Modern Vespa

I needed to change the rear tire on my ET4. In the past I had used manual tire irons and wanted a quicker and non-marring way.

I bought the Harbor Freight Mini Tire Changer for $29.00 (on sale) and the No-Mar Mounting/de-mounting bar for $99.00.
The No-Mar Bar also came with extra tips and lube.

The picture below shows the four holes I put into my garage floor with a hammer drill and installed 4 threaded drop-in anchors.
I got the drop-in threaded anchors from Lowes.


The Harbor Freight Tire Changer was then bolted to the floor.


Mount the deflated ET4 tire onto the Tire Changer and use the bead breaker bar to break the bead.


Flip the tire over on the Tire Changer and break the other bead.



Flip the wheel back on the Tire Changer with the shiny side up. Spray lube between the rim and the tire bead.
Insert the No-Mar demount bar as shown below. An rotate the bar until the top bead is off of the rim.



Pull the tire up and insert the demount bar as shown being sure to spray plenty of lube to allow the second bead to slip off the rim.


Clean the spray lube from the rim with a rag.


Use the paste lube to lube the inside edge of the bead from 10:00 o'clock to the 2:00 o'clock position.


Push the lubed tire onto the rim as far as you can and keep the bottom bead in the middle of the rim.
Keeping the tire valve at about the 2:00 o'clock position.


Using the Harbor Freight mounting bar, roll around the rim pinching the first bead onto the rim.


Lube the top bead in the 10 to 2 o'clock position and use the mounting bar by pinching the bead over the rim.
Be sure to hold the bead that is below the rim in the middle of the rim.
This will give enough space for the bead above the rim to snap over the last bit of rim with the mounting bar.


Without inserting the the valve core, blow the tire up to assure both beads are seated on the rim fully.
About 30 to 40 PSI should do it.
Watch you fingers when doing this.
You will likely hear a pop confirming proper seating of the beads.


Allow all the air to exhaust from the tire and insert the tire valve core and re-inflate to the proper pressure.


Replace the Valve cap and remove the tire from the Tire Changer.


Unbolt the Tire Changer and store out of the way.


I wasn't able to use the No-Mar bar for mounting the scooter tire.
The No-Mar mounting end was too large to fit inside the smaller scooter tire.
The Harbor Freight mounting bar worked well. However, I did mount a plastic cover
on the Harbor Freight bar to keep from scraping the rim edge when
mounting the tire.

MODIFICATIONS TO THE HARBOR FREIGHT TIRE CHANGER BAR

Below shows how I modified the Harbor Freight Mounting Bar with rim protectors to help
prevent any scratching of rims. Rim protectors can be purchased from many sources.
Here is just a few.

http://www.dual-star.com/index2/Tools/rim_protectors.htm
http://store.themotorcyclezone.com/131-0046.html


Rim Protectors and Harbor Freight Mounting Bar


Using a bandsaw and a utility knife, I shaped the rim protectors to fit the shape of the
Harbor Freight Mounting Bar.

Cut Rim Protectors to Fit Mounting Bar


I drilled 1/8" holes in the top side of the rim protectors and mounting bar but not through
the other half of the rim protectors. I used four 1/8" pop rivets (two for each rim protector)
to attach the rim protectors.

Pop Rivet Rim Protectors to Mounting Bar


This is a contact tip from No-Mar that I intent to mount on the demounting end of the
Harbor Freight Bar. More on how to do that later.

No-Mar Contact Tip



Comments from others about the Harbor Freight Motorcycle Tire Changer. Not the Mini Tire Changer.
http://news.motorcycle.com/article.motml?sid=4746&mode=nested&order=0&thold=1

Now you have a ready to install tire and rim for your scoot.
But what do you do with the old tire?
If you have a miniature Tug Boat... that's a great place for old scoot tires.
They make great fenders!


See www.littletoot.com for more details on the Tugboat & Party Barge

Last edited by ExonicJay on Tue Apr 24, 2007 7:01 pm; edited 4 times in total

Great write up, the pictures help so much. Thank you for doing this.

Oh if that is your boat, way cool by the way, Beale.

Jay,

Thanks so much for taking time to post this additional information. Do you feel that the No-Mar tools are really necessary? Could the job be done with the Harbor Freight tool without damaging the wheel?

Bill

You rock, Jay!

Thats a great review Jay. I guess I will be going to HF after work today hehehe

Very nice....

And good find on the 'no-mar' bar.

I need this.....

R

The No-Mar bar and lube really works well for removing the tire without damaging the rim.

