Mount Tires by Myself?

[scootr]

Don't forget to spray soap or better yet tire black when mounting and clamp a vise grip on the rim edge to get a starting point. HF sells a little manual tire changer and some extra spoons.
Honestly a tractor tire is no joke - they are very stiff and hard to work.

 

[seville009]

Actually in my situation, breaking the bead was the simple part. The hard part was separating the rim from the tire (or tire off the rim, depending on how you look at it).

 

[eCRX]

i just came in from trying to mount versa turfs. I gave up. I have decent tire spoons and lube. It took me about 15-25 min each to get the turf tires off.

I got the first bead onto the tire no problem, I'm just not able to get the final bead on myself. I think I could do it with an extra set of hands, but I have a bad feeling it will still take a couple hours to do 4 tires and i'll be sore for 3 days. It doesn't help that I'm trying to avoid scratching the heck out of newly painted rims.

 

[dirttoys]

Be careful with the straps when seating the bead. I use a rope with a loop, it will pull away before it breaks and whips me with a buckle.

 

[scootr]

I've been doing small tires for years. I use the HF machine. It gives me 2 advantages. First it locks down the rim around waist height where I can exert my max force. 2nd it has a center pole that you leverage your tools against. I agree there is a point where it becomes logical to pay a tire store to do the job.

 

[DJ54]

If you do a lot of tires, it's worth investing in some tire tools. For 2, take it to a shop. But, buy the tires at the same shop. My buddy has a tire shop, and people always calling him wanting to mount larger tractor tires they bought online cheaper. Price for mounting goes to $50 ea.

Being I collect antique/classic tractors, I have done quite a few. Most have been 24" to 36" rim size. I bought a slide hammer type bead breaker, and even the worst one's were broken off the rim in just a few minutes. Knowing how to use one is the secret. You need to go in pretty well flat ways until it hits the rim. Move over a few inches and do the same all the way around. Takes maybe 4-5 licks each spot. Then start around again driving downward each spot 4-5 licks. Most generally after moving 6 times, the tire literally drops down.

I have tires tools of all sizes, from 1" wide, 18" long, to the 42" long tire irons. Just need to press down the opposite side into the drop center, then start with a narrow tire spoon. Use a second one to catch what you have and chase it around. Just take baby bites as you go. Once you get about 1/3 the way around on the large diameter rim size, I can use the longer tools to bring it on off.

For the Lawn & Garden type front tires I use a couple huge screw drivers I picked up at auctions. Same method, baby bites both ways. In the past, I've used the strap method to get them to expand out on the rim. Had one 2 years ago off a Cub Cadet that gave me fits. One of those you just have to walk away for 10 minutes and regroup. Came in to get a cold drink and started looking for bead seater tanks. Checked on FB Marketplace, and a guy just posted a Cheetah bead seater tank for $40, and was only 15 miles away. Made the call and he still had it. Picked it up, and within 5 minutes of getting home, had that tire popped out on the rim. I've done 8-10 here on different sizes up to 15" rims. But mostly 8" and 12" rear GT tires. Works like a champ and has paid for itself many times over already. Even bought a rear tine tiller pretty cheap, because the guy couldn't get the tire out on the rim, so he discounted the price. I paid him for it, then went to the truck to get the tank. I asked him if he could rock it up on one tire so I could air it up. He told me he'd worked 2-3 evenings trying to get it aired up with a large compressor, and it would take more than the 5 gallon portable tank I came back with. I had the valve and dump tube turned away so he couldn't see it. He looked rather puzzled when I turned it around. Asked him to rock it up then I put the tube against the tire and dumped the air. WHOOSH, and the tire was seated. He stood there dumbfounded, and all he could say was S...O...B... I've been fighting that tire for 6 hours, and you got it seated in 1 second. It's all about having the proper tools when needed.

 

[BeezFun]

One of my college jobs was repairing truck tires, it ain't fun. If you live near a shop that can do it for you I'd take it in. We have an industrial tire place down the street, I buy the tires from them and the mounting isn't that expensive if you buy the tire there.

If you do it yourself it's easy to scratch the rims if you do it with hand tools, and then you'll be fighting slow leaks forever. So make sure you clean up the bead on the rims before you put the new tires on. You've got a couple options to seat the bead, we always sprayed a little ether in the tire and let it vaporize a minute, then hit it with a flame and it explodes, forcing the tire onto the bead. Or you can do the ratchet strap around the middle of the tire.

 

[DaBear3428]

I have done quite a few myself, i have worked at gas stations in my teens and did a bunch with the machines and bigger truck tires with mallets to break the bead. in the end IMO it depends on what your time is worth, I do not enjoy working on tires and at my age i'm not able to do much for a couple of days after, so to the tire shop they go. IMO it is important to know HOW to do it Not necessarily TO do it.

so if you have never experienced mounting a large tire, try it, i think you will arrive at the answer to the question after the first attempt.

 

[oosik]

I did a whole lot of 4 wheeling with my first tractor. Had to have the front tires replaced. Local tire shop ( Les Schwab Tires ) made a house call and mounted the new tires.

 

[Maine Hills]

Buying tires mounted on new wheels as "whole goods" from the Kubota dealer may be less expensive than buying the tires alone, assuming the tires and wheels are the same as used on current equipment. To get the whole goods price you need to buy through the equipment sales department, not the parts department.