No Mar Tire Changer

[FJRocket]

Southern, thanks for that tip!

The problem with the No-Mar is getting the rim locked into the nylon blocks. Smitty had particular trouble locking down a rim with a Bridgestone on it. Once the rim was locked in, popping off the rubber was a snap. So the tough part is compressing the sidewalles to scoot the edge of the rim in the retaining slots on the hold down nylon blocks, not actually removing the tire. No spoons required!

 

[exocet]

I've changed a few tires of my own (wicko, or however you spell it) and it is always, always a wrestling match.

The guy with No-Mar system is most assuredly using an oversized tire. If i could get them on and off that easy I wouldn't need to buy any special equipment

I am getting better at it, but those F*&cking Bridgestones were the worst! The Avon's were the easiest.

Sanders in Mn

 

[Centerline]

Hey, thanks guys for the tips....will save me some cussing and get me out on the road much quicker. B)

 

[gasman]

Just changed a front tire on my wife's FZ1, I had it off the bike, changed, balanced and back on the bike in just under an hour. Went as easy as the vid, course front tires are a bunch smaller but. it did work. JB

 

[FJRocket]

Well, I stuck my foot in as usual. Getting the tires OFF is a snap. And unlike Smitty, I haven't had much problem getting the rim in place on the blocks yet.

Where I was having problems is getting the new REAR Pirelli (and I tried the Avon, too) on the rim. The front tire was a snap on and off, and getting the rubber off the rear was easy, too.

The first bead on the rear just popped down over the rim nice as you please. I used a C clamp as a second hand to hold the tire in place after walking the bead back to the 2 - 3 oclock position. That didn't work. Now the bar got stuck at the last part of the bead. I couldn't seem to get that last 10 inches of bead to flop over the rim. The wheel starts moving on the unit, or the rubber just runs around the rim.

Seems I'd lubed it about every way I can think of. Finally got the bar to stop popping out, but I couldn't get that thing finished.

Finally, I went back and re-read the posts above. I read in particular the email from the vendor. Now that IS significant information.

The other thing that saved me was using a quick clamp and a rim saver in combination over the edge of the rim to act as a second set of hands. That kept the bead from opening up back over the top of the rim and following me around the rim. Also, I stopped the rim from rotating in the blocks my sticking a plastic handled garden maul (I think that's what it's called...) up through the rim, locked between a spoke and one of the three arms of the NoMar. I'll try to get a pic up of the maul and the quick clamp/rim saver a bit later this evening. Maybe.

Sure enough, once you know the tricks, even that pain in the ass rear touring sidewall will succomb to your wrath. I had a good workout today! Time to go test ride.

Oh, and thanks to those guys who recommended that I balance the wheel before balancing the tire on the wheel. Sure enough, the heavy spot wasn't close to the valve stem, so I found the heavy spot and put the red dots at that location. My heavy spot was directly opposite one of the three spokes on the wheel. Seems it was heavy there by about 12 grams. Thought about ditching out some metal, but figured the rubber could be off perhaps even more than 12 grams, so decided to leave well enough alone. Turned out to be a good decision. Still needed 7 grams opposite the heavy location to balance the wheel, though.

 

[smitty141]

No-Mar has came up with some different blocks. I was told they were going to send them to everyone who bought a changer.. You guys that bought a changer should give them a call, or email to get the updated blocks..I also have 3 of the rim clamps they show on there site. It make it alot easyer to get the stiff tires in the blocks. I will use them on all tires, just makes it easyer to get the rim locked in....

 

[FJRocket]

No-Mar has came up with some different blocks. I was told they were going to send them to everyone who bought a changer.. You guys that bought a changer should give them a call, or email to get the updated blocks..I also have 3 of the rim clamps they show on there site. It make it alot easyer to get the stiff tires in the blocks. I will use them on all tires, just makes it easyer to get the rim locked in....

You got that right. When you lock those babies down and flip the tire over to lock it in, the clamps would be a real asset. However, at like $100 for 3 of the clamps, I just used quick clamps with rubber (plastic, whatever) feet that I had laying around and clamped them over the rim. I DID use rim savers. I would say that a set of rim savers is MANDATORY if you are going to get one of these units. Those little guys are real handy. I don't own a "spoon", but at one point, I did use a big assed cold chisel against a rim saver. It worked OK, but I have since resorted to the quick clamps. Necessity is a mother.

Smitty, how are the new blocks different? I already emailed the company with a review of their unit and a couple recommendations on changes/improvements due to troubles I was having. Changing the blocks was one of them, but I wonder if it was for the same reasons?

I just got an email back from Darin. Seems they have re-engineered the bead breaker and no longer are using pins to connect the nlyon pads to the breaker bar face. Instead, they are using some kind of hex or "sex" screw as he put it. That's good because I had to grind down the pins on the breaker bar to keep them from gouging the paint off my rims. After the fact, of course. Here again, on the front tires, that breaker just walks off the rubber, but on the rear tire, I had to put the face of the breaker right next to the rim to get the bead to separate.

Still no word on the blocks.

 

[Grumpy]

Has anyone used the Wikco machine?

jim

 

[ian]

I use a "cheater" to give me more leverage on the Harbor Freight bar. I use a metal post driver which is a 3" pipe about 3' long. That and NAPA's tire lube works well. Ian, Iowa

edit-I also wrapped the HF end with duct tape to spare the rim.

 

[okmac]

Southern, thanks for that tip!
The problem with the No-Mar is getting the rim locked into the nylon blocks. Smitty had particular trouble locking down a rim with a Bridgestone on it. Once the rim was locked in, popping off the rubber was a snap. So the tough part is compressing the sidewalles to scoot the edge of the rim in the retaining slots on the hold down nylon blocks, not actually removing the tire. No spoons required!

