bowmanized

I just was quoted $200 bucks to put my stock tires on my new HREs. I keep recurring this cost at least 3-4 times a year. Hoosiers, Mickey Thompsons, and street rubber. I found this one...

http://www.rogerkrausracing.com/RKR/tiremachine.shtml

Or some others that are powered for $1200.

Are these easy to use without damaging the wheels?

Any suggestions?

0Vector Vette

I really don't think you want to put your HRE on that thing.

ICaughtVetteFever

I get mine done at a local tire place for about 20 a wheel, includes a no wheel touch tire installer and road force balance. Sounds like you are getting handled by your shop.

Slalom4me

Is that a bubble balancer in the RKR illustration? Gosh, I haven't seen
one of those in action since the 60's.

My vote is that a manual changer like the one shown in the RKR advert
is best suited for mounting narrower high profile tires on steel wheels.

.

jdonnelly

I have a used SnapOn balancer which does a great job. Most decent mounting machines will need 220 3 pole service and an air source. If you check around you should be able to find a decent machine used.

I dont have the space for the mounting so I bring them to a local shop and pay around $100 for dismount-disposal and remount.

Good luck
Jeff

JDIllon

I don't think you want to get your HRE wheels close to that machine let alone high performance tires. It takes a very high quality tire machine to change tires on our cars and not ruin the the tires or rims. Save your money and have your tires professionally mounted and balanced.Just my .02. JD

JRD77VET

Here's another idea. Click this link to the "Recommended Installers" at Tire Rack. http://www.tirerack.com/installer/index.jsp

Type in your zip code and check out who's close to you. They also list prices.

The installers have to have top of the line equipment to qualify.

Jeff

Bill Hetzel

Well, I've used Roger's machine many times to change race tires. It works Ok. If you're concerned about scratching your wheels, it's probably not for you. It will work with larger tires but, like any manual tire machine, it can be a lot of work.
An alternative to a new $1200 powered machine would be to find a used one. They're not hard to find. We just picked up a used Eagle machine for $450. It works great. 110volts and air compressor run it.

Bubble balancers: Been using these on race tires for years and years. I've never had a vibration doing this and we go thru a lot of tires.

$200 is insane to have 4 tires done. At the track, Roger Kraus Racing charges $50 for 4 including disposal.
The landfill fee here is $4.50 per tire.

Also, Roger Kraus is one of the best tire guys in the business, he's always at the west coast tracks and will sit down with you and talk about tires for hours. They also do high performance alignments on Vetts in their shop.

Oyishdog

I pay 60 for dismount, mount, balance, and disposal for 4 wheels...It is the best price I have found. Granted, probably over the past 4 years I could have half paid for my own system.

Falcon

Oh chit! I've got a guy who charges me $5 per wheel for dismounting, mounting and balancing per wheel. Heck, I hollered at him for being so high!

bobmoore2

Find a tire shop that isn't trying to rip you off! My neighborhood tire shop does all four for $60 to $80, depends on how generous the manager feels that day. You shouldn't pay more than $80 to $100 for all four.

Don't try to do it yourself. If you want it done right, leave it to the professionals.

Oyishdog

I dont...I pay 60 for all 4

Oyishdog

OK...Im going to big pine key for this service for now on...wow!

varkwso

He probably gets a discount since his track babes pick up and deliver his wheels...

Falcon

In fact, they hold the car up while he changes the wheels. He saves the expense of using a jack.

UstaB-GS549

I go to Walmart. $10 per tire. Old crappy looking machine. Never marked a wheel yet. I haven't seen a tire machine that doesn't protect the rim since maybe the 1960's.

The kids at Walmart love it when I bring in Corvette wheels and race tires. They usually ask if I want stick on weights or clip on and where would I like them placed.

varkwso

I get them mounted for $10 (farther away) or $15 (close to the house) - it has kept me from buying a machine so far. Jody's $5 is a killer deal!

Tire mounting, and remounting, is not an insignificant expense over the course of the year though.

ZR1 MK

High costs and crap workmanship in my area forced me to do my own. I mount and balance them with a manual bead breaker, 3 pry bars (wide flat wonder) and bubble balancer. Do them dry too, so they dont slide on the wheels. I recently had to do one at the track last month. Took 30 min to change in between runs. Ive got it down to a science, but if you dont, it will be worse than wrestling a wild bear and you might damage your wheels.

AU N EGL

Damn and I though my $11 / wheel was good.

0Randy@DRM

I drive about 2.5 hours round trip to our tire installer. After 14 years of bring him tires and wheels, I would never think of taking them anywhere else. Expensive wheels are a pain, and when they are customers it makes it even more important.

Race tires and wheels can be done on any piece of crap.

Randy