HF Manual Tire Changer - use for TPMS replacements?

[The Critic]

Manual Tire Changer

Amazing deals on this Manual Tire Changer at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

I need to swap out 12 TPMS sensors, so I just need to break the bead on one side, reach in....and do the swap.

I have never used a manual tire changer - do you think I can accomplish this task using the HF tool?

 

[JeepYJ]

Probably. Depends on tire size, rim material and how long they’ve been on there.
HF a sells a bead breaker too.

 

[71goldss]

Manual Tire Changer

Amazing deals on this Manual Tire Changer at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

I need to swap out 12 TPMS sensors, so I just need to break the bead on one side, reach in....and do the swap.

I have never used a manual tire changer - do you think I can accomplish this task using the HF tool?

I purchased the HF manual tire changer a few months ago for the same reason. Worked great, but I did bolt it down to my concrete garage floor using Red Head drop-in anchors from Home Depot. It may be stable enough without anchoring, but I felt better about anchoring first.

BTW, my tire size was 235/55R17

 

[The Critic]

HF a sells a bead breaker too.

Didn’t realize that - thanks!

Looks like this unit isn’t too much more money than the Maddox bead buster:

 

[theoldwizard1]

Not cheap but much easier to use (especially if you have an impact)

Bead Buster XB-450 - Amazon $119

It says it is for ATV/Motorcycle/4x4/Lawn Mower but it works on car/light truck rims also. Very easy to use !

 

[zendriver]

Search on the Internet, there are ways to break a bead with just things around the garage

 

[theoldwizard1]

Search on the Internet, there are ways to break a bead with just things around the garage

If you have a truck (or heavy car) with a trailer hitch, jack it up under the center section of the rear axle. Remove valve core. Place the tire under the end of the trailer hitch. Cut a piece of 2x4 so that it just fits under the hitch and adjust the position of the tire and the 2x4 so that it rests perfectly vertical right next to the tire bead, as close to the rim as possible. Slowly lower the vehicle.

 

[428PI]

You've got to break the bead and hold tire down. And don't drop the tpms down into tire. Good luck.

 

[Red 17]

I used a HF unit for a bunch of tires, including breaking beads and putting in TPMS.

Where are you located? I might know where a deal on one would be......

 

[joshmodelskidoo]

I have the old red hf tire changer and when i use tire mounting lube it works good. It takes a few times practicing though. My first tire I tried to mount i tore the rubber. I think i didn’t have the opposite side low enough so it stretched and i was using a water/dawn mix with not enough dawn for lube. It will rub paint off onto your wheel though so be aware or strip the paint off the end of the bar. Watch a couple videos on it. Sixtyfiveford on YouTube has good stuff

 

[jubilee]

Some years ago I fabbed a large C-clamp with 1” all thread and welded nut so I could run it up with air gun. Large pads,no tire damage.
I can change out tpms sensors without removing tire/wheel from vehicle. Just Jack it up and spin up c-clamp.
Think I posted a picture of it here some years ago.
I finally had to quit loaning it out. It was gone all the time and people weren’t properly lubing threads.

 

[Packard V8]

This is still being made. I have an original recipe.


jack vines

 

[83VillageRepair]

Anything you can break the bead with will work. Then you need to wedge the tire down far enough to insert the new valve stem. They make a insertion tool with a cable for doing motorcycle tires that would work very good for this application to keep you from dropping your new valve stem inside the tire. I dropped one such example in the link below, no affiliation.

https://www.amazon.com/Tire-Valve-Stem-Fishing-Puller/dp/B01GT8FTRK/?tag=atomicindus08-20