Need lesson on Tire Machines

[Johnny A]

I was thinking of buying a used tire machine & balancer for my work shop.

Any input will be appreciated..

Brands?
Wonder if all are 110v?
do any have compressor built in?
What size air compessor would work?
Are they heavy?

Thanks
in advance

 

[teamgomez]

Hopefully some folks roll in here with some great input. I'm so sick and tired of the kids at the local shop gooning up wheels whenever the skins need to be freshened up. Hunter machines seems to be the shop choice when used on low profile tires (if used correctly). Watching a kid take a wire wheel to the inside of finished wheel to get the tape weight glue off made me want to introduce him to said wire wheel.....

 

[bdk1976]

What kind/size wheels are you looking to do? I have an old coats unit that I use for muscle car 14/15" wheels and other yard/farm applications. Wouldn't put the big aluminum rims from my wife's car on there though! No idea on min compressor size-I hook mine up to a 5hp Saylor beall. It's also air powered - no electricity required.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[tractordude]

Right here, NEW. around my area old coats 10/10's ? bring over $500 at auction.
http://www.derekweaver.com/tire-changers/?sort=priceasc

 

[ovilla]

I bought a tire changer and wheel balancer for the same reasons listed above. It was always a hassle having to drop off my cars or wait for the tire shop to re-balance my wheels (again for a 2nd or 3rd time). I had finally had enough and started looking a couple of years ago.

Before I tell you what I have, I just want to say that the convenience of owning these machines is truly the best part. Just last week I bought Blizzak winter tires off CL and mounted them late that same night - yes at 11pm in my own damn garage.

Okay, just some words of wisdom here. First of all, start with a balancer. Does you no good to have a tire changer and no way to balance your tires. Plus, you can start using your balancer right away on all your cars - even years before you get a tire changer.

The first thing I bought used ($300) was a COATS 1050 wheel balancer.. This machine can balance basically anything up to a 47" 4X4 wheel as long as it doesn't weigh more than 150 pounds. It can do static and dynamic balancing, and balancing of steel, aluminum alloy and even RV wheels. I can even use clip on or stick on weights, or both, and the machine will tell me where to exactly put the weights. Yes, it's overkill, but just like buying a car lift, you have to think of ANY wheel you will ever want to balance. I'd like to buy a Jeep Wrangler someday and possibly put 47's on it AND be able to balance them at home.

Anyway, my machine weights 525 pounds and I brought home in my van. Took four of us to get it in and out of there. These are typically 220V 3-phase machines. Keep looking and you should be able to find one that's already been converted to single phase so you can use it at home. 220v 30amp powers both my BendPak and my wheel balancer. Also, even used these machines can easily be anywhere from $500 to $2000..

By the way, I like COATS machines because they are very popular machines and you can easily find parts on eBay too. Plus I can even calibrate my wheel balancer by myself at home. COATS also publishes user manuals for all of their machines and you can even call them in TN if you have questions or need parts. Plus go to any tire shop and you'll most likely see a COATS machine there.

I paid $650 for my COATS 5060E rim clamp tire changer machine and it weighs about 700 pounds. It can clamp any 14-18" rim from the outside of the rim or hold up to 22" rims by pressing from the inside of the rim pushing outwards. The "E" means that it's got an electric 110v turntable. I specifically looked for one of these because I already had a nice but smaller 26 gal oil less compressor and wanted something that would work with my set up. Hence my tire changer only needs air to expand or contract (and hold) the clamps firmly in place. Air is also used to activate the cylinder that is used to break the tire bead and it's also used for inflating air in the tires via special nozzles on the clamping table and also through a supplied air hose. Once again no air is needed to turn the table itself since that part is electric.

Ideally my tire changer should be hooked up to a compressor that pushes 13CFM at 90PSI. My little 26 gal 2-stage makes 5CFM at 90psi. This is not a big issue! I typically break the tire bead, let the compressor catch it's breath for a minute and then place the wheel on the rim clamps. Then I get my tire iron and get it set up in place and then press the pedal to activate the electric turntable. 20 seconds later the first part of the tire is off the rim. I lift the tire, re-adjust my tire iron, and hit the pedal again and the tire comes completely off. I then let the compressor catch up while I go lube the new tire that I'm mounting.

