Can I change tires (off and on rims) myself using regular hand tools and alot of muscle? Or do I have to take them to a shop?

 

It can be done , but it's alot easier to take them to a shop

 

I changed mine by using a high-lift jack. I put the bottom of the jack on the tire as close to the rim as possible and and put the lifting hook of the jack under the bumper of my Jeep and started cranking. eventually the bead will break. Breaking the bead is really the only hard part. The rest can be done with tire irons or something similar.

 

I put mine on a piece of plywood & drove the truck over the tire as close as I could to the rim.

 

Personally, I'd go to a shop. Ask yourself these questions-

1. What if I damage the rims?-You'd have to buy new ones:more money

2. What if I thought I did it right but I did it wrong?-Tire can even fall off!!

3. Do I have the right tools?-Uhhh:now I gotta go buy tools!?

Bring them to a shop. It can be worth saving the trouble sometimes.

 

James Lucky sells a nice ATV tire tool.

 

If it's a set of tires I would definately have a shop do it. I have taken a single tire off and put it back on. I ran it over with my truck to break the bead, turned it and ran it over again, flipped it over and ran over it some more.