Tractor tire changer

[JugHeadRepair]

HI... Has anyone owned a rear tractor tire changer?? If so what are your experiences?? I am looking at one on a auction. It looks like it could be just a big pile??? I have honestly never seen one before... Thanks

 

[Dean]

I have neither seen nor heard of a tractor tire changer and cannot imagine why anyone other than an OEM manufacturer would need one. Tractor tires are quite easily changed with a slide hammer and a couple of decent tire irons.

Dean

 

[old]

Never seen or heard of one and I did tires for a living one and off since back in the 70s. I have seen bread beakers etc but never a tire changer. Sounds like something some one built at home for doing there tires

 

[supergrumpy]

"tires are quite easily changed"

what are you smoking??

 

[DoubleR]

I use a good set of irons, a big hammer, and lots of dish soap. I don't mess with the loaded tires and don't have anything bigger than 50hp tractor. The smaller ones are pretty easy. I just did a 13.6-28. Of corse thats a far cry from one of the big ones that some tractors have.

 

[old]

I agree with you Dean but you did leave out one big factor in doing tires that is just plain and simple the knowledge of how to do it. With out that knowledge they can be very hard to do LOL And the correct tools help a lot also

 

[les mack]

I agree that old tractor tires are not that hard to change IF you can get the "bead" broke free. Once the bead is broke down it really isn't that difficult to swap anything out up to and including a 13.6 x 38. I have no experience with anything bigger than that.
I just use tire irons and lots of liquid hand soap to get'em back on.

 

[big jt]

I have seen one. There is a good sized tire shop about 35 miles from me and they have one. I have seen them use it and it is real slick.

Pretty good sized bit of kit. You take the rim off the tractor and the machine clamps to the rim and does the work like a rim clamp machine tipped on its side.

Real slick but takes up a lot of floor space.

jt

 

[NEKS]

Brother-in-law wanted me to change the rear tires on his B JD. He said he would take them off the wheel and bring them up. Told him no will be down to do it, because with it all on the tractor makes it a lot easier.

 

[massey 333]

Dean you and Old or anyone that makes a blanket statement that tractor tires are easy to change are as supergrumpy says.Smoking something,on something or never changed many tires.That 25% will kill you.I have seen GOOD tire men take a day or better to change the wrong 2 Tires.I just had 8 mounted on new wheels,2 men had 7 mounted in an hour to hour and half.The last one took 4 men,2 service truck air compresors lines,3 other air lines,and 2 Bead Blasters 4 Hrs to mount it.So nothing is simple all the time.

 

[Dean]

I've done many of them by hand with a slide hammer and two good tire irons, Grumpy.

Without fluid, it usually takes about 30 minutes per tire once the tire/wheel is off of the tractor.

They are much easier to change than light truck tires and even easier than most automobile tires.

Dean

 

[old]

Well I see one thing that you do not take into account most tractor tires use tubes and those are in fact easy to do now the newer ones that are tubeless those can be fun to get aired up but still not all that hard to change over. I have been doing them for decades and 95% of them are easy. Ya you do run into a few that are just plain a pain in the back sides but every thing in life can be that way. Oh by the way I gave up smoking well over a year ago so nope I don't smoke any thing. LOL

 

[old]

Again I agree with you. Any more the hardest part of doing them is picking them up to flip them so you can get the the other bead to brake it down

 

[massey 333]

Yes I took the tube deal into account on the day and better deals.This was back in the 60s-70s with wide flat based rims with no sumps.

PS have you ever kept a job over 6 months??The amount you claim to have had is more then 10 people put together would have had in a life time.

 

[S2710]

Ya Big a tire shop close to me has one of the machines. It will do truck tire and loader and tractors. It is all hyd. and you have no lifting. It is slicker then snot on a door knob.
Bob

 

[old]

Most jobs I had for 3-6 years but in the area I live in there where lots of years where it was a summer job then in the fall you get layed off and maybe go back to work in the spring maybe find another job. You like many just see what a person lets you and you don't have a clue as to what or how etc they live. Just to give you an idea of this tell me how many towns I lived in before I was 5 years old. If you know this then you might also understand why and how I could have done so many things over the years and some times worked 2 or 3 jobs at the same time

 

[60 acre hillside]

If they are dry a rear is usually easier than a front. Hardest front is a 4.00 x 15 from a small farmall. Not big enough to get the tube back in and the stem through the hole in rim.

 

[camju]

AGREE 100% most people don't understand how one can have so much experience with so many things.I been married 14 years and have lived in 6 diffrent areas already,not planin on moving again mind you.Had jobs since 14 years old and Have seen and dun alot of things.

