Tire lift For The Geriatric....

[Crow Horse]

I'm getting up there in years and after having 3 knee surgeries, I'm at a point where I must work smarter and not harder, or else I pay a premium price. After having a great deal of difficulty lifting the tires of my Tacoma onto the hubs and straining my back, I had to figure out an easier way. I decided on a car dolly from Harbor Freight might be the ticket. It will lift my tires 3 1/4" - 3 1/2" which should do the trick. The only modification I made was to add small pieces of Kydex at the ends of the rollers to prevent a metal on metal situation...

 

[nadogail]

I like it!

 

[pbon]

I am not yet a geriatric but I recently helped my geriatric father in law change winter to summer wheels on my 4 post. I have BMWs and none of my wheels and tires weigh much over 50 lbs. He has a 2015 Lincoln Navigator with 22 inch wheels. They must have weighed 75 lbs each. I was working hard to lift and position them to get the lugs in.

 

[kaymccampbell]

Slick!

 

[CombatNinja]

Once you can't lift a freaking tire, it might be time to hang up the tools and start paying someone else. Not being a d!ck, but listen to your body and preserve what you have left.

 

[LXCam]

Once you can't lift a freaking tire, it might be time to hang up the tools and start paying someone else. Not being a d!ck, but listen to your body and preserve what you have left.

Hopefully for your sake ya never understand.



But OP, I like it

 

[dfiler2]

It's a great idea, as far as hanging it up because you can't lift a tire, now that's a bad idea. My dad has done things like that over the years and at 87 he is still going. I believe him figuring out ways to keep doing it are what has kept him active and enjoying life.

 

[Chuckster in NJ]

Mr. Ninja gets it! ^^^
"IF" you have bad knees you definitely don’t need a bad back...... Buy your tires at Costco or a shop that offers free rotations.

BTW! Good idea on the tire jack.

 

[lilredex]

Have noticed the same difficulty lately.

My simple solution is roll the wheel on to a 2 X 4, straight on, with the holes aligned, lift up the 2 X 4 and Bob's your uncle.

Try it it works. No straining anything.

 

[58Yeoman]

I bought my '14 Tacoma in '17 when it only had 7,000 miles. I rotated the tires once, after that I paid Costco to rotate/balance my tires...it was only about $22. Now, I have tires that I bought at Costco, so they can do my heavy lifting.

Good idea on the lift. I changed the rear tires on a Sears riding mower with 23" tires yesterday. Changing the tires on the wheels was a piece of cake, then I rolled them to the jacked up mower and turned the axles to meet one hole, started a bolt, then turned to the next.

No one said getting older would be easy.

 

[Hal]

I have used a shovel under the tire. lift and swing the handle back and forth to line up at least one stud, then offset to spin the others into alignment. I know you aren't supposed to pry with a shovel, but for that weight...

Big tires, tractor rears @ 300 up pounds, jack the machine up and down as needed, spin the axle to line up the bolts.

 

[aka Larry]

I have the same problem so I built this using a motorcycle lift.

 

[619DioFan]

I have the same problem so I built this using a motorcycle lift.

That is really a great idea and design.

 

[58Yeoman]

Now I wish I'd kept my MC lift...

 

[aka Larry]

That is really a great idea and design.

Thank you! I use it often and it works very well. I raise/lower it with my cordless impact gun.

 

[mwalsh9152]

Have noticed the same difficulty lately.

My simple solution is roll the wheel on to a 2 X 4, straight on, with the holes aligned, lift up the 2 X 4 and Bob's your uncle.

Try it it works. No straining anything.

When I would have to mount the tires on my heavy wrecker, I would use a big pry bar to lift the wheel up onto the studs.

Another way to do it with car or light truck tires is to put the wheel in front of the hub, then sit with the tire between your thighs and use your legs to lift the wheel up into place.

 

[amkluttz]

I'm getting up there in years and after having 3 knee surgeries, I'm at a point where I must work smarter and not harder, or else I pay a premium price. After having a great deal of difficulty lifting the tires of my Tacoma onto the hubs and straining my back, I had to figure out an easier way. I decided on a car dolly from Harbor Freight might be the ticket. It will lift my tires 3 1/4" - 3 1/2" which should do the trick. The only modification I made was to add small pieces of Kydex at the ends of the rollers to prevent a metal on metal situation...

Good job finding a solution that works for you!

What tires are you running? I can't tell by tread pattern alone. Thanks!

 

[Prospecter]

Do not go gentle into that good night
Dylan Thomas - 1914-1953



Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

 

[Prospecter]

Love the solutions to the tire change challenge!

 

[CoogarXR]

That's what tools are for; to make the job easier. I used a cherry picker last time I had to to pull an inline cylinder head. So much easier on my back. Plus it made it nice and easy to make sure the gasket was lined up perfectly when reinstalling the head. Sure it takes a little extra time to set the picker up, but it's better than hobbling around for days after pulling my back again...

I'm not giving up on working until I am completely crippled or dead, lol.

 

[unslow1]

When I would have to mount the tires on my heavy wrecker, I would use a big pry bar to lift the wheel up onto the studs.

Another way to do it with car or light truck tires is to put the wheel in front of the hub, then sit with the tire between your thighs and use your legs to lift the wheel up into place.

I found the crossbar lug wrench will keep them from rolling around.

They are pricey but they do actually make a tire lift for shop use.

 

[WVBrady]

...I know you aren't supposed to pry with a shovel, but for that weight...

