OT Harbor Freight Mini Tire Changer (2024)

I've had a Troy Bilt Horse model tiller with a 7 HP Kohler engine on it in my shed since probably around 1985 or so. I needed the room so I wanted to get it out of the shed. There was bunch of stuff piled in front of it so I didn't know the bar tread tires had gone flat. One of them actually split the side wall from sitting flat.

Anyway, I purchased two new 4.80-4 X 8" bar tread tires. So.....I purchased a mini tire changer from Harbor Freight. I set it up today and managed to remove the tires from the rims. It took a little getting used too but the little machine actually worked ok.

I should be receiving the new tires on Thursday. I'm hoping the little machine will work at mounting them easy enough.

Anybody else purchase one of those mini tire changers from Harbor Freight? If so, what do you think of it?

Any problem with using regular grease to lube the beads and rim? I tried soapy water when removing the old tires but when I changed to grease it worked a lot better.

If grease got'em off you were gonna trash'em anyways...

Use a good tire lube to install'em... Are Soap will not hurt the tire and i spec it will never have enough traction to spin the tire on the rim...

I have about a 1980 Horse the tires still look good as new I kicked them yesterday just for the ell of it...

I spec your worst nitemare will be seating the tires to the rim have fun china tire changer are not...

i bought one of those changers awhile back cause i had 12 small tires to change around .. it worked pretty good . i had to use a ratchet strap tightened around the tire to get it to air up . i had to make an adapter so it would work on small tires but i could not get it to work on a golf cart tire , i dont remember why though. i sold it for 30.00 i think i paid 50.00 . it saved me a few bucks.

(quoted from post at 19:08:49 05/11/15)
If grease got'em off you were gonna trash'em anyways...

Use a good tire lube to install'em... Are Soap will not hurt the tire and i spec it will never have enough traction to spin the tire on the rim...

I have about a 1980 Horse the tires still look good as new I kicked them yesterday just for the ell of it...

I spec your worst nitemare will be seating the tires to the rim have fun china tire changer are not...

Click to expand...

See Also

Upgrade Your Harbor Freight Tire Changer with This DIY Guide

What is Are Soap? Is this tire lube stuff available and regular parts houses?

I watched a video of some guy changing tires just using a regular crow bar and another smaller pry bar. He managed to do it but I sure didn't want to go through what he went through doing it. That's why I bought the mini tire changer.

I also bought a ratcheting strap to put around the tires while trying to air them up.

(quoted from post at 22:08:49 05/11/15)

I spec your worst nitemare will be seating the tires to the rim

Click to expand...

Those little tires can be a real bugger that way. I've had pretty good luck by removing the core from the valve stem and then shoving the coupler on the hose directly onto the stem. That's the only way to get enough volume in there quickly.

I use rim grease from Gemplers.

It lubricates the beads for mopunt/dismount and prevents the bead from rusting to the rim so that you can easily break it down 10 years from now.

Dean

1 very large bench top vice that opens to 12" breaks the bead on any tire that fits. Follwed by 2 tire spoons and a mallet to get the tire off the rim.
A little wheel soap and the same spoons mounts the tires.
Remove the valve core add a ratchet strap around the tire and fast fill with air to sit the bead. Remove the ratchet strap reinsert the valve core and feel tired to spec with air.

Even used an old pipe clamp that opens to about 20 inches to do my sons ATV tires. Not the easiest way to do it but hey it works.

(quoted from post at 22:13:29 05/11/15) Harbor Freight is like Cracker Jacks the little surprise thingy you get in with
the caramel corn an peanuts will work at least once, they do have a guarantee,
right. bet it works great. I have one but not from HF it says it will inflate to 120 psi, plugs into lighter hole? Hope
it never quits on ya.

Click to expand...

You missed something along the line. I purchased a mini tire changer from Harbor Freight, not an air compressor.

Have you read the reviews at Harbor Freight and watched some of the many videos at Youtube? These usually have a lot of good info - Big clunky welded Harbor freight
stuff like the tire changers or tractor attachments often need a iittle modification or adjustment before they will work their best, but then work fine.

My understanding is that the mini changer works fine on garden tractor-type tires but not trailer tires which have very heavy sidewalls for their size tho Harbror Freight is
silent on the issue.

Been mounting and balancing my own car and truck tires for almost 10 years now with a HF manual tire changer and the HF bubble balancer. Dawn dish soap and water in a spray bottle is an excellent bead lube. It also cleans the blue junk off of the letters real nice.

I modified both devices to suit my needs, but it's all good.

Liquid tire soap or lube is at Napa as ruglyde

They make a paste too.

I'd not use petro grease myself

Well…got my two new tires today and got them mounted using the Harbor Freight mini tire changer. Yes it did work.

Funny thing about a Harbor Freight thread. I think the Harbor Freight snipers foam at the mouth at the chance to bash the “cheap Chinese junk”.

Well guys, the little machine did exactly what I purchased it to do. I also never really expect that I will have any use for it again in my lifetime. I kind of think that’s why I didn’t run out and buy a really good expensive machine. To me, it was worth the $40.

I’ve purchased other stuff from Harbor Freight and it all still works. I purchased a power steering pump pully puller / installer and it also did exactly what I purchased it for.

I have a lot of good tools but for some things that I may only use once or twice I’m glad there is a Harbor Freight in my town. They do serve a purpose.

Incidently, I did not use grease to mount the tires. I used Napa Ruglyde. Somewhere back in my youth I remember it was pounded into my head the phrase “Oil rots rubber”. That’s why I asked the question about it in the first place. Had to go back into town but I got the good stuff.

So, in closing, go on you HF bashers and bash away.