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2012 C63;1971 280SE 3.5(Sold);2023 EQS 450 SUV 4 Matic (Wife's)
Advice on removing tires!
I am trying to remove my front tires on my Brixton wheels so I can install new barrels and wider rubber. I have the tires off the beads but the tech thinks his equipment (Hunter - quality machine) will damage my outer rim and the end of the spokes as they are raised up on the rim, if we try to pull the beads over the lips. Anyone know of a solution to this dilemma?
Mort - find a new tech. I'm serious. If they're warning about damage with tire removal, they're probably not the most skilled folks in the first place.
Forget about the machine -- It's all about the precautions tech's take prior to removal.
I've been to places that use a run of the mill Coats machine, but the techs tape up the lips and faces, put towels around the barrel grabbing "arms" when reverse mounting, and more so, always two guys on the job helping out.
He doesn't think his machine will ruin them, he thinks he will. But I'm having a bit of trouble understanding how/where?
Is it possibly with the metal tire iron that they use?
The only machine that I've ever seen to be truly touchless is the Corghi Artiglio Master. Hunter recently copied them. If you're set on this individual doing the work, I'l tape the living hell out of your wheels just to be safe.
Can you place the wheel face down on some padding and remove the tire from the rear? I guess locking in place might prove difficult.
The old tire iron manual method might work but that would take some research to exactly the best way. At least you are in control of the tools.
Who put them on? Maybe they can help.
I agree with both posts above. Ur wheels doesn't look like the out of ordinary wheel in terms of spokes sticking past the outer lip. It's all about the tech skills.
And yes reverse mounting is very common & might be a wise choice if u don't want to scratch ur wheels. Most 3 pcs wheels are reverse mounting.
12 C63BS Magno Alanite Grey, 25 X5 Msport, 08 BMW E93, Ducati Hyper 698
I would try somewhere else, the good machines never touch the top edge of the rim. He either has an older or one of the cheaper hunters, find a shop with one of the better hunter machines like an evolution and you should have no issues. Look for a shop that sells and changes aftermarket wheels all the time as they have to deal with stuff like this all the time and are likely to have the right machine.
The other option like others have said is do it from the back, but most machines clamp the outside of the back, so you need someone with a center clamp machine to do it from the back and then you won't have issues http://www.hunter.com/tire-changers/auto34s
Last edited by roadkillrob; Dec 17, 2016 at 01:23 PM.
2012 C63;1971 280SE 3.5(Sold);2023 EQS 450 SUV 4 Matic (Wife's)
Thanks Guys.
I have been to two places so far and both have the same issue with potentially damaging the outer wheel lip. My wheels mount from the front as the barrel is flat with no drop to get the tire iron into. The machines have a arm with a plastic head to remove the tire from the wheel. A flat bar is inserted under the bead and levered over the plastic head to lift the bead over the lip of the wheel and onto plastic head of the tire machine. This will press the plastic head against the tire lip for support and it will ride over the raised ends of the spokes. I am not sure if there are any better touch less type machines in this area. It looks like the only option might be to tape the wheel really well and go from there. I will call around and see if I can find a better machine. Both the techs I worked with are not careless but don't deal with a lot of high end wheels and are unfamiliar with the best way to proceed.
2012 C63;1971 280SE 3.5(Sold);2023 EQS 450 SUV 4 Matic (Wife's)
Originally Posted by roadkillrob
I would try somewhere else, the good machines never touch the top edge of the rim. He either has an older or one of the cheaper hunters, find a shop with one of the better hunter machines like an evolution and you should have no issues. Look for a shop that sells and changes aftermarket wheels all the time as they have to deal with stuff like this all the time and are likely to have the right machine.
The other option like others have said is do it from the back, but most machines clamp the outside of the back, so you need someone with a center clamp machine to do it from the back and then you won't have issues http://www.hunter.com/tire-changers/auto34s
roadkillrob thanks for the link. When I was looking at it I found local numbers for Hunter sales and service. I called the sales guy and he told me where I could find an up to date machine to do the job. I should be able to get the tires removed on Monday with any luck. They also have a road force balancer to get the wheels & tires balanced .
Thanks again everyone for your thoughts and comments looks like I have a solution.
12 C63BS Magno Alanite Grey, 25 X5 Msport, 08 BMW E93, Ducati Hyper 698
Originally Posted by Mort
roadkillrob thanks for the link. When I was looking at it I found local numbers for Hunter sales and service. I called the sales guy and he told me where I could find an up to date machine to do the job. I should be able to get the tires removed on Monday with any luck. They also have a road force balancer to get the wheels & tires balanced .
Thanks again everyone for your thoughts and comments looks like I have a solution.
Those are beautiful wheels, don't want someone messing them up on you!
Corghi machines are Awesome, but you are going to have a hard time finding an installer that has one. They are pricy and rare, but will not damage your rims. I have seen some spoked wheels like the OP has that have been damaged by older machines. But if you take the wheel to a dedicated wheel shop that does nothing but performance wheels, their not going to damage the wheel, but with protruding spokes you do need to be a little more picky and choosy.
If you need piece of mind, take a bunch of blue painters tape and tape up the wheels if you think their could be an issue.
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