proof vests
8) Trigger locks
9) Pitons (I didn稚 know what this was either?
10) Scuba Gear

I think that the site makes the common mistake that HF only sells Chinese
tools with "brands" like Central Hydraulic, Pittsburg, Chicago Electric, etc.
Some of the big power tools are identical to what you get at Grizzly, Enco,
Jet, etc.

I bought a 7" DeWalt Angle grinder, a RotoZip drywall cutter, DeWalt SDS
bits, Norton abrasive disks, etc, form HF. Sometimes you can get quite a
deal on a reconditioned name brand tool. I still have a working 18V drill
from HF....their first one, and it still works (2nd switch, however). The NiCAD
cells inside the battery are Energizer brand and have lasted longer than
any other rechargeable batteries I have, including Makita NiMH. The motor
inside is a Johnson.

I have been buying from HF since before they had stores or a website....I
have found amazing surprises in their catalog and on their auction site. I
still find the stores extremely disappointing, so I rarely go to them.

 

[Dargo]

I thought the guy in the video was a pretty good representation of the people I see in Horrible Freight. He should remove himself from the gene pool in short order. Did nobody else notice that he used no jack stands? Honestly, what sane person would risk their life to a cheap junk floor jack?? Since my local Horrible Freight store quit carrying any name brand items, I'll just have leave the store to Darwin Award candidates like the guy in the video.