However, the No-Mar Bar (double tipped mounting end) doesn't work for mounting the replacement tire.
Scooter tires are to small for the bar to be placed inside the carcass of the tire.

I used the Harbor Freight bar for mounting the replacement tire but modified it with some rim protectors.

I will append the Project Report posting with pictures of the modified Harbor Freight Bar when I get my camera back.
I loaned it to a friend for a few days.

thanx

R



Oh, do you have the order number for the tire changer? I know harbor freight has different numbers for the same item on sale.....could save a $10 spot....

Buy the Mini Tire Changer from Harbor Freight for $39.00 (sometimes $29.00 on sale)
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=34552

Buy the No-Mar mount/demount bar for $99 (you also get lube and extra contact points)
http://www.king-cart.com/n0m5rent/product_name=No-Mar%2BMountDemount%2BBar/exact_match=exact

Watch the No-Mar videos for best technique of changing tires
http://www.nomartirechanger.com/V2/videohome.html

You won't mar any rims with this equipment and technique.

The above information was posted earlier on:
http://www.modernvespa.com/forum/topic10297.html

The NO-Mar bar works very well for removing the tire without any damage to the rim but I wasn't able to use it for mounting the tire.

The Harbor Freight Bar that comes with the Mini Tire Change will work without modification but you will have to use rim protectors to prevent rim damage.

I modified the Harbor Freight Bar by pop riveting rim protectors to the mounting end of the bar. It works great.

I am in the process of mounting a No Mar Contact Tip on the Harbor Freight Bar for removal of the tire from the rim without damaging the rim.

I will post when I have the modification completed.

The link you posted is not for the Mini Tire Changer. That link is for the more expensive tire changer intended for motorcycle tires. I have no experience using the motorcycle tire changer from Harbor Freight.

How hard would this project be without the NOMAR bar? Im not sure i want to spend the money on it yet. Do you think its possible to change the tires without marring the rims using only the Harbor Freight tool and rim protectors?

Yes, I think you could change a GTS tire with the standard Harbor Freight Bar with rim protectors, lots of lube and taking your time.

I changed two ET4 and one GTS tires this way without any scratches left on the rims.

Two key things... Lots of tire lube and keep the opposite tire bead well pushed down into the valley of the rim while de mounting and mounting. This allows for ease of removal and mounting.

The No-Mar video points this out as well.

Good luck.

Great Info.

Now what do we do about balancing?????

I have the HF tire changer, and just the HF tire spoon (the big 24" one.) I removed the tire OK using some liquid soap. I removed it from the back rather than the front, so as to not visibly damage the wheel. It worked pretty well, but I scuffed some of the paint off and left some red on from the de-mounting tool.

I then cleaned the tire up reall well and waxed the front and back.

Putting it on was a whole 'nother matter! I wish I'd had some rim protectors or other material to allow the red-painted tool to slide along better. The flat part would dig into the edge and start peeling paint. Even after coming inside and reading Jay's post again, I still couldn't get the second side on. I thought I'd have to take it to a bike shop to finish.

Finally, I watched the videos on the link that Jay provided, and one showed how to use multiple tire spoons and wood blocks to work your way around. I used one large screwdriver (I don't recommend this) the tire spoon, and half a dozen wood shims and finally got around the tire. I used paste wax, which is not recommended, either, but I carefully washed it off after I got the tire on. I'll be ordering some more spoons and the no-mar wax for the next time. I held the tire down away from the rim and used 600 w/d sandpaper to smooth up the scuffed edges, and it has held pressure fine for a week now.

Be sure to get the rotation correct, or you'll be taking the tire back off. Also be sure to put the yellow circle over the tire valve to help balance the tire.

Thanks for the tutorial and especially for the link, Jay. It saved my ass, because the bike shop was closed the next day and it was the last thing I did before installing the exhaust on the engine reinstallation.

Here is what I use to balance tires and check rim run out.

Tire Balancer


Checking Rim Run Out


Checking Rim Run Out With Dial Indicator

Nice setup, and nice shop, Jay! A woodworker to boot, huh? (See if you can find my woodshop in the garage photo thread. There's a 15" drill press, 14" w/m bandsaw, 24" scroll saw, 10" contractor's saw, 12" SCMS, and a freestanding router table hiding in there somewhere.)

Did you turn the balancer, or buy one?

I got the balancer on Ebay. I don't recall exactly from who. But it works very well.

Smorris:
I couldn't find your wood shop but I see you have a 1991 Miata. I have a 1990 red one. Thinking about selling it. It has 15,000 miles and I don't drive it much. Rather take a scooter instead.