When I break the bead on the first side of the tire I insert short 1x1 wood blocks between the rim and the sidewall. That way when I turn the tire over the rim is exposed to the clamps . Works like a charm.

Mac

 

[Charlie Hoss]

what so you guys do to balance the tire?

I made a stand out of 1.25" Sched 80 PVC/2 ea. precision bearings/.500" drill rod 20 yrs. ago and still use it today! Works great! I use stick on weights, but some insist on clip on.

Any suggestions as to where to buy the clip-on weights? They would make a nicer installation due to the shape of the wheel.

 

[SkooterG]

Any suggestions as to where to buy the clip-on weights? They would make a nicer installation due to the shape of the wheel.

Go to Yammie's website, get the part #s, and then.........................

University Motors of course.

 

[spalkin]

On their website, in the videos page, you can see at the bottom 'Bloopers'. As I watched them, I imagined that this is how it probably is for someone the first time.

In the videos that show them doing changes, the beads are already broken, there's never a rotor attached, and like you said, soft tires.

Check out the video on New Gold Wing Tires. These are very heavy, big tires. They use the little blocks to help guide the bead into the relief valley.

I got the Pro Motion extra long tire irons and a Parnes balancer, made up some wood blocks and built a bead breaker with 2x4's. Total investment $150.

The key is the Pro Motion extra long irons.

 

[Fencer]

what so you guys do to balance the tire?

I made a stand out of 1.25" Sched 80 PVC/2 ea. precision bearings/.500" drill rod 20 yrs. ago and still use it today! Works great! I use stick on weights, but some insist on clip on.

Any suggestions as to where to buy the clip-on weights? They would make a nicer installation due to the shape of the wheel.

Charlie,

I have found the clip ons tend to scratch the paint on removel, even if VERY carefull. I like the stick ons, A little goo gone and they were never there.

 

[adaniel]

I was just curious if it is more common to do the tire changes with the rotors on or off. I assume off would be better for a rookie... just a little extra work .

I picked up some of the longer Motion Pro spoons that have the bend in them that supposedly keeps you from hitting the rotors.

 

[ZOOOMM]

gasman,

We purchased a No-Mar tire changer and their balancer back in February. As you indicated, we were alittle discouraged as to the muscle needed. We have now changed both front and back tires on both of our FJR's (3) times and like anything else, it does get easier. As for getting the rim locked into the nylon blocks, we use three of their rim "C" clamps. This works very well. As for getting the second side of the tire onto the rim, (as indicated previously) it helps to keep the tire pushed down into the well of the rim directly across from your mounting bar as you spin it around the vertical post. We've had to look at the video (that came with the changer) a couple of times to refresh our memory to the details. We don't try to break any records changing our tires. We take our time.... cleaning the rim careful...inspecting the rim....removing the old wheel weights and the adhesive....etc.. I will say this, we invested about $700.00 for the changer and a balancer from No-Mar and it has paid for it's self already. I will also say, I'm pleased we got it.

Jim

 

[Fencer]

gasman,We purchased a No-Mar tire changer and their balancer back in February. As you indicated, we were alittle discouraged as to the muscle needed. We have now changed both front and back tires on both of our FJR's (3) times and like anything else, it does get easier. As for getting the rim locked into the nylon blocks, we use three of their rim "C" clamps. This works very well. As for getting the second side of the tire onto the rim, (as indicated previously) it helps to keep the tire pushed down into the well of the rim directly across from your mounting bar as you spin it around the vertical post. We've had to look at the video (that came with the changer) a couple of times to refresh our memory to the details. We don't try to break any records changing our tires. We take our time.... cleaning the rim careful...inspecting the rim....removing the old wheel weights and the adhesive....etc.. I will say this, we invested about $700.00 for the changer and a balancer from No-Mar and it has paid for it's self already. I will also say, I'm pleased we got it.

Jim

ZOOOM,

Just so you know the thread is over 2 years old. I hope he figured it out by now

I was just curious if it is more common to do the tire changes with the rotors on or off.

On, but I guess it will depend on your changer

 

[Grumpy]

Apparently no one is using the Wikco tire changer. I thought it looked pretty good, but really don't want to be peart of the experiment.

Jim

https://www.wikco.biz/TireChangers.htm

 

[HaulinAshe]

Apparently no one is using the Wikco tire changer. I thought it looked pretty good, but really don't want to be peart of the experiment.Jim

https://www.wikco.biz/TireChangers.htm

The Wikco changer HAS to be a combination of the Harbor Freight changer and the MoJo lever, all painted blue. I have all those pieces in HF red. You are welcomed to come to my house and try them.

The MoJo lever/bar has a severe shortcoming because its Delrin ends are not quite long enough to avoid scratching and they mash/deform very easily. I've abandoned both the NoMar bar and the MoJo lever. Gone back to some good, long spoons.

 

[Fencer]

Apparently no one is using the Wikco tire changer. I thought it looked pretty good, but really don't want to be peart of the experiment.Jim

https://www.wikco.biz/TireChangers.htm

The Wikco changer HAS to be a combination of the Harbor Freight changer and the MoJo lever, all painted blue. I have all those pieces in HF red. You are welcomed to come to my house and try them.

The MoJo lever/bar has a severe shortcoming because its Delrin ends are not quite long enough to avoid scratching and they mash/deform very easily. I've abandoned both the NoMar bar and the MoJo lever. Gone back to some good, long spoons.

I agree with Jeff, VERY similar to the HF but costs a lot more.