For you guys who change your own tires.

[bohdan]

Gents, Well, between my wife, kids and myself, our stable is up 7 bikes and two trikes. After much thought, I was thinking maybe its time to do my own tire changing. Number of reasons, primarily for cost benefits. Looking at some videos, seems the 1800 tires are a bit of a chore, but doable. I have researched the No-Mar tire changer and what appeals to me is the option of a hitch mount portability off of a vehicle. I don't have space to permanently attach to a concrete floor. It seems like the ticket. Advice anybody? Mighty obliged

[joeincalif]

I haven't changed my own tires but there are some places that if you bring the wheel in off the bike they will change the tire fir a very low price, Some have done it for $10 - $20 dollars. Might ask a couple shops in your area how much they would charge, Some Wal marts and American tire also will do it off the bike

[MikeB]

Gents, Well, between my wife, kids and myself, our stable is up 7 bikes and two trikes. After much thought, I was thinking maybe its time to do my own tire changing. Number of reasons, primarily for cost benefits. Looking at some videos, seems the 1800 tires are a bit of a chore, but doable. I have researched the No-Mar tire changer and what appeals to me is the option of a hitch mount portability off of a vehicle. I don't have space to permanently attach to a concrete floor. It seems like the ticket. Advice anybody? Mighty obliged

You do not have to permanently mount the tire changer. And, using the truck mounted set up will limit your 360 degree access to the wheel and tire.
The hitch mounted set up would be more beneficial to dirt riders than home wrencher's I would think.

I mounted my tire changer in the garage floor where the car is normally parked. I do not have a No-Mar, I have a Tire Stripper (no longer available) and it works very well. I don't know what kind of foot print the No-Mar has but the Tire Stripper doesn't take up much space when it is not in use. I fold it up and put it in the corner of the garage.

I mounted it using Dropin Internally Threaded Expansion Anchors.

The holes in the concrete where the anchors go are virtually invisible when the Tire Stripper is not there.

When I need to use the Tire Stripper, I simply move the car, take the Tire Stripper out of its corner and bolt it to the floor.

To drill the holes for the anchors I bought an inexpensive Hammer Drill and bits from Harbor Freight.

Disclaimer, these are not my pictures but pictures that were taken by Scott Shelerud from a review he did of the Tire Stripper on another board.
https://advrider.com/f/threads/tire-str ... es.494399/

[bohdan]

Thanks Mike B> SOme good info. Didn't think of temporarily placing it in the floor. What about the threads getting filled with dirt? I suppose the bolts can be inserted. I suppose that the issue would be how hard would it be to place it and remove it all the time.

[MikeB]

Thanks Mike B> SOme good info. Didn't think of temporarily placing it in the floor. What about the threads getting filled with dirt? I suppose the bolts can be inserted. I suppose that the issue would be how hard would it be to place it and remove it all the time.

I put the appropriate sized set screws into the anchor inserts. When I am ready to use them, I remove the set screws. I just screw them in far enough to make them flush with the floor.

[keithg64]

I change my own tires using a harbor freight tire changer that is modified for me. It is temporarily mounted in the middle of the garage floor when in use. A no mar demount bar is a good idea and also the no mar spoons are good too.

[Snowmoer]

I have a No Mar changer and use the hitch mount. I don't have the room to mount it on the floor also. After you get it adjusted for the height of your vehicles, it works great. Yes, you do loose a little bit of space for the bar to move 360 degrees around the tire. But, most of the time when I get to 3/4 around the tire, it is off or on the rim. After you use it a few times, you get to know where to start on the tire so the vehicle does not get in the way. When not in use, I just store it in a shed. I have used it on my wing tires and it handles it without any problems. They just take a little more tire lube and a little body weight on the tire bar. The trick to all of them is to make sure the tire bead is in the rim cutout so the tire bead has room to slide on the rim.

It works for me.

[Wingsconsin]

I guess it is an issue of how many times do you change tires...

I own 2 bikes , and my son has one right now -
That's 3 sets of tires to change --
They are never in need of changing at the same time --

For ME -- I take them off myself -
Take the wheels with the rubber I purchased online at a good price -
Take them to a dealership nearby who changes them for $39
Then I go home and put them back on -
In the mean time I have inspected everything , lubed what needs lubing, changed pads if needed , cleaned stuff
Sometimes I even flush fluids and do other maintenance while they are off --
The dealer will not be as particular as I am - so for $39 and a 15 mile round trip I do my own without the spend for the tire changer machine

My Goldwings use Centramatic balancer systems -- Beads in the Suzuki GS850
I also own an extra set of rims for the Goldwing I own so I ALWAYS have a new set mounted and ready to go

[bohdan]

I have a No Mar changer and use the hitch mount. I don't have the room to mount it on the floor also. After you get it adjusted for the height of your vehicles, it works great. Yes, you do loose a little bit of space for the bar to move 360 degrees around the tire. But, most of the time when I get to 3/4 around the tire, it is off or on the rim. After you use it a few times, you get to know where to start on the tire so the vehicle does not get in the way. When not in use, I just store it in a shed. I have used it on my wing tires and it handles it without any problems. They just take a little more tire lube and a little body weight on the tire bar. The trick to all of them is to make sure the tire bead is in the rim cutout so the tire bead has room to slide on the rim.

It works for me.

Hey Snoemoer
Thanks for the reply. I notice you have bikes similar to mine. Including a 77 GL1000. Have you used it on the Gl1000, GL1500 and the Gl1800? Do you have the Classic HD model? Cheers

[keithg64]

Good point and very useful.

The trick to all of them is to make sure the tire bead is in the rim cutout so the tire bead has room to slide on the rim.

I usually use 4, 3/4 thick pieces of plastic or wood jammed in between the tire and rim to make the tire bead go into the center of the rim. That gives the tire more room when your mounting the last bit of tire over the rim.

[Snowmoer]

Hey Snoemoer
Thanks for the reply. I notice you have bikes similar to mine. Including a 77 GL1000. Have you used it on the Gl1000, GL1500 and the Gl1800? Do you have the Classic HD model? Cheers

I have had mine for 10 years now. It is the cheaper Cycle Hill one. It looks just like the Cycle Hill Plus HD that they are selling now. I should have just bought the Classic HD at the time. The Classic has a much better clamping system to hold the rim. I have to use a tie down strap on the rim to keep it from spinning in the rim clamp.

Yes, I have used it on all three of the wings. Also tires on the ST 1300 that I had before the wings. I have also used it on my Duel Sport tires and friends dirt bike tires. I have even changed my 12" tires on my Roll A Home motorcycle camper.

I bought a tire changer because none of the dealers in my area would change a tire unless you bought the tire from them. With the money saved, the changer has more than paid for itself over the last 10 years.