Mine's for sale, too, as soon as I pt on a new muffler and get it all detailed. Two scoots, two roadsters, too much fun!

No wonder you couldn't find my shop. Neither can I! (Sideswiping your thread again...)



It isn't that messy any more. That was over the winter. But from the MG over it still looks exactly like that!

Wow interesting thread and a sure fire way to make instant friends in the scooter club if you have got one of these!

Bump!

Armed with sunshine, high hopes, and modern vespa reviews, I purchased one of the Harbor Fright Mini tire changers and went to town. I'm a pretty handy guy and have a full shop, mostly for woodworking. I took my time, reasoned, and thought about each action. About five hours later, both tires were done, both rims scratched, and I had vowed to NEVER do such a thing again. The next day as I was lamenting my sore back and shoulders, a friend told me that her husband's shop will mount and balance tires for free if you buy them through his on-line catalog. Damn!

Hi zawalis:

Sorry to hear you had so much trouble changing your tires.
It's not for everyone and does require some strength and skill to master.

Did you use rim guards?

1) Buy a new wheel
2) straighten the wheel with a press
3) Turning the wheel on a lathe if out of round is minor

Hmmmm. I thought I had both.

Hi Jay, I have looked at this write up a few times over the last couple of years and thinking of doing tire changes on my own now. Thanks for the info! By any chance did you look at this set as well: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=34542. I was thinking at looking at this one so I don't have to crawl around on the ground.

Has anyone else there used any other type of home tire mounting set up?

The larger machine was tried by somebody quite a while ago, and it didn't work. I seem to remember a problem about not being able to handle the Vespa rims, but can't find the thread to confirm that. Was the rim hole too small to fit the large tool? Dunno.

cheers

Mini tire changer works fine. As far as the lever goes, I got one of these:

http://home.comcast.net/~prestondrake/mojoweb.htm

Works fine with scooter and motorcycle tires. It fits in the tire nicely and works well. The scoot's stiff tiny tires are hard to mount, you need patience, some muscle and some lube.

P.

Thanks for the info guys. I think I will probably pick up the mini changer and the Mojo bar at some point.

Just thought I'd add my two cents.

The HF tire changer is great for breaking the bead.

A couple of small irons and a small piece of innertube to protect the rim is all I use to demount (lots of soap!)

To install the new tire, I use (again) LOTS of soap, small iron w/ rim protector, BRUTE HUMAN FORCE and a heavy rubber faced tire hammer (to hit tire, not rim)

I have found that the less metal that touches the rim....The better!

BTW line up the yellow mark on the tire with the valve stem.

more good info.. thanks! might have to stock up on soap at the .99cent store!

Windex works just as good as the NO-MAR

I also use a KY lube water mix

I vote that this needs to be in the WIKI.

you can also put a layer of ducktape on the rim surface to aid in rim protection while mounting the tire. works all the time on automotive rims

I promised to post the modification of the Harbor Freight Mini Tire Bar to
accommodate the No-Mar de-mount tip.

Cut the ball end of the HF bar with a hacksaw leaving a 1/2" long shank remaining.


Taper the end with a file or grinding wheel to eliminate any burs and sharp edges on the HF bar
making sure the two prices fit togeather snugly.


Cut a 1" thin-wall electrical conduit to 10" long.
The conduit really measures 0.91" OD and 0.81ID.
Taper the cut end with a file removing sharp edges.

Push the NO-Mar De-Mounting tip into the conduit.
You will have to use a hammer to persuade the tip completely
into the conduit since the shank diameter of the No-Mar tip is
about 0.002" or 0.003" larger than the ID of the conduit.

Place the conduit with the No-Mar tip onto the end of the Harbor Freight bar
and tap the bar to force the HF tip (1/2") into the hole in the
No-Mar de-mounting tip.


You are ready to change scooter tires without scratching the rims.

If you don't have the No-Mar De-Mounting tip, they can be purchased at the link below. $24 for 3 tips.
http://www.nomar-secure.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=demount+tips+

Ok, I just went to the link posted below to buy a no-mar tip and there is a posted notice at the bottom of the page that states I may not purchase tips unless I am a registered owner of a No-Mar Mount / Demounting Bar? What with that? How do I get a tip / tips? Do I ignore the posting and attempt to purchase tips? Is there another source? Are they available on E Bay for example??? Hmmmm RV Dave

http://www.nomar-secure.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=demount+tips+

Sorry guys, I didn't know about the No-Mar policy about selling there replacement tips.

I guess you will have to purchase the No-Mar Bar to become an authorized customer.

Jay, Thanks for your posts. RV Dave