Tire Mounting Cost

[ballisticexchris]

We'll you wouldn't be happy to see my shop. It's a total cluster f***, but I know where everything is. If I needed to put a shoebox on my work bench, I'm going to have to move a lot of stuff around. I might wipe a wrench off when it gets too greasy to hold on to. My toolbox is a roll around cart that I put some dividers in to try and keep tools separate, but the tools are just piled on, one on top of the other, but I have everything I need right there handy and can grab what I need quickly. I've seen some mechanics with a big, clean, well organized tool box along with a big nice clean sterile work bench and they have a hard time figuring out how to adjust a clutch.

LOL Rollcart!! Mine too is piled with tools I need quickly for each job. At the middle of the day it's a rats nest. But I know where everything is at.

I would have no problem having you do the work. There is a big difference from a "working shop" to one that someone that's working on a vehicle has to spend 20 minutes looking for a wrench and charging the customer for it. And as you say an organized mechanic is only as good as his skill level.

I never ever drop a vehicle off for someone to work on it unless I have personally spoken with the guy or gal who is putting hands on my ride. The dealer service writers hate this. Before they write me up I get the service manager and person doing the wrenching together and ask detailed questions to find out if they are worthy of doing the work. Then the service writer has a harder time with ripping me off by padding his commission.

 

[OldRider]

LOL Rollcart!! Mine too is piled with tools I need quickly for each job. At the middle of the day it's a rats nest. But I know where everything is at.

I would have no problem having you do the work. There is a big difference from a "working shop" to one that someone that's working on a vehicle has to spend 20 minutes looking for a wrench and charging the customer for it. And as you say an organized mechanic is only as good as his skill level.

I never ever drop a vehicle off for someone to work on it unless I have personally spoken with the guy or gal who is putting hands on my ride. The dealer service writers hate this. Before they write me up I get the service manager and person doing the wrenching together and ask detailed questions to find out if they are worthy of doing the work. Then the service writer has a harder time with ripping me off by padding his commission.

Yep, I got 90% of everything I need right beside me anywhere I'm at in the shop. Plus I keep 3-4 jobs going at the same time. Oil is draining on one bike, tire is in the balancing stand off another and I'm pulling a wheel of another one at the same time.

 

[WJBertrand]

Listening to these charges for tire mounting and the problems getting on-line bought tires mounted locally reminds me why I bought my $100 Harbor Freight tire changer years ago. I was frustrated that I could not take advantage of the great on-line prices for tires compared to local dealer prices, as the local shops would eliminate the savings by charging more for mounting them than if I'd bought the tires there. I completely understand their point to make up financially for what they lost not selling me a tire, so I don't really blame them. What I did not appreciate is that some of them alleged that all on-line tires were blems or seconds and that's why they wouldn't mount them without an extra charge. If they were really worried about mounting defective tires, they wouldn't mount them for any price. I always understood this as a profit thing and that's cool, just be honest about it.

Besides the cost, I've had tires mounted backward (luckily noticed before reinstalling the wheel), very poorly balanced, wrong size or wrong brand/model of tire mounted. All of this led me to DIY even before I had the HF Changer the old milk crate way. I've probably mounted hundreds of tires now for myself and my friends. I also have a HF balancing stand and can remove, change, balance and reinstall a wheel with a new tire in less than an hour now. It actually takes me longer to static balance the wheel (I'm a bit anal here) than any other step.

With a single income and 5 mouths to feed most of my life, I had to make some cost efficient decisions to maintain my hobby and make ends meet.

 

[ballisticexchris]

I had to make some cost efficient decisions to maintain my hobby and make ends meet.

That's what I have done as well. My tire stand has paid for itself many times over. And balancing is sometimes a little tricky when doing a static like you and me. OTOH there are some repairs I would have a shop do just for the fact the risk of me screwing up the bike.

 

[ballisticexchris]

Yep, I got 90% of everything I need right beside me anywhere I'm at in the shop. Plus I keep 3-4 jobs going at the same time. Oil is draining on one bike, tire is in the balancing stand off another and I'm pulling a wheel of another one at the same time.