Tire changers are what you really need to think about. What is going to be the biggest rim diameter that you will ever want/need to change? 17, 18, 20, 24's? Each machine is set up for min and max rim diameters so look for one that will meet your future needs. Some older machines also can't handle rims that are wider than 10" or 12" so pay attention to those limitations too. If you get one that runs on just air, then make sure your compressor can match the CFM appetite it needs.

Finally, I hope this information helps you to actually decide to buy one of these machines. Just stick to a popular older brand and you'll be able to get parts and service for years to come.

 

[teamgomez]

Ovilla- that is some great feedback. Thank you.

I'm new to this neck of the woods and it has been a long time coming. Finally have the opportunity to build the 'man cave' although it won't have the real-estate nor accouterments of some of the seriously sweet caves on this forum but it will be better as a result of learning from y'all.

And it will have a damned tire changer and balancer. It aint' hard, but most of the kids working them should have gone into food service instead...

 

[TNToy]

I've used Coats and Hunter machines professionally and I'm quite fond of both. Down I here in the southeast Hunters are damn near the universal standard in every dealership I've worked at.

 

[theoldwizard1]

All tire machines have have built in surge air tanks so I don't think you need a huge air compressor. The biggest issue is seating the bead. That will drain the surge tank FAST.


BTW, ovillla got a STEAL on both of his units ! Around here, people are asking as much as $1000 for a Coats 20-20 (a much older center post machine).

 

[302]

Hunter, John Bean, Coats are all fine machines.


The John Bean machine we have at work is a great big octopus with extra arms to help you doing low profile tires, or any tires really. Costs a **** ton but it's the Cadillac.

 

[Jbullfrog]

I have a Coats 1050 balancer and a 7065AX tire machine. Ovilla explained most of the key points. If you are working with anything but steel rims, look at rim clamp machines. Look into where you can get tire patches, boots, and replacement stems. It's really hard to run for parts with a wheel missing. TPMS systems require a bit of care to not damage the sensors when demounting. You will also need a good quality jack, stands, impact, or breaker to get the wheels off the vehicles.

 

[Streetbu]

http://www.nationalautotools.com/tire-equipment/combo-pricing?product_id=238

Best deal hands down. Buddy has them in his shop. Uses them every day for the last 9 years. Still going without a single repair. And yes, they are Chinese. Copies of Coates. Really for the price, even if they completely crapped out after 4 years you'd still be ahead of the game.

 

[ovilla]

As far as supplies go, I've found valve stems ($13 for a 50 pack - any size. 1"-3"") and even a small tire puncture kit (about $35 and included everything to do an internal patch) from GregSmithEquipment.com. I also picked up all my sticky weights there too. A 30 count of 3oz strips was something like $22. I just happen to be in Indy a few months ago and bought everything from their store. Don't buy valve stems in the 2-pk at Autozone or Advance Auto unless you want to pay $2-3. Greg also has clip-on weights and even offers different combo packages so you can mount these on all the different types of steel and alloy wheel lips. Sticky weights are just so much easier but will limit you to only static balancing (which is balancing on just one vertical plane of the wheel - usually close to the center of the rim).. If you want to do dynamic balancing (which is balancing along two planes of the rim), you will need the ability to mount weights on both sides of your rim, through just clip on weights or a combo of clip-ons and sticky weights. By the way, HF also sells sticky weights but they are shiny metallic and Greg's are painted grey, which will blend in better with your alloy wheels.

I ordered tire lube online but an old mechanic friend told me about Murphy Oil Soap (yes the stuff for cleaning floors). It used to be all mechanics used back in the day and you can find it in the grociery store in a spray bottle too. It's not as messy as tire lube so that's what I've been using.

