hey guys how hard is it to mount a tire on a rim by yourself...like no mounting harware or anything just hands, i dont want to scratch the rims....

 

Won't happen

 

alright i was just wondering if it could be done.....

 

ha not possible at all.... use plactic protectors

 

I have had some where you could put them on by hand, but most won't. YOu could give it a try. Lube it up good and go from the topside and see. If you get one part on, lube up the other side and try walking it on with your feet. If it is a low profile, forget it. There are scratchless mounting machines out there, just have to look around.

The easiest I have ever mounted was some kumho road venture tires. They fell over the rim with no work.

 

yeah, i don't think I'd want to even try BUT when I take my wheels to to get new tires or rotated, I always tell the manager to come and look closely at my wheels BEFORE they touch them.

I have had them scratched by careless handling before and they paid to have them proffesionally polished out because I had warned them.

 

Maybe with some big prybars and alot of lube, but if you get them on I don't see how you'd be able to seat the beads unless you had some compressed air and maybe some tie down straps to wrap around the tires. Even if you do get them on, you'll probably definitely have scratches, and you still have to get them balanced.

FWIW, I dismounted 5 285/75-16 BFG AT KO's from the factory aluminum wheels with some prybars and soapy water, but the wheels took a beating. I didn't really care though as they are my winter wheels...I dismounted the tires so I could take the wheels and 5 new tires to my buddie's shop to mount and balance them, and I couldn't fit 10 tires in the bed of my truck.

 

All you need to seat the beads is a normal air compressor. I have mounted many sets at home. I have one of the manual tire mounting machines, it doesn't beat the wheel up in most cases. As far as it being possible, it is possible to mount them without any tools at all. I have done it on a few occassions. Some are easier than others. Depends on the sidewall of the tire. Low pros are impossible to do usually at home, larger sidewall tires are really easy. Goodyear tires are a little harder than others. Kumhos,Falkens, Bridgestones, Hankooks, and all terrain and mud tires are the easiest. This is what I have found mounting tires at home. If you have never done any, it would probably be best just to take them in. The first set is the hardest.

 

I've also seen those bead seating tools for sale from most of the tool supply companies...looks like a big yellow mallet. I've never used one but I'm assuming that it's a big charge of compressed air like when you nail the foot pedal down on most tire machines?

 

Yeah, that thing is crazy. It is loud, like a large gun. It hits a very hard shot of air into the tires, way harder then any compressor. It blows the beads on instantly. Wish I had one,lol.