Pneumatic motorcycle tire changer, what size air compressor?

I bought (haven't got it yet) a TC 400 pneumatic tire changer from our resident 'hookup'.

I will need to upgrade my Campbell Hausfeld portable pancake compressor obviously.

What size compressor do I need?

60 gal upright?
22 gal portable?
150 psi capacity?
10-15 CFM?

Any brands/models to stay away from?

There's a chance the tire changer may end up in my trailer from time to time, so the wheeled variety of compressors would be handy for that if they have enough capacity/CFM or whatever.

 

Is this all you'll be using the air for?

I've run mine off a 5-gal jobsite compressor. Not ideal but it gets the job done.

Have a 75 gal single head belt drive that I run it off at the shop. Cycles once, maybe twice per tire change.

My changer has an electric table, so it's not sucking down the air like a pneumatic table would.

In other words, be a fucking man and buy some damn air tools and a big-ass compressor!

 

You don't need a 60 gallon tank. A 22 will be plenty. The portable I use for tire service is rated for 5.8 CFM @ 40 PSI and 4.7 CFM @ 90 PSI.

My Snap On machine also has an electric table.

 

I have use my 6 Gallon one for 12 Years Steve.... You really don't need to upgrade for personal use... Now if you were a the track flipping non stop then it is nice to not hear it running the whole time... Glad you were able to get the machine... You will like it... Also if you plan on putting it in your trailer from time to time Bolt a 2 x 3 Sheet of plywood under it.. I just did this and it worked great to simply use a hand cart to pick up and put in.. Easily moveable once you find the balance point.. But be carefull raising and lowering... They are heavy as hell...

 

I have a 50 yr old 80 gallon upright that I bought years ago at an estate sale. Copper tubing and belt broke once...wires are spliced together...and leaks around the knobs/valving now. Haven't used it in a few years. I have pneumatic air ratchets, chisels, grinders, etc...not that i have ever used them, but just in case.

I have the ex's fathers Craftsman portable/2-wheeled type here in my garage. Pretty sure I could give him $50 for it.

 

Yup. Got rained out today, so I figured I'd get my air situation put together.

I usually go through about 3 rounds of tire changes over a weekend ( 2 bikes worth). I could see me taking it to the track and being bombarded with friends/customers though.

 

Be careful on the customer part.... You are then Liable... At my house I just say bring beer and have at it...

 

This is a 25 gal...I'll just go buy some good hose and fittings. It's got a big ass motor/pump on it, so it seems.
Compared to the tiny pump on the big old compressor.

 

Those are nice..... A little elbow grease and a couple WERA Decals and BAM!

 

Uh, this thing is heavy. Picked it up at the trucking company since i was rained out today and delivery wasn't going to be until Monday.

Put it in my enclosed trailer with forklift and then by myself - shimmied, pushed, pulled inch by inch to move it 25' to the garage.

Is it a good/bad idea to put locking casters on the piece of plywood that I'm going to bolt it too, for ease of mobility? I can always tapcon some blocks of wood around the wheels to keep it from moving, kicking itself around when I'm mass producing tire changes.

Half tempted to leave it on the shipping skid it came on.

 

I didn't really look how they did it, but I've seen tire vendors here that weld/bolt dolly wheels on the back side up abount a 1/4 inch, and mount handlebars up at the top. Then they pull it back, the wheels touch the ground, and maneuver with the handlebars.

 

I decided to make a 2'x3' mini skid and bolt the changer to it.

I can then use my Aluminum Craftsman motorcycle jack/lift that i use for the Harley, to move the tire changer around the garage or whatever.
I could also take (2) 24" 2x4's and mount a small caster on each end of the 2x4's, jack the tire changer up, slide the 2x4's with the casters under the skid, and then remove the jack and be able to roll the machine around more securely.

 

Looks like i'll be getting another compressor after all. The porter cable doesn't have enough ass to fill it's tank up after it gets down to around 40 psi. The motor / pump struggles to get itself going again. It'll do a 1/2 revolution, then it'll strain to move another few inches. I can spin the compressor pulley and it'll go for 1 or 2 revolutions, and then peters out. Empty the tank, and it will start pumping as it should.

Too bad, It's a very quiet and smooth running compressor.

 

Anybody got any good tips/videos to show how to mount a damn tire?

I've been watching videos and trying to put a tire on a rim for about 4 hrs now.

It can't get any simpler than this.

 

What part are you failing at? It's not hard. Once you figure it out you'll be wishing you could come back and delete this post.

 

what are u struggling with?

the bead goes in the deepest part of the drop of the wheel and over the duckhead. the first bead requires almost no downward force to keep the bead in that position as u spin the wheel. the second bead requires u to push down on the tire pretty hard, sometimes with all your weight or even a lever under the lip of the wheel. if u dont push down, the tire pops out of the drop, the tire machine cant turn the wheel, and tire wont go on. at worst, the tire machine spins on the wheel and scratches the fuck out of your wheel.

 

I'm failing at the 'mounting the rear tire part.'

Lube, tire warmers, slow-mo video of Brian Van...

Of course they're dunlops...stiffest sidewalls ever.

 

I mount those in two minutes with my manual nomar.

How far do you get before you fail?

 

a stiff motorcycle tire is a 3 out of 10 on the "difficult tires to mount" scale. ull have no problem w/ them eventually.

do u have the first bead on?

 

since my last post, i got the tire (rear) on, took it off again, and remounted.

Getting the bead below the head/ball thing and up on the dovetail, whilst holding/pushing the tire down into the rim and hitting the pedal was the tricky part. I just wasn't pushing down hard enough and long enough.

It sure as hell wasn't as pretty and graceful as brian van.