Anyone own a No Mar Tire Changer?

[avc8130]

Like the subject says, does anyone own a No Mar Tire Changer?

I've been changing tires on a Harbor Freight setup I bought close to 10 years ago at this point. I've been using the NoMar Mount/Demount bar, and I modified the rim clamps using some NoMar spools. I've gotten pretty good and really don't have issues.

Fast forward to a couple months ago. A used NoMar pops up on Craigslist for $250. It was an older Classic model. I jumped on it on based on the hoopla and fanfare I've heard about these NoMar things.

Well, winter finally broke and I gave it a shot yesterday. The goal was to swap a shot Michelin Anakee A3 of my rear rim and install a new Shinko 705.

Bead breaking was nice. It was very nice to work waist high rather than on the ground.

Then came locking the wheel into those dog blocks. NIGHTMARE. How the heck do you get the tire to compress and get these plastic blocks to actually "clip" onto the rim? I struggled and struggled and tried all sorts of tricks. FINALLY, after longer than the whole change process would have taken on my old setup, I got the tire locked down.

It took me a bit to figure out how NoMar intended the pivoting top arm to work, then I watched a video and realized they still want me to slide the center post up and down during use. So the pivot is an unnecessary complication basically.

Once the rim was clamped, demount/remount was about the same as always.

So...NoMar lovers...what's the deal?

Do you do S10 tires?
What is the trick to getting the rim into the dog blocks?
Did you give up on the dog blocks and spend ANOTHER $150 on the Posi-Clamps?

ac

 

[jimbob]

No help to you at all but I'd like to know the trick too. I ran into the same thing using a buddies Classic model. Fought the cams thinking I was doing something wrong since he wasn't around to show me different but all he's mounted is sport bike cast wheels.

I ended up with the cheaper Cycle Hill version and much prefer the posi-clamps with the tall spools. No issues.

 

[TXTenere]

I don't have a NoMar, but my friend does. He had similar troubles until he sat down with the YouTube video step by step, and ever since then, he's had no trouble. Maybe that'll help...

 

[avc8130]

No help to you at all but I'd like to know the trick too. I ran into the same thing using a buddies Classic model. Fought the cams thinking I was doing something wrong since he wasn't around to show me different but all he's mounted is sport bike cast wheels.

I ended up with the cheaper Cycle Hill version and much prefer the posi-clamps with the tall spools. No issues.

I like the Cycle Hill version in concept, but it looks EXACTLY like my Harbor Freight setup.

ac

 

[avc8130]

I don't have a NoMar, but my friend does. He had similar troubles until he sat down with the YouTube video step by step, and ever since then, he's had no trouble. Maybe that'll help...

Is your friend using it to change ADV tires or sport bike rubber?

HUGE difference in my experience.

ac

 

[jiml53]

I've got the classic model and have changed four sets so far. Watch the video a few times and it will become clear. The main part is sitting the dog blocks for the proper size wheel. Set the wheel in the rear first then to the left and then turn the cam lock to lock it down. Hope this helps somewhat. Takes a little practice.


Jim

 

[Twisties]

We moved from HF to NoMar a few years ago. I strongly prefer nomar. However, a lot of it is in the bar, and you already had that. We had a third party bar with the HF. The nomar unit provides a much firmer and solid work surface than HF. I feel that is important, but could be achieved in other ways. The nomar is considerably easier to work with, as far as I am concerned. I've never had any problem with the dogs. With HF I always had to use straps for secondary support, and other tricks. Nomar just works. Sometimes I have to adjust the distance settings a time or two to get it right for a given wheel, but as was said, with practice it's no problem. I've done the RTs, the Teneres and the DR650's without issue. Also a number of guest bikes. I also find the nomar paste lubricant to be key, but you can buy that and the bar separate. I was using RU-Glyde before, and the nomar lube procedure changed my life! (still use RU-Glyde for demount) So, I suppose with nomar it's not the machine so much as the bar and paste lube, and the lube procedure shown in their video. The machine is nice, but any will do, one way or the other.

