Mounting/dismounting tires at home?

[theholycow]

I've got some tires I'd like to try (taller tires to raise my gearing) and for the purposes of my experiment I'd like not to pay $12 each to mount/balance them.

There are various instructions online for mounting tires. Can anyone suggest a particularly good one?

What about dismounting? I didn't find any instructions with a small amount of googling, and I guess I'm feeling a little lazy. I don't want to destroy the existing tires or mess up the plain steel wheels trying to crowbar the tires off.

[GasSavers_maximilian]

Could you post the how-to links? I bought a spare set of rims to address this issue for my winter vs summer tires, but that's useless to you.

[theholycow]

Text:
http://www.ehow.com/how_4693820_mount-car-tires.html

Video:
http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to/vi...-a-rim-259708/
(I haven't watched the video yet.)

Google provides pretty well when asked.

[GasSavers_maximilian]

Using starter fluid to seal the bead is pretty nifty. Saw a PBS program about these guys salvaging a downed WWII bomber and they did that with huge tires. Braver than I am (but that says little).

[theclencher]

I'll do almost any and every repair at home... but for the low cost of having someone with a tire machine do tires vs. fighting with them at home, that's one thing I hire out.

Sometimes I won't pay for balancing though. I've had good luck putting the wheel in question on the back of my fwd (free spinning), jacking it up, give it several whirls, and mark the 6 o'clock spot every time. If the marks pretty much line up, there's your heavy spot, throw a weight on opposite that. When the marks look pretty much random, that's when I call it good.

[theholycow]

Well, I've got crappy tires that I want to experiment with and then replace once I have results. I've also got no money. I figure I struggle and mount them, then just pay to get them balanced.

[theclencher]

bass-ackwards!

[theholycow]

That's how I roll!

[civic94]

hey its really your call. for myself, I wouldnt do it, just for a fact that the tries are the only thing thats keeping the car on the ground going 60mph+. its more of a safety thing.

i understand that at 12 bucks a pop, for 4 tires and taxes will cost about 50 bucks in labor total, but I would much rather be a little safe. I pretty much done every car problem by myself, except for tires

[theclencher]

I just looked at the ehow and... I don't think so.

Using OIL to lube the bead?!? Rubber doesn't like oil.

Plus he's starting with a bare wheel and tire- try breaking the bead at home without getting violent. Yeah you could drive over a tire lying on the ground with something else, but I'd only do that if I was junking that tire.