Mount Tires by Myself?

[turboviking]

The front tires on my Kubota have seen better days. I am thinking I should replace them. I don't understand why they are so cracked and nasty while the rears look perfect, but I guess I should be glad the expensive ones are in the best shape.

I was thinking I should buy new tires, take the wheels and tires off the tractor, and have a shop mount them. Then I started wondering if I could mount them myself. It's not like they have to be balanced or anything.

Is mounting tires with totally inappropriate tools an unrealistic goal? I have plenty of tools but nothing designed for mounting tires.

The front tires on my Kubota have seen better days. I am thinking I should replace them. I don't understand why they are so cracked and nasty while the rears look perfect, but I guess I should be glad the expensive ones are in the best shape.

I was thinking I should buy new tires, take the wheels and tires off the tractor, and have a shop mount them. Then I started wondering if I could mount them myself. It's not like they have to be balanced or anything.

Is mounting tires with totally inappropriate tools an unrealistic goal? I have plenty of tools but nothing designed for mounting tires.

If you are anywhere close to a shop, I recommend having it done. Doing it yourself will bring you a sense of satisfaction, and also much cussing. I also change motorcycle tires. Anything larger than a 21" / 90 profile I have done by a fellow with a machine. I don't cuss, and I am quite happy that I can dismount the wheels, get them to a shop, and leave fifty bucks short, and use my tractor the same day. HUGS - Best to ya!

 

[LouNY]

We do many of ours ourselves. If short of time we will call a service truck out.
Hi ply implement tires will go to the tractor shop, those 12-18 ply 15, 16, or 17.5's are no fun at all.
We use a bead breaker;
similar to this

I a have looked at the hydraulic style, but it is falling to the younger guys now days, so may save my money

 

[NoTrespassing]

My local tire store replaced my front tires with skid steer tires many years ago. They don't look much different than the original tires that came on the tractor.

 

[Surshot]

Acording to my tire folks, the Kubota front tires are only held on by tire pressure, not the beed. So, you need a real blast of about 40-50 psi to mount them, I asked, when I watched the remount take place from a distance. They do get back and out of the way when mounting a Kubota tire. A push button blast and bam. They change tractor tires all day, so no fluke.

 

[HighTwelve]

The Harbor Freight tire mounter and dismounter is intended to be bolted to the floor, or at least to a couple of 6 X 6’s on the floor. I consider buying one every time they go on sale but it’s one more rarely used thing to have around and it’s an arm-strong unit that requires pushing, pulling and swearing. I’d rather pay $20/tire and watch the hydraulic machine at the tire shop spin the old off and the new on one in about 5 minutes per tire.

I HAVE dismounted rear tractor tires myself in order to get a chance to clean the rust off of the rims and paint them before new tires and tubes went on. It is a real PITA of a job. I wound up cutting the tires off with a sawzall and then grinding through the steel bead cords with a Dremel.

There’s at least one YouTube video showing a guy breaking the bead with a log splitter. Might be OK if you have help holding the tire in position.

 

[stuckmotor]

I've levered many a tube type tire on and off using a variety of different levers, most were not intended for that purpose. If I were to try it with a tubeless tire I'd be careful not to damage the inside bead of the tire or the metal rim for fear of ruining the seal. Harbor Freight has some inexpensive levers that look like they'd do the job. Be careful not to leave a tool inside the tire.

 

[Mudfarmer]

Consider putting tubes in. I always put tubes in my front tires since turning on rough ground with a load in the bucket can twist off a bead pretty easily.

 

[Alan W.]

Put these on a couple days ago with a couple of HF tire irons. They are 10-22.5 load G
Very stiff tires. Takes about 15 minutes to change once off the truck.
Open air line connected to the valve stem with the core removed and just roll it back and forth usually is all thats needed to seat.
Never had luck with a strap. If its giving that much trouble seating I will use starting fluid.

 

[Alan W.]

To make seating tires easier make yourself one of these.
All of this came from HF.
Just unscrew the clip on the chuck and take the core pin out. Then before you reassemble it screw a 1/4” valve on. Screw the chuck back together and put your quick connect on.
To seat a tire take the core out of the valve stem, clip on the chuck and open the valve.

 

[nyone]

I have broken many tire beeds with just a hi lift/farm jack. The rest is just baring them off. I have even done liquid filled. Everything from tractor tires to truck and trailer tires...yes I can be a cheap ass. Granted none of these needed to be balanced.

 

[Snezzy]

The older I get the more I like the idea of paying a young guy who has the expertise and already has the correct tools. That idea applies not only to mounting tires but also to roofing and to pumping hay bales.

 

[2manyrocks]

I have the HF manual tire changer and have done the modification to add the duckbill as many have done on youtube. I recently mounted some p235 75r15s on steel rims pretty quickly without any problem. Two aired up easily. Two were a total pain. The biggest thing with the manual tire changer is finding a solid place to mount it. I bolted it to a stump temporarily for the one job.

Wouldn't dare mount aluminum rims.

Have done a few lawn mower tires.

The guys at the tire shop are like Nascar level tire changers. I am not one of them.

 

[GeneV]

I've done a few. I'll be honest, at least for me it's always been a hassle, but I prefer to diy whatever I'm able to. Tire irons make it easier, u could buy a 3 set on Amazon for $15 or so. Actually I just did a tire on my trailer last week, I used my loader to break the bead. I rested a wood block on the tire edge, pressed it down with the loader.

 

[Raul-02]

hen I started wondering if I could mount them myself.

Unless you have some gear made for that job you might find it a monster PITA. I got my ass kicked by a lousy little 13" tire.

 

[LouNY]

I prefer doing tractor tires over car tires my self.
Usually break them down right on the tractor.

 

[Eagle1]

Unless you have some gear made for that job you might find it a monster PITA. I got my ass kicked by a lousy little 13" tire.

Smaller tires are way harder than bigger ones. Not as much space to flex, try a 6 or 7 inch some time

 

[Smokeydog]

Bought a HF tire changer for the small PITA tires. Welded 2” square tubing to the base so I can use a trailer receiver to secure it.

 

[Raul-02]

Smaller tires are way harder than bigger ones.

A fact that requires one to think about it a moment. But it's smaller, I should be able to beat it up easier~!!!

 

[GeneV]

A fact that requires one to think about it a moment. But it's smaller, I should be able to beat it up easier~!!!

Yeh, one would think right? But for sure, a car tire is hella easier to wrestle on and off a rim, compared to a little thingie that goes on a trailer or tractor...and the thicker the ply the more you'll be using not very nice words while working yo azz off!

 

[not2old]

I recently replaced the front tires on my GC2610. It was cheaper to buy new Kabota tires and wheels, already mounted than any tires alone that I could find. My Massey now has orange front wheels. Whatever was used to load my rear wheels appears to have seriously rusted the rims. I expect to need new rims when the tires are shot.