It's time to mount my new front runners and slicks on my new wheels. I despise taking my tires to get mounted at the local shops because they're full of young kids who don't give a f*** about doing a good job, so the last 3-4 times they've mounted my drag tires there's been problems. Scratched rims, hammer on weights instead of stick ons, poorly balanced. I have never complained to them because I know the shop hates I don't buy tires through them (so they can mark the price up 80%), but I'm tired of dealing with it. So I want to start mounting and balancing rubber myself. Was looking at those Harbor Freight bubble balancer stands, and some tire spoons. Do any of you guys have recommendations on 1) tools and 2) procedures on mounting tires without scratching the hell out of the aluminum wheels? I have big pry bars, but afraid without the rounded hooked ends they'd make a mess. Drag tires shouldn't be too bad since they're pretty flexible. I'll be running tubes, so a lot of baby powder will go inside the slicks.
Home tire mounting
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67Dart273
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I'm no expert, but I've been doing myown tires. Bought an old school manual machine, but it won't fit stuff like the Bullitt wheels. I made a center extention for it with it's own problems. I bought a HF tire machine for cheap which is somewhat useful. I cut a sidewall out of al old tire for a pad on the one machine
You can buy plastic covers for tire spoons, TRY USING AN AXE HANDLE or other wood implement.
You can buy plastic covers for tire spoons, TRY USING AN AXE HANDLE or other wood implement.
The Harbor Freight balancing tool I do not recommend.....I had a chance to check one out...don't hold a candle to an old Coats bubble balancer. I cannot speak on their tire changer....I have an older manual Coats I picked up some 30 years ago and still going strong. Mind you over the years as positive offset are the fashion I have added a pin extender and a welded a couple more grooves on the post to lock the wheel in place...couple other innovative attachments also to be able to use this with modern wheels. I have a rubber pad for the base....as you use a tool you find methods to make it work in todays world. Plastic slip on will protect the rims but even then, you still got to go slow. Good luck....
I had the old school coates 40-40 for years, and a BADA wheel (bubble) balancer. Served me very well. I put tire changer up for sale, was going to throw in balancer if i got my price. Nope ,lowballed me. Sold it kept balancer. These things come around pretty cheap. Replaced it with a newer changer i got for free,and a really nice hoffman balancer i got a great deal on.
Tire spoons are the way to go,prybars will scar up the bead area pretty bad if you arent careful.
Tire spoons are the way to go,prybars will scar up the bead area pretty bad if you arent careful.
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