Mounting & balancing tires yourself: Difference between revisions

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[[Image:mount balance 5.JPG|150px]]

The 2x4 method works best, if you have somewhere you can do it. Other methods of bead breaking include using a car jack and [http://media.putfile.com/tyre-change running over the bead] with a car. C-clamps are another, less space-intensive, option.

The 2x4 method works best, if you have somewhere you can do it. Other methods of bead breaking include using a car jack and [http://media.putfile.com/tyre-change running over the bead] with a car. C-clamps are another, less space-intensive, option. Put a large C-clamp around the sides of the tire and tighten until the bead comes off the rim. You might have to do this one more time to get the other bead free.

[[image:S5001900.jpg|150px]]

Along the same lines is something that you might already have in your toolbox: a bar clamp or two. They work really easily. If you're buying one of these specifically for this, note that the cheaper versions have a plastic locking piece inside them. Make sure you buy clamps with a steel lock.

Our home mechanic made a couple comments on the picture below. Don't put the clamps quite so close together if you use two of them. Also note that you really don't need to force the tire over very far with the clamps, as it may seem looking at the picture. Once the bead breaks, the side that you're breaking will tend to drop into the middle of the rim by itself.

[[image:100_1418.jpg|150px]]

[[image:bar clamp craftsman.jpg|120px]]

If you want to be one of the cool kids, you can get one of these from [http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=92961 Harbor Freight] or [http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Product/Pr-p_Product.CATENTRY_ID:2004055/c-10111/Nty-1/p-2004055/Ntx-mode+matchallpartial/N-111+10111+500000/tf-Browse/s-10101/Ntk-AllTextSearchGroup?Ntt=bead+breaker JC Whitney]. Whitney also has a [http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Product/Pr-p_Product.CATENTRY_ID:2004056/c-10111/Nty-1/p-2004056/Ntx-mode+matchallpartial/N-111+10111+500000/tf-Browse/s-10101/Ntk-AllTextSearchGroup?Ntt=bead+breaker less expensive model].

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Once you get the tire started off the bead, you can usually just push it the rest of the way toward the rim center. Turn the rim over and repeat on the second side.

~~If you want to use C-clamps, put a large C-clamp around the sides of the tire and tighten until the bead comes off the rim. You might have to do this one more time to get the other bead free.~~

With the bead broken, it's time to start removing the tire from the rim. Apply some tire lube to the beads. Use the sliced up plastic jug to protect the paint on your rim, and work one end of a tire iron between the rim and the tire.

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 [[Image:mount balance 5.JPG|150px]]
-The 2x4 method works best, if you have somewhere you can do it. Other methods of bead breaking include using a car jack and [http://media.putfile.com/tyre-change running over the bead] with a car. C-clamps are another, less space-intensive, option.
+The 2x4 method works best, if you have somewhere you can do it. Other methods of bead breaking include using a car jack and [http://media.putfile.com/tyre-change running over the bead] with a car. C-clamps are another, less space-intensive, option. Put a large C-clamp around the sides of the tire and tighten until the bead comes off the rim. You might have to do this one more time to get the other bead free.
 [[image:S5001900.jpg|150px]]
+Along the same lines is something that you might already have in your toolbox: a bar clamp or two. They work really easily. If you're buying one of these specifically for this, note that the cheaper versions have a plastic locking piece inside them. Make sure you buy clamps with a steel lock.
+Our home mechanic made a couple comments on the picture below. Don't put the clamps quite so close together if you use two of them. Also note that you really don't need to force the tire over very far with the clamps, as it may seem looking at the picture. Once the bead breaks, the side that you're breaking will tend to drop into the middle of the rim by itself.
+[[image:100_1418.jpg|150px]]
+[[image:bar clamp craftsman.jpg|120px]]
 If you want to be one of the cool kids, you can get one of these from [http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=92961 Harbor Freight] or [http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Product/Pr-p_Product.CATENTRY_ID:2004055/c-10111/Nty-1/p-2004055/Ntx-mode+matchallpartial/N-111+10111+500000/tf-Browse/s-10101/Ntk-AllTextSearchGroup?Ntt=bead+breaker JC Whitney]. Whitney also has a [http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Product/Pr-p_Product.CATENTRY_ID:2004056/c-10111/Nty-1/p-2004056/Ntx-mode+matchallpartial/N-111+10111+500000/tf-Browse/s-10101/Ntk-AllTextSearchGroup?Ntt=bead+breaker less expensive model].
@@ Line 57: / Line 64: @@
 Once you get the tire started off the bead, you can usually just push it the rest of the way toward the rim center. Turn the rim over and repeat on the second side.
-If you want to use C-clamps, put a large C-clamp around the sides of the tire and tighten until the bead comes off the rim. You might have to do this one more time to get the other bead free.
 With the bead broken, it's time to start removing the tire from the rim. Apply some tire lube to the beads. Use the sliced up plastic jug to protect the paint on your rim, and work one end of a tire iron between the rim and the tire.