Nothing wrong at all with your setup!! You look like you have a handle on keeping the bikes moving in and out of the shop efficiently.

 

[tntmo]

One of the nice things about the Tenere is the center stand, makes it easy to remove the wheels. Tubeless tires are pretty easy to change as well, but not everyone is willing to take the time to learn. I like to ride in out of the way places so it's an invaluable skill in my opinion.

 

[holligl]

Listening to these charges for tire mounting and the problems getting on-line bought tires mounted locally reminds me why I bought my $100 Harbor Freight tire changer years ago. I was frustrated that I could not take advantage of the great on-line prices for tires compared to local dealer prices, as the local shops would eliminate the savings by charging more for mounting them than if I'd bought the tires there. I completely understand their point to make up financially for what they lost not selling me a tire, so I don't really blame them. What I did not appreciate is that some of them alleged that all on-line tires were blems or seconds and that's why they wouldn't mount them without an extra charge. If they were really worried about mounting defective tires, they wouldn't mount them for any price. I always understood this as a profit thing and that's cool, just be honest about it.

Besides the cost, I've had tires mounted backward (luckily noticed before reinstalling the wheel), very poorly balanced, wrong size or wrong brand/model of tire mounted. All of this led me to DIY even before I had the HF Changer the old milk crate way. I've probably mounted hundreds of tires now for myself and my friends. I also have a HF balancing stand and can remove, change, balance and reinstall a wheel with a new tire in less than an hour now. It actually takes me longer to static balance the wheel (I'm a bit anal here) than any other step.

With a single income and 5 mouths to feed most of my life, I had to make some cost efficient decisions to maintain my hobby and make ends meet.

So I just bought the HF Motorcycle tire portion today. They had a recall and are not selling the base at present. I will rig up some way to hold it. As I assembled it, it seems the vertical bar might be thicker than the axle. Does it fit through the bearings? It was about 25.5mm. What are the axle diameters?

This is an interesting addition:

 

[WJBertrand]

So I just bought the HF Motorcycle tire portion today. They had a recall and are not selling the base at present. I will rig up some way to hold it. As I assembled it, it seems the vertical bar might be thicker than the axle. Does it fit through the bearings? It was about 25.5mm. What are the axle diameters?

This is an interesting addition:

My Changer came with two vertical bars. Certainly one of them fit as I've obviously been using it. I think both will fit and that I've been using the larger of the two. I never bothered to measure them but they are both significantly smaller in diameter than the axles. Also, agree with the video about the mount/demount bar. I use a No-Mar bar with the Delrin plastic end bits.

 

[OldRider]

The guy in the video is using the tool wrong for mounting a tire. The tire he's mounting has a very flexible side wall and he could probably mount it faster with two tire irons.

 

[holligl]

My Changer came with two vertical bars. Certainly one of them fit as I've obviously been using it. I think both will fit and that I've been using the larger of the two. I never bothered to measure them but they are both significantly smaller in diameter than the axles. Also, agree with the video about the mount/demount bar. I use a No-Mar bar with the Delrin plastic end bits.

Well obviously they "improved it". The rear axle is 22mm, bar is 25.5mm. Any chance you could sell/swap me the one you don't use? Threads on this are 3/4". I guess I could get it modified, but likely cost me more than the whole changer.

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[Fennellg]

The answer is right in front of you. Go to Home Depot or Lowe’s and get threaded rod a nut and 2 washers. Bring your piece to match the treads. It threads in. The nut and washers secure it. Now thin enough for motorcycles. Don’t feel bad took me a couple of days to come up with the answer myself.

 

[WJBertrand]

The bars I got were nothing special, just steel rod stock. Nothing you couldn’t source from a hardware store.

The rod does not need to thread into the base, it’s just secured by the big thumbscrew/knob at the top, it just has to be long enough to reach into the base.

