Specifically this one:
The thing that will bring me friends and prestige
What should I look for when I go preview it? How the heck do I use it? Should I? Or shouldn't I?
I know NOTHING about these tools, other than the fact that I spend a ton of money each year having tires mounted and dismounted.
Ensure before purchase that it can do as large of rim diameters as you want. As well, ensure that it can handle how wide of rims you may want.
Be ready for TONS of requests from friends to mount their tires for them as a favor. I mean TONS.
A lot of older machines are air powered. Make sure your compressor can handle it.
Otherwise, I know exactly what you mean. If/when my shop is built, one of the first things I plan to buy is a tire mounting and balancing set. Partly to save money, but mostly for the convienence of not having to spend an hour-plus driving to a shop I trust.
You'll stll have to get the new tire mounts balanced somewhere... Maybe talk to a local tire shop about a "club deal"??
Spring is coming, and snow tires will need to be changed soon, so can I add my name to your list of friends?? I'm in Ottawa 
There is a large 80gal compressor in the garage to supply it with air.
I changed all manner of motorcycle tires professionally for a few years on an un-powered machine, which was almost identical to this one, just without the air assist. That included ridiculously stiff-sidewalled sport-touring and touring tires designed for full-dress cruisers.
My boss had been a tire tech early in his life, and thought powered machines made it far too easy to amplify a mistake and wreck a wheel in short order. Was it a bit more work? Sure, slightly. But in my time there, having no prior experience mounting/dismounting tires, I didn't put even a tiny scratch in a single wheel. I think that says something.
Not to mention, since a manual machine is significantly simpler, it will basically last a lifetime.
For a hobbyist, a manual machine would be my recommendation. And you can do a fine job balancing with a static balancing setup, for that matter.
ggarrard wrote: You'll stll have to get the new tire mounts balanced somewhere...
Unless you are talking autocross only type of tires... I never ever balanced my A6s.
$600? You really going to be changing a lot of tires?
Might I suggest you contrast that against the lowly and cheap Harbor Freight manual tire changer? It works well. I've used mine off and on for years now. It's not cool or blingy, but it would allow you to spend some of that $600 on a used dynamic balancer. Which would complete the job.
Damn if I didn't have so many affordable tire shops so close by, I'd get one of those HF manual tire changers.
GameboyRMH wrote: Damn if I didn't have so many affordable tire shops so close by, I'd get one of those HF manual tire changers.
they destroy aluminum rims. and scratch all the paint off your steel ones on the edge. and are a pain in the ass and the post eventually bends when you are trying to break a stubborn bead. but once you fix it, and you're always breaking down scrap tires to keep the wheels, it's worth the $45.
got sick of pulling anchors out of the concrete and lagged it to my parents' deck. not sure how happy they are of that but it's working so far.
I own a restoration shop (Eclectic Motorworks). We service about 100 local cars per year and always have 3-5 major restoration-type jobs going in our 12,000 square foot building. We sell about 10 sets of tires per year and for us it's just not worth it to have tire equipment. We have the shop down the street do them for us. The cost/benefit and space needs of tire equipment does not make sense for us. Same thing for my personal stuff, I don't mind paying someone else to mount tires.
I'll also admit that I've mounted a lot of tires in a past life and never enjoyed it, so that's another reason why I don't do it now.
--Carl
Make sure, first, that Hoffman still exists, and then make sure they still supply parts for that unit. I've got a Coats machine that needs bearings in the turn plate, and since I can no longer buy the parts, the repair is going to involve mills and lathes...or more likely, a new machine. This one doesn't like 35 series tires, or anything larger than 18".
Quick and dirty training video for you (and yes, this is me, I made this vid to demo the machine to my students):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftVMXNNTbsA
I called Snap On they still support and sell parts for this unit
Holy crap.. Mikes on the internet now? (Crimson)
SkinnyG wrote: Quick and dirty training video for you (and yes, this is me, I made this vid to demo the machine to my students): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftVMXNNTbsA
That was great!!!
SkinnyG wrote: Quick and dirty training video for you (and yes, this is me, I made this vid to demo the machine to my students): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftVMXNNTbsA
Awesome video! I think you've sealed the deal. Thanks!
Excellent video, SkinnyG.
Just to elaborate on my point earlier about the manual version of this machine, let me point out the steps that require a modicum of elbow grease.
First, breaking the bead involves basically rotating the bead breaker on that machine 90° and laying the tire down, then using a lever with a variable fulcrum (for different tire widths) and putting your weight on it. Second, the...uh...grabby bits that slide in to actually hold onto the rim, you crank that down by hand. Finally, actually rotating the platform is done by hand, with a helper lever you can use if necessary for stiff sidewalls. That's it. There's really not a ton of manual effort involved with a well-designed machine like these.
Unless the thing is in near-constant use in a tire shop, I prefer the simplicity of the manual machine, personally.
foxtrapper wrote: $600? You really going to be changing a lot of tires?
Funny thing is, I'm figuring on spending a lot more. $2000 min. Whatever machine I get needs to be run-flat capable.
For me it's not about saving money, it's convenience. I don't have a tire place down the street from me I trust. Hell... the only mechanic I'd trust to work on my VW is on the other side of New Jersey (I'm in PA). In context with all of the other tools I own, a tire machine isn't much of a stretch.
It generally costs more than 100 to mount and balance 4 tires around here. What are others paying?
Same here: $100-$120/4. I know of a shop that will do it for $60 (1 hour labor), but they're 45 min away in Philly and don't have convenient hours.
Ive got a coats machine, I love it. Berk letting someone else mount your tires.
With TPMS, the secret to not ever damaging a sensor is: When dismounting, start at the sensor to get the bead away from the sensor first (do this with both top and bottom beads). Then when mounting the tire, have the sensor section of the tire fall onto the sensor area of the bead last (also top and bottom beads.
Hopefully that description makes sense.
ZOO wrote: It generally costs more than 100 to mount and balance 4 tires around here. What are others paying?
I just paid $75. I brought the wheels in loose so they were not obligated to service the TPM$
SkinnyG wrote: Quick and dirty training video for you (and yes, this is me, I made this vid to demo the machine to my students): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftVMXNNTbsA
That was great! If I had a teacher like you in high school I probably wouldn't have wasted my youth doing things that weren't auto shop.
Psychology, pfff.
After wasting most of the day trying to get someone to mount a pair of slicks, this thing would have paid for itself already.
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