 

[old]

My first paying job was when I was 9 or 10. Helped in a guys shop cleaning up for him etc. Still remember one day he said hey I need to weld up this gas tank so you stay out side till I say it is ok and if you here a big bang call for help. That was in Leigh NE can't remember the years for sure but Dizzy had just came out on the radio as a top hit. My dad was a Preacher so we moved about every 3 years or so so I learned a lot of thing for all over the U.S. My dad told me when I was young if I wanted something I would have to work for it since he could not afford to buy things for me. I learned to mow lawns till gardens etc ate a young age and worked till my doctor said I could not and he still will not let me work but says stay active

 

[Brad Gyde]

I'll agree they're easy.. to a point..

Some are harder than others.. I bought a used set of 13.6-38's.. Actually, one came on one tractor, one on another (but ended up being a "matched set") Didn't take long to knock them off.. took a while to knock down the old 12-38's they were replacing though.

23.1-26 tires (on a combine) can be rough.. I did one 3 times.. it kept cutting the tube.. The last time it took the tube out, it blew the sidewall out.. That's when we found the problem.. A crack in the casing was cutting the tube. Never paid it much attention before, but that was my fault.

30.5-32's are a bit of a bear, but the problem there is more the weight of the tire than anything. I used the skidsteer and the loader on the tractor (should have left the rim right on the combine, as the bead was broke from running a short distance flat)

Tubeless semi tires usually go easy, but sometimes, you get the bead seating issues.. Had to use 2 cheater tanks more than once.

I've been helping do as many tires as I can for myself, neighbors, and family. I'm still young, and would like to start a tire repair business in my area.. Only one guy still doing mobile repairs really close. I don't look to make millions, but would be nice to make a few hundred a month doing it on the side.. Would support my hobby of old tractors if I made that kinda bank off it, thats for sure.

Brad

 

[old]

Shoot try one of those front lawn mower tires like a 4.00X6 and try to put a tube in one of those. There so small you can not hold on to them and still pry the tire on and off etc.

 

[fixerupper]

Speaking of smoking something, last summer we blew two front combine tires in two days in Kansas. They're a metric size but it's something like 36X32 and they cost $6000.00 each and they are big and heavy. Anyway, a fella who does free lance tire changing came out to the field in an old beat up tire service truck. The farmer we were cutting for told us if we get a twelve pack of beer for the tire changing guy he'll work better. After the tire changing guy got there I headed for town for the tire, and when I got back an hour later he had the old tire off and everyone was tipping a can or two. Didn't take him long in the 100 degree temps to get the new one on and aired up.

Next day when the second one blew I had to go about a hundred miles to get the tire and I got back to the field about the time the tire guy got there only this time his son was with him. We gave them a beer and they went to work. The dad was working like a dog but the son wasn't moving very fast and the dad was getting a little impatient with him. After a half hour or so the dad said to me "you got water for my son? He stay out too late last night and chase p---y and drink too much beer. I felt like rolling on the ground laughing but the dad acted pretty serious about it. When they finished they downed a couple more of our beers and took off.

 

[bison]

Eh old,aparently you never tried to change a rear tire that has been on the rim for 30 yrs and rusted down and as dry and hard as bone.
i been pounding on one with a heave slide hammer for an hr or so without any result in breaking the bead.
Even the tire shop had to give up,no go with the bead breaker.

 

[old]

Done more then i care to remember. Been doing tires now since I was in my teens and have learned many tricks that work. Shoot I have a couple tractor here with the tires that came on them when new and they can be fun to break down but it can be done if you know the tricks that it takes. I even have a few tires here that I was told the change because they where cracked and peeling apart. These tires are still on the machine and was told I needed to change them over 15 years ago. I said then and will say it now I'll leave them one till the tubes are sticking out the sides

 

[Fred Martin]

Sure glad you fellows brought up this subject. I just got two new 10X28 rims and a 10x28 inch spin out rim for Christmas. Thanks for the enthusiasm. But if one of those 30 minute changers was in my area...he'd get the job. I had a couple of tire tools but, thought I'd get a 30" long spoon tipped tire wrench. Went to TSC and cost me $32.09 Didn't get the second one, I wanted to eat that day. If you amateurs (including me) go to Gemplers on the internet, they have a step by step pictures and instructions on how to do it. I just typed in changing rear tractor tires and there it was. At 69 years old with back/knee problems, I may still get someone else to do it. I'm about four miles west of Greenfield, Ohio if anyone close is interested. I have 3/4" air tools, jacks and blocks. ohfred

 

[mecanik69]

I bought one from IMT Iowa Mold tooling Co out in iowa. It is a hand held hydraulic bead breaker it works excellent i change rear tractor tires front combines backhoes etc. I paid i think about 1200.00 for it well worth the money to me as we would be calling tire man too often when restoring tractors. And dont like giving them guys a couple hundred every restore job.