 

[holligl]

The answer is right in front of you. Go to Home Depot or Lowe’s and get threaded rod a nut and 2 washers. Bring your piece to match the treads. It threads in. The nut and washers secure it. Now thin enough for motorcycles. Don’t feel bad took me a couple of days to come up with the answer myself.View attachment 82193View attachment 82194

Thanks. Wasn't sure the threads were an exact match, since the original bar was marred a bit and couldn't get a nut on it. Worked out, only cost another $10. I do plan to order one of the duck heads (and use some lube). Of course Home Depot didn't stock individual 3/4" washers. Cheapest pack would have been over $5. Planning to mount on my Shop Smith, but that's going to require some customization...

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[holligl]

The bars I got were nothing special, just steel rod stock. Nothing you couldn’t source from a hardware store.

The rod does not need to thread into the base, it’s just secured by the big thumbscrew/knob at the top, it just has to be long enough to reach into the base.

Without the stand I gave up, moved on spooning them on on the floor mat. Interesting to so the differences, mine has far fewer holes in the arms. Did you mod the rim holders (add grooves and rubber coating)? How well does the bead breaker work on the stand? I break the rear with the sidestand, but I really struggle breaking beads on the Mitas Dakar fronts.

 

[cyclemike4]

I have one of those tire changers but I have never used it. It has been in my shop for years. I use 6x6 blocks to lay the tire on so the rotors don't hit the floor or have any stress on them and just use spoons. to me that is as fast as trying to set that up. I have seen really good motorcycle tire changers and thought it would be nice to have that though! I may try to use what i have one time and see how it goes. who knows I may learn something!

 

[WJBertrand]

I didn't modify anything except I attempted to Plasti-Dip those rim holders, but it hasn't really held up very well where it contacts the rim. The bead breaker work's great, so far its been able to break the beads just fine on a variety of different tires and bikes.

Without the stand I gave up, moved on spooning them on on the floor mat. Interesting to so the differences, mine has far fewer holes in the arms. Did you mod the rim holders (add grooves and rubber coating)? How well does the bead breaker work on the stand? I break the rear with the sidestand, but I really struggle breaking beads on the Mitas Dakar fronts.

 

[holligl]

The answer is right in front of you. Go to Home Depot or Lowe’s and get threaded rod a nut and 2 washers. Bring your piece to match the treads. It threads in. The nut and washers secure it. Now thin enough for motorcycles. Don’t feel bad took me a couple of days to come up with the answer myself.View attachment 82193View attachment 82194

Had to look closer to see your added wood blocks. Simple rim protection. Think nylon shims or a bicycle inner tube might protect the edge too? Looks like you had to re-weld one?

 

[Fennellg]

heated Some metal and used the tire machine as my anvil to bend it. Worked.

The advantage with the threaded solution for your rod, is you can lose the bolt on c brace, giving you a full 360 access to mount or dismount tires. That brace always got in my way. But it can be added back if needed.

I secure my rim with a ratchet strap. Keeps it from spinning. The built in clamp never quiet holds for me. The strap does not damage the rim. And it never spins. If my tire spins on the rim I just rap it 3 or 4 times with a nylon ratchet strap Does the trick minimum effort with desired results.

 

[WJBertrand]

heated Some metal and used the tire machine as my anvil to bend it. Worked.

The advantage with the threaded solution for your rod, is you can lose the bolt on c brace, giving you a full 360 access to mount or dismount tires. That brace always got in my way. But it can be added back if needed.

I secure my rim with a ratchet strap. Keeps it from spinning. The built in clamp never quiet holds for me. The strap does not damage the rim. And it never spins. If my tire spins on the rim I just rap it 3 or 4 times with a nylon ratchet strap Does the trick minimum effort with desired results.

So do you loop the ratchet strap through the spokes to stop the wheel slipping? I've thought of that but was concerned about putting too much side load on the spokes.

 

[Scoop47501]

I use a No Mar tire changer and balancing beads it's an easy job. Been doing it this way for years now and the tire changer has paid for it's self now.
Anybody in southern Indiana can get their Tenere done free here. I am not a shop . Just a guy that will help out a brother.