I am not an expert tire changer, but I did recently buy a Harbor Frt Tire Changer and Motorcycle attachment (HFTC) For years now I have been wearing out two cliche's - “You get what you pay for†and “there is no free lunchâ€. The HF tire changer bears these sayings out.
First Problem: My HF MC attachment did not screw onto the HFTC. This was a familiar problem to the store - they have had issues with items made in different factories. Unfortunately, this HF store had none of the changers made at a different location (different stock number). I had to go to another branch for the swap. All of the people were pleasant, and handled this problem nicely, but it was still a waste of time and gas.
The HfTC is not complete as it comes from the box. Their tire tool is useful only for repelling boarders (pirates) and certainly not changing your tire on an aluminum wheel. I did find it useful as an extension to the bead breaker on the tire changer. You will need either the NoMar Bar or the Mojo Bar and a set of Mojo Blocks to securely grip the wheel. You will also need lube (Klaproth suggested Murphy's oil soap and water - 50-50), a tool to unscrew the valve from the wheel, and a way to prevent the wheel from turning when clamped in the machine. NoMar sells a yellow thing that slips onto the rim to prevent the tire from sliding around the rim as you set the bead, and some clamps that hold the bead inboard of the rim to make clamping the rim easier, but wood blocks or large wood working clamps (I used Irwin speed clamps) work well, too.
Add most of $200 for these accessories and you can see how the HF tire changer might not be the bargain you expected. It still beats the competition, but read on.
Once assembled, and bolted down, I found the HFTC to be too tall for me to use comfortably. With the tire just below chest height, it is difficult to find the leverage needed to get the mount/dismount bar under the bead when removing the tire. The wheel can turn when clamped in the machine but this can be prevented with a heavy strap around one of the wheel's ‘spokes' and one of the arms of the machine. I used a piece of rope wound twice and tied off with a simple granny knot. Alternatively, you can use a piece of wood dropped down between cast spokes to hold the wheel still. More serious is the fact that the tire rim clamps slide on arms and can be pinned every 2â€. My wheel was not centered and I had to fiddle with the overhead arm to drop the rod through the axle hole. This can be remedied by drilling additional holes. The rod is too large to fit through the rear wheel's center so more work was needed - i.e. a smaller diameter rod.
In short, the HFTC will do the job, but it takes some tuning and a number of expensive mods. (To be fair, said or similar mods/accessories are needed with other tire changers boosting their price).
I suggest you search this website for my other post titled Tire Changing - First Time. More than a few guys have chimed in and what they say was helpful and valuable.
Before you change your first tire, I suggest you watch someone who is experienced change at least one. It will probably not go as smoothly until you have done this a few times.
https://www.st-owners.com/forums/showthread.php?160328-Tire-Changing-First-time&highlight=
First Problem: My HF MC attachment did not screw onto the HFTC. This was a familiar problem to the store - they have had issues with items made in different factories. Unfortunately, this HF store had none of the changers made at a different location (different stock number). I had to go to another branch for the swap. All of the people were pleasant, and handled this problem nicely, but it was still a waste of time and gas.
The HfTC is not complete as it comes from the box. Their tire tool is useful only for repelling boarders (pirates) and certainly not changing your tire on an aluminum wheel. I did find it useful as an extension to the bead breaker on the tire changer. You will need either the NoMar Bar or the Mojo Bar and a set of Mojo Blocks to securely grip the wheel. You will also need lube (Klaproth suggested Murphy's oil soap and water - 50-50), a tool to unscrew the valve from the wheel, and a way to prevent the wheel from turning when clamped in the machine. NoMar sells a yellow thing that slips onto the rim to prevent the tire from sliding around the rim as you set the bead, and some clamps that hold the bead inboard of the rim to make clamping the rim easier, but wood blocks or large wood working clamps (I used Irwin speed clamps) work well, too.
Add most of $200 for these accessories and you can see how the HF tire changer might not be the bargain you expected. It still beats the competition, but read on.
Once assembled, and bolted down, I found the HFTC to be too tall for me to use comfortably. With the tire just below chest height, it is difficult to find the leverage needed to get the mount/dismount bar under the bead when removing the tire. The wheel can turn when clamped in the machine but this can be prevented with a heavy strap around one of the wheel's ‘spokes' and one of the arms of the machine. I used a piece of rope wound twice and tied off with a simple granny knot. Alternatively, you can use a piece of wood dropped down between cast spokes to hold the wheel still. More serious is the fact that the tire rim clamps slide on arms and can be pinned every 2â€. My wheel was not centered and I had to fiddle with the overhead arm to drop the rod through the axle hole. This can be remedied by drilling additional holes. The rod is too large to fit through the rear wheel's center so more work was needed - i.e. a smaller diameter rod.
In short, the HFTC will do the job, but it takes some tuning and a number of expensive mods. (To be fair, said or similar mods/accessories are needed with other tire changers boosting their price).
I suggest you search this website for my other post titled Tire Changing - First Time. More than a few guys have chimed in and what they say was helpful and valuable.
Before you change your first tire, I suggest you watch someone who is experienced change at least one. It will probably not go as smoothly until you have done this a few times.
https://www.st-owners.com/forums/showthread.php?160328-Tire-Changing-First-time&highlight=