Who's done it? Is it worth it? How much of an investment are we talking about for tire changing equipment?

I'm doing it.

Cost about $100 for irons, rim protectors and a wheel holder.

Is it worth it??? Heck yeah.

One bit of advise: YOU WILL PUT AT LEAST A FEW small SCRAPES ON YOUR RIMS.

don't think you won't...unless you have some of that really good equipment talked about in this thread. Otherwise get your technique down. I still think it's safest to do your own new rims unless you have a really good shop.

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Worth the $$. You just need a way to hold the rim solidly as you work the bar.

You think that bar would work with a simple rim holder like this?

If so, what is he name of that bar?

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Thank you very much Eric...yes that all makes sense. I could see fastenning the wheel holder I have to a wooden pallet with some U-bolts. Then place the palet on cynder blocks to raise it higher.

I see the center bar is a lot longer in your pic. It would require a lot more than just dropping a steel pipe over the threaded rod on mine. That thing would not take much prying before it bent around and got loose. Would require some major bracing which prolly would mean some welding.

That NoMar bar is $125. I believe it was mentioned earlier in this thread or perhaps another thread. Now that I know I can do this and will continue, that bar would be a worthwhile investment. Right now, my rim holder and tire irons and rim protectors cost about as much as that NoMar bar.

BTW, thanks for condolences on the rim scrape. It is really minor though. It's right on the edge and about the size of a grain of rice. I couldn't ask for a more gentle wop upside the head. Lesson of that day: WHen using rim protectors, ALWAYS tie them off so they CANNOT slip out of place. THen you got bare iron wedged between your tire and your rim. I slid a plastic cottage cheese lid in there to help protect the rim while I pulled the iron out. That CC lid was sliced right through. second lesson of the day: DON'T use plastic bottles in place of rim protectors....no matter who tells you they work as well or better. If they split, they don't work at all.

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Thanks for all of the pics. I have a pretty good idea of how those bars work now.

I can't really tell from your picture how heavy duty the threaded rod that holds the rim down is...

not very. I's fine for holding down a rim but it would bend very easily if you pried against it even with a much shorter bar than the one you are using in your pics.

Yeah, I see your bar has nylon tips so there is no need to worry about rim protectors and instead of repositioning the bar, you get started and then just pull it around the whole diameter. cool. I'll probably get one ofthose bars some day and make some mods to the wheel holder I have now.

also...my 3 gallon pancake compressor worked just fine to set the beeds in the tire I just mounted. As long as all the air doesn't rush out in a few seconds, they'll even pop without using too high of pressure.

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Thanks again, Eric. My wheel holder is probably no less sturdy than that home made wheel holder you have posted.

I have a hard time believing that threaded rod could be used as a fulcrum to lever the tire changer bar all round the wheel diameter. As you pointed out, the last 6 inches get extremely tight---actually I would say the once you get much past the point where half the tire bead is pulled over the rim, bending or breaking something might happen without me knowing. I would think the rime might slide around on top of the rubber covered ring or the threaded rod get wedged around against the inside of the axle hole. The more the wing nut gets tightened, the better you could use the rod as a fulcrum for your Mojo Lever BUT also the more chance of bearings getting pressed out of place (so I have been told---if I am remembering correctly----at least My CZ rims are not supposed to be torqued to full 92' lbs at the axle nut)

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MAybe I am overestimating the amount of stress that would be put on the center rod. I should just try it with my OEM rims. Even so, I would have to change tires really often before I invested in one of those bars. Maybe some day but for now, good old tire irons seem to be the cheapest way to go. You do need to be careful with them though.

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