Handling Heavy tire/Wheels

[Skyking1992]

I do most of my own vehicle maintenance, including tire rotations. No Problems for most vehicles including my wifes Chevy Impala with 20 inch wheels. But I recently bought a new GMC 2500 truck with 20 inch rims and I can't handle the rims/tires easily. I must be getting old. So what are you guys using to handle heavier rim/wheel combinations? I've seen some rigs with rollers, but I don't want something that takes up a huge amount of room in the shop.

Thanks in adance for all your help.

 

[zkdiesel]

Crane…. But these are the tires weighing over 250 lbs….

Two tire bars to lift it up onto hub…

 

[Skyking1992]

Thanks ZK,

Skyking (also from Northern Il)

 

[gizardlizard]

I bought one of these and love it. I use it in conjunction with my two post lift.

 

[gizardlizard]

Whoops. Forgot the pic

 

[gizardlizard]

I’m running 20’s as well. 35 x 12 1/2 and it handles them with ease. Super quick on/off

 

[Fixr]

Yes, some sort of prybar, or minions if you can get 'em.

 

[BillK]

It takes a little longer but when I do my Tahoe I just use my floor jack and get the weight just barely off the tire and then pull it off. Then I will put a jack stand under that position. Then roll the tire to the next spot and repeat. I use the floor jack to get the axle lined up with the wheel and slide it on. I do not have a lift.

 

[WildBill]

I don't know what it's called but my brother uses a deal the looks kinda like a small handtruck frame with wheels on the back. It hangs on the wall when not in use. You tilt it to lift or lower the tire. Not very big and is really light.

 

[Fixr]

I don't know what it's called but my brother uses a deal the looks kinda like a small handtruck frame with wheels on the back. It hangs on the wall when not in use. You tilt it to lift or lower the tire. Not very big and is really light.

A cheap handtruck might just do the job.

 

[jsaw]

I started out lifting them with a big pry bar, but it was a bit of work because the tire would roll off the bar.

I took some scrap pieces of conduit and made a tire lifter

 

[Skyking1992]

Thanks guys, you are giving me some ideas. I do have a two post lift. Today I did oil and filter change, grease 9 zirks, rotate tires, and reset TPMS. I was exhausted when I got done rotating (and torqueing to 140 ft lbs) tires. I did lower truck and used a prybar. In the old days, I would have just grabbed the tire and lifted it chest high! Again - I think I'm getting too old for this.

 

[Fixr]

I started out lifting them with a big pry bar, but it was a bit of work because the tire would roll off the bar.

I took some scrap pieces of conduit and made a tire lifter

I don't have room to store another single-purpose special tool, so I think I'm going to try out one of my regular hand trucks next time. If I remember.

Thanks guys, you are giving me some ideas. I do have a two post lift. Today I did oil and filter change, grease 9 zirks, rotate tires, and reset TPMS. I was exhausted when I got done rotating (and torqueing to 140 ft lbs) tires. I did lower truck and used a prybar. In the old days, I would have just grabbed the tire and lifted it chest high! Again - I think I'm getting too old wise for this.

FTFY

 

[jsaw]

I don't have room to store another single-purpose special tool, so I think I'm going to try out one of my regular hand trucks next time. If I remember.

FTFY

I tried using a hand truck. It seemed too awkward to Me

 

[junkyardwarrior]

did tractors for the first 29 years of working career. THey had nothing to lift those big heavy things onto the hub. Just had to creatively lift the tractor to the wheel and line it up. Pain in the....back, neck, arms, legs, everything.

heaven forbid one show up with tires filled with fluid. 1000lbs each in a lot of cases. Need helpers just to keep it from falling on you. Boss never thought nothing of it.

 

[Fixr]

I tried using a hand truck. It seemed too awkward to Me

It would be a compromise for me, not as good as a dedicated tire lift with rollers, but a whole lot better than just my back.

 

[jayemm]

I was thinking about sliding the tire on a shovel and working the handle to adjust height. However it may be one of those thought experiments that sounds better than it works. Guess I'll find out next month at tire rotation time.

 

[finn]

It takes a little longer but when I do my Tahoe I just use my floor jack and get the weight just barely off the tire and then pull it off. Then I will put a jack stand under that position. Then roll the tire to the next spot and repeat. I use the floor jack to get the axle lined up with the wheel and slide it on. I do not have a lift.

This and a long pry bar between the concrete and tire to finesse the tire and wheel a ssembly over the wheel stud.

The pry bar gives you leverage to deal with the weight.

 

[CraigStu]

I am thinking of a prybar made of something like a 1x6 or 1x8 for the portion under the tire w/ a 2-3ft handle extending outward. I 'think' you could put the tire on it and the width would allow you to roll the tire a bit to either side to fine tune the rotation to line up lugs. You could swing the handle portion left and right also to line up lugs.

 

[txvwnut]

It takes a little longer but when I do my Tahoe I just use my floor jack and get the weight just barely off the tire and then pull it off. Then I will put a jack stand under that position. Then roll the tire to the next spot and repeat. I use the floor jack to get the axle lined up with the wheel and slide it on. I do not have a lift.

^^^^This right here, work smarter not harder. I have two lifts and still do my truck tires this way.

