Harbor Freight/Central Machinery Tire Changer

Thinking about buying the Central Machinery Tire Changer and Motorcycle Tire Changer Attachment, both from Harbor Freight.

Anybody have that combo?

Suggestions for alternative?

Yup. Got it. Used it many a times. Works. Could be a lot better, but for the $$$$, it's a great value. There are some tips and tricks to make using it a little easier, but also, blood, sweat, and many tears is how you learn.

Know what I would really, really, like?

Clicky Here for No-Mar tire changer

I keep on trying to figure out how to afford the damned thing. Several have reported it works much better than the Harbor Freight set-up. It better for the price. Still........bling-bling!

I have the NO-MAR changer bolted to my garage floor. It's great for front tires and softwall "sport" tires. I just tried to put on a new Pirelli Strada "E" tire with it and couldn't get it finished. Had to take the rim and rubber to a local shop. Now, the local shop had a Coates manual tire changer. It took 3 guys together (and these guys do this for a living!) to put that rubber on the rim.

Don't get me wrong, I like the No-Mar. Easy to get rubber off the rim, and front tires are a snap. And some rear tires will be easy. But I think most of us vertically challenged, out of shape couch potatoes are going to have trouble swapping on stiff side wall reinforced touring tires by ourselves with any of these manual gizmos. I have had success putting other rear tires on, just not this new Strada.

Now Smitty141 will tell you he can change tires with his all day long. I think he uses the special clamps that No-Mar sells to help hold the rim and rubber instead of a second (or third) person to help out. And he does it often enough that he has the knack for it.

I think the Harbor Frieght unit will do you well. I think the No-Mar is much better, but still not a panacea. YMMV.

I'd really like one of these:

Tire Changer

but alas, I found a shop to put the rubber on the rim and balance it for $15. That's a lot less than the tire changer. So I'll stick with the No-Mar. Maybe I'll eventually get the knack for those tougher rear tires.

Good luck with your changer!

I bought one a couple weeks ago, and have only changed one rear tire.

About half way through changing the rear tire, I was seriously wondering whether or not I made the right decision.

It's definatly a learning experience! It's also really easy to scratch the bejeebus out of your rim if you're not careful!

You can't use the thing right out of the box either. (or at least I wouldn't recommend it)

Add protectors to the clamps that hold the wheel in place, and bead breaker, and also the mount/dismount bar. There was a website detailing such changes, but I'll have to find and link it later.

Bought one last week but haven't used it yet. With three road bikes figured I save a few bucks with it over time. Hope I didn't make a mistake, can't say I'm over joyed at the thought of taxing physical labor.

I also have one and have been very happy with it. I really only use the HF tire changer to hold the wheel off the floor, and break the bead on the tire. I use tire irons, and rim savers for removing the old tire and installing the new one.

Also go to the Yammy dealer and get a can of "Yamaha Tire Lube" it will make the tire slide right on. I can do my front tire with out using tools. Also got a couple of wood working clamps, the Wooden,Screw type. Helps squeeze the tire and keep it in the center of the rim, making it easier to remove and install the new one. If anyone is in the DFW area, I will be glad to show you how to do it, very easy. Takes longer to remove and re-install the wheels, than it does to change the tires, and balance them!!!

Todd

Also go to the Yammy dealer and get a can of "Yamaha Tire Lube" it will make the tire slide right on. I can do my front tire with out using tools. Also got a couple of wood working clamps, the Wooden,Screw type. Helps squeeze the tire and keep it in the center of the rim, making it easier to remove and install the new one.

Click to expand...

@Todd

Sounds like reason enough for pics! Share with everyone!

I would plan a ride to DFW area to watch, but I would have to stop and change a tire along the way. :angry:

My local Yama dealer does an okay job changing tires. Can't say there is anyone around here that I really TRUST!

Just curious, going rate on tire changes here is $30. How about elsewhere?

Thanks for all the feedback. Sounds like I don't stand a Harley's Chance At A FJR Rally of using the manual changer until this broken left arm completely heals. Might as well wait on the purchase.

I have a good mechanic nearby that I trust. Used to be a Yamaha dealer but they sold the Yamaha dealership to the nearby UJM and now sell those trikes made out of Gold Wings and such. Anyway, the mechanic is very good. Two years ago he mounted and balanced a tire for me for $25. Last summer I took the wheels off my FJR and brought him the wheels and new Avons. He charged me $70 to mount and balance both. That's when I started shopping for a tire changer and I just about made up my mind to get the Harbor Freight model for my next tire change. That and this balancer MarcParness will set me back about the same as mounting three sets of tires. That won't take a full year to do with the three street bikes in my garage.

TAPnTX

+1 --- on step by step instructions with photos!

I hate to admit it, but I have a tire change due on a bike that is just over a month old (GSX-R 600). Tires on the sport bike dont last long. Normally get around 2-3k on them, so I am changing tires often. I will document the next tire change and post them up on the site. should be in the next day or so!!!

