Tire Changing Stands

[Canadian]

Anyone have a tire changing stand? I've looked at the MRP stand, but $150 plus plus plus is a little more than I want to spend. Especially not knowing whether it'll help my technique substantially. I'd be interested to hear of any experiences you guys/gals have had with them. Doesn't Zip-Ty make one too? Have you ever seen one in town (Calgary)? Home-built may be the way to go too, but will end up being heavy (steel). And then there're the guys who use old milk crates...
Another thing is irons. I bought some cheap sludge Kimpex irons from Walt last year and bent them the first time I used them (cast iron, good thing they were only $15 ea.). Do any of the other shops stock something better? What should I expect to pay for a half decent set (2)? I don't need anything too fancy.

[DirtGirl]

We use an empy 45gal drum to change tires on. It raises it up to working level and the sprocket and caliper don't rub on the floor. It is actually a big plastic drum that they use to put pop syrup in.

As far as irons go, Doug bought some really skookum ones off the net. I don't recall who/where but you could email him and ask him, dirttv@telusplanet.net

L

[dirtyboy]

Weird. I love the Kimpex tire irons. I have both the long and short ones. I use 3 irons at a time unless I'm on the trail.

I've tried a stand or two but just use a piece of rug or my tailgate to change the tire. For me it takes too long to put the tire in a stand (at least the ones that have a big bolt that goes through the hub). I've tried a barrel type thing and the tire just moves around too much for me. I like to get my feet on the irons to hold them down as I work my way around the rim.

For me I always just think about getting the tire into the low part of the rim on the other side instead of stretching the tire over the rim.

I have a short Motion Pro tire iron that bends like crazy. The tire irons with the nice orange handles are supposed to be good, but I've never tried such luxuries.

[DirtGirl]

oh we have a nice stand that fits into the trailer hitch on the truck too...nice!

[Canadian]

Well, I did my search and here's what I came up with (other than not getting any work done today!):

Wikco.com - $400 (ouch)
MRP - $150 (still like this one best and I can get it in orange!)
ZipTy - $90 (kind of the same as the MRP deal, but not on a post/stand)
Motion Pro (Apparently they have one but I couldn't find it, just irons)
FabTech - $59 (doesn't have a pry bar, just the post)
Harbour Freight - $80? (Looks the same as the Wikco jobby)

So I guess now I wait and decide. Do I really need one? Or do I just need more practice?
All I really want is something that will hold the tire firmly in place while I beat my knuckles up. Perhaps I should rig something up myself.

I did make one discovery this summer and that was; in order to hold the tire down in the wheel while working on the opposide side of the diameter, I clamped/pinched the tire using some of those big vice grips that welders/fabricators use. This pressed both beads together and made it easier to centre the tire in the rim. Next year I'm putting the tire in the oven for a while at about 200 deg (don't tell my wife!). That ought to soften it up!!!

DirtGirl: Thanks. I'll send Doug an email. What's his username around here? BTW, it's nice to see a female take part in all of this. Kudo's to you!!
Dirtyboy: Any relation to DirtGirl?!! I should be more specific about the tire irons I have. I really only bent the one end that looks like a big bend already. When I used the other end of the iron (probably the proper end!) things went a lot better (what's the other end for anyway?). How short are the Motion Pro irons you have. I know they have several different lenths (some for a fanny pack).

[MotorEd]

One of those 20L buckets from Rona or Home Depot for 3.99 will do the trick. I have a pair of tire irons I got from Blackfoot for ~ 40 and a way worth it....the short ones with the red handle. If you bend these, your doing something wrong....there is more 'technique' than brute force needed to change a tire.

You should try putting the tube in the tire first, and have the bead lock on the rim....saves the knuckles. There is a good thread on changing winter tires here somewhere. Get that tire good and warm and use the lube of choice help the process.

Good luck putting your tires in the oven

[dirtyboy]

Canadian,

No no, it's DirtGirl and DirtTV.

I used to be Dirtboy at the very beginning but I changed it. I think Dirtyboy fits me better.

I had the Motion Pro short iron. I still keep it in my fanny pack but I don't use it regular. I have the Kimpex irons with the bend about 14" and the short ones 9". I use the bent end to get the tire off, the straight end to get the first bead on the rim and the curved end to put the second bead on.

Look for a thread called mounting Winter tires for more tips. MotorEd has some great points about being smarter than the tire and not stronger than the tire.

MotorEd, I'll be over to try those fancy irons you have.

[DirtGirl]

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I
DirtGirl: Thanks. I'll send Doug an email. What's his username around here? BTW, it's nice to see a female take part in all of this. Kudo's to you!!
.

Stay tuned...I am only one of 3 or 4 women that post here. I have been around the racing scene for way too many years. Heck Dave F. was still fast back then! LOL! Joking!

Doug's handle is DirtTv.

BTW, I can't use my other nickname on this nice family orientated forum!!!

[dirtyboy]

The MRP looks pretty good. I like the new feature of the middle arm sliding in and out instead of having to spin a nut on it to lock the wheel down.




I stand up my tire to get the second side off and use a long tire iron and hammer to get it off in a few seconds. I guess it's what you get used to.

I'm still stuck on my neanderthal method.

[Dobi]

I have a 12 inch length of pipe (one for each front and back) that I mount in a bench vice that is secured to a SOLID bench. I slide the rim over the pipe and voila. For tire irons I have a set of the Moose (red handled) irons that cost about $40/pair and I have a motion pro axle wrench/tire iron combo that weighs next to nothing. I rarely have to pull the 3rd iron into the mix but it made a succesful trail debut this summer to fix Cladoo's flat If you would like to practice with the red handled ones before buying a set I'll bring over a set of tires to change

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