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harbor freight tire changer

strum

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Guest
I picked up on of these used last week . I haven't had a chance to use it yet but it looks like itll be a good set up .
It came with mojo blocks and a mojo bar and even a hitch mount.( not sure this a usable feature  as it puts it way to high )
I used some drop in anchors to mount it to the floor and bought a 5/8 round bar for the vertical pivot.
I have a question to you guys who have used these.
The mojo blocks were installed as the pics on the mojo site shows but to me they are to low. I raised them up to just above flush with the top edge of the steel.
not sure if I did good or not lol. what is the consensus on this ? ill get a pic up in a few .

 
As yall can see in the pic of the Mojo block . I used a yellow pine block under the mojo to raise it then i cut another very tight fitting block in the front .
My thinking is the front one will hold the Mojos in and I made them a little tall to help prevent rim scratches while lining up the wheel .

 
 

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That looks like it should work fine. I had a harbor freight changer first and made all the mods you did. It worked ok for the C10 at the time. I also drilled and put a bolt through the main post so it could not rotate on you.

I now have upgraded to the No Mar classic and it works better, don't have to do any mods to it. I will say that I still struggled to mount my last rear tire on my FJR. It was a Bridgestone T30 Evo Gt which has a stiffer sidewall. I had to give up and pay to have it mounted. I was a little dissapointed. Mark
 
I did something similar - no C10 rim scratches  (have never done C14)

HFTC_1.jpg

HFTC_2.jpg
 
Sparkie said:
That looks like it should work fine. I had a harbor freight changer first and made all the mods you did. It worked ok for the C10 at the time. I also drilled and put a bolt through the main post so it could not rotate on you.

I now have upgraded to the No Mar classic and it works better, don't have to do any mods to it. I will say that I still struggled to mount my last rear tire on my FJR. It was a Bridgestone T30 Evo Gt which has a stiffer sidewall. I had to give up and pay to have it mounted. I was a little dissapointed. Mark


I did that also  :beerchug:
 
strum said:
As yall can see in the pic of the Mojo block . I used a yellow pine block under the mojo to raise it then i cut another very tight fitting block in the front .
My thinking is the front one will hold the Mojos in and I made them a little tall to help prevent rim scratches while lining up the wheel .

sorry I didn't get back to you about your p/m, missed it..

as for the mojo's, not sure if the ones you have are home made or not,
here are the variations of blocks they sell, based on which machine version you got from h/f, there were 3 versions....

https://www.mojotiretools.com/mojoblocks.htm

I don't have the h/f machine here, I made a set of blocks for my pal's machine, out of a block he had of HDPE/Nylon material, and made sure it sat about 1/8" higher than the mteal back piece on his machines arms...and also a new rod assembly for use with smaller axle bearing bikes, where I welded a piece of all thread to a (7/8" ??) iirc, bolt, I think it's really a 20mm thread, but it screws in... then with the tire bead broken, I spun a hex nut and flat washer down the thread, to below the bottom beairing on the rim, followed by a 3" square piece of 1/2" thk plywood, with a hole in the middle... then clamp the rim in the mojo's, and spin the bottom nut and plywood up to press against the bottom bearing from below, and use another wood plate on top, with another washer and nut, and snug it up. Then, I slipped a length of pvc pip over the allthread, to protect the threads during the use of the mojo bar. I also made a threaded rod from 5/8" all thread, for smaller axles, and it's used the same way.
To keep the rim from spinning, I simply use a cinch strap on a wheel spoke to wrap it and tie it off to one of the arms on the machine..doesn't mar the rim, and holds it well..