To mount the wheel effectively, first be sure you have the bead well broken on both sides. This means it should readily slide into the center well when compressed. Get the dogss positioned right, then press down and into one of the dogs. Hold the wheel firmly into the mounted dog with your hip, and work it into the second dog. Then, lock it with the cam dog. Once you have the tire off, take a good look and optimize the settings for the bare wheel. Note them on a cheat sheet, and then in the future you can go straight to the right set up when that wheel comes back at you.

 

[~TABASCO~]

Street tires are easy.. K60's are easy.. The only tires that are different that street tires are something like BB or TKC.. BB has a stiff sidewall and the TKC has a week sidewall, but both are really no big deal. Because we do so many 17-18-19's I took the time to set up the three cams to fit each rim properly. Then I wrote on each of the three cams on how each needs to be clocked to properly work with each size rim/tire. Now I can walk over to it, click around the ones I need, pop it on and go... I use watered down NoMar lube when removing the tires, and I use ample amount of NoMar lube when reinstalling them.. I just received another gallon of NoMar tire lube, and I use it.

If people use this machine that live in the north, and your wanting to change a stiff side wall tire, I would highly suggest you worm up the tire carcass first. Or if you just want to make an easier time of installing any tire, anytime, worm it up.... You can throw a hair drier into the inside of the tire, cover it all with a big / heavy packing blanket and come back in 30 minutes.... You can have that hot tire installed in less than five minutes...

If you try to install some of these stiff wall tires when its cold, your going to learn new words you hadn't known before......

 

[True Grip]

Tabasco good tip on the hairdryer for when the suns not out.

 

[avc8130]

We moved from HF to NoMar a few years ago. I strongly prefer nomar. However, a lot of it is in the bar, and you already had that. We had a third party bar with the HF. The nomar unit provides a much firmer and solid work surface than HF. I feel that is important, but could be achieved in other ways. The nomar is considerably easier to work with, as far as I am concerned. I've never had any problem with the dogs. With HF I always had to use straps for secondary support, and other tricks. Nomar just works. Sometimes I have to adjust the distance settings a time or two to get it right for a given wheel, but as was said, with practice it's no problem. I've done the RTs, the Teneres and the DR650's without issue. Also a number of guest bikes. I also find the nomar paste lubricant to be key, but you can buy that and the bar separate. I was using RU-Glyde before, and the nomar lube procedure changed my life! (still use RU-Glyde for demount) So, I suppose with nomar it's not the machine so much as the bar and paste lube, and the lube procedure shown in their video. The machine is nice, but any will do, one way or the other.

To mount the wheel effectively, first be sure you have the bead well broken on both sides. This means it should readily slide into the center well when compressed. Get the dogss positioned right, then press down and into one of the dogs. Hold the wheel firmly into the mounted dog with your hip, and work it into the second dog. Then, lock it with the cam dog. Once you have the tire off, take a good look and optimize the settings for the bare wheel. Note them on a cheat sheet, and then in the future you can go straight to the right set up when that wheel comes back at you.

Yeah, I upgraded my HF to use pretty much all of NoMar's interfaces. I use their paste exclusively. I did notice how much stronger the NoMar setup was as far as rigidity and I appreciated it.

Good tip on the blocks. That is what I am struggling with mostly.

ac

 

[avc8130]

Street tires are easy.. K60's are easy.. The only tires that are different that street tires are something like BB or TKC.. BB has a stiff sidewall and the TKC has a week sidewall, but both are really no big deal. Because we do so many 17-18-19's I took the time to set up the three cams to fit each rim properly. Then I wrote on each of the three cams on how each needs to be clocked to properly work with each size rim/tire. Now I can walk over to it, click around the ones I need, pop it on and go... I use watered down NoMar lube when removing the tires, and I use ample amount of NoMar lube when reinstalling them.. I just received another gallon of NoMar tire lube, and I use it.

If people use this machine that live in the north, and your wanting to change a stiff side wall tire, I would highly suggest you worm up the tire carcass first. Or if you just want to make an easier time of installing any tire, anytime, worm it up.... You can throw a hair drier into the inside of the tire, cover it all with a big / heavy packing blanket and come back in 30 minutes.... You can have that hot tire installed in less than five minutes...

If you try to install some of these stiff wall tires when its cold, your going to learn new words you hadn't known before......

Jaxon,

Thanks for chiming in! I thought I read that you use a NoMar and I know you've done a ton of K60s.