I also bought a set of scratch free red plastic chisels from HF. These make quick work of removing sticky weights and the sticky residue they leave behind. HF also has various size tire spoons and they hold up really well and don't bend either. You can also pick up a Schrader valve core removal tool there too.

You can find valve stem pullers online and don't worry about needing special cutters to remove valve stems. You can just cut the bottom part of the valve stem (the part that's inside the tire) off with a box cutter. By the way to install valve stems, I just spray some Murphy's Oil Soap on the valve stem base, run it through the valve stem opening on the rim, thread it into my valve stem puller, and pull it into place. Easy as that!

Anyway, I know it seems like a lot of extra supplies but it's really not. For about $80-$100 you'll be set for a very long time and can probably do about 100 tires and also fix any flats - all in your own shop.

Oh, I know a lot of you might need to mount low profile tires or runflats. Yes, a machine with an extra robo arm would be nice but you'll easily spend another 1K for it. Instead just use a couple of clamps on your tire (see pic below).

 

[theoldwizard1]

I ordered tire lube online but an old mechanic friend told me about Murphy Oil Soap (yes the stuff for cleaning floors). It used to be all mechanics used back in the day ...

"Back in the day" they used Murphy's Oil Soap that was a paste. Came in a short jar. Looked similar to axle grease but not quite as thick. you could use it directly or mix with water and place in a spray bottle. They stopped making the paste (probably because people didn't like to mix it up).

No-Mar sell the same stuff but at at least 3 times the price.

... you can find it in the grociery store in a spray bottle too. It's not as messy as tire lube so that's what I've been using.

I always wondered if the non-concentrate was as good as the old paste.

 

[theoldwizard1]

WOW !! You never know what you can find with Google !!

Murphy's Original Concentrated Tire and Tube Mounting Compound

Also found a cool new use for it. How to Seat a Bead with Murphy's Soap for Tires


An 8 lb pail for about the price ($15) of a 1 pint jar from No-Mar ! Lifetime supply !

 

[WhiffySpark]

You can dynamic balance with stick ons.

Also for low profile tires use 2 bars. It's a hell of a lot easier than what you did with the clamps lol

 

[leftcoast]

Same story for me, got tired of the tire shop monkey business. I looked for awhile for used stuff but it was all overpriced. Bought a new balancer/tire machine with assist arm package on ebay. Make sure what you buy will handle your tire sizes, I needed runflat and 10"+ wider rim size capability.
Very worthwhile spending for me

 

[JJThrasher]

It really depends on your needs. Hunter and Coats both make good machines. There's a big difference between the machine I use for 195/65/15s and the machine I use for 325/35/22s. One is a lot smaller, but much quicker to operate the other is large and slow, but makes otherwise difficult or impossible tires a breeze.

The assist arm on the larger coats machine presses straight down with hundreds of pounds of force and does not slip. It is superior to using two bars or even using two people with four bars. Really helps out when doing low profile tires with TPMS where one slip can equal a broken $100 sensor.

Another thing to consider is what material the head is made out of. Metal risks damaging the wheel if the insert wears out, plastic will wear out and break. Either way you'll need spare parts or be ready to deal with down time.

For lube Myers Sliptac is pretty damn good if you can get over the rotten egg smell. Then there is Skid which is fantastic for those really hard to seat beads. However the $50/gallon tends to scare people off.

Of course you'll still need spoons, weight pliers, weight hammer, valve puller, schrader remover, and a wire wheel for cleaning corrosion. Recommend bead sealer for badly corroded wheels and a tpms tool for relearns and resets on newer cars.

At the end of the day I really don't see this paying for itself. Sounds easier to find a decent tire shop.

 

[ovilla]

By the way, another thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is that yes YOU CAN change motorcycle tires with one of these machines. On some wheels you may just need to simply remove your sprocket and then put it back on afterwards - at least that's been my experience with crotch rocket wheels. With regards to balancing, my tire balancer is not set up for motorcycle tires but I've been having great success using dyna beads. Typically 1-2 ounces of dyna beads per tire will remove any balancing issues.

