Harbor Freight Tire Changer Mods With Pics

[dngspot]

dngspot,

I have been looking at youtube videos for the better part of this evening to see how Ken Tools tire changer works and also some pretty poor videos using the HF tire changer. I've had the equivalent of the HF changer for a few years and haven't used it much, even though I've changed quite a few tires. Mine isn't bolted down so I basically only use it to break the beads.

Your posting today gets me to wanting to use mine in a better way and I have a few questions.

1. Is yours bolted down permanently? I don't have the room to do that.

2. The pipe you are using for the bead breaker looks like a piece of angle iron. Could you post some close ups? How did you get the pipe to look like a bead breaker? Did you replace the HF breaker or reinforce it with the pipe?

3. The Ken Tools Snake looks like a real labor saver. Are these available locally or did you get a knockoff at HF?

4. Would the 42" Snake work on smaller tires than car/truck tires? Or, would a smaller one be needed for smaller tires?

5. What is the price of a Snake?

Thanks for any answers that you have time for. And thanks for starting this thread.

Clem

1. I drilled into the concrete and installed 4 3/8 inch anchors. I simply bolt it to the floor for use, then remove it when done. The process takes about 5 minutes. The unit is set up in an area that my wife parks in, in a two car garage.

2. The bead breaker is the same unit that came with the machine. I cut a couple of plates to attach to the two legs that attach to the pipe via a clevis pin. I then welded the plates to those legs at the bead breaker shoe, and about 2.5 inches below the top of the legs. There are two plates one on the front and one on the back of the legs. The pipe goes into the adjustable pipe that attaches to the legs of the bead breaker; it is thick wall pipe I got from work, and looks like simple black gas pipe.

3. I do not have the Ken Tool Snake yet. I know that Ken Tool has a distributer here but can bet that when I go to see them they will tell me that they have to order it, this seems like the way of life here in Wichita. After I see them and verify their price I will order it from them or on line. I know they can be had for about $52.00 on line.
Harbor Freight does not have a Ken Tool Snake knock off. I bet I would bend it if they did.

4. A 4 foot snake would be a bit over sized, but I bet it would be manageable.

5. Answered in question 3.

This is a pic of the anchors.

Close ups of the breaker.

Anytime,
David

 

[dngspot]

I bought that tire changer about 2 years ago, and it has more then paid for itself over and over. Not the best piece in the world, but for 50 bucks at the time, good deal. I use WD-40 for bead lubricant and it does fine. With heavier tires or tight beads you have to move the rim around and do it in several bites. Needed it on the farm to repair flats quickly, but have used it for all kinds of truck tires, and implement tires. Most of my wagons use 31x10.50x15 and it has no trouble with them. 16 10 ply are a lot tougher, but it still gets them done. And yes it is easier to put the 10 ply on with spoons instead of the tool that came with it.

I used the thing like most tire tools I have used in the past and being a Caterpillar mechanic I used it like most of the tools that I own. I put enough force down on that bead until it was loose. I am 6'2" and weigh 240 lbs, yep that is too much for that tool, I guess they do not have folks that big in China. With the reinforcements that I have made to the tool it should take whatever I give it. Also I will be a little easier on the tool now that I know what it can take.

 

[valley]

It doesn't matter how much you weigh, I weigh 160 pounds, mine bent too. I haven't reenforced it yet. The U.S. made manual type I used when I was a kid had a sleeve on the upright to slide the tool in to remove an instal the tire. The H F didn't come with one so I have to hold the tool to the upright to R&R. Are they all the same?

 

[dngspot]

I am afraid I do not understand. My system was designed to take the tire bar and insert it into the adjustable pipe and that is what I used to push down to break the bead.

 

[Bedlam]

Me too fits right inside
as illustrated here
http://www.harborfreight.com/manuals/34000-34999/34542.PDF

 

[dfkrug]

I am afraid I do not understand. My system was designed to take the tire bar and insert it into the adjustable pipe and that is what I used to push down to break the bead.

From your photo, it looks like you used an extra long pipe as a breaker
bar. I never used one that long, and there were a couple of tire beads
I could not break. With the kind of leverage you had, it is no wonder that
you got some distortion of the pivot hole in the pipe. I have used the
bead breaker feature downward, as well as upward, with the changer
mounted to my tractor's loader.

Here is my thread on using my HF tire changer:
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/151905-mounting-dismounting-your-own-tractor.html

 

[bx24]

BX24,

Good alternative.

Did you put a piece of plywood on it or just bolt it to the slats?

Clem

Just the slats rotating the jig so that no two bolts were on the same slat. If you use a beefy pallet, it will last a while, but even with a weaker one, it always worked well enough to work on 4 tires. For $50 its a great tool, but I don't use it more than once or twice a year.

 

[dngspot]

dfkrug

I have not busted a tire with the upgrades yet. The damage to the breaker adjustable pipe was done with the tire bar inserted into the breaker pipe. The original breaker bar is 39 inches long; the pipe that I am using now is 40 inches long. I guess the pic makes it look a bit longer. I used nothing but brute force to bend both the tire bar and the legs on the breaker shoe.

The funny thing there is a guy that is working a tire on You Tube that jumps up and down on the tire bar while breaking a bead. If I did that I would probably break the bar and crash onto the floor.

You have a great thread thanks for sharing.

 

[Bedlam]

oh yes the original design it flexed alot

 

[Flatheadyoungin]

they are little hard to find but they are only about 100-150......the old coats mechanical tire changers.....they are light years ahead of the HF ones....i've abused mine and i honestly don't think i could tear it up changing tires on it.....

i change most of my own tires and atv tires on it...i have two different models.....one of the old style step on clamp down and a spin down type.....just slightly different and each will do what the other won't, sometimes.......rim offset, rim size, etc...