 

[supergrumpy]

I was joshing you, some are real easy but I think I just lucked out on them, breaking the bead is 90% of the job

I look at those nice tires tools in Gemplers and dream that I had them, slide hammer is wonderful invention

right now I have a set of backhoe rears that are gonna wait until springtime

 

[Mel in SW Iowa]

I am not as experienced as most of you about this topic, but the experience I have had is that old
stuck bead rear tractor tires have caused me a lot of sweat and frustration. I have had better luck on all stuck beads using a Hilti 505 demolition hammer, or a Hilti TE60 set to chiesel only, using a rounded well worn chiesel bit to work the bead away from the rim.

On 3.50/4.10 x 4 front mower deck caster wheels, I seem to have the best luck pulling the axle bolt and putting the integral hub of the rim in a good vise using motorcycle sized irons and abundant amounts of Murphy's soap/oil.

 

[jokers]

I've been reading all of the comments about most tractor tires being easy to change if you have the right irons, so what are the right irons? I have a Ken Tool slide bead breaker that works on everything I've tried it on so far, including "bead locked" atv tires, figure it ought to work on the tractor.

BTW, my tractor uses baby 11.2x24 tires which don't weigh much, would anyone care to offer advice as to whether I'd be better off changing them on the tractor or taking the wheels off?

Thanks!

 

[guido]

Hello jokers,
There are tire irons made to change tires off the axle. I have a couple that i used to mount tubeless tires at work.
I can get you the part # if you like.
I think they ones i have are made by Kentmoore tool Co.
Guido.

 

[sflem849]

(quoted from post at 15:20:59 01/22/11) Dean you and Old or anyone that makes a blanket statement that tractor tires are easy to change are as supergrumpy says.Smoking something,on something or never changed many tires.That 25% will kill you.I have seen GOOD tire men take a day or better to change the wrong 2 Tires.I just had 8 mounted on new wheels,2 men had 7 mounted in an hour to hour and half.The last one took 4 men,2 service truck air compresors lines,3 other air lines,and 2 Bead Blasters 4 Hrs to mount it.So nothing is simple all the time.

And that tire changing machine wouldnt have a chance in heck either....

 

[sflem849]

(quoted from post at 12:52:47 01/23/11) I've been reading all of the comments about most tractor tires being easy to change if you have the right irons, so what are the right irons? I have a Ken Tool slide bead breaker that works on everything I've tried it on so far, including "bead locked" atv tires, figure it ought to work on the tractor.

BTW, my tractor uses baby 11.2x24 tires which don't weigh much, would anyone care to offer advice as to whether I'd be better off changing them on the tractor or taking the wheels off?

Thanks!

I've got Ken Tools myself. I went down to the tire shop and asked the service manager what I needed. He was more than happy to help after a chuckle about me trying to steal his business. He even gave me the guys number and ordered the tools for me.

I have that slide hammer and it works good enough. The hydraulic breakers are better, but not in my budget. Then I have a 30" spoon and 24" spoon. I think the big one has the fancy little lips on it. I can get the p/n's next time I go to the shop if it is really important to you.

 

[jokers]

Thanks for the reply Guido!

Is there anything special about the irons you use or are they more or less what you might find at Tractor Supply, ie; 30" spoons?

 

[guido]

Hello jokers,
I'm not sure i'll take a picture of what i have. They have a piece of round stock welded to them in the place where is needed the most.
I'll post the picture in a new post for you.
Guido.

 

[old]

I prefer to take them off. Less likely to have something bad happen and knock the tractor off the jack etc and end up on you. That said many of the older owners manual even tell you how to do tire repair and what you need for doing it. I learned how when I worked in a tire shop and learned how easy it is for a guy to loose there heads if they do the wrong thing and it can happen on ANY tire. If you want the pages I scanned form a Ford NAA owners manual telling you how to do it just send me an e-mail and I'll send you a copy that I scanned

 

[old]

Joker see you just had to ask so I just went out and got cold. My irons 2 of them are 35 inches and 36 inches long. One end has a simple curve to it and the other end a sort of an s curve to it.

 

[jokers]

Thanks Old, I appreciate your effort!

 

[jokers]

Thanks Guido, much appreciated but I hate to put you to the trouble of taking and posting pics.

 

[old]

No real effort plus I got to see 3 deer out about 400 yards. So now you know a tad bit more then you did. LOL Always happy to help if and when I can

 

[guido]

Hello jokers,
I hope i still have one complete. Years back i cut one up to make a stick for my horse shoes throwing.
Guido.