I know these machines are a big investment, but you'll find that these will quickly become just as essential as a $500 SnapOn air impact gun or a $1000+ air compressor. It just takes home vehicle maintenance to the next level, very much like a car lift. Plus, if you simply enjoy working on your cars, the ability to mount and balance your own tires, just makes you even more self-reliant.

Finally, with regard to these machines paying for themselves, just do the math and you'll see that they do indeed do that. If you work on cars for your family of say four (that's easily 3-4 cars) and maybe those of family and friends (another 5+ cars), the cost savings is anywhere from $50-$120, per car, every time you mount and balance a set of four tires. Best of all, you'll know it was done correctly, without scratching your wheels. Plus you can take advantage of better and often cheaper tire selections online (tirerack.com) or even by being able to buy a set of local CL tires for cheap, and then being able to mount them yourself for further savings. Finally, yes these machines look cool (and a bit out of place) in your home garage.

 

[JJThrasher]

$50 to have a shop mount, dismount, and balance a set. $10 to dispose of 4 used tires. You'll probably be $1500 into a decent changer and balancer. So that's 30 sets you'd be changing to equal out. If you get decent life out of your tires and aren't driving an insane amount you might get your money back in 90 years with one car. 45 years if you had two. 22 years for four cars. Saving money on tires is a mute point since you could buy them online and still have a shop install them.

Homeowner that has never mounted tires is more likely than a good shop to scratch a wheel. Cost to replace a new alloy wheel? Around $1,000. Break a TPMS Sensor mounting a tire? $100 + paying a shop to program the new sensor. Rotate your tires? Many shops give free lifetime rotates with every set of tires. Pick up a nail? Roadhazard from a shop will fix it for free.

When you pay a professional to do a job you are paying for more than their equipment. You are paying them for their experience and paying them to assume responsibility for the job.

I'm not going to say you can't make a tire machine and balancer pay for themselves. I am saying I personally don't see it being worthwhile unless someone has very specific needs or can turn the volume.

 

[redmondjp]

$50 to have a shop mount, dismount, and balance a set. $10 to dispose of 4 used tires. You'll probably be $1500 into a decent changer and balancer. So that's 30 sets you'd be changing to equal out. If you get decent life out of your tires and aren't driving an insane amount you might get your money back in 90 years with one car. 45 years if you had two. 22 years for four cars. Saving money on tires is a mute point since you could buy them online and still have a shop install them.

Homeowner that has never mounted tires is more likely than a good shop to scratch a wheel. Cost to replace a new alloy wheel? Around $1,000. Break a TPMS Sensor mounting a tire? $100 + paying a shop to program the new sensor. Rotate your tires? Many shops give free lifetime rotates with every set of tires. Pick up a nail? Roadhazard from a shop will fix it for free.

When you pay a professional to do a job you are paying for more than their equipment. You are paying them for their experience and paying them to assume responsibility for the job.

I'm not going to say you can't make a tire machine and balancer pay for themselves. I am saying I personally don't see it being worthwhile unless someone has very specific needs or can turn the volume.

$50 for mount, dismount, and balance? Where do you live? I just had this done at my local Les Schwab, and the total was $128 out the door.

And tire professionals? Again, where do you live? The 20-something kids that work at my local places may do a lot of tires, but I'd hardly call them professionals. I clearly marked on the tire sidewalls which tire was to go where on the car (as I had already checked the tread depths), and sure enough, when I got home, they even managed to screw that up!

Plus they tend to scratch plastic-coated rims like there is no tomorrow. And you'll tell them to use tape weights 15 times, and still your car comes out of the bay with clip-ons and permanently scratched wheels (and once the corrosion gets started underneath the coating on the wheels, they will look like garbage in short order.

I did my own tires while I had access to the machines in my high school auto shop. I'd love to agree with you, but with the low pay and lack of respect that goes along with working in a shop these days, I agree with the previous poster that you can be much better off doing it yourself in many cases.

 

[JJThrasher]

$50 for mount, dismount, and balance? Where do you live? I just had this done at my local Les Schwab, and the total was $128 out the door.

