Front Tire Change 79 Standard TKat Brace

[papanovember]

I just changed my front tire with my new harbor freight setup. I got the tire mounted and was putting it back on the bike, but was having trouble getting the left caliper centered. Do I need to loosen the TKat fork brace? I'm going to finish it tomorrow. I think I do, just been in the garage too long.

[bikerphil]

Loosen the fork brace and the fender, align the caliper with the rotor. Tighten the axle pinch bolts, front one first, then the rear one. Tighten the fender, then the fork brace last.

[papanovember]

Right, now I remember. Thanks again, Paul.

[Lettuceman]

How did the Harbor Freight tools work?

How did the HF tire changing tools work?

[papanovember]

Harbor Freight Tire Changer

It worked great once I did some simple modifications. I bought the Mojoblocks(do a search if you don't know what they are) to protect the rims while clamping. I drilled two holes in the demount end of the HF bar and pop riveted a piece of the thinnest cutting board I could find at Target. On the mount end, I cut up a Pert travel shampoo bottle and zip-tyed it to the end.
The right angle center bar holder was useless. The bead breaker works awesome! After you break the bead, just put the rim on the MC attachment, then insert the center bar. Tighten the the rim clamps and you are ready to start. Slip the demount end under the first lip, with the cutting board contacting the rim, and pull around the center bar. I used RuGlide from NAPA as a tire lubricant. It works great. Then repeat for the second lip.
For mounting, I heated the tire with a heat gun, lubed, then pushed on the first side. Mounting the second lip went smoothly until the last 8 inches or so...I ended up using a tire lever to get the lasy bit on. Piece of cake!
However, you must have the tire changer securely mounted to the floor. I used Red Head concrete anchors that accepted 1/2 " bolts for my garage floor.

[papanovember]

Mounting

Oh yeah, I used two small C-clamps while mounting the second lip. Pushed on the second lip a little bit and used the C-clamps to keep the bead down while I spun the mount tip around the center post. Definately worth the $131.00 bucks. Plus $30.00 for the Mojoblocks...Hope this helps...

[fredintoon]

- - - Definitely worth the $131.00 bucks. Plus $30.00 for the Mojoblocks...Hope this helps...

Hi papa,
that's $161 for the system. I haul my wheel to the bike shop and they bill me $30 an install. At the rate I buy tires I'll be nearly 80 years old by the time I break even.
Certainly if I were younger and if my sons wanted to use the changer too and if there was room in the garage to bolt the thing down, the arithmetic would be different.

[papanovember]

Ummm...I own four other bikes. Two street and two dirt. I ride quite a bit. Since I go through alot of tires, it's worth it for me, but doesn't sound like it would be woth it for you. Plus, it's 35 miles to the closest place that can change my street tires and they want you to buy tires through them. Ends up costing alot more than 30 bucks...

[jmnjrpa]

If they will mount tires that you bought elsewhere then the charge is 35 per tire around here (balanced).

[natemoen]

Soon enough I am going to need to buy that tire changer!