My offer still stands for anyone in the area, I would be more than happy to show you how to do your own tire changes, and balance.

FYI

I just got a Harbor Freight Flyer yesterday, and it has a 20% off coupon, and an additional 20% off another item!!!

Todd

I've used one of the Harbor Freight machines for 2 years now. My experience? The rim never really stays in the holders, especially if you put rags on the rim to protect it. Invariably at some point the rim slips out of the tension holders and I have to re-set things. Also, the center vertical bar that's supposed to help hold the wheel down doesn't work that great. HOWEVER, I always use this changer when I do my tires, and despite its flaws I don't think I could change tires without it. Using this machine (and a little luck and a lot of balancing) I can do the entire job myself. It DOES go faster if you have an extra pair of hands, but the biggest trick is using blocks of wood (or scredriver handles, or anything that will fit betwee the bead and the rim) to keep the bead in the center valley of the rim so you can get the opposite side of the bead over the rim.

BTW, for wheel balancing I *highly* recommend Rod Neff's 2-axis adjustable balancer. I have used this as long as I've had the tire changer, and have been mightily impressed with it. I can balance down to ~1 gram of weight (I've checked) but that takes a loooong time to dial in, so I usually just get it "close enough", which goes faster, and I've never had a problem with bobbing. Comes with tire weights, and for spoked tires you can get the truing rod to go with it, so you can use this to true the wheels as well (though I never needed to use mine as my spoked wheels were always true, so you might just save the $$$).

I have a pretty good photo gallery of the HF tire changer in action on a Gold Wing tire, which is probably the harderst motorcycle tire there is to mount.

Click on this link to see the gallery

https://www.pbase.com/fredharmon/tirechange

There is a guy who makes a new lever bar called a MoJo lever that I am thinking about ordering, but it costs something like $80.

The HF long tool works good, but you have to come up with something to put between it and the rim or it will really gouge your wheels bad. I use a teflon rim savor zip tied to the tool.

I have a pretty good photo gallery of the HF tire changer in action on a Gold Wing tire, which is probably the harderst motorcycle tire there is to mount.
Click on this link to see the gallery

https://www.pbase.com/fredharmon/tirechange

Click to expand...

That's right! Thanks Fred!

I used your little write-up, along with a few others, to help me start changing tires. Great to have you with us.

Ok, enough of the gratuitous ass-kissing, and back to tire changing - for me a second set of hands is almost mandatory. I did a tire once by myself, but I don't every want to do that again. The right tools to help keep the bead in the rim valley would definitely help, but would still be a PITA. Yet, I have no intention of ever stopping changing my own tires.

I use National Cycle's tire changer. He's a grouchy little guy in Sacramento that charges me $20 but I'd pay twice that to keep from having to do it myself. Waaay too much work for this old duck. B)

I have a pretty good photo gallery of the HF tire changer in action on a Gold Wing tire, which is probably the harderst motorcycle tire there is to mount.
Click on this link to see the gallery

https://www.pbase.com/fredharmon/tirechange

Click to expand...

That's exactly the website I was mentioning earlier. I did your modifications almost verbatim!

I was looking at no-mar's bar, which is available seperatly as well.

I don't use the upper portion of the tire changer, only the clamp, and the vertical rod as a leverage point for the bar.

This guy has a good lever that looks like it might be a nice alternative, but a bit pricey.

https://mywebpages.comcast.net/prestondrake/mojoweb.htm

By the way, if you are having problems with your rim slipping in the supports of the HF stand, there is a simple solution.

Drill a hole through one of the horizontal support legs under the rim, and run a rod up through the hole. Then positon one of the spokes of the rim against the rod so the rod prevents the wheel from being able to turn. It is an easy mod. Just put some cloth between the rod you use and the wheel spoke so it doesn't scratch it.

My experience (several) with Harbor Freight has been mostly negative.

I bought, broke and returned the tire changer same day. Welds broke off while trying to swap a ridding lawn mower tire! None of the electrical stuff (I've bought)is good the jackhammer blew up in 45 min of use, the air compressor had a faulty valve so as soon as it got to shut off pressre it would pop and refill in a cycle- took it back. The air compressor couplings leak really badly.

I will say they are ok on cheap hand tools, hammers, crow bars wrenches IE things without moving parts. That is my experience take it for what its worth.

I just wanted to thank the members of the site for the great info and links.

I've decieded to start changing my own tires like so many others here. I bought the Harbor Freight set up. I ordered the mount/dismount bar kit from No Mar ( https://www.nomartirechanger.com/06DemountBar.html ), also got one of the "helping hands from NO Mar. Now I have to make something to keep the Harbor Freight machine from scratching the wheels when I mount them to it. Others here seem to like their Marc Parnes balancer, so one of those is on the way. Thanks again...

https://www.pbase.com/fredharmon/tirechange

https://www.clarity.net/~adam/tire-changing.html