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I don't have answers... but I am certainly following the thread. I am intending to change tires on my 16" and 18" alloy wheels on my T5 - and I had intended to fabricate a wooden base that has vertical forks (for the alloy spokes... i.e. 5 spokes) and velcro band hold-downs for each tower / felt-lined "fork" to elevate the wheel suitably. But I had NOT intended to spin a Mojo lever around; solely, instead, to use wooden blocks to lead the beads into the tire-well and maybe ratchet straps to KEEP the bead in the wells. Then, use irons and cut-up shampoo bottle layers to bear-against the alloy rim with tire irons.Maybe my ideas are simplistic and impractical.
No doubt that a NoMar is the standard that others are measured by, and a quality piece of equip.I have been using my HFT unit, with Mojo blocks and a Mojo bar for a number of years without any negative results.For my 3-4 tires a year, this is just fine for me.I have found that honest to goodness for real tire lube makes the job very easy. Either way, get your routine down, and you are good to go.kjf
I have been using my HFT unit, with Mojo blocks and a Mojo bar for a number of years without any negative results.
I've used the Cycle Hill tire changer for years and it has served me well along with the Marc Parnes balancer. Some tires can be a bear to put onto the rim getting that last bit to fall into place even using all the techniques shown on youtube and the like and I bought something like this http://www.bajanopinch.com/ years ago off of ADVRider vendors section that makes putting the tire on a breeze and no scratching the rim in the process.
I have the exact same NoMar Classic and have changed every type of motocycle tire on it with the standard NoMar delrin cam blocks. Tube, tubeless, heavy wall HD/Goldwing tires, scooter tires, Adventure bike tires, sport/standard bike tires, biased, radial all of them. I change 30 to 40 tires per year with well over 300 tires on my machine. I bought the NoMar Classic over the Cycle Hill version was becasue he bead breaker is not on the ground. The HD had the bead breaker u on the dech where the tire is changed. The "tire changer" is the mount did mount bar the base is a wheel vise. NoMar has a excellent design in the mount/dismount bar but it is not panacea yo will also at times need a couple 9" levers to felp that last little bit of tire over the bead. I only seen the HF unit at the store and watched videos but it look like a flimsy POS. The NoMar once secured to the floor or to a vehicle with the hitch option is very sturdy. I've though about buying a HF machine several times to tinker with knowing I have the NoMar as a backup if needed. With a 25% coupon they are around $32 for the upper vise and $33 for the lower base for. But evetime I go and look it is so cheaply made that I just cannot piss away $62 on this. Its not a HF thing as I have several items from there and they work great its just this machine is below budget built. Honestly I'd be hard pressed to take one for free as its not worth the small amount of real estate it would take in my basement. Some other helpers once you get whatever tire changer you decide on.1. Get a good liquid tire lube like RuGlide and ut it in a spray bottle for easy application 2. Get a foot actuated air valve off Amazon for $17 USD and a clip on air chuck. This will leave yuo hands free to "work" the tire hile the bead seats if needed.3. Get a 4' flouresent or LED shop light to hang above the machine. A welll light area make it a lot easier to find dropped valve stems and also see what you doing.4. If permenaly the machine to the floor (suggested) Mount the base at least 3' from the nearest wall and/or post and ideally 5' or more so you can move around it. Mine is mounted a little too close to the wall and it always seems as though I crowd myself.5. Get two 9" tire levers. They are all the bigger you'll need. Bigger isn't always etter when chanigng tires. It easy to rip the tire bead if you have a long lever. In tire changin if you're excessively forcing the tire your doing somethgin wrong. Either the opposite side of the tire is not in the dro center, your taking too big of bites or both. Tire go on reletavely easy with proper technique. 6. Get a long ratchet strap to help set those stubourn beads7. A small shelf or even better a small carton wheels to put beside the tire machine to hold the levers, lube, rags etc keeps thing withing arms reach. 8. Buy a small adjustable wrench to leave on the cart for removing the nut on tubes9. If you buy a dark colored vale core removal tool paint it hot pink or safety orange so you can easily see it. 10. If you use rubber valve stems a velve stem puller will help greatly in installing new ones.11. A razor knife is great at cuting the old valve stem flush with the wheel for easy removal. Cut flush push through12. A roll of masking take is handy to have on your cart13. Keep a Sharpie marker on you cart for marking wheel directions. I'll mark the rotor with an arrow if there is no rotor a small piece of masking tap on the wheel with an arrow works a treat. 14. Cut 4 or 5 wooden blocks 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" x 3/4". These are handy for heavy walled tires. As you are running the dismount bar around the tire install blocks to help push the bead into the drop center. Works just as well as NoMars hold down clamps but for about $0.25.15. Get or make a couple im protectors for theose instances when you need to lever on that last little bit of bead.16. A small parts tray with a few segmnted compartments is good for seperating various style valve caps/stems holding new valve stems and wheel weights and inner tube nuts. You'll get a collection of all. Tire balancing or not is a different subject. After years of balaning both static and with beads I now do nothing. Run the tire an see if there is any vibration. If not ride on. If there is......well I don't know as I've not expierences any since my decision not to balance. Hope this helps.
