LS1vazquez

We all know with the addition to TPMS on most new age cars, the cost to outfit new rubber on wheels is getting pretty outrageous. It kinda defeats the purpose of buying tires from Tirerack and having them shipped if you have to shell out close to another 40-50 bucks per wheel to have them mounted if they are TPMS equipped.

So I'm just wondering. Lets say theoretically if I were to purchase a tire machine and balancer, how much use would it get if I were to make the machine available to you guys so you can personally mount your own tires and wheels? Would anybody on this forum be interested in anything like this?

Additionally, what would you be willing to pay to have access to this machine? I'm not trying to make a business out of this. I just want to expand my hobby and make it available to you guys. I understand that I'm probably not going to pay the equipment off totally but a little is better then nothing. You know how it goes. I just want to know if this stuff is actually gong to be used if I did buy it.

To give you an idea what I would be looking at, this would probably be the one I'm buying;
http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/Pr...11-ATTC589XDAA

It's pricey but I know you guys aren't trying to mount whitewalls on 15 inch steel wheels. To handle the huge diameter, small sidewall tires that are the norm these days these machines need to be built to handle that. Additionally, this can remove and install run flat tires.

03Sssnake

iTrader: (20)

where are you located? I have toyed around with the idea of picking up a used balancer and changer, but have never been able to justify it.

rayosequis

iTrader: (13)

Depending on where you're located, I may be interested.

LS1vazquez

I'm located on the SW side of Houston, near the Tri-City area. (Mo-Town, Sugarland, Stafford)

01z

iTrader: (3)

ahh too far. i get tires mounted and taken off ALL the time. i never go to the big name stores though, they want 15-20 bucks per wheel to mount and balance tires. and these wheels arent even on a car! they just want to sell tires. i go to the the little used tire shops. 5 dollars a pop.

keiffer

iTrader: (6)

I would be interested plus I am in your area in Sugar Land.

neutron82

iTrader: (26)

i don't like the look of that tire machine... if you're not careful that metal piece will gouge the **** out of the lip of your rim... the lower the profile tire or stiffer the sidewall the harder it is... the tire will actually push that piece onto the lip of your rim while it's rotating and it will trash the rim... we had a machine like that a few years ago and got rid of it and our new one has a free swinging arm and the piece that sits on the lip of the rim is plastic instead of metal so there is no risk of wheel damage... our old machine also had metal feet that held the inside of the rim and it would leave little gouge marks and the new one has thick rubber cushions over those feet so again no damage... just something to consider

02CamaroSSLE

iTrader: (5)

i would get a coats tire changer with a hunter balancer or the high end hunter changer... that is what we have at work (discount) the coats changer is very basic but easy to use and very durable... the hunter machines on the other hand are ok but they seem to break easier but we have a hunter machine at work that does not even touch the wheel at all so there is not chance on scratching the wheel... i dont even have to touch the tire to take it off the rim...

LS1vazquez

This is the feedback I need. Thanks.

SLV_WS6

iTrader: (48)

That metal piece is called a duck head and you can get plastic ones that will not harm the wheel. However putting some one on a machine like that that does not know the tricks of the trade can do more damage than that metal duck head. I look at it like this. I pay Discount tire to mount and dismount my chit. If they screw it up they pay for it not me. I use to work at Discount Tire for 6yrs. I still go there for tires etc. They accidentally messed up a wheel on two different vehicles and they told me to pick out a new set of wheels for one of them because they were discontinued. The other was the evo wheels on the T/A and due to poor construction they are easily damaged. They told me to pick a different wheel comparable in price. It's worth the money to have it done IMO.

02CamaroSSLE

iTrader: (5)

thus is true... if you dont know what your doing and dont know the tricks, it's not worth the headaches! but i do see yalls point... tires are indeed expensive!!! i mean you can watch all the instructional videos that the machine will come with, but there is nothing like hands on training/practice... like with low pro tires like 19,20+ it could be a real pain to get the bead to set on the rim... there are lot of tricks that you could try but even then sometimes those fail and we have to do some funky stuff... i think it would be cool if you did get the machine, and if it's a machine that i familiar with i would be more than willing to teach you how to work it... like i said in my earlier post i would get a coats machine, n a hunter balancer... i will try and find some links to them

neutron82

iTrader: (26)

not sure if that's sarcasm or not lol... a good tire machine/balancer combo is pretty expensive so i don't know if you could ever make your money back on it unless you charge $40-$50 a pop to use it which kinda defeats the whole purpose of getting it in the first place... plus would you really want to let just an average joe use a 5 thousand dollar setup at their own will?... i have a hard time letting people borrow hand tools so i prob wouldn't let anyone within 15ft of a tire machine... they just bought an on the car brake lathe that cost like 8 or 9 grand!... it is pretty badass yeah but jesus christ!... i have only seen it used maybe 3 or 4 times... everyone uses our old on car lathes since they are alot smaller and more practical or the bench lathe... plus after parts and paying the tech for the job it's gonna be a long while before it becomes cost effective and i'm betting it will be broke all to hell before that time comes lol

neutron82

iTrader: (26)

we have a badass hunter balancer... i think it's like a gsp2000 or something????... i only remember it's a gsp because of georges st pierre lol... i can find out the actual # if you want to check it out but it is by far the best balancer i have ever used

02CamaroSSLE

iTrader: (5)

this is the most common changer used my discount and works very good when you know how to work it... with the clamps on it it fits up to 22's and there are other clamps that fit up to 28's... here is the link
http://www.ammcoats.com/products_tire.aspx?id=111

here is the balancers we have at our work... it works very good very user friendly, takes like 10 min to learn how to use it... the older balancers are harder to use and not as accurate... heres the link
http://www.weightsaver.com/

SLV_WS6

iTrader: (48)

Not only have I seen some of the best tire people tear the beads on a new tire but I have done it my self. Some times it just happens no matter how long you have done tires. Man wouldn't that suck to tear the bead on your new 315 drag radial from trying to save a few bucks? I have seen wheels that are clamped on the machine pop off and fly across the shop 15-20 feet after bouncing a few times. Hey if you all do it your self that means less wait time for me at DTC.

02CamaroSSLE

iTrader: (5)

the 9200 or the 9600 we have both of those, and yes they are f'n awesome!!! 80% of the time i can balance out a tire in one spin even those big nasty chopped out mud terrains!!!

neutron82

iTrader: (26)

i like how it does it's best to get the weight on one side of the wheel only... and then the laser to mark the centerline for stick on weights, that's one of the best features to me... no more eyeballing it, makes it so much easier