Harbor Freight Tire Changer Mods With Pics

[radioman]

thats a good mod to make. I havent bent mine yet, and I used it quite bit already. I too bolt it to the floor and take it out when I am done. I find that I only need 2 bolt, not 4.

 

[Workstead]

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.

Got it.

Thanks

 

[Workstead]

David,

Thanks for the new pictures and the answers to my questions.

I'm going to beef up my changer before I mount it, however that mounting might end up being.

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.

Anytime,
David

 

[texasjohn]

yep, I too appreciate the photos.... good job... am gonna beef mine up too...

 

[jbarker855]

Nice job beefing that thing up.
I bought my HF tire changer on sale about 8 years ago for $35. I have probably changed a few hundred tires on it. Do a lot for family and friends. I have found that if you stop and rotate the tire a few times as you are breaking the bead it helps tremendously. Don't just pound away in one spot. Never had a bead I couldn't break with it, although some have been quite challenging. I did put a slight bend in the long bar a few years ago, but otherwise the machine is fine. Maybe they built them better (or just less crappy) back then.
I tried using mine without bolting it to the floor at first, and it was almost impossible to use. Anyone who can mount a tire without having this thing bolted down has my admiration. I hated to sacrifice the floor space to bolt it down, but I'm glad I did. I love the idea of bolting it to a tree stump, pallet, or railroad tie. I have also considered pouring a small (4 x 4 foot) cement pad behind the garage to mount this to.
Anyways, enough of me blabbing. Interesting thread fellas.
-Jay

 

[JPinnell]

I bolted mine to a stick of 2" Receiver Tube that you can also get at HF. They sell an 18" stub for around $10 but I opted for the $30 hitch mount bed extender for some more clearance to work. Mount it to your truck or tractor hitch and it's much easier to use when solidly attached. Doesn't take up any permanent space on the floor or rust sitting outside.

The bead breaker seems to be the weakest part of it and does need some beefing up.

 

[rec]

30 + years ago when I worked with road tractor tires. A old man showed me how to brake down the tough beads just put a little gas around the bead be for you start and they will all most fall down by themselves

 

[dfkrug]

30 + years ago when I worked with road tractor tires. A old man showed me how to brake down the tough beads just put a little gas around the bead be for you start and they will all most fall down by themselves

Do you mean pour gasoline on the bead when the tire/wheel is lying flat
on the ground? Like using penetrating oil? I may try that next time.....

 

[bjr]

I've long since lost the operation instruction for mine, but, as I remember item number one was mount unit securely to floor. Mine is mounted to a 3/8"x4'x4' steel plate. The wheel plate (piece of tin) the wheel sets on bent and broke and went away. I cut out a 1/4" plate, plate with the slot the wheel lock pin goes thru. The absolute worst tire to dismount I've come across is a ATV wheel with a bead lock hump on wheel. Any thoughts or suggestions as how to make dismounting these easier? I've a 5 gal. bucket of Murphys tire mounting compound soap sitting right beside the tire changer. I even owned a Coats rim clamp changer for a while and did not like it and sold as soon as I could. The bead inflater jets were worhless. I bought a Cheata air tank and it works great to set the beads. My friend sons come over and learn to do their own and I've the static HF balancer and they mount and balance their own tires. I've had problems of keeping fresh tube cement for patching though. I buy several small cans at a time. Nape is the only walk in store that'll sell the cement. Spend the money on good tire irons. I bought some spoons from Northern Tool that was butter and bent the very first use. I also have the big slide hammer bead breaker for the tractor tires. bjr