When my garage door cable broke, I used a flat shovel to start the lift from the floor. Whatever works. After all, when you are digging with a round shovel, you pry the soil up and loose.

 

[ericm]

They make wheel lifts for this. I got one for rotating the wheels on my Tundra.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A7EO3DY/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[joel]

I'm not giving up on working until I am completely crippled or dead, lol.

What CoogarXR says!

 

[22george]

Quote:
Originally Posted by CoogarXR

I'm not giving up on working until I am completely crippled or dead, lol.

What CoogarXR says!


What they said

 

[lml999]

No one said getting older would be easy.

The alternative isn't any more attractive!

 

[joel63]

That's what tools are for; to make the job easier. I used a cherry picker last time I had to to pull an inline cylinder head. So much easier on my back. Plus it made it nice and easy to make sure the gasket was lined up perfectly when reinstalling the head. Sure it takes a little extra time to set the picker up, but it's better than hobbling around for days after pulling my back again...

I'm not giving up on working until I am completely crippled or dead, lol.

I'm with you on that deal.

 

[aka Larry]

I realized I didn't have a pic of my DIY tire lift in action, so I finally took one this past weekend. Sure makes lifting the big Jeep wheels and tires sooooo much easier! The only effort on my part was pulling the trigger on my cordless impact.

 

[ipgenie]

I've used my narrow pallet jack to help change heavy skid steer tires. I've thought about making a set of rollers kind of like on Larry's lift that can sit on the pallet jack legs so the tires can more easily rotate to line up with the lugs because the hubs don't move on the skid. It's easier to line things up with the pallet jack than with the floor jack under the skid because the tire is lighter allowing for fine adjustments.
I can muscle the tires around fine but after a few injuries and surgeries, I'm learning I need to be smarter so I won't have problems working when I do start getting old.

 

[Snip's]

You are lucky if you have studs...
Not so much if you have wheel bolts...
Trying to lift the wheel and get the bolt started is a whole other issue...
Great idea Crow Horse

 

[dante2]

I realized I didn't have a pic of my DIY tire lift in action, so I finally took one this past weekend. Sure makes lifting the big Jeep wheels and tires sooooo much easier! The only effort on my part was pulling the trigger on my cordless impact.

I did the same with a lift cart. Whatever it takes to keep from lifting heavy tires.

 

[gizardlizard]

I have a two post lift in my garage. Pulling wheels off my Sequoia or the wife’s Lexus is no problem, but pulling the 35’s off my lifted Tundra kinda *****. They’re damn heavy. I bought this and it works awesome!!!!

 

[aka Larry]

Current price of that Atlas Wheel Lift is $1100 though...yikes!

 

[gizardlizard]

Current price of that Atlas Wheel Lift is $1100 though...yikes!

Yikes is right. I think I paid 800 bones for mine. Still better than back issues though. Those 35’s are heavy and I’m old.

 

[ipgenie]

You are lucky if you have studs...
Not so much if you have wheel bolts...
Trying to lift the wheel and get the bolt started is a whole other issue...
Great idea Crow Horse

For my tractors that don't have studs, I cut the head off of a longer wheel bolt and grind a flat on the end. That way I can thread it on the hub to use as a guide to align the wheel for the other bolts. Once a couple of bolts are in, turn the cut off bolt out with pliers and finish attaching the wheel. It really makes it easier. Two alignment bolts is even better.

 

[Cobra5150]

Once you can't lift a freaking tire, it might be time to hang up the tools and start paying someone else. Not being a d!ck, but listen to your body and preserve what you have left.

Depends on what you are working on. The tires+wheels on my Jeep are over 100lbs , my F150 (stock) are not far behind that. I'm all for for anything to make the job easier.

 

[barnym17]

I realized I didn't have a pic of my DIY tire lift in action, so I finally took one this past weekend. Sure makes lifting the big Jeep wheels and tires sooooo much easier! The only effort on my part was pulling the trigger on my cordless impact.

Used this same lift modified with casters like that for trans jack and also as 4 wheeler lift,raise the puppy in air set on my stool and rotate atv to me as needed for service.

 

[AC-WC]

I always shake my head watching car repair videos and everyone picks up the tires and installs them at standing chest height.
I figured out a long time ago not to lift them at all. When I jack the car (or now use the lift) up to take the tires off I get it about an inch or less off the floor and then roll the tires onto the studs. When I pick them up it's only an inch and you can almost always get at least 1 lug on and adjust to get the rest. If I ever get to the point I can't do that then I would buy/make OP's fixture.

 

[CraigStu]

I love all these ideas. When in college I worked part time at a tiny Peugeot/Renault dealer. The owner was installing a window AC unit one weekend, had a stroke or heart attack and died. At 76 I am now about his age, so I do everything I possibly can to use my brain vs my muscles. I am w/ dfiler2 talking about his Dad. Figuring out ways to do things and making a tool is what makes being old fun. On a side note, I have been doing local pistol competition for about 12 yrs. 3 yrs ago my wife gave it a try. Our doctorate daughter said, Mom this is fantastic. It will keep both your body and brain active!

 

[HogDude]

I realized I didn't have a pic of my DIY tire lift in action, so I finally took one this past weekend. Sure makes lifting the big Jeep wheels and tires sooooo much easier! The only effort on my part was pulling the trigger on my cordless impact.

Outstanding! But don't stop there. Flash a few pics of the Jeep too!