And tire professionals? Again, where do you live? The 20-something kids that work at my local places may do a lot of tires, but I'd hardly call them professionals. I clearly marked on the tire sidewalls which tire was to go where on the car (as I had already checked the tread depths), and sure enough, when I got home, they even managed to screw that up!

Plus they tend to scratch plastic-coated rims like there is no tomorrow. And you'll tell them to use tape weights 15 times, and still your car comes out of the bay with clip-ons and permanently scratched wheels (and once the corrosion gets started underneath the coating on the wheels, they will look like garbage in short order.

I did my own tires while I had access to the machines in my high school auto shop. I'd love to agree with you, but with the low pay and lack of respect that goes along with working in a shop these days, I agree with the previous poster that you can be much better off doing it yourself in many cases.

As a 20s something kid I can't even be offended because of the bad rep some people give us.

Pricing will of course depend on location and what work is being done. $50 is just the basic. If you have large rims 20"+ or something special is going on the price reflects that. If we put new stems in there is a charge accordingly unless they are supplied.

For $130 it sounds like they just don't want your business.

I do really recommend finding a local independent and letting them handle it. I avoid chains and dealers since they're typically money driven. Where I work we've been around 30+ years. I'm the youngest by far and also have two college automotive associates degrees. Our main tire and oil guys both have over 30 years experience. We take care of our customers and our reputation reflects that. The last wheel we scratched happened almost three years ago and the customer received a new one. There are professionals out there. Its about finding the right shop. There are plenty of here today gone tomorrow **** holes that give everyone a bad name.

 

[redmondjp]

As a 20s something kid I can't even be offended because of the bad rep some people give us.

Pricing will of course depend on location and what work is being done. $50 is just the basic. If you have large rims 20"+ or something special is going on the price reflects that. If we put new stems in there is a charge accordingly unless they are supplied.

For $130 it sounds like they just don't want your business.

I do really recommend finding a local independent and letting them handle it. I avoid chains and dealers since they're typically money driven. Where I work we've been around 30+ years. I'm the youngest by far and also have two college automotive associates degrees. Our main tire and oil guys both have over 30 years experience. We take care of our customers and our reputation reflects that. The last wheel we scratched happened almost three years ago and the customer received a new one. There are professionals out there. Its about finding the right shop. There are plenty of here today gone tomorrow **** holes that give everyone a bad name.

I live in a major metropolitan area. The tire stores I am talking about are all chains that have been here for decades. And the $128 was for standard-width 14" steel rims, and that was their regular pricing. The independent high-end shops charge even more. I'm glad to hear that there are tire stores like yours that charge reasonable prices and do professional work.

Places like yours don't exist in my area - when you have a lot of high wage earners, the shops adjust their rates accordingly. Example - the "best" (as voted by locals) shop in my area wanted $2K for brakes on a 1990s Ford Explorer pickup for my wife's coworker. I told her to have the car towed to my house, and I did the same work for $350. [How did they get to $2K? Their estimating software was overcharging for labor - they broke out each replacement item as though it was a separate repair - when you already have the car up on a lift with the drum off, you don't charge another 0.6 hours to replace the wheel cylinder.]

 

[T_R]

I think you are insane to spend thousands of dollars on a tire machine and spin balancer for occasional home use. If you are a millionaire with a hobby and money to burn then by all means, but for the rest of us it makes no sense.

You can mount tires at home without any fancy machines. It's not hard. I work in a shop again now, but I spent 7 years working from a home garage. I did tons of tires then. Get some of those truck ramp brackets that bolt onto a 2x12, the thick metal ones. Lay the tire flat on the ground and position the ramp with the bracket right up against the rim flange. Drive your truck up on the ramp and the bead breaks. For the nice side of the rim, lay it on some thing soft so you don't mar it. Once beads are broken, lube them up with whatever and work the tire off with 2 prybars. Wrap the shaft with some tape for nice wheels. For balancing you can get an old style bubble balancer with stand and bubble for about $100 new. Heck I even did tons of alignments in my home garage too. 4 jack stands, 100 feet of string, a ruler and a 2 foot level is all you need to get them perfect.