I use this same system of rods and plates, on my home made tire machine, which is a small car rim, with rubber hose slit and covering it's upper perimeter, and is bolted to my heavy duty rolling workbench.. I have no room for the full H/F machine, so my bench mounted setup works great, using the same stuff... I do have a H/F machine "base" however, which I use for breaking beads on, and then, tossing it in the corner for storage.
hope that helps, I have to extract the pictures i took when making the machine parts for my pal, off of my phone... will post when i can,

My only complaint was after I hooked my pal up by modifying his machine for him, I lost ALL the "beer income" I levied on him and other pals of ours, I made for doing tire swaps... it was always a nice 'sixer pack" job, when they came over and brought the good stuff... but he does stop by, whenever he does a tire for someone else, and brings a 'sixer' as post payment... good friends...  :beerchug: :beerchug: :beerchug:
 
I think they are the type #2 blocks . They do show some use but I think they are serviceable. The mojo tool also has some use so I ordered new tip/bolt and flat end piece from him . $15 bucks shipped . Nice guy to deal with too.
  So far I have about $190 in this set up so thats not bad.

 
 
Ditto on Man of Blues mods! Sat mine up as his long ago too! Welded some the bolts to keep everything square while in use. Heavily modified bead breaker as well. It paid for itself in auto and bike tire fees quickly then did not use it for a while. Like any tool, aye?
 
I would like to add something to this post. I too have a H/F tire machine. I use it, I like it. I made my own "Mojo blocks" out of a block of some kind of heavy duty plastic. While at a Superbike race near Salt Lake City, years ago, No Mar had a booth set up with girls in bikinis whipping tires on and off of their machines. All I can guess is that those tires had no beads in them. It can be a bitch to get a tire off, and a double bitch to get a new one on. The wheels we have do not have a deep enough well in the center of the rim to give the slack in the bead that is needed.  I helped a friend swap tires on a new BMW, it was worse. So, even with a stand, whether H/F or No Mar, it really helps to have an extra pair of hands on site. The helper can hold the bead down into the well, keep progress made with a tire iron, or just get beer when needed. I guess what I'm saying is that these tire machines don't eliminate all the work. They make a tire change at home doable.
 
connie_rider said:
Stasch, what are your blocks made out of?
Like the idea. Will probably make a set for mine.

Ride safe, Ted

the last set I made, again for another fellow, were made from rectangle pieces Cut from a 1/2" thick PolyPro cutting board, that I decided had enough abuse, as it was getting hard to clean even with chlorox...

Cut rectangle shaped pieces that when stacked up vertically, fit perfect into the "recess" on the H/F arms end, drilled thru them all in place, and installed a 1/4" bolt to hold them; then I used a hole saw to create the "notch" to grip the rim edge and sawed the bottom to create a "J" shaped hook. They worked pretty well, never broke yet, and the guy really liked the fact they only cost him a "sixer"... :beerchug:

I never throw away old stuff, those old cutting boards are valuable material... :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :great:

I also cut every power cord from any old devices like coffee pots and stuff when I toss them... because I'm so cheap... but, it pays off...
:)) :))
 
I lucked out Thursday and caught a HF tire changer setup for just moving it out of the guy's garage on Craigslist. Picked it up yesterday and donated a 12 pack of Shiner's Bock the guy said was his beverage of choice.  WOOHOO.  Oh, got a wheel balancer stand, too.

Further frugalness says no to a MOJO or NoMar lever. I've seen a guy on youtube mount a duckhead on a steel pipe & use it on the HF changer. I found some on ebay for $20 that fit a 30M tube/pipe which is the diameter of the HF mount/demount bar. I'm thinking cut the pointing end off and mount the duckhead on it. Anyone tried this?  https://www.ebay.com/itm/Dia-30mm-Tire-Changer-Nylon-Mount-Demount-Duck-Head-Machine-Plastic-Black-Head/142884345637?hash=item2144921725:g:S9cAAOSwETVZ3ffG

Thanks.
 
you scored duder, i didnt en have to buy beer to get the tire changer base unit from my pal.


get creational on that biotch it will be an enjoyably project-ct, if y got some scrap materials and time..e
 
Ted,

Different mount type but same usage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY2hxS2ygI0&t=615s

Rich, the guy seemed surprised when I asked him by text what his favorite beverage was. I was glad to get him something for giving me a tool worth significantly more.

