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Thread: "Old school" tire mounting/balancing: Anyone here have experience?

  1. #11
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    You will need 2 tire spoons to put them back on the bar that comes with it is fine for taking them off, but I use spoons to put them back on. I use female thread drop in anchors so I don't have the anchor bolts sticking out of the floor to trip on, thread in short bolts to keep them clean. I leave it mounted all summer when the kids car's are left outside. Once I get the all my car's tires ready for winter I'll put it away till spring, so the last kid at home can park in the stall with an opener.



  2. #12
    Senior Member Cobrajet's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by roosterk0031 View Post
    You will need 2 tire spoons to put them back on the bar that comes with it is fine for taking them off, but I use spoons to put them back on. I use female thread drop in anchors so I don't have the anchor bolts sticking out of the floor to trip on, thread in short bolts to keep them clean. I leave it mounted all summer when the kids car's are left outside. Once I get the all my car's tires ready for winter I'll put it away till spring, so the last kid at home can park in the stall with an opener.
    Thanks for your input! This is exactly my plan as far as use/removal/storage is concerned.

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    On my GM (only car's I own with tpms) the sensor is attached to the valve stem, don't know if that's how they all do it, I broke a stem early on and had to drive 60 miles on a Sunday morning to get a replacement so now I have plenty of spare stems just incase and the tool to change them.

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    Senior Member Cobrajet's Avatar
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    Well, I did it. Had to buy a hammer drill and bit, drop in anchors, and an anchor setting tool. Proper mounting of this contraption is a MUST as you will be reefing on this thing at times. Tires are not all that delicate, and getting them on the rims can require some force at times.

    I discovered that there is a lot more technique involved with doing this than may be obvious. Now I know what a wheel's 'drop center' is! I did eight dismounts and eight mounts. Mounting the new Pirelli snow tires was the toughest (new tires are stiffer). I really felt it physically afterwards, but I have to admit I am pretty out of shape.

    As most reviewers on the 'net have already stated, the biggest problem with the Harbor Freight tire changer is the bead breaker. Very fiddly and hard to use, but it does work. Gotta be careful of those TPMS sensors, and I damaged a valve stem when mounting one of my snow tires so I had to break it down again after I had gotten it mounted. Fortunately, the set of TPMS sensors I bought came with new valve stems.

    I felt like I was getting pretty proficient by the end.

    The balancer seemed to work pretty well, or at least well enough. Honestly, after I got the tires mounted I put the weights back were they were before. It seems to me that most of the 'balancing' involved here would have to do with the wheel and not the tire. The balancer confirmed that one set of tires was in pretty good balance, as did a test drive. I did 60 mph with nary a wiggle, which is faster than this car is ever driven anyway. I haven't tested the set with the snows.

    Would I do it again? Eh...if you asked me before I started or after I finished, I'd say yes. Ask me in the middle, and I'd probably say...'maybe'!

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    With the bead breaker, I don't try to do it all at once anymore, push in one spot, rotate tire a 4-5", push again, repeat 3 times or so and they usually come off without out too much effort. I did damage the shackle and welded plates between the sides, but still go easy on it. Tires I've done before are always easier the second time.

    Takes both hands and a knee trying to hold the off side in the drop center. Kind of rewarding when done, but I'm usually breathing hard and sweating when finished.

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    Heating tires in the sun or with hair dryer suppose to help with new tire.. good luck.

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        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 46.4 mpg (US) ... 19.7 km/L ... 5.1 L/100 km ... 55.7 mpg (Imp)


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    Quote Originally Posted by Cobrajet View Post
    So it just ticks me off having to go to a tire shop to have tires I already have mounted and balanced, often to the tune of $100+.
    Where do you go for tire mounting at $100? The Walmarts and Sams Clubs in my area charge $6 per tire for the mounting and balancing. Any shop that is in close relation to them, charge no more than $10 each to keep you from going there. Granted this is my first car with the TPS system so I don't know what extra charge that may occur. But my Miata eats rear tires for some reason With it being "mildly" lowered I have a limited selection of places that can do the work and have never paid more than $15 a wheel. Are the sensors that big of a difference in the mounting and balancing?

    Holy Crap I just checked on the prices for a new set of the stock tires for the Mirage. These things are outrageous. I normally pay right around $200 for a set of 4 for the 16" speed rated tires on the Miata. These are $100+/- each!
    Last edited by Remy; 09-29-2016 at 01:26 PM.

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    Senior Member Cobrajet's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Remy View Post
    Where do you go for tire mounting at $100? The Walmarts and Sams Clubs in my area charge $6 per tire for the mounting and balancing. Any shop that is in close relation to them, charge no more than $10 each to keep you from going there. Granted this is my first car with the TPS system so I don't know what extra charge that may occur. But my Miata eats rear tires for some reason With it being "mildly" lowered I have a limited selection of places that can do the work and have never paid more than $15 a wheel. Are the sensors that big of a difference in the mounting and balancing?

    Holy Crap I just checked on the prices for a new set of the stock tires for the Mirage. These things are outrageous. I normally pay right around $200 for a set of 4 for the 16" speed rated tires on the Miata. These are $100+/- each!
    Eh...I don't go to Walmart for tires anymore. It's a long story. Short version is they stripped four lug bolts on my VW then basically told me to fcuk off. So I did.

    The last set of tires I had put on my Mirage I had done at my favorite local shop, and it was $84+. I think they were a little pissed that I brought in my own tires (bought from a forumer) and charged me accordingly, but they wouldn't have had the size I needed anyway.

    Yes, for 14" tires the Enasaves are quite expensive. The Bridgestone Potenzas aren't much cheaper. These are the only two options in this size and neither is easy to find. I am going to go up half a size to 175/65-14 and get Michelin Defenders when it is time to do it again. They are about $90 each, but at least are rated for 90,000 miles. Unlike most cheap 14s, they are LRR as well so mpgs will be preserved.

  9. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Cobrajet For This Useful Post:

    Eggman (09-29-2016),tomrad (09-29-2016)

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    Hey cobrajet,
    Where did you get the TPMS sensors? And, do you know how many can be programmed to the Mirage, and how to program them? I am planning to get at least one pair of steel wheels and two tires for backup, and would like to add more sensors. I drive a long way to work and this morning had a piece of metal deflate my right rear tire, luckily just a couple of miles from work and only lost about 10 pounds of air. It went flat after I parked it for an hour. Thankful for my boss who was nice enough to let me use his tire plug kit, and our shop air tank and compressor! Made me forget that it was raining buckets at the time.
    I figure a pair of spare wheels and tires are a good investment. That way I don't have to worry about missing work if I wake up to a flat tire. I won't run a temporary spare if I can help it.

  11. #20
    Senior Member Cobrajet's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by tomrad View Post
    Hey cobrajet,
    Where did you get the TPMS sensors? And, do you know how many can be programmed to the Mirage, and how to program them? I am planning to get at least one pair of steel wheels and two tires for backup, and would like to add more sensors. I drive a long way to work and this morning had a piece of metal deflate my right rear tire, luckily just a couple of miles from work and only lost about 10 pounds of air. It went flat after I parked it for an hour. Thankful for my boss who was nice enough to let me use his tire plug kit, and our shop air tank and compressor! Made me forget that it was raining buckets at the time.
    I figure a pair of spare wheels and tires are a good investment. That way I don't have to worry about missing work if I wake up to a flat tire. I won't run a temporary spare if I can help it.
    I got the sensors on Ebay...they came from China. It was $80 for a set of four. As far as I know, eight sensor codes can be programmed into our cars.



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