[smokinchevy]

i have one of them cheap Chinese self tire mounting machines if you want to call it that... anyways i have done a few sets of atv tires on it and i was wondering if it could handle truck tires. im sure it wont handle breaking the bead, but i can do that with other techniques im sure. i figure i can save some money if i mount em myself and balance them with beads. they are 285 bfgs and going on 8" aluminum rims but i need to get them off the stock wheels first. also setting the bead, i have had success with a ratchet strap around the tire to push the sidewalls out on atv tires, but once again, good enough for a truck tire? or will i have to resort to the kerosene method...

 

[rdeterman]

you can try.. but to me scratching or gouging the wheels isnt worth it to me... plus your still going to have to balance them so if it were me id just take it to a tire shop... JMO

 

[LMM_Guy]

I've done it, and with a bigger sidewall tire it really isn't that bad. Use lots of soap and get a buddy. Have him stand on the bead where you start it over the rim, while you walk around the rim pushing the bead on. I think you'll be surprised how easy it is. On truck tires it's rare that I need to break out the big screw drivers to shove the bead over the rim. Depending on your wheel to tire width difference you may not need a ratchet strap. 285's on stock wheels and you could pump it up with a 12v air pump. 265's on 8.5" H2's and you'll need a ratchet strap and some luck.

If the beads will balance the tire you are good to go...I've never tried them, but they may work just fine.

 

[TheGatherer]

It's not too bad putting the bead back on the rim if you use 2two of the elcheapo tire tools from Harbor Freight...

On the bead balancing,... I use #7 steel birdshot, it works just as good as the beads and if you change the tire/s you can use a magnet to get it out and reuse it. I've been using this stuff for over 7 years, no problem. Use a mail scale to measure, and a small plastic bottle with one of those plastic tubes that come on a 'Slime' bottle, let the air out, put the plastic tube over the valve stem and hold an electric razor or vribratory sander to the tube and the shot will go right in,.... or just put them in the wheel just before you reinflate it.... I noticed it takes a little driving to smooth out, but it only gets better and better...

 

[smokinchevy]

cool. so i take it i should be able to do it then. i have to order some center caps first so i will try it out when i get them. should i go with a 5" or 3" tall center cap? 5" seems to be the norm. this is pretty much what i have to work with http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=34542

 

[thebirdman]

I would honestly just have a good tire shop to the work for you. It shouldn't cost you more than 50 bucks and you get them balanced the right way. At least this is what I would do since I like things done well and right.

 

[smokinchevy]

the shop charged me $75. i like things done cheap as pssible so long as its not considerably worse then the expensive route (i don't think it is), and i generally LIKE to do it myself when it comes to stuff on my truck, so this seems like the way to go for me. i also plan on painting them and it would be much easier to do before i set the bead and put valve stems on. im still not sure about the beads, everyone seems to say they work but im a little skeptical.


anyways, centercaps... are they suposed to be 5" tall or 3.5" tall for an 8" rim? 3.5 would put it about even with edge of the rim which is how most of the aftermarket rims are, but the stock ones stick a few inches out from the edge. so i don't know.

 

[TheJDMan]

I would honestly just have a good tire shop to the work for you. It shouldn't cost you more than 50 bucks and you get them balanced the right way. At least this is what I would do since I like things done well and right.

I take it you are one of those people who think balancing beads don't work. Well don't knock'em till you've tried'em. I can tell you that the beads are no more or less the "right way" to balance a wheel than old school weights. IMO, beads work better that the clipon or stick on wheel weights, they don't damage the wheels, you don't have the ugly weights stuck to your wheels and you never need to have the tires rebalanced every 5000 miles.

BTW, I used my Harbor Freight tire tool to break beads and mount/unmount my truck tires with no problem. The trick is to lube the tire beads well. I use silicone spray, some use soap. In either case the trick is leverage.

 

[smokinchevy]

great, that's all the motivation i need. definitely gonna do it myself. thanks for the input.