Portable Tire Changer
Monday, April 11th, 2005 at 10:09 pm by chuck

From the above pic left to right, then back to front…
- Green canvas tool bag $5 Army/Navy surplus store
- Metzler Tire Balancer #119: $150 I purchased from hondadirectlineusa.com. Terrible phone help, but the best price at the time. Handy Industries has a good balancer too but Metz is smaller and the included tire rod adaptors work with single side setups like VFR’s and BMW’s. Handy’s adaptors are additional. Same with the Marc Parnes version for $100 (+$25 for adaptors)
- 15″ Auto tire rim FREE See your local tire store. They always have rims stacked up by their dumpster. Stop at Home Depot to get hardware. You’ll need clear flex tubing which you split and attach to Auto rim. Protects M/C rim. Some rear tires like R1’s & 929’s can be a bit more difficult to remove. Made easier by attaching the M/C rim to the tire rim via hardware. You can see the threaded rod coming from the center of the rim. The hardware next to the Air gauge is what screws to that portion. The large washer holds the M/C rim. See the plumbing dept.
- RU-Glyde 1 gal: $11 See your local Napa Auto Parts store. Best tire lube I’ve ever used. Get a spray bottle at Home Depot too.
- Wheel Weights: $20 JC Whitney #81UK4037P This box has lasted me years
- Tire tools: $15 each Motionpro.com You’ll want at least two 16″ and one short (much less for short). They also sell the Dunlop version for about $20 each. If you want Ti version see www.aerostich.com
- Tire Valve Tool: $4 Napa Auto parts
- Rim protectors: $5 for three at Kowa Tools Get two sets. Newbie installers tend to believe great force is needed to install tires and break the rim protectors with the tire irons.
- Rim hardware as previously mentioned
- Intercomp Tire Gauge: $70 Fill/Bleed and Read version
- Air supply for filling. This is my Nitrogen set up. See your local Welding Supply store. They can get you setup if you want to go this route.
- Tire Bead Breaker: $60 found at Aerostich. By far the best Bead Breaker I’ve ever used. Works every time.
The math you ask? Its close, and you probably don’t need to go with the top of the line Tire Gauge, but hey…
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I just stumbled upon your page while looking for a more premium tire bar for my Harbor Frieght MC tire changer … I see you are a pro tire changer and I just wonder even for portable use, why you don’t use a tire changer like the Harbor Freight one (or US made version) I know it needs a small modification to do thick cast rims but still wouldnt it be faster and easier than hand irons? I’m thinking of welding up a base for the HF MC changer that will fit into my trucks class three trailer hitch …. then it’s even more compact! Heck carrying around the big auto wheel I think is about as bulky as the HF MC tire changer…. no? I’m just real curious, certainly not being a smart ass or know it all Thanks