Tire machine thinking of getting one

Hey just wondering if anyone works a tire machine and balancer we are considering getting something in the shop . We have a lift and jacks but we are in the market for a tire machine .

Somehow in my distracted state I thought this was a thread about time machines....must get away from the computer.

I am also looking for a tire machine/ balancer. Anyone have any advice on where a good place to get one would be?

http://www.rogerkrausracing.net/Tire_Machine.html

I hear that is a good budget option (as far as new goes)

My buddy and I picked up a cheap manual one at Princess Auto ( Canadian version of Harbour Freight). It handles anything from 8" to 16" rims and works amazingly well. I can't count the number of tires we've mounted and dimounted.

Apexcarver wrote: http://www.rogerkrausracing.net/Tire_Machine.html I hear that is a good budget option (as far as new goes)

That machine looks like a nightmare to use.

For anyone that hasn't been a tire lackey: it's harder than you think. If you want to be able to do low profile tires with stiff sidewalls (ex 285x35x18 or similar) you are going to want a good pneumatic machine. I had a Hunter 34 at the shop I previously worked at and it took 3 guys almost an hour (with the Hunter 34) to set the bead on a Porsche 911 wheel.

Unless your slinging bike tires on a cadavalier, I would think wisely before buying the cheapest POS (aka horror freight) money can buy. Manual tire presses are going to be a real workout to put on a set of r-compounds; I personally wouldn't even bother w/o a pneumatic machine. The minimum I would buy for racing / high performance tires would be a Hunter 34, or a Hunter 550 if you are doing low profile tires.

I was a tire lackey for a few years. I will definately be buying a pneumatic machine. I don't love the hunter machines (mostly because of the lack of a real bead breaker.

I was thinking about something like this: http://www.toolsusa.com/asp/item_detail.asp?T1=PBE%20GSO%20STD1030STD50&trackcode=GoogleBase

The price is right and I prefer this type of machine.

It works like this... how difficult are the assemblies you want to change & balance? How much effort /time are you willing to spend versus how much money? You can get a tire hammer & 3 spoons for about a hundred bucks, I 've got a used AllTool rimclamp (from the 90s) you can have for $500. A POS Chinese changer is about a grand, a Coates 40/50 is about 2 grand. A good basic rim clamp is about 4 grand. With extra arms they start in the low 5s, the TCX550 that someone mentioned is about 10, & an Auto34W is about 20. What do you want to do? How much pure physical effort are you willing to invest? How concerned are you about damaging wheels or tires? How much do you know about changing wheels & tires?

I am also in the market, in answer to above

rims between 14 and 17 inch, lots of race and street tires. some low profile tires

Might be used for 15 sets a year maybe more but not daily.

What would you recommend

Steve

$1K HF hows this one look? The style is what I have used in the past, and like.

As for bubble balancers, IIRC either back at boces or my stint at SUNY Mo-ville these where mentioned and the instructors response was "too inacurate for modern Radials and only good for trailer tires". Would you guys sgrre or not?

neon4891 wrote: $1K HF hows this one look? The style is what I have used in the past, and like. As for bubble balancers, IIRC either back at boces or my stint at SUNY Mo-ville these where mentioned and the instructors response was "too inacurate for modern Radials and only good for trailer tires". Would you guys sgrre or not?

Plus you can use the 20% off coupon for HF in the back of magazines like GRM!

TJ wrote: Somehow in my distracted state I thought this was a thread about time machines....must get away from the computer.

I saw the same title...