I have some inch thick nylon plate I will use to make blocks similar to the mojo blocks. I'll snug up some parts that rattle  ::) :D and see what else comes to mind.

But no rush on this as the current tires should last into summer, maybe.  :motonoises: :great:
 
Daboo said:
Anyone ever use these:

Motion Pro BeadPro Forged Steel Tire Bead Breaker
https://www.cyclegear.com/accessories/motion-pro-beadpro-forged-steel-tire-bead-breaker

motion_pro_bead_pro_tire_bead_breaker_forged_steel_steel_750x750.jpg


Chris

meh...spend more money.

the breaker on the H/f will break truck tire beads... like as simple as can be... if you ride a dual sport, and have tube tires, well spend $$.. or just buy a plugger kit and a pump, and consider it a day...I've used that tool, it's nice, but in no way do I say buy one unless you intend to use it, and you better use it to see if it works "just for you".. money dump tire  slinginging dddddda....
 
I do hope you realize I'm being Fecal with that post..

but truly it's a wasted expense for on road bikes...
off road, sure, it's the BOMB, at home in the garage... naaaaahhhhh :-X :-[ :-X :-X
peace, ride safe. :great:
 
Another video with a duckhead: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9ymwz2sMqU

I'll probably try it when it's time to change the tires even though after reviewing the videos I realize I had a DA moment about mounting one on the HF bar, wrong angle for what I was thinking.  :-[ I will be able to fab a mount for it with materials on hand.  :great:  Wonder if I can work it as a need to finally buy a welder...  "Honest, Honey! I'm saving money in the long run!!"    ::) :D  Well, there went "frugal"...
 
:rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :great: :great: :great: :great:

sounds great to me, If your wife was as kind as mine is, SHE would buy you the welder...and put it under the Christmas tree, Like mine did... along with a table saw, a new sawzall, a Gerbing Heated Liner, and a new Aerostich suit....

Just gotta "drop" hints correctly... :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :motonoises:
 
MtnRider said:
Lucky man, MoB!  :sign0098:

yes, I'm lucky, I made it a point of marrying a women older than I am...  :rotflmao:
(only one year, we are actually the "same age" for 2 weeks every year), but I made sure to just hand her all my money, love her dearly and honor her for her intellect, take care of her... and somehow great gifts appeared for me whenever the occasion came around.

it works. :beerchug: :great: :great:
 
Finally I tried the changer .  New Pilot 4 Gt installed on the rear  who hoo.
  Took 2 hours with a helper. But that included balancing ,changing the TPS battery, and doing some cleaning.
  I have a few bugs to work out with the changer but all in all it went well. Those pilot 4 Gts are stiff.
Ill be pulling the front thursday . 
 
strum said:
Finally I tried the changer .  New Pilot 4 Gt installed on the rear  who hoo.
  Took 2 hours with a helper. But that included balancing ,changing the TPS battery, and doing some cleaning.
  I have a few bugs to work out with the changer but all in all it went well. Those pilot 4 Gts are stiff.
Ill be pulling the front thursday .

remember...
we need the rotation direction for that untouched TPS sensor.... :)) :)) :))
 
MAN OF BLUES said:
strum said:
Finally I tried the changer .  New Pilot 4 Gt installed on the rear  who hoo.
  Took 2 hours with a helper. But that included balancing ,changing the TPS battery, and doing some cleaning.
  I have a few bugs to work out with the changer but all in all it went well. Those pilot 4 Gts are stiff.
Ill be pulling the front thursday .

remember...
we need the rotation direction for that untouched TPS sensor.... :)) :)) :))

  I didnt forget i just wasn't able to get to it today. Sorry about that but unless something else comes up ill be taking the front apart in the morn and report my findings.
 
