Types of Tire Changing Machines?

[leoniru]

I would like to hear from some folks who have been down the road of changing their own tires.
My first attempt today at mounting a new 25"x11.5"x9" Goodyear Rawhide III on one of Matt O's 9" beadlock rims was a complete no go. Tried to do it manually after warming the tire next to a wood stove and lubing the rim and tire well. Even used a pretty serious tire iron (about 15" long). Wasn't even close to happening even though I had the part of the tire first fit on the rim down in the smallest diameter part of the rim (approaching it from the stem side of the rim). My friend and I just scratched our heads and I said let's just stop before we either hurt ourselves or damage the tire and rim excessively.

Maybe I didn't get the tire warm enough....they were out in 20 degree weather for a few days and only next to the woodburning stove for maybe 20-30 minutes? or maybe we didn't get manly enough with it.? I've changed quite a few tires on motorcycles over the years and knew right away this wasn't even close to going on.

So before I run out and drop some semi-serious money on a tire changing machine like a No-Mar, Coats, etc., I figured I'd ask to see what most of you other members are doing-----or do most folks have them mounted when purchased?

Does anyone know firsthand if a No-Mar Junior Pro model will handle these?
If I have to buy a machine I'd like to get one that will do my car, truck, and motorcycle tires as well as for the Max Buffalo.

[Cougar]

I take mine to a tire shop. Cougar

[AlaskaGrizzly]

I'll try to describe how I mount up tires - sounds like you are close to having it.

1. Get two tire spoons. You can use pry bars if you like but they'll increase the risk of tearing the tire bead due to sharp edges.
2. Mix dish soap and water solution as a lube or get some actual tire bead lube. I put soap solution in a spray bottle so I can spray it on the beads. Just a guess but maybe 1 part soap - 4-5 parts water. Lube the beads liberally when mounting tires.
3. With the tire on the floor push the rim stem side first (skinny bead side) into the rim as far as you can by hand. Push it in so that the tire bead is going into the small diameter portion of the rim. Once you have it there use the spoons to push the bead out which allows the wheel to take on more of the bead. One spoon will likely be stuck between the rim and bead as it goes on so this is where you will alternate spoons and each time the stuck one will free up. If this goes like it should you'll work the first bead onto the wheel.
4. Now flip things over with the wheel on the floor with the stem side up (skinny bead side). Force the second tire bead onto the rim by hand as far as you can. Push the bead deep into the small diameter portion of the wheel. Hold it in there with your knee. Now start in with the spoons pushing the bead out past the rim and then slip the tire down onto the rim. Alternate spoons gaining each time. Pretty soon you'll have the tire on the rim.
5. Now its time to seat the tire beads on the rim. I like to put the air to the stem and use my knee to push/force the tire out onto the rim so the tire will start the seal allowing it to pressure up. Air the tire up to the pressure that is stated as the max pressure for seating the beads. Hopefully they will "pop" onto the bead at or before that pressure. I have had to go over that pressure in the past.

My experience with 22"X??X8" rim, Goodyear Rawhide III's, is that they bead up with difficulty. If my memory serves me correct they state 15 psi max to seat the beads. I have had to go up to 30 psi and beat them with a rubber mallet to get them to seat. I've also had to walk away with them pressured up at 30 psi due to frustration and then an hour later thely'll finally pop on. Don't know if there's a trick out there to make this easier.

Some people use the starting fluid trick for beading up tires. I've never been brave enough to try it and probably never will.

Hopefully this helps... mounting up tires can be frustrating but once you've got it down it can be done. Can you get a hold of an old tire to practice with? It might be good to practice and if you tear up the tire in the process of learning you won't be out a brand new Rawhide.

[leoniru]

Thanx for taking the time to write-up your technique. I use pretty much the same approach and I've been changing my own cycle and equipment tires for the past 46 years, but I've never been defeated by a tire/rim before!! I truly do believe that the tires were not thoroughly warm throughout their thickness and hence were actually shrunk a bit and unable to stretch. They were in an unheated garage for several days with the temp in the teens and twenties. A half hour next to a wood burning stove (with turning from time to time) probably did not adequately warm them.
I'm going to bring one in next to the coal stove and leave it there for a day or two before I try again.

[plott hound]

i use a cheapo princess auto tire changer.works way better then i thought it would.some tire were a real struggle by my self but 2 tire irons did the trick.kept preasure on them and they would start to go over the rim.

[Rock Doctor]

I take mine to a tire shop. Cougar

Me too, lol.


RD

[AlaskaGrizzly]

I'm stumped! Either you got some tough tires or those mudd ox rims have a shape that makes it tough to do by hand. Rawhide III tires are heavier than most but they always accepted rims for me. I just fought getting the darn things to bead up.

[JohnF]

I use spoons too but I need 3. Lube makes a huge difference - I can tell when I forget.

my spoons are the motion pro spoons. 10.5 inches long.

[hydromike]

I have had to go up to 30 psi and beat them with a rubber mallet to get them to seat. I've also had to walk away with them pressured up at 30 psi due to frustration and then an hour later thely'll finally pop on. Don't know if there's a trick out there to make this easier.

There is a trick.... 32 psi. I put a set of brand new Rawhide IIIs (25s) on Mudd-Ox rims, and a set of used 25s on Mudd-Ox rims. I'll tell you the both the new set and the old set took a lot of effort to seat. After using a bead-blaster tank, and a healthy amount of the proper lubricant, it still took nearly 25-30psi in each tire to get them even get them TO the bead, let alone to seat.

Some people use the starting fluid trick for beading up tires. I've never been brave enough to try it and probably never will.

I did this on several tires with a lot of success over the years, but after having a 26" Goodyear explode on me this fall, I doubt I'll try it again without plenty of distance between me and the tire. A mile would be good.

I've had to get the big Rawhides plenty warm before they'd cooperate. The new set sat next to the wood stove in the garage for quite a while before they agreed to do what I needed them to. I have a couple home-made irons that help out, but they only go so far.

[leoniru]

Well folks, I finally got my new 25x11.5x9 Goodyear Rawhide IIIs mounted onto the new Mudd Ox beadlock rims. It twarn't easy. I ended up buying a No-Mar Junior Pro tire machine, warming and lubing the tires well, and it still required the use of two tire irons to get the FIRST tire side on the rim! I doubt I'd have got it done without the rim clamping ability of the No-Mar holding the rim stationary for me.

Bead seating was just as difficult if not more so. I finally rigged-up a system using a 2 inch wide ratchet strap (ratcheted-up tightly so that the middle of the tire was collapsed in towards the rim hence forcing the tire's bead areas out towards the rim's beadlock grooves) and three wooden blocks - spaced evenly around the tire's perimeter and between the strap and the tire - to get the bead to grab onto the seating area while an air chuck hung on the valve stem. I was sitting on and straddling the tire/ratchet strap/wooden block assembly and bouncing on it like some early morning workout god while simultaneously ratcheting the strap up tighter. This helped compress the tire more evenly around it's perimeter by assisting the strap to slip over the tire's surface; otherwise the tire would just collapse/compress more so just where the ratchet was. Glad there was no one watching this show. It then took 25-30 PSI to get them to pop into final position. This was after I had the first tire on fire from 'a little too much ether' attempt. It was kind of a Kodak moment. I am quite sure that there is no way I'd be able to replace one of these tires out in the boonies. Repair by plugging.....likely. Replace.....no way.