tire machines, who owns their own?

[1978elcamino]

Who owns their own that is not a shop owner. How you obtained yours, brand and cost if you dont mind. I think I will begin my search for a tire machine and balancer. Would like to have my own by next year. I think if I have my own I will most likely never have to use paid services again. I bought a brake lathe over a year ago, that has come in handy.

 

[oldoak2000]

I got the Harbor Freight - manual tire changer, for $30 (with 25% coupon).
Works great for my occasional use....

still need a balancer...

 

[supton]

Originally Posted by oldoak2000
I got the Harbor Freight - manual tire changer, for $30 (with 25% coupon).
Works great for my occasional use....

still need a balancer...

Ditto. I've done several sets but then used a local shop to balance. Have not tried larger than 16" nor lower aspect ratio than about 60.

 

[SZR48207]

Originally Posted by oldoak2000
I got the Harbor Freight - manual tire changer, for $30 (with 25% coupon).
Works great for my occasional use....

still need a balancer...


If you don't mind a little mess, you can balance tires with a liquid/gel type substance. There are plenty out there.

I do it that way on my motorcycles and it makes for a very smooth ride.

 

[pandus13]

Our resident cheapskate and holder of the "keep-that-Saturn-alive-with-computer-case-components" prize, ELJefino, has a Harbor Freight one, complete with some Youtube videos.

I think the main complaint in the videos comments was that the tire changer was not bolted, and ElJefe's ........ ahem ......crack.

 

[CrAlt]

I have an old Coats 10-10 machine and bubble balancer. It can't do modern low profile tires but it works fine on everything I own.

 

[eljefino]

HF mounter, $40.

Snap on wb250 balancer, used, $400.

Worth their price many times over.

You can, obviously, get started with the manual mounter. This is useful for breaking one bead (without disturbing the balance) to service the TPMS for example.

I get lots of used tires on rims, or rims with junk tires, or the wrong tires, or I want to save my camry snow tires for my prius that has a different lug pattern, etc. Lots of opportunity to avoid the tire dealer and his shenanigans.

 

[MrHorspwer]

For value for money, I've found Derek Weaver to be the best option.

W-894XS tire changer with the assist arm. Less than $2,000 and it mounted the 275/35-18 Bridgestone RE-71R on my Corvette. That's a ringing endorsement for mounting low profile, stiff sidewall tires.

Their W-957 balancer is also a solid deal at $1,300.

You can also try looking used. There are always machines out there. Many are pretty beat though, especially tire changers.

 

[DerbyDave]

I have a HF manual tire machine that I modified to use a duck head on. It works great and makes changing tires easy without scratching the rim. I also have an old coats bubble balancer that I picked up second hand

 

[Garak]

No longer, but we used to. When we had the taxis, there was a tire changer and balancer, both obtained from my dad's brother when he retired from the Shell station. That was so long ago I don't know the brands off hand, much less the cost. At the farm, we had manual setup, too, but no balancer.

 

[atikovi]

Got a hand cranked Snap On WB260 balancer about 15 years ago for about $1,000. Does a great job but wheels over 17 inches can take multiple spins to balance. Doesn't weigh too much so I was able to take it down to the basement myself. Got a Coats 5000 series tire machine on Ebay about 10 years also for about $1,000 and drove 500 miles roundtrip to pickup. Does a great job but if the tire is lower profile than 50 series, I usually can't get the second bead mounted and take it to a shop.

 

[1978elcamino]

Thats all good stuff, thanks guys. I think the problem I will run into will be the used affordable stuff will be so old that mounting and balancing modern 20" plus low profile tires will be difficult. Year after year wheels and tires become larger and many 15yr old tire machines will have a hard time with those. Im going to keep my eyes out over the next year or so.

 

[Traction]

You can get good deals on used machines, as car dealerships are required to update their equipment by the OE.
Paid $9000 for my used tire machine 15 years ago, but cheaper now. Bought my Road Force balancer from a local Buick dealership for $1900. Of course I have many hundreds of dollars in all the other stuff like pins plates, cones, adapters, repairs, etc.

 

[1978elcamino]

yes, thats what I need in my garage right there. The china stuff seems tempting but if it ever needs repair I feel in five years I would be SOL and have steel scrap metal in my garage.

 

[ted s]

do any of the manual tire changers av=ctually work?

 

[Garak]

Yes, with a lot of elbow grease and watching what you're working with. If you're working on something like a pickup truck tire and wheel from the 1970s or 1980s or from a Crown Vic or Caprice of that era (plus assorted agricultural implements) you'll probably be fine. If it's something delicate or you don't want a big battle on your hands, I'd try something else.