I posted the direction on another post but since we talked about it here to .
  The rounded part is facing forward if its on the top of the wheel.
 
Ok guys I finally got a clear day to do a test ride and I happy to report  that after doing both front and rear tire changes with the harbor freight changer and replacing both TPM  batteries all is well. Everything works correctly and the tires don't shake lol.
 
Ted I used the mojo bar and I didn't have much luck with it. The De-mount part was perfect but I couldn't get the mount part to work out.
The rear was sooo stiff that the mount part was worthless and i ended up using spoons to finish up.
On to the front and the mount part was little better but i still finished up with the spoons. I like the duckhead thing . it may be the best way to go .
 
I went back and looked at some videos and I think I wasn't using the tool correctly. I wasnt getting the tire bead on the top of the tool properly so my bad . I should have paid more attention. either way i got my tires on though.
  Next time ill me more edgamacated . :-[
 
The videos I have seen about changing motorcycle tires all suck. I say that because without fail, they are using some old tire with little or no bead, with a carcass as soft as a babies behind. Watch those videos and notice the tire. They would never use a new Michelin, no they wouldn't, it would not help sell their product. No Mar itself is guilty of this. The duckhead video in a previous post is the same. Just be aware of this.
 
I have a NoMar tire changer, changing tires is just as easy as their videos show.  I run Michelin PR4 GTs.
 
Jeffrey said:
I have a NoMar tire changer, changing tires is just as easy as their videos show.  I run Michelin PR4 GTs.

I was considering buy a tire machine at one time, the NoMar is what I wanted & have plenty of room to bolt it down. That is until the 2015 Nationals, I watched the guy at the NoMar trailer change tires quite a bit to see how well it worked. That guy did a whole lot of cussing, sweating & even slung something at one point. I realized I could change 2 or 3 tires with my homemade bead breaker & irons in the time he did one. Needless to say, I don't have one & will stick with irons.

Vote Cliff OTP traveler  :) Vote Cliff  ;) Vote Cliff OTP traveler  :) Vote Cliff  ;) Vote Cliff OTP traveler  :) Vote Cliff  ;) Vote Cliff OTP traveler  :) Vote Cliff  ;) Vote Cliff OTP traveler!
 
I see this post is at least a year old, but I had a question. I have some pieces of what appears to be really strong fiberglass blocks and I was thinking of using them to make blocks for my tire changer. The pieces appear to be as dense and nylon. I was wondering if anyone could think of a reason they wouldn't work before I wasted time on them..
 
I have some pieces of what appears to be really strong fiberglass blocks and I was thinking of using them to make blocks for my tire changer. The pieces appear to be as dense and nylon. I was wondering if anyone could think of a reason they wouldn't work before I wasted time on them..
If I had the choice, I'd choose UHMW plastic over fiberglass. The black paint on my 2016 is not thick nor is it durable. UHMW has compliance/deformation ability and fiberglass does not.

I have the identical HF set-up that STRUM pictures above (Nov03, 2018).

Now that I've said that, I have never even used the HF set-up. I'm well versed with tire spoons, rim protectors and Numar's tire paste.
 
I got the No-Mar mount/demount tire iron to use with my Harbour Freight Changer. I highly recommend the tire iron. Thank goodness it comes with extra replacement tips! The sport touring tires are still hard to do though. I just put on the Pilot Road 5 GTs with that setup, and the back was tough, but I got it done by myself. I did put a few scratches on the rims though... I just ordered three of these generic Third Hand Tools to see if it helps next time. About 1/3 the cost of the No-Mar version, even with the shipping. shopping.png
 
I got some of those 10 years ago with my no-mar. I've used them 2 or 3 times. If a tire is tough enough to need an aid like that I just put some bar clamps on them. But those things do work, just not on a really tough tire.
 
I used one of those black things today, on somebody elses bike. It worked well on the dismount of a front Pirelli GT. Helped to keep the bead down in the valley while getting the no-mar bar in place.
 
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