Can anyone recommend a shop to get tires mounted at a reasonable price in the Chicago area? The shop where I bought my bike form wants $35 per tire to mount and balance. If I buy the tires from them it is $15 to have them mount and balance but the cost of the tires are about $100 more than I can buy them online.
Tire Mounting in Chicago
- Thread starter aljanmay
- Start date
Dayyum, them MOFO's are hittn your azz over the head. Just go (online) to harbor frieght and tools and buy your own tire changer for $58 and do it yourself as others and myself have done. Then do a quick search online for a tire balancer. Heres one that I would recommend if you dont have time to make your own like I have done using parts from Lowes, total cost $12.00. Mine looks somthing similar to the one in the photo below. I would post a photo of it but my usb port is Jack'd up .
Additionally all you need is a pair of jack stands to place the balancing bar on. Total cost shipped to your door is $115.
Click onto the title Tire Balancer Site
Good luck
I got mo time than money
Holla
Ty
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Additionally all you need is a pair of jack stands to place the balancing bar on. Total cost shipped to your door is $115.
Click onto the title Tire Balancer Site
Good luck
I got mo time than money
Holla
Ty
<!--EDIT|Rhythm
Reason for Edit: None given...|1112039972 -->
Last edited by a moderator:
Hey aljanmay, where you located at in Northern Illinois? I live in DeKalb myself.
The Harbor Freight tire changer is a great addition to any garage! Breaking the bead takes only seconds and it does a nice job holding the wheel in place while you remove and install the tires. You'll need tire irons, rim protectors and weights...I recommend Dennis Kirk for those.
I changed out the tires on my 500T a few weeks ago and balanced them with jackstands. The front wheel came out with the shaft and I just wiggled it back and forth about a ¼" to break the friction in the bearings...heavy spot bottoms out quickly.
For my rear tire, I used the shaft that came with the tire changer and did the same operation. I've run the bike up to 130 without the slightest hint of vibration.
Once you change your first tire and figure out all the tricks you'll be removing and installing new tires in about 15 minutes.
If you're in the Chicagoland area there is a Harbor Freight in Schererville Indiana. The store and web site go opposite on sales. Go online and print out the prices for the tire changer and motorcycle attachment. Go to the store and if either one is more expensive they'll match the price.
When I bought mine the web site had the tire changer on sale but not the motorcycle attachment and vise versa for the store.
Total cost was around $58 bucks and of course no shipping.
I've also heard many people say you can talk to a manager and haggle on prices...if it was on sale or is about to go on sale they'll give it to you for that price.
I changed out the tires on my 500T a few weeks ago and balanced them with jackstands. The front wheel came out with the shaft and I just wiggled it back and forth about a ¼" to break the friction in the bearings...heavy spot bottoms out quickly.
For my rear tire, I used the shaft that came with the tire changer and did the same operation. I've run the bike up to 130 without the slightest hint of vibration.
Once you change your first tire and figure out all the tricks you'll be removing and installing new tires in about 15 minutes.
If you're in the Chicagoland area there is a Harbor Freight in Schererville Indiana. The store and web site go opposite on sales. Go online and print out the prices for the tire changer and motorcycle attachment. Go to the store and if either one is more expensive they'll match the price.
When I bought mine the web site had the tire changer on sale but not the motorcycle attachment and vise versa for the store.
Total cost was around $58 bucks and of course no shipping.
I've also heard many people say you can talk to a manager and haggle on prices...if it was on sale or is about to go on sale they'll give it to you for that price.
From my experience they will usually sale it to you at the discounted price even if it is not advertised. Their always having discounted sales going on all the time at the same discountd price or lower, believe me. If your not familar with the sale clerks or dont feel to comfortable asking for a discounted price, you might be better off taking Turbo Torch advice.
Oh yeah, for the rear tire the stock axle is long enough to use for balanceing, you only need to make a balance bar for the front wheel when putting it on the jack stands for balancing because the axle isnt long enough.
Oh yeah, for the rear tire the stock axle is long enough to use for balanceing, you only need to make a balance bar for the front wheel when putting it on the jack stands for balancing because the axle isnt long enough.
I'm in Algonquin, IL
Anybody have any experience with the shop in Harvard IL. I forget the name of the place though.
I'm a little afraid to balance the tires myself. I think mounting them would be easy but I'm to afraid that I wouldn't get the balance right.
I'll keep checking around and let you all know what I find.
Anybody have any experience with the shop in Harvard IL. I forget the name of the place though.
I'm a little afraid to balance the tires myself. I think mounting them would be easy but I'm to afraid that I wouldn't get the balance right.
I'll keep checking around and let you all know what I find.
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