# Tire Mounting Tricks?



## MUTiger72

I have removed the leaking front tire and wheel from my '93 STX38 successfully. I also got the old tire off the wheel OK. I managed to get the outer sidewall of the new tire onto the wheel and the new tube is in place. But I can't get the other (inner) sidewall over the rim onto the wheel. I found a video on YouTube that uses screw drivers, soapy water and a vice grip to mount a tire and tried to follow the procedure on it: [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75nQulNhX7g]YouTube - Lawn Mower Tire Change Carlisle Tire changed on a lawnmower[/ame] 
I can only get the tire halfway onto the rim. It's so tight, I even checked to make sure I had the correct size tire! (It's identical to the tire mounted on the other front wheel.) I've tried to get the opposite side of the tire bead pushed into the center of the wheel rim to give enough clearance to slip the other side over the rim, but can't get it to clear. 
Any other tricks to getting this tire on?
Thanks,
Jim
Webster Groves, MO


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## Hoodoo Valley

I recently took my rider front tire to Les Shwabs tire center where they changed out the tire by hand, and had to bend the rim to get the new tire on. I complained about this and they told me that because of the small size of the tire, there is no give or stretch, and so the rim gets bent in the process, and then they straightened it back out. No high speed revolutions so it pans out in the long run I guess! I guess one needs to expect the rime getting a little bent up at the edge in the process. To close the bead up against the rim, put a ratchet down strap around the perimeter of the tire and crank down. By doing this, the sides of the tire squeazes out and touches the rim, and then you can air it up. Hope this helps you, as bad as it sounds.


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## the professor

After hours of sweating and threatening to have a heart attack, I took my front tire to Walmart and they dropped it onto the same machine they use to mount regular tires. The Walmart tech took about 15 minutes including throwing a tire iron and using some pretty creative swear words...but he got it on. I think they charged me like $5 or something.


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## MUTiger72

I'm the OP and I actually had this experience before: when I owned a JD 108 about 20 years ago, it had a leaking front tire that I managed to get off the wheel but couldn't get the new tire on. I took it to a gas station with similar results to the professor's experience. The guy wrestled with it for 15 minutes and finally got it mounted. I don't recall what he charged, but it was worth the price. Unfortuately, the station is no longer in business. So, I should have known better when I tackled this "project"!
I guess someone around St. Louis has the skill and ability to mount lawn tractor tires, but I don't know who that might be. I suppose the JD dealer would only mount the tires they sell, not a customer's tire, but I'll ask anyway. My son's Power Tech teacher at the local high school advised me that the school shop tire mounting machine wouldn't work since the wheel is too small. He suggested that I mount the tire on a stout board and use C-clamps to squeeze the sidewall onto the rim of the wheel, using baby powder to make it slippery and to avoid damaging the inner tube. Unfortuantely, the tire is 6 1/2 inches wide and I don't have C-clamps that large. I'll check Harbor Freight for some clamps that may work.
This little matter is turning into a major challenge!
I'll report back when I've either gotten the tire mounted or I've destroyed it.


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## TeamCheap

My wife and I recently put two carlisle fieldtrax tires on the front of my SS18 and it was a bear.

The first tire was a bit smashed and narrower than the other and was a nightmare to get seated.

But anyway as far as getting a new tire on the rim you have to look at the rim and you will see where the middle is recessed and offset to the valve stem you want to put the tire on that side of the rim first.My SS18 rims had about an inch or so for the bead to seat into then the recessed are and the back side was tampered slightly for about 3-4 inchs to the recessed area.

You need that recessed area to allow the tire bead to be worked around on the rim.You actually have to make sure the tire is in that recessed are or it just wont go.

Once you have the tire on the rim just use a soapy water solution and compressed air but I had to set the bead on the valve stem side as much as possible and gently pull the other side of the tire as air was going into it to get it to seal.

dont go over 35psi to set to tires to the rims and remove some air to proper pressure after the tires are set and your good to go.

two tire iron tools work wonders.


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## IH farm boy

first thing i would say is if you plan on doing this much is get tire irons , you can use screw drivers , make shure your have the bead your working with in the part of the rimm that is smaller than the bead , i usally set them on the floor and kneel on it to hold it im place then , work the other side over it takes a little muscle , once you have it on use a little slighty dilluted dish soap and run it around the bead and try to seat it wich if you have tubes in them you wont have any problems , if you dont have tubes just put a rachest strap around the tire and crank it down it will push the sides of the tire out and put air to it when it start to inflate realease the strap. 

there is no reason to bend the rim, if you take it some where and they tell you that you need to leave, or put it where theyll remeber! if you want tire irons i have some i really like i got from Kentool company one is a drop center spoon and one is a flat spoon the drop center is the best one , i also belive harbor freight tools has tire irons , summit racing equipment.com i belive tractor supply stores and blains farm and fleet


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## IH farm boy

northern hydralics.com offers a lot of lawn tractor tire tools i belive they even have small tire machine for it as well but its not super cheap you could corner the market with it lol


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## TeamCheap

The trick is to get the bead started and keep it in the recessed area that I pointed to in your picture as you work it around and tire irons are very good at *NOT* tearing up the bead, as it will take some force.









And as *IH farm boy* said dont let any moron tell you that the rim has to be bent.

I almost bolted my rims down just to have them secure enough while working on them but with two tire irons and some patience it can be done in a few minutes.
I had a more difficult time seating the tires than removing and reinstalling.


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## wjjones

Anyone tried one of these? Mini-Tire Changer


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## IH farm boy

i have seen them there just a mini version of a manual car tire changer usally clamp in your bench vise or on to a full size tire machine , they have a little bar that spins around the center shaft and mounts and dismounts the tire . i would have got one but i bought tire irons instead i can use them for more things


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## rsmith335

Dito Team Cheap


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## MUTiger72

Thanks for the tips. I'm going to be unable to try any other attempts at mounting the tire for a few days, but will get back to this thread when I do. That mini tire changer looks like it would do the job, but even at the sale price, it's a bit expensive for mounting just my one tire. But, I'm just stubborn enough, to buy one if all else fails!
I have a ratcheting nylon strap set that should work to set the beads, if I ever get the other sidewall on the wheel. I've seen some people use starting fluid sprayed into the tire and lit to set the bead!


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## IH farm boy

it dosnt take much of a rachet strap , mu tiger just somthing to put preassure all the way around the center of the tire ,


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## wjjones

If you keep the opposite side of the tire collapsed within the recessed area work the other side of the bead in they usually go on pretty easy with some soapy dishwater.


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