$29 Harbor Freight tire tool vs 35X13.50x15

[Stumpalump]

I picked up a floor mounted tire machine with a coupon for $29 bucks. I screwed it to a scrap 1/2 sheet of plywood I had in the wood pile. It made quick work out of the 15" front tires on the dune buggy. The bead breaker did not break the bead but driving over the tire with the mini van made quick work of removing the bead. Besides the tire being on so long I think the problem was that the sidewalks were just too thin. Instead of pushing the bead the sidewall just folded over. Driving over them was simple and very effective at poping the bead.

Next I tackled a leaky Staun internal bead lock inside a the big BFG Krawlers tire. 2 leaks in 7 years so I'm not complaining but shops want hourly mechanics rate to work on them. The machine made quick work out of poping and removing the bead.

Pulling and patching the tube was a breeze with the nice kit we should all have.

Did I get it right by putting the blue side of the patch out? Idk but it stuck.

Everthing you would ever need is in this kit.

The only other tools you need are a pair of large Harbor Freight tire irons to put the bead back over the lip. I suppose you could use the supplied large iron but regular ones are only 5 or 6 bucks each.
Over all the tool is a breeze to use with a little soap used as lubrication. It works so well and easy I wish I bought one along with my first car. Amazingly simple. In fact it's so easy and simple that after watching a few you tube videos even a kid could change a tire with it. Here is picture of the tire irons next to the dune buggy tires I installed.

 

[proper4wd]

That's pretty cool. Looks a lot like the manual tire changers they use in less developed countries. Where kids actually DO use them

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gT4oltYbQN0

 

[teotwaki]

View attachment 279688
Everthing you would ever need is in this kit.
View attachment 279689

That is a great kit. I added a tool for pulling valve stems through the rim but otherwise I love it. The tools in the cheap-O kits bend if there is any resistance at all.

 

[Stumpalump]

That is a great kit. I added a tool for pulling valve stems through the rim but otherwise I love it. The tools in the cheap-O kits bend if there is any resistance at all.

That tool is in there. Do you see the black cross looking thing in the dead center of the photo? It's a valve core removal tool and a valve stem puller. You get the stem in the hole then screw the tool on like a valve cap. For those that may not have used one. The cross gives you somthing to pull on and the stem pops right in. I went from tubes to tubeless on the buggy tires and used it for the new stems. Fwiw there are basically two diameter valve stems and the kit had both. Spares came from Wallmart and are as simple to install as the rest of it. Soap or WD-40 helps the stem pop in and then it self seals. You can install a stem with out removing the tire. Hammer the old one into the tire. Drive over the tire to pop the bead and you can reach your hand inside to place the stem. Next just pull and pop it in place. Easy as that.

 

[Stumpalump]

That's pretty cool. Looks a lot like the manual tire changers they use in less developed countries. Where kids actually DO use them

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gT4oltYbQN0

The machine worked and I looked just like that kid! Only difference was I used spay soap and I threw the tire on the ground and kneeled on it to get it started. On the install notice how the kid worked the first part of the bead way down into the middle of the rim. That's the trick on all tires. You have to get the bead away from the lip and bead area so that you can pry the remainder of the bead over the lip. You will cuss and fight untill you figure that out. I paid my dues on Dirtbike tires. They are harder than auto tires.

 

[teotwaki]

That tool is in there. Do you see the black cross looking thing in the dead center of the photo? It's a valve core removal tool and a valve stem puller. You get the stem in the hole then screw the tool on like a valve cap. For those that may not have used one. The cross gives you somthing to pull on and the stem pops right in. I went from tubes to tubeless on the buggy tires and used it for the new stems. Fwiw there are basically two diameter valve stems and the kit had both. Spares came from Wallmart and are as simple to install as the rest of it. Soap or WD-40 helps the stem pop in and then it self seals. You can install a stem with out removing the tire. Hammer the old one into the tire. Drive over the tire to pop the bead and you can reach your hand inside to place the stem. Next just pull and pop it in place. Easy as that.

I do have the kit and it has a core removal tool. The core removal tool can work as a sort of valve stem puller but first requires getting the stem into the hole which can be a battle. What I bought is a bar style puller tool that goes through the hole in the rim and offers some nice grip and leverage to pull the valve stem through.

 

[Stumpalump]

I do have the kit and it has a core removal tool. The core removal tool can work as a sort of valve stem puller but first requires getting the stem into the hole which can be a battle. What I bought is a bar style puller tool that goes through the hole in the rim and offers some nice grip and leverage to pull the valve stem through?

That a good idea. I need one of those for the trail tool box.

 

[Wilbah]

I have been wondering about something like this since I read papawheely's build thread and the Centramatic balancing system he uses. Thinking it would allow me to just buy tires online at the cheapest price as I wouldn't need to worry about balancing the tires (which for me would require a shop). nice to see that this works pretty well.

For those of you not using beadlocks how do you guys seat the bead to reinflate once you have done this? That still seems to me like it might be the limiting factor to a full solution (well....since I would prefer not to use the flammable vapor and lighter method! haha). Thanks for posting this!