At the day job I was doing tires once and one of the other techs decided he'd help me. His *** was 6'4" and I'm 5'11" so he decides to run the lift to its max height. I said congratulations you just inherited this job and walked off. He replies I was just coming to help not take over, I replied you ever seen me lift 60 pounds of tire/wheel up that high. He realized his mistake and set the lift back down to where I had it. After we were done he said even having to bend down it was easier to do than lifting them 5 feet up.

 

[Crabman]

Same problem on weight, 50 lbs. the new 100 lbs.

Cheap solution. Use chair on wheels, get tire in lap, roll over and mount tire. Need lift height to match lap height.

Or cheaper hydraulic solution.

https://www.harborfreight.com/500-lb-capacity-hydraulic-table-cart-61405.html

Go for maybe $199 on sale. Depending on what you have, can park under workbench maybe to save floor space.

Good luck finding a solution to a depressing problem.

 

[rustrunner]

I'm 78 and use a piece of 2x4 and a long orange prybar from HF. Line the stud up with one of holes and on it goes. No strain on me.

 

[finn]

I am thinking of a prybar made of something like a 1x6 or 1x8 for the portion under the tire w/ a 2-3ft handle extending outward. I 'think' you could put the tire on it and the width would allow you to roll the tire a bit to either side to fine tune the rotation to line up lugs. You could swing the handle portion left and right also to line up lugs.

A regular Wilde or Methew 2’ long bar works, although sometimes I use my grandfather’s 5’ steel bar.

The Chinese HF bars aren’t as stiff as the Wilde, (or whoever) domestic bars, so there’s a lot more flex lifting a tire. But they do work.

I’ve lifted 19.5 “ tires on an F450 with no issues, once you develop a technique. The big split rim 20” F600 tires on my dump truck were best installed with the side of the 5’ bar.

 

[mike93lx]

One of these?

https://www.harborfreight.com/automotive/jacks-jack-stands/vehicle-dollies/1300-lb-capacity-self-loading-positioning-wheel-dolly-64601.html

 

[cannuck]

I do everything up to 11R 24.5 on my semi with 2 ordinary pry bars. You need 2 for stability and the need to rotate a bit to align studs. Of course at 73 I am quite a bit younger than some of us here, so I guess why I find it so easy. The little stuff on cars and vans I just use my toe to lift.

 

[Omnirod]

 

[Higgins]

did tractors for the first 29 years of working career. THey had nothing to lift those big heavy things onto the hub. Just had to creatively lift the tractor to the wheel and line it up. Pain in the....back, neck, arms, legs, everything.

heaven forbid one show up with tires filled with fluid. 1000lbs each in a lot of cases. Need helpers just to keep it from falling on you. Boss never thought nothing of it.

Ask the boss to show you how to take the tire off!

 

[dvblanch]

I use a square short handle shovel

 

[Axehandle2]

I have always just used a shovel.

 

[dante2]

I got one of the double scissor lift carts from Vevor. It lifts 330lbs up to 50 inches. I got two 10in rollers on to it so I can roll the tire to line it up. Rollers are put up until I need them. We have 2 vehicles with tires on the back and I won't need to pick them up any more with this cart.

 

[yellowbox]

Yes, some sort of prybar, or minions if you can get 'em.

The minions Complain how heavy tires are , I tell em wait till you're 30 yrs older they get heavier

 

[Wrench97]

When they are big and heavy I find it faster to let the lift down so they are about 1" off the floor and do it sitting in the roller seat with a pry bar just like a semi tire.

 

[Fixr]

The minions Complain how heavy tires are , I tell em wait till you're 30 yrs older they get heavier

I did that too. They laughed at me and started singing Banana.

 

[engineer2]

If the vehicle is at near ground level a car dolly should work.
https://www.harborfreight.com/1300-...wheel-dolly-64601.html?_br_psugg_q=wheel+lift

A company called Winntec makes wheel lifts, but the higher you need to go, the more it costs.

 

[bmwtinut]

I’m have had the same issue with my 33 mud tires on my D2 and 4Runner tires. Broke down and bought a tire lift dolly. Made changes so much easier . Here is the one I bought.
Redline Tire Dolly-

 

[3baygarage]

A customer was using the OTC Easy Lever to move brake drums. Looks somewhat similar to the red guy above.

 

[Skyking1992]

Thank you all. The Redline Tire Dolly is exactly what I was looking for. I do enough work that I think that will be well worth the cost. I knew I could count on this group to have all the answers.

 

[KEH]

7.50 x 20 8 ply front ribbed tractor tire. The tractor does have a FEL so that helped. Parked my utility trailer close, lowered ramp. Got wheel off, rolled it up the ramp on the trailer. Took it to tire store, bought new tires and tube. (ouch!) Brought them home. Adjust jack height, used shovel as described in above posts to help line up a couple of lug bolts. Got nuts on and the other lugs lined up as the lug nuts on the first two were tightened.

KEH

 

[ScaldedDog]

I use a HF Hydraulic Table Cart (https://www.harborfreight.com/500-lb-capacity-hydraulic-table-cart-61405.html). It's handy for removing jeep doors, too.

Mark

 

[junkyardwarrior]

Ask the boss to show you how to take the tire off!

I let him do it (the first boss). The second one (they bought the business out) walked away and said "figure it out". Needless to say I don't work there no more.