Tire machines, spin balancers and alignment machines are good in a high volume shop. They are faster and easier. But the work can be done without them. It takes longer, but if you are doing it as hobby or self employed in a home shop, you have the time. Tires were changed 50-60 years and alignments done by hand before the machines became popular, it still works today.

 

[WhiffySpark]

I live in a major metropolitan area. The tire stores I am talking about are all chains that have been here for decades. And the $128 was for standard-width 14" steel rims, and that was their regular pricing. The independent high-end shops charge even more. I'm glad to hear that there are tire stores like yours that charge reasonable prices and do professional work.

Places like yours don't exist in my area - when you have a lot of high wage earners, the shops adjust their rates accordingly. Example - the "best" (as voted by locals) shop in my area wanted $2K for brakes on a 1990s Ford Explorer pickup for my wife's coworker. I told her to have the car towed to my house, and I did the same work for $350. [How did they get to $2K? Their estimating software was overcharging for labor - they broke out each replacement item as though it was a separate repair - when you already have the car up on a lift with the drum off, you don't charge another 0.6 hours to replace the wheel cylinder.]

yes you do. You charge labor for everything you do. I'm not working for free and you shouldn't expect me to either.

29.99 per wheel to mount and balance is normal. We charge 50 for off road tires.

I could mount any tire with two bars easily. You just have to know what you're doing, there's where experience comes in. We didn't have a hydraulic arm for years, and we got by. They actually got rid of the only machine that had one when I left this time. idiots They replaced it with the second cheapest hunter machine you can buy.

TPMS isn't a big deal either, just have to know what you're doing.

 

[theoldwizard1]

$50 to have a shop mount, dismount, and balance a set. $10 to dispose of 4 used tires.

Around here that would be $100-$120 and tire disposal is $5 a piece.

 

[Johnny A]

Thanks for all the info on tire machines. I'm looking for one that will do aluminum wheels up to 20 inch. I have 6 cars in my family plus responsible for 4 more that belong to my elderly parents & in-laws. My Dad went to have his snow tires mounted & balaced on his steel rims. They charged him $200.00 to dismount & Mount & balance them.
They are on a 99 Honda Civic/steel rims.
This is what made me think that maybe getting a tire & /balacer machines will be a good idea....

One last question: Can you use the old tire machines to mount Aluminum rims/tires?

http://www.bestbuyautoequipment.com...oats4070.htm?gclid=CPyJvZjAx8kCFVYYHwodPmEDcQ


Thanks for all you help!!! I know this sounds corny, all you members have educated me on so many topics! I have learned so much from all the members at Garage Journal!

Thanks Again !!! Have a Safe Holiday Season!

 

[ovilla]

Since we're talking prices. It was getting ready to snow recently so my in-laws were looking to replace two tires on their car - a Chevy Malibu with 15" alloys. Tires are 205/60/15. They were quoted $171 total from Firestone, and that included mounting and balancing the two tires. I then told them to ask how much for just the two new tires and they were told $93 total out the door. They bought them and brought them over and I mounted and balanced them at home.

I'm in the Chicago suburbs and the tire chains are everywhere. I have three Discount Tires and a couple of NTB's all within a couple of miles of me and they all charge around the same, which is about $140-$180 to mount and balance a set of four tires.

Anyway, I enjoy working on cars and have 5 cars at home and also service those of my in-laws, extended family and close friends - easily over a dozen cars (and a couple of bikes too). THIS is where the cost savings comes in - for everyone actually. If you're only working on one car, then definitely skip these machines, unless you really like working on cars and are like me and just don't want anybody else working on your stuff.

 

[Streetbu]

Wow, I guess I need to raise our prices at work then, we charge $20/tire to mount and balance. So $80 plus tax for a set of 4 on a car....

