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 Posted: Dec 8, 2016 12:24PM
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Try Ruglyde rubber lube, made to mount tires, lots of other uses from grommets, wind screen seals, suspension bushes, etc. under $15.00 a gallon, will last years around the garage, much better than soap.

 Posted: Dec 3, 2016 03:20PM
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US
I pressed all my tires on with my hands and some dish soap .

Popped the bead from the old tires with a regular old tire machine.

 Posted: Dec 3, 2016 10:35AM
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The shop i use in bala cynwyd, Nick Falcone Enterprises hasn't had any issues mounting 10 or 12" tires for me.

 Posted: Dec 2, 2016 12:01PM
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CA
Great to know that many rely on powered equipment to mount their tyres/tires.  However, I will continue with the KAL Tire staff who get it right by hand every time.

They have been faultless over the years with 13", 14", 15" & 16" on every thing from early Civics to MGB to Jeeps.

 Posted: Dec 1, 2016 05:33AM
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Good point about balancing.  I'll probably just talk to some of the local tires guys and see what they say.  My wheels are fairly unique so don't want to damage them!

'73 Innocenti Mini (non-export)

Morristown, NJ

 Posted: Dec 1, 2016 04:58AM
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US
I used the Harbor Freight changer for my last set of tires mounted on steel rims.  It is not hard to use at all once it is bolted down.  Of course... you still have to balance those mounted tires.  A HF bubble balancer costs more than the changer.

Doug L.
 Posted: Dec 1, 2016 04:31AM
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US
Quote:
Originally Posted by specialist
This english speaking guy in the video makes tire changing look so easy.... And he's splashing some yellowish colored liquid to the tire,  i wonder what's that yellowish liquid is??  Are you thinking what im thinking??

https://youtu.be/tRAS1A6eEV0
Tony, I don't think ANYONE is thinking what you're thinking. Ever. Not even close.

 Posted: Dec 1, 2016 02:00AM
 Edited:  Dec 1, 2016 02:23AM
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This english speaking guy in the video makes tire changing look so easy.... And he's splashing some yellowish colored liquid to the tire,  i wonder what's that yellowish liquid is??  Are you thinking what im thinking??

https://youtu.be/tRAS1A6eEV0

 Posted: Nov 30, 2016 09:59PM
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US
I did my 10" steel wheels and tires with 2 or 3 large screwdrivers and soapy water for lube took about 15 minutes to do all 4. No damage or leaks I guess I should have them balanced but it runs down the road smooth. 

Jeff

 Posted: Nov 30, 2016 05:13PM
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I went to my local Costco because they were the only place open on Sunday. They wanted to know the specs and info for the tires, if they were the correct size for the rims, what PSI to inflate to, and how many foot lbs to torque to. Otherwise they had no issues with mounting.

 Posted: Nov 30, 2016 05:06PM
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i had all my tire replacements done at a tire shop, my minis, scooters and trailer tires. they simply dip the tire on a bucket of warm to hot water for about 2 minutes before they to the replacements, never had any breakages so far.

i told myself, well it makes sense,, a cold tire is vulnerable to breaking from stretching because the molecules are tight and compacted, not readily bendable.

 Posted: Nov 30, 2016 04:54PM
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When I was a tire person at a national chain we never had any wheels smaller than 13" in diameter.  The biggest risk is when breaking the bead on a tire machine.  The stiffer and shorter the sidewall the more risk.

 Posted: Nov 30, 2016 04:13PM
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As already stated it's not the machine that's the problem it's the operator! It's skill and feel for the job that counts, I've seen these tyre shop guys just keep standing on the button when the machine stalls because the bead is not far enough into the wheel well to allow the tyre to go over the wheel rim, on a 15in tyre there's enough "give" in the tyre bead to stretch it over but not a 10in tyre hence the ripped tyre bead. If the operator had any sense of feel or skill he would have stopped and taken another go at it.............

Mini's are like buses they come along in a bunch

 Posted: Nov 30, 2016 03:08PM
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US
The Harbor Freight machine works well. I have had several tire shops over 2 decades remove and/or replace several dozen tires with no damages: you just need to seek out somebody who will do the job using experience and plenty of patience. The only damage to a wheel was by me at a friend's auto repair shop using their tire changer. For a handy guy, it doesn't seem to be one of my abilities. Randy

 Posted: Nov 30, 2016 03:05PM
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GB
In 40-odd years of watching Mini tyres be fitted, I've never seen them done any way other than on a normal tyre fitting machine - the sort that clamps the rim and spins the wheel round while the tyre is dismounted and a new one fitted.

 Posted: Nov 30, 2016 01:17PM
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There is no special skill i did my first set myself when i was 16 years old with 3 tire irons, the hardest part was breaking the bead loose. Some rims depending on the depth/offset need to have tires removed from the back side, just use lots of soapy water/lube when doing the job.
Harbor freight sells a cheap tire changer that works reasonably well.
My tire store does mine (10's and 12's) with a regular no damage tire machine.

If in doubt, flat out. Colin Mc Rae MBE 1968-2007.

Give a car more power and it goes faster on the straights,
make a car lighter and it's faster everywhere. Colin Chapman.

 Posted: Nov 30, 2016 12:12PM
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I guess i'll ask around, is there any "special skill" involved, or something I could learn?

'73 Innocenti Mini (non-export)

Morristown, NJ

 Posted: Nov 30, 2016 11:25AM
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CA
I have used KAL Tire here in British Columbia.  I ask them, they understand and they happily mount my 10" & 12" tires by hand - NO POWERED equipment.

I had a pair of NEW winter tires and a previous shop damaged a sidewall using air powered equipment, destroying the tire.

 Posted: Nov 30, 2016 10:35AM
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Lots of warnings on the 10/12" tires that they could be damaged using "normal" tire equipment.  So how does everyone install tires.  Is there a DIY?  Do you find an old school shop to do it?  My 10" tires have DOT MFG dates of 2003!  So I've been riding around on 13+ year old rubber. Time to replace!

'73 Innocenti Mini (non-export)

Morristown, NJ