# Scratch Free DIY Tire Mounting



## samdog (Mar 29, 2010)

Using a modified Harbor Freight tire changer and No-Mar bar I am able to mount and demount stiff sidewall, high performance tires in my own garage without a helper. This is completely scratch free -- no metal tool ever touches the wheel.
Total cost with some coupon codes was $210.
Tools needed:
Harbor Freight Tire Changer http://www.harborfreight.com/c...34542
No-Mar Mount/Demount Bar http://www.nomartirechanger.com/products/6
Bessey DuoKlamps (3) http://www.lowes.com/pd_179667...No=30
First modify the HF changer by cutting off the single pin and bracket that is supposed to keep the wheel from turning. Grind the remaining bracket down smooth and then drill and file 5 slots 2" long around the mounting plate to match most wheel bolt patterns. With the slots cut correctly almost any wheel bolt pattern will fit. Here are the slots in the process of being cut:








You will use these slots to securely mount any wheel using it's own OEM lug nuts or bolts. After your slots match all the bolt patterns you may need, grind and sand the mounting plate nice and smooth. To protect the mounting face of the wheel, I cut a mounting plate pad from heavy duty shop floor foam. I also ground the sharp point on the bead breaker rim holder to a flat top. Then I got a little carried away and painted the tire changer with some metallics I had laying around. Here is the final product with the mounting pad and the No-Mar bar:








I made a platform from some old plywood and 2x4s and mounted it to the garage floor using Hilti 1/2 " concrete anchors. This picture shows the wheel mounting hardware made from OEM lug nuts and 14x1.5 mm hex bolts with fender washers. I also sprayed a 2x4 with rubber undercoating and bolted it to the bead breaker leg of the unit's base. This is to lay the wheel on when using the bead breaker. The bolt heads are recessed into the 2x4:








Now we are ready to get started. But not with the GTI though. We are going to mount Firestone Firehawk GTs on newly refinished, blemish free Enkei 16s. This is about the scratch free aspect of mounting. I won't go into tire mounting procedures -- they're available all over the net.








Secure the wheel to the tire changer by putting the hex bolts up through the mounting plate and tightening down the OEM lug nuts. For a VW, it's just the opposite; put the wheel bolts down through and tighten them with fender washers and 14x1.5 mm nuts. Snug it down -- crush the foam pad a bit. There's no metal contact and the wheel will not move when the fun starts.
With the inner bead over the rim, start the outer bead with the No-Mar bar. As the No-Mar bar seats the outer bead, follow it around compressing the tire with the DuoKlamps. The design of the DuoKlamps makes this easy with no contortions -- the handle is upright, facing you:








No stiff sidewall, high performance tire will ever go unless the outer bead is completely in the drop-center. Continue compressing the tire until the outer bead is completely below the seat rim in the drop center:








With the DuoKlamps holding the outer bead in the drop-center, the No-Mar bar will easily go the rest of the way and stretch the bead into place. Here is the 4th tire finished in about an hour: 








No metal tire irons came anywhere near these shiny rims -- only the lubricated, nylon pins of the No-Mar bar ever touched the wheels. 
You can mount tires by yourself -- the DuoKlamps hold the tire compressed better than a helper. Now your friends can sit and watch you work and make "helpful" comments.


_Modified by samdog at 1:35 AM 3-29-2010_

_Modified by samdog at 1:41 AM 3-29-2010_


_Modified by samdog at 1:53 AM 3-29-2010_


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## audi666 (Jul 8, 2003)

*Re: Scratch Free DIY Tire Mounting (samdog)*

Cant see the pictures at work but def want to check them out.
want to help me pop off some tires soon


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