 

[WhiffySpark]

Thanks for all the info on tire machines. I'm looking for one that will do aluminum wheels up to 20 inch. I have 6 cars in my family plus responsible for 4 more that belong to my elderly parents & in-laws. My Dad went to have his snow tires mounted & balaced on his steel rims. They charged him $200.00 to dismount & Mount & balance them.
They are on a 99 Honda Civic/steel rims.
This is what made me think that maybe getting a tire & /balacer machines will be a good idea....

One last question: Can you use the old tire machines to mount Aluminum rims/tires?

http://www.bestbuyautoequipment.com...oats4070.htm?gclid=CPyJvZjAx8kCFVYYHwodPmEDcQ


Thanks for all you help!!! I know this sounds corny, all you members have educated me on so many topics! I have learned so much from all the members at Garage Journal!

Thanks Again !!! Have a Safe Holiday Season!

You don't want that style. Easy to damage to the rim and yourself.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Last set that I had done, It was with tax 100.00.
I found a nonworking machine at a sale for 25.00, Air cylinder would hold air. I purchased the rebuild kit (O-rings) for 10.00 for the factory kit. And about one hour of my time. Now it works great. I need to find a tire balancer now. I was asking a guy that I knew about balancers and he gave me a 5 gallon bucket of used weights. So now again looking for a balancer. Should not take many tire repairs to pay for it self.

 

[randyny]

A buddy and me went 50/50 on a set off eBay. Was the triumph brand, cheapest balancer and second cheapest changer. This changer added the air blast for seating rims. We both go to the race track several times a year and change tires fairly often. In three years we replaced five sets of track tires and one set of truck tires, plus a half dozen flats or so, including subcompact tractor tires. It will pay for itself (~2000 bucks) rather quickly. Sizes range from 335-30/18 to 275/70-21 to standard trailer tires.

I love having the machines. While the low profile and run flat tires take some practice, the convenience of having them is the bees knees. The balancer works flawlessly. Perfect balance first time, usually. I like the convenience, the coolness of having the machines, the way it takes my garage to another level, and the money savings.

I already told my buddy that if he wants to move the machines to his garage for a while then I will buy out his half.

 

[redmondjp]

yes you do. You charge labor for everything you do. I'm not working for free and you shouldn't expect me to either.

You missed my point completely. If you get only a wheel cylinder replaced, there is labor to rack the car, remove the wheel, and brake drum. That is a given amount of labor. So 0.6 hours to replace just the wheel cylinder is OK.

But when you are already doing a brake job, all of the above has already been done (and billed). Therefore, you don't double-charge for the labor of doing these things again by charging 0.6 hours to change the wheel cylinder - the wheel cylinder at this point is 0.1 or maybe 0.2 hours additional.

 

[WhiffySpark]

You missed my point completely. If you get only a wheel cylinder replaced, there is labor to rack the car, remove the wheel, and brake drum. That is a given amount of labor. So 0.6 hours to replace just the wheel cylinder is OK.

But when you are already doing a brake job, all of the above has already been done (and billed). Therefore, you don't double-charge for the labor of doing these things again by charging 0.6 hours to change the wheel cylinder - the wheel cylinder at this point is 0.1 or maybe 0.2 hours additional.

Nope. .6

And that's if the line doesn't twist off due to rest. Then that's another hour

 

[Streetbu]

You missed my point completely. If you get only a wheel cylinder replaced, there is labor to rack the car, remove the wheel, and brake drum. That is a given amount of labor. So 0.6 hours to replace just the wheel cylinder is OK.

But when you are already doing a brake job, all of the above has already been done (and billed). Therefore, you don't double-charge for the labor of doing these things again by charging 0.6 hours to change the wheel cylinder - the wheel cylinder at this point is 0.1 or maybe 0.2 hours additional.

You are correct and this is how honest shops do it. Unlike the poster below you that likes to shaft customers. If the line breaks, then obviously that would be extra and require another call to the customer to let them know and advise of additional charges for a new line.