Do you use the dog blocks with the K60s? Steve (owner of NoMar) said that was "impossible". He said the posi-clamps were mandatory. He claimed he had done a bunch of K60s and found them so difficult he even has notes on the website about them! LOL

I always throw my tires out in the sun before I leave for work on days I know I'll be changing them in the afternoon. Makes a HUGE difference.

ac

 

[Twisties]

I've done K60 on Tenere and F650 GS (Twin, with the bleeping TPM, and the single w/o) with the classic nomar machine as it shipped. I've done at least six sets. I don't even know what the posi-clamps are. I totally agree about warming the tire. If there is no sun or it's chilly, I'll just bring them into the house overnight and leave them in a warm spot. After I've demounted the old tire and cleaned up the wheel I'll bring the tire out. But really, if you can get them into the sun, that's the way to go.

The only other tip I have is that in mounting a tire, in addition to lubing as shown in the nomar video, I lube the mount bar so that it will slide against the tire wall. If I get any binding when the tire begins to tighten, this is the problem. A little more lube here and that tire will slip right on.

 

[TXTenere]

Is your friend using it to change ADV tires or sport bike rubber?

HUGE difference in my experience.

ac

All of the above. He has a DRZ, S10, and FZ1, and mounts tires on all three bikes.

 

[avc8130]

I've done K60 on Tenere and F650 GS (Twin, with the bleeping TPM, and the single w/o) with the classic nomar machine as it shipped. I've done at least six sets. I don't even know what the posi-clamps are. I totally agree about warming the tire. If there is no sun or it's chilly, I'll just bring them into the house overnight and leave them in a warm spot. After I've demounted the old tire and cleaned up the wheel I'll bring the tire out. But really, if you can get them into the sun, that's the way to go.

The only other tip I have is that in mounting a tire, in addition to lubing as shown in the nomar video, I lube the mount bar so that it will slide against the tire wall. If I get any binding when the tire begins to tighten, this is the problem. A little more lube here and that tire will slip right on.

I've never struggled to MOUNT a tire. I've been doing it so long the actually demount/mount wasn't the issue.

It was just using the clamps.

Does anyone know off hand what position the dog blocks work best in for the Tenere front and rear rims?

ac

 

[~TABASCO~]

I've always just used the NoMar the way it was originally built. I've never use or had any other special features or tools.. Because the three black rim blocks are not specifically marked its hard to say exactly the correct sides to have pointed to the inside... You could just take a tape measure and knock out 19" and 17" and then write down the best way you will understand on the side of the three blocks..

 

[Bigbore4]

I finally marked the clamps on the last set , that helps.

The best trick I have found yet is call my kid to come over for a beer and help get them stiff sided SOB's clamped.

 

[avc8130]

I finally marked the clamps on the last set , that helps.

The best trick I have found yet is call my kid to come over for a beer and help get them stiff sided SOB's clamped.

Care to share a pic?

ac

 

[Bigbore4]

Nothing fancy, silver sharpie marks. All I do is 17" sport bikes and the Tenere. Crude references to help me get from one to the other. Marked the cam flats that worked lined up with the arms of the machine. The sport tires are nothing, I just juggle them around til it clamps up and it takes no time at all.

The stiff dual sports are the bother. It's annoying to finally get it wrestled into submission and find you are on flat off on positioning and it slips.

Doing one for a friend later this week, I'll try to remember a pic.

 

[avc8130]

Nothing fancy, silver sharpie marks. All I do is 17" sport bikes and the Tenere. Crude references to help me get from one to the other. Marked the cam flats that worked lined up with the arms of the machine. The sport tires are nothing, I just juggle them around til it clamps up and it takes no time at all.

The stiff dual sports are the bother. It's annoying to finally get it wrestled into submission and find you are on flat off on positioning and it slips.

Doing one for a friend later this week, I'll try to remember a pic.

I understand the concept of marking them...was hoping to see WHICH you marked. LOL

I'd really appreciate the pic!

ac

 

[scott123007]

The more I read, the more I wonder if just changing tires on the floor with hand tools is the easiest method.

Yup, other than breaking the bead, a good ole milk crate and tire irons...LOL