# wanna start mounting tires myself



## amakarevic (Apr 12, 2007)

since i have an air compressor. i thought i could buy tires cheaply on the internet. basically, which tool do i need to fit a tire on a rim (a pry bar of some sort, i guess) ? how hard is it to do ?


----------



## Charles (Jul 9, 2008)

While it is something you can do, it is pretty labor intensive. The hardest/most time consuming part will be making sure the tire is properly balanced. This guide has some information about it. http://www.xs11.com/faq/tirefaq.shtml


----------



## DIYtestdummy (Jan 16, 2008)

Stomp the tire until both beads are over the lip of the rim. Pour a good amount of starting fluid in the tire. Throw lit match in the tire and run. Poof! If tire isn't seated properly try again. 

Seriously, how much "cheaply" can you get them on the internet with shipping included? Is there a road hazzard warranty? The last full set of passenger car tires I bought was $200 and something, mounted, balanced, warranty, and upgrade since they didn't stock the tires I wanted.


----------



## Yoyizit (Jul 11, 2008)

amakarevic said:


> since i have an air compressor. i thought i could buy tires cheaply on the internet. basically, which tool do i need to fit a tire on a rim (a pry bar of some sort, i guess) ? how hard is it to do ?


Your local Automotive Service Excellence mechanic maybe can tell you about how to avoid injuring yourself with this procedure. Some of the hazards are not that obvious, but tires that explode is the first thing that comes to mind.


----------



## Maintenance 6 (Feb 26, 2008)

Mounting new tires by hand is nothing but hard work. You need a couple of tire irons (not the lug wrench in your car). They used to make special shaped ones that hooked over the edge of the rim, so you could pry. The worst part is breaking the bead on your old tire. You need a bead breaker. There were a couple of types. One used a hammer and you beat the tire off the rim to break it loose. The other was a levered affair that hooked in the wheel and took muscle and a way to hold the wheel solid. I've even seen people lay the tire on the ground and drive onto the edge to break the bead. When I was a kid and worked part time at a gas station, we occaisionally got a wheel that wouldn't fit our tire machine. Then it was all manual labor. I hated those days. Good luck, I'm going to the tire store for no more than mounting and balancing costs.


----------



## DIYtestdummy (Jan 16, 2008)

*For your viewing pleasure:*

_Warning: _Some bad language.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsS1-7Hjyy8&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_M0GNLvPmAg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGj6dtJluKE&NR=1


----------



## Yoyizit (Jul 11, 2008)

DIYtestdummy said:


> _Warning: _Some bad language.
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsS1-7Hjyy8&NR=1
> 
> ...


Now I know how people win the Darwin Award.


----------

