I change most of my own tires, unless I'm in a crane on another job and one of the guys is on the side of the road. I'm just too tight to pay someone else to do it. I should clarify too, I won't do my big loader type tires off my RT crane, I know my limitations. Anyways, for the typical truck type tires, lo pro trailer, 17.5-22.5-24.5 through 425 floats. I do no super singles. I've just got the standard ken tool type tire bars. I ain't fast and I ain't good at it- that's one of those jobs I hope to never do it enough to be good at. But I'm wondering if anyone has used a set of the new style "wonder" bar/ cobra/etc. tire tools. I've watched the online videos, and those look like pretty new flexible sidewall michelin's that they're changing- not some old tire from 1987 that is hard as a bullet. Are the new tire tools worth spending the $ on, or just keep struggling along with what I currently use? I'm not much on gimmicky stuff, but if it would seriously make my life easier, I'm all about easy. First pic is what I've always used. Rest of the pics are of the new style stuff.
It's nice to see someone come up with something different . All I've ever used was a duck bill hammer, a couple of wrecking bars and plenty of sweat and cuss words. I'd like to hear if those tools in the photo work.
I own a set of Kent tool irons, and a duckbill, have had to resort to a little heavier machinery in the recent past to break some loose. Nothing I have tried to use or had for use worked any better unless can get a large tire handler changer as they use in the Big Commercial Tire shops(and those guys will STILL fall back to Irons at times!!)
we got a set of the ones with red handles (2nd pic) this fall. At first I thought they were kind of dumb, but once we started using them they work great. We have changed at least 20 tires with them so far. Mostly 22.5 and 24.5 tires on steel and aluminum rims. Use a little lube off and on. I would buy them again.
I borrowed those fancy ones from my brother-in-law(I have the regular ken tool ones). they worked ok but the one with 3 rollers had a couple rough edges that scraped the steel trailer rims. they would have really gouged my Alcoa rims. they need to have that rough edge polished off. if its an outer dual, I usually change the tire without removing the wheel but sometimes it takes just as long as if you'd just taken the whole thing off. trouble is, I only do occasional tires as needed so i'm not as fast as when I have several to do
I used the fancy setup in the second pic years ago when I worked for American Transfer. I did a lot of tires there. Tubeless and widow makers. Those tools we awesome once I learned the nuances of them. I could have a tire off the wheel before I could have gotten both irons where I liked them to pop the first bead over the wheel. Back then they were stupid expensive. Now they aren’t bad. I’ll come visit and strut my stuff haha.
We have one like the red one i dont like them because you have to jerk on it make it work and my back dosent like that. I would rather use plain tire bars.
i am about has worthless has a set of boar tits when in comes to tires,but became a little more dangerous with this. also a bead setter i built, and just a regular set of spoons
I bought a cheap air driven tire changer...brand new RB auctions 900 cnd bucks....best investment ever...
Beads already popped and PLENTY of Bead lube on those tires in the video!! Bigger the tire usually easier to slip off, I USUALLY change rear tractor tires ON the tractor as easier. Bad Bead, BAD BAD Bead!!
I have no experience in these tools. I usually watch the Mexicans do it while I drink my coffee. LOL
I got a Cheap-O cobra style to try out when I did the service truck. The dismount tool worked pretty slick once I got the hang of it, not sorry I got it. I'm not sure if it will work on 17.5's though.
Yeah the 17.5 low pros on my trailer are the nasty ones...
A few years ago my dad bought the blue bar. I tried it one time... got frustrated and have not used it since. He struggled with it for quite sometime and has evidently got it figured out because he still uses it. I feel that for the most part I can do it just as fast using the old tire irons. But that being said, a friend got a gold bar awhile back that seems to work alot better than our blue one. I also noticed that the tire shop where I buy some tires uses the gold bar. I should mention that ours and my buddies are only used with 22.5 and 24.5 tires. I seem to recall the issue with the blue bar had to do with being able to grab the second bead while dismounting. Like I said though, I only tried it once.
The second bead took a little to figure out on the dismount. I probably looked like I was doing some sort of tribal dance that involved lots of swear words at first.
In a past life I did lots of truck tires and ran a OTR tire truck for a few years. Used to go to a school district and do 50 11-R22.5 dismounts and mounts in a morning.(they were already off the busses) I only use the ken-tool style with the nub ground off. Can do 10 dismounts and mounts on a truck and get the paperwork done in an hour.
Les Schwab is my tire iron.
I'm not fast either, but the ken-tool bar helped me. Did you have problems with the nub damaging beads too?
I've thought about doing that with my bars. I've actually got a old school spoon with no nub, just a spoon on one end and the shaft, and I prefer it when mounting. It's just that its a little shorter than the other bars, so I run out of leverage (probably more technique than leverage), I wish it was 1' longer. I think I mostly just end up using brute force, instead of technique, just because I don't do it enough. A longer bar may not be my friend. I also think one of those bead/ rim lock tools would be handy once in a while, with one that wants to keep sliding back off. I will also say- I've never changed one without dismounting it from the truck/ trailer. I've seen it done that way, but never done it myself. Thanks for all the replies guys. I really appreciate it. I think I might look into one of the "golden" tools with the rollers or the ken-tool that's like it (blue cobra). They're all around the $300 mark. I'd prefer us made if I can, rather than a chinese knock off. Do the rollers really help in not scratching the aluminum rims? I will admit to putting scars on some aluminums when mounting with my tire bars, but you don't notice so much from 30' away if its rolling 40mph .
No problem with damaging beads. Just grind the nub off to make then thinner and slide better. I also have a gold tool. To me it’s too slow and awkward.
D Miller . I love your bead buster . I only do my own split rims (25 inch ) ,I let a tire man do the rest but I break em down a bit like that
I beat on that until winded with a Duckbill Sledge for tires never budged, sat the bucket on it a good two minutes before it finally let go!! Some days just have to improvise.
We have a bar with the nub gone its alot better that way. At one place i worked we used a jackhammer to brake tires down.
Good lube!! Get a bucket of Murphy’s and use lots. Makes all of the difference.
I bought this: AME 71050 'Golden Buddy' Tire Mount/Demount Tool https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FF397TW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_0C8wCbEBGGJRZ and was very happy with it. I didn’t do 425s or 17.5” with it, but I did swap several tires on aluminum wheels, some still on the truck. I sold it with a truck in 2016, but wouldn’t hesitate to buy one again if the need came up.