I bought a NoMar Classic last year. Frankly, I have been disappointed in it. It's a LOT of work to change a tire on it, and the device is VERY technique specific. If your technique is even a little off, the tire cannot be mounted. It also depends on the rim design. For the NoMar to work, the rim needs a deep drop-center to give the tire room for mounting. Shallow drop-center rims are next-to-impossible. A friend brought over a Pirelli Angle GT rear tire and the rim off his Yamaha FJR. Try as we might, the two of us were unable to mount the tire using the NoMar. After swearing and working up a sweat, we gave up and he took the tire to a dealership to mount. Another important fact NoMar failes to mention, it's all too easy to bend a brake disk on front rims using the NoMar. Go watch their videos. Every single video of a front rim shows it with the brake disks removed! Do you really want to have to unbolt your brake disks every time you change the front tire? More often than not, when I use mine, I just end up using it as an expensive wheel stand and use tire irons with rim protectors. I've found it easier with less risk of bending a disk than fighting with their mount/de-mount bar. If I had to do it all over again, I'd shop around for a used Coats or other powered tire changer. Some swear by the No-Mar, but I swear at it.
I have one of those in a pile next to my mower in the shed. I got it from a buddy that decided this was more trouble than it's worth. I found out my time is better spent doing MY job and letting the dude at the m/c shop do his. Maybe if I ever retire I'll feel differently about the use of my time.
Tks so much for all of that info, I had already filed away your info re the foot valve, I appreciate the feedback on the small details that work for you.If you are using the No MAr Classic with the standard dog blocks and cam lock block, have you experienced the issue as some others have, that there is no room for the brake rotor/disc on the bottom when you put the wheel up on the platform? Tks for the detailed responseKelly
Yeah, changing tires can be a beyotch, even with the best tools. I like my NoMar....it is well constructed, sturdy and reliable. The hitch mount is a very nice feature....I’ve actually mounted a receiver on my shop wall by welding one to a 24x24 plate that is bolted through the concrete block wall....best of both worlds that......and re balancing; I agree that it is much overrated.....I use a Marc Parnes to get approximate, but notice no difference when weights eject themselves miles later. ?why bother?
Purchased used for $370. Best $$ I ever spent. The No-Mar/Cycle Hill and HF changers left me unimpressed. (random photo from the 'net, not my actual changer)
Same here.My HFT with Mojo bar has done a huge number of tires over the years for me and my friends. No real issue.
I have never had a rotor conflict with the cam blocks. I changed a lot of sport bike tires with 17" wheels and big disc's.
A buddy has a Coats he says it the best rim scratcher on the market.
Mine came with a set of Motion Pro rim protectors and a set of the plastic covers that go over the ends of the bar. Never scratched a rim, except when using a tire lever...
I'm guessing his Coats did not come with all the extra protective stuff. The Coats having the bead breaker at ground level was a deal breaker for me. That's also the main reason i ruled out the Cycle Hill variant. I spent my youth crawling around on cold garage floors work on stuff. As I've aged I prefer the work come to me now.