Tyre changing machine
Discussion
Yes, pay someone else to do it !
Assuming you want to buy new, you can get a machine and balancer for under £1k but that is right at the budget end of the market and doing a low profile 20" tyre would be an interesting experience for a novice and would almost certainly end up with you scratching up the alloy.
18"+ low profile tyres need a posh machine with the assistance arms on, you'll scratch the rim and/or knacker the tyre without them. Hence the machine will be more expensive.
15/16" normal profile tyres are easy and can be done on any old machine.
Id pay someone else to fit 20s as the machine will be so expensive - unless you can fit tyres for other people to recoup some of your costs. 15s/16s I happily fit myself - it's very easy. Don't forget you'll need a balancer as well.
15/16" normal profile tyres are easy and can be done on any old machine.
Id pay someone else to fit 20s as the machine will be so expensive - unless you can fit tyres for other people to recoup some of your costs. 15s/16s I happily fit myself - it's very easy. Don't forget you'll need a balancer as well.
I think the thing to look for is the assistance arm as above, but also a bead breaker that is not the traditional blade as despite having protective covers for the blade, damage still occurs, also the mounting of the rim on the table is usually also a damage source, covers seldom used, and fitters can't be arsed changing the grip from inner to outer anyway.
I have one that uses rollers to break the beads, with the wheel mounted on a sprung rubber pad, with extending arms to grip the inner rim each with a rubber block.
Been in storage for years and was never used much anyway, it's a Butler airdraulic which can be found around these days, i'm planning on keeping this one due to it's very low use, but have a look, you'll see what I mean. They were developed for run flat tyres in conjunction with Bridgestone if I recall and cost a bomb new. Runs on air only.
Other good machines may have an auto bead remover, but these are dearer again.
It is rare to find a shop using this higher end kit, even top brand dealers still use the old machines and wreck customers new rims.
Only my2p
I have one that uses rollers to break the beads, with the wheel mounted on a sprung rubber pad, with extending arms to grip the inner rim each with a rubber block.
Been in storage for years and was never used much anyway, it's a Butler airdraulic which can be found around these days, i'm planning on keeping this one due to it's very low use, but have a look, you'll see what I mean. They were developed for run flat tyres in conjunction with Bridgestone if I recall and cost a bomb new. Runs on air only.
Other good machines may have an auto bead remover, but these are dearer again.
It is rare to find a shop using this higher end kit, even top brand dealers still use the old machines and wreck customers new rims.
Only my2p
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