 

[T_R]

Nope. .6

And that's if the line doesn't twist off due to rest. Then that's another hour

Nope again. I get an hour for a wheel cylinder, per side. That's in addition to the 1.4 for the brake job. If a line breaks it's several hours to fabricate a new one.

These are pretty standard dealer rates around here.

You can put .2 or .6 for a wheel cylinder where the sun don't shine.

 

[WhiffySpark]

Nope again. I get an hour for a wheel cylinder, per side. That's in addition to the 1.4 for the brake job. If a line breaks it's several hours to fabricate a new one.

These are pretty standard dealer rates around here.

You can put .2 or .6 for a wheel cylinder where the sun don't shine.

Rear drum brakes with cylinders we got paid 2.8 plus an hour for bleeding. So 3.8

We charged 12 hours to redo a Chevy truck. Plus calipers and brakes if needed

 

[T_R]

Rear drum brakes with cylinders we got paid 2.8 plus an hour for bleeding. So 3.8

We charged 12 hours to redo a Chevy truck. Plus calipers and brakes if needed

Not bad. We don't get the hour to bleed. We can upsell a brake fluid wallet flush and get an hour, but everyone I work with is to honest to do that.

I think we get 9 to do the brake line kit on a Chevy. We don't do a lot of them since it's not a Chevy store, maybe a few a year.

 

[Iroc-Z]

We got a tire balancer/tire machine combo from Greg smith and it works great. Both machines are 110 volt.

 

[gnpenning]

After having to take my trailers in a couple times every year for leaky beads, and having to for them balance the tires after being told. I got tired of it and started watching CL. One of my 3/4 needed new summer tires. As luck would have it I found a John Beam balancer and Ranger Rim clamp machine for $450 combined. They paid for themselves in first couple months. Anything else is free.

For me it makes sense. I keep them hidden in the barn and only one friend knows. His neighbor is a tire store manger and does his for free. After several bad experiences in a row know one borrows my tools or equipment anymore.

 

[gungatim]

some good tips on this thread, I like the Irwin quickgrip clamps idea, may have to try that, but they do sell bead clamps for that purpose as well (but the quickgrips are a lot cheaper!).

my contribution: HF sells tire irons pretty inexpensively, I have 3, <$10 ea on sale. very useful on stubborn tires, and they are flexible enough they won't snap on you. resist the urge to use large screwdrivers, pry bars, or crowbars...

the machines can either be electric motor driven or air motor driven. they will all use air for the clamps and inflation, but if you get one that is exclusively air driven, it will use A LOT of air for the motor (think D/A sander or sandblasting). you need a compressor that can keep up or you lose a lot of power trying to spin a tough/stuck tire, so keep that in mind.

lube is your friend! there are lots of homemade recipes for making lube, but I just use a can of spray lube from walmart...easy and doesn't freeze.

motorcycle tires can be done, I did my Harley, but had to take off the sprocket, however, they make adapters that fit on the rim clamps that raise the wheel up to clear the sprocket. name brand are expensive, ebay has no-name ones much cheaper, and a guy on here a while back posted a set he welded up himself...

buy valve stems and other consumables/bead sealer, etc. in bulk. you may think you only need the 2 pack from walmart, but the minute people find out you have a machine, you'll be mounting everyones trailer tires, snow tires, etc. and doing someone a favor than having the valvestem snap off or leak without a new one to put one is no fun...

I also keep a grinder with wire wheel at the machine for buffing out the rusty/corroded rims, and a few hand wire brushes as well as a good rubber mallet.

get a good valve stem installer, core puller, etc. the cheap ones aren't worth the hassle...and good ones aren't that expensive. and put a high-flow inflator end on it if it doesn't have one. helps greatly inflating to seat the bead. the little round ones that clip on you see all the time don't flow enough...Milton makes a good one.

same with tire plugs. buy a good kit with the good 2 pc. aluminum plug installers. why? because when people know you can do tires, they'll bring their grandmas old tire over with a nail in it at 9am on a Sunday morning before church and expect you to fix it since there are no more gas stations that are open and repair tires anymore...