Harbor Freight Manual Tire Changer mounting?

[ukiltmybrutha]

On my last concrete slab, I had one of these mounted using drop in concrete anchors but after struggling with a few really low profile tires One of the bolts and anchors eventually came loose. The concrete started developing cracks from the force as well.

Any suggestions on mounting this thing solidly but portably on my new garage floor without repeating that experience?

Thanks.

Below is what I am basically talking about. I don't see anyone complaining about cracked concrete though. It could only happen to me!

 

[Crow Horse]

Another option is to mount it to the wall via a little fabricating or a tow hitch adapter, both which will work.....

 

[Don1357]

portably or just removable? Portably implies that you want to be able to move it to another location and be able to use it there.

Cut the cement with a cement saw, rent one if you don't have one. Pour a block 10 inches deep and sink in 5/8 J hooks. You are not going to break those loose.

 

[ukiltmybrutha]

Thanks for the suggestions. Removable not portable. Good catch.

 

[RacerX]

Go to the metal scrap yard and get a square of heavy metal plate to bold the base to and also anchor it to the wall or to the car hitch like these have shown. Then you'll have the weight on the base and something to stepson to work the rim and keep the tool from moving around so much

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[ndnchf]

I made a receiver hitch mount for mine - it works great. I also beefed up the flimsy bead breaker.

 

[ukiltmybrutha]

Oh I absolutely love these ideas. Thank you!! Should I expect a little rocking back and forth within the receiver? Does that matter?

 

[ndnchf]

A little, but it makes no difference.

 

[ukiltmybrutha]

Guess that is the bottom line then. Thanks.

 

[shannos]

I mounted in concrete with anchors. Never had an issue. In my experience, if brute force is necessary I'm doing something wrong.

 

[ukiltmybrutha]

I mounted in concrete with anchors. Never had an issue. In my experience, if brute force is necessary I'm doing something wrong.

Not *wrong* necessarily but Mini Cooper S r53 tires e.g. 205/40/17's don't really like to mount very easily....meh maybe that is the wrong tool.

I'd rather be wrong than give hand over my rim/tire to some 18 year old kid who doesn't care at the tire shop. That's just me.

I am hitch mounting this. Hopefully done with the worries!

 

[ukiltmybrutha]

So how on earth do you break the bead with a hitch mounted setup with the bead breaker being that it is not sitting flush on the ground?

 

[ndnchf]

I use a couple jack stands to support the tire.

 

[vpd66]

I agree that you must be doing something wrong. It doesn't take a lot of force to mount and dismount tire if your doing it correctly even with low profile tires. I have mine mounted with concrete anchors and its rock solid. If you really want to make the HF tire changer a better tool I suggest you do the duckbill mod. I did it to mine and its a night and day difference.

 

[Zmann]

i used red head threaded inserts in my floor so i could unbolt the changer
I could easily twist this light duty changer into a pretzel changing 33-37" tires
even with the duckbill and tire lube

you really have to baby these light duty changers IMO

 

[Plastikosmd]

I welded mine some square tube to slip onto my forklift fork

 

[gerryw]

How about making a small hole in concrete, dig down a foot, drop in a receiver tube flush with floor, and re fill with concrete?
Gerry

 

[fsae0607]

I mounted mine to a 4' x 4' piece of 3/4" plywood with carriage bolts and nuts. It's enough support when you stand on it while using it.

When done, just unbolt it and lay the plywood against the wall, behind a toolbox or something.

 

[ukiltmybrutha]

I agree that you must be doing something wrong. It doesn't take a lot of force to mount and dismount tire if your doing it correctly even with low profile tires. I have mine mounted with concrete anchors and its rock solid. If you really want to make the HF tire changer a better tool I suggest you do the duckbill mod. I did it to mine and its a night and day difference.

It doesn't take a lot of force to mount a 205/40/17 with a manual tire changer? Really?

I certainly am not doing anything wrong when I do 50 or 60 series tires and I have done TONS of them.

I should have you mount my rubber band tires with this thing if it doesn't require alot of force.

 

[ukiltmybrutha]

Thanks for all of the ideas.

 

[Git]

I guess I will be the 4th one to mention that it really shouldn't take a lot of force to mount a tire. If you can get the first bead over the rim the second shouldn't be much different...

I use Bridgestone Batltax tires on my motorcycle - notoriously difficult to mount due to the extremely stiff sidewall. First bead goes on with just a little effort BUT you will end up fighting to death (and lose) if you don't have the tire positioned correctly to get the second bead on. I actually have to use wooden blocks to force the tire down into the drop center and then I have to use a ratchet strap to hold the tire in, close to the rim. Once I have done this, the second bead will go on very easy, I use a couple of tire irons.

Are you sure your not dealing with a reverse mount wheel - where the tire only goes on from the back instead of the front like normal?

And, when I bought my NoMar tire changer, I got it with the trailer hitch mount. Breaking the bead is easy, because it doesn't relay on having the tire on the ground to do it, it uses the normal mounting position

 

[ukiltmybrutha]

I guess I will be the 4th one to mention that it really shouldn't take a lot of force to mount a tire. If you can get the first bead over the rim the second shouldn't be much different...

I use Bridgestone Batltax tires on my motorcycle - notoriously difficult to mount due to the extremely stiff sidewall. First bead goes on with just a little effort BUT you will end up fighting to death (and lose) if you don't have the tire positioned correctly to get the second bead on. I actually have to use wooden blocks to force the tire down into the drop center and then I have to use a ratchet strap to hold the tire in, close to the rim. Once I have done this, the second bead will go on very easy, I use a couple of tire irons.

Are you sure your not dealing with a reverse mount wheel - where the tire only goes on from the back instead of the front like normal?

And, when I bought my NoMar tire changer, I got it with the trailer hitch mount. Breaking the bead is easy, because it doesn't relay on having the tire on the ground to do it, it uses the normal mounting position

I have got the NoMar and thanks for the pointers but again the lower the profile tire the harder it is going to be even if technique is correct. Eventually it is going to be pretty tough.

 

[RoadTripMachine]

I normally attach it to the wooden deck of my cargo trailer with self drilling deck screws, but the trailer is loaded today. (The 10 year old 2x8 pressure treated deck will dry rot before I put enough screw holes in it to worry. )

Plan B was to make bracket that I could drop in the stake pocket on the side of the trailer, but it's no help when the trailer is loaded.

Thanks for sharing the forklift pocket idea. That's brilliant.

Technically, I wouldn't even need the forklift. I could just park the truck on one end of the 10 ft fork extensions and use it like the portable bodywork pulling towers.

 

[kctgb]

I don’t have any suggestions on how to mount it. I can say that HF tire changer is very fragile compared to the one Norther tool sells. The NT tire changer is way heavier duty and can change large truck tires. I’ve used both, the HF changer isn’t for me.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I mounted mine to a 2'x2'x1/4" plate, then mounted the plate to the concrete.

 

[ipgenie]

I'm going to make a mount for mine that attaches to the pull pot in my shop floor. I don't use it very often but the pull pot is already there in an open area so it should be a great place to mount it.

 

[Hakeem]

Just wanna say: all you guys mounting your tires yourselves are freaking LEGENDS

Keep being awesome