Mounting Front Mower Tires

The tires on my old Scotts 1742 cracked, so I put tubes in them. Had a friend break the tires loose from the bead. Now I am ready to re-mount them, and it is much harder than I thought with 2 prybars and dish soap...lol

Does the tire changer a tire shop uses have the capability to remount these tires? I'm ready to pay someone to do it..lol

Thanks!
Tommy D.

Hi, unless a tire shop does lawn mowers and ATV tires its doubtful but a Lawn mower or ATV shop should have a tire machine that is sized for them
GB in MN

PS I also have the Harbor freight small tire changer used it for yrs very handy and it work quite well.

They are a bear, I mount a 3/4" rod to the work bench to hold them, Then I take a pair of vicegrips ,clamp them to the wheel rim, keeps the bead from going round an round, then the iron work pretty good. Jim

I push one edge of the tire to the center of the rim, hold with foot and hammer the sides to slip the rest onto the rim. Be careful to not pinch tubes!

Check at several local gas stations,one station by me has adapters for 6"-12" rims to fit his machine,I take my 10"/12" tires to him to change,8" or less I usually manage with my harbor freight tire changer,NEVER had any luck installing new 10"/12" tires on rim even though instructions say you can.

Get the $40 Lawnmower tire changing machine from Harbor Freight. Best money you can spend...

DIYDave, I also have the Harbor Freight tire changer and it works great!

I installed female anchors into my concrete floor. When I need it, I bolt it to the floor. When not in use it's hanging from the rafters....out of the way.
Click here: Mini Tire Changer

6+ years in the mower shop and here"s how I do it:

1. put a steel bar in the vise and drop the wheel over it.

2. Clamp a 4" or 6" visegrip to the wheel rim tightly near the valve stem hole. Pull the tire bead up as close to it as you can.

3. using your tire tool or a big screwdriver, pry the tire bead over the lip of the rim at a point about 1/3 of the way around the rim from the vicegrip, while simultaneously pushing the tire bead down where it can fit in the drop in the middle of the rim.

4. holding the tire bead down, pull the pry bar out and move an inch or so farther around the rim and pry again. I use my left hand for holding and my right hand for prying. Keep moving around the tire until the whole bead pops over the lip of the rim.

5. When you get the first bead on put the tube in. I usually remove the valve core and inflate the tube to make it round up before I stuff it in the tire. I find that I don"t pinch as many tubes if I do this before I put it in the tire.With the valve stem removed some of the air can come back out while I put it in the tire.

6. Get the valve stem to come out the valve stem hole in the rim. A 4 way valve stem tool has a side for cleaning the valve cap threads. Screw it on the valve stem to keep it from disappearing down inside the rim. If you don"t have a 4 way tool, another small vice grip can work, but be careful not to damage the rubber on the valve stem.

7. Repeat step 2 for the other tire bead. The reason you put your vicegrip near the valve stem hole is that you don"t want the tire bead to pinch or break the valve stem out of the tube. You want the last bit of tire bead going over the lip of the rim to be right at the valve stem so it doesn"t try to drag the valve stem back down through the valve stem hole in the rim.

8. Repeat step 3 to finish putting the tire on the wheel.

9. turn the tire on the rim to where the valve stem comes straight out of its hole. then remove the 4 way tool and inflate the tire.

LUBE. LOTS of lube. Lube is your friend!

Got it! Used the vice grip trick and dish soap...lol

Thanks for all the help! And I still think I am going to get the H/F Tire Changer!

Tommy D.