Quote:
Originally Posted by jeffs99vulcan
Great info Lattimer, thanks. This really helps with the decision making. I was browsing Harbor Freight and came across the motorcycle attachment right before I read this post, didn't even know there was one. And your opinion about the no-mar makes sense too. So now we're at $280, and at $15 per tire by a local guy, that's 18 changes before it pays for itself, plus the time and skinned knuckles...
The balancer at Motorcycle Wheel Balancer seems to get good reviews, but there's another $100... that's right too, that now makes it 23 tire changes before it pays for itself.
I think the deciding factor now will be how it works out at this local installer my buddy came across... how it goes, how long the wait is, how good a job he does, whether he sticks to his price (which I'm not too worried about but sometimes it's the "hidden" charges)... and I'll go from there. I've done a few tires before (car, tractor) and I already know it's no fun, but I do like doing my own work...
I'll be sure to post again when I know how the installation turns out... |
Yeah, if you look at it as a financial payback, it sucks. If you have someone you can trust to do the mounting, and their price is reasonable rather than rape, you might as well let the pro's do it.
I like doing my own work, and I take alot of pride in my abilities. I work on stuff for other people a lot as well, its like my "therapy" on the weekends when I'm not riding. Plus, I like the challenge.
I didn't mention it before----but in the whole process, I managed to break the tire changer too. It was an easy fix, I just had to weld it back together where one of the cheesy "made in China" welds cracked loose. But if you can't weld, you would be out about $50 if that happened.
Edit:
On the wheel balancer---That is pretty similar to the one I have, except mine has little bearing plates it sits on instead of the bearing caps on the ends. The Marc Parnes one would be way better than what I have. Realistically though, you can do a good enough job without even having the bearings on the end. That is how I did mine, since the bearing plates sucked and only one bearing on each side would turn.