All tools are different...just because some of Harbor Freights tools are great doesn't mean their ATV bead breaker doesn't suck. Changing ATV tires is easy, breaking the beads can be a real challenge. I agree with d33pt. I've changed thousands of tires in my life, I have the knowledge. But if I didn't have the proper equipment, I'd bring 'em in.

 

I got my tire changer from James Lucky and have used it at least 20 times and it is still the same as when I bought it. There is one big trick though...you need some weight pushing down on the opposite side you are trying to break the bead on. I always shove the edge of the tire under the side of a car. A big guy standing on it would work too.

It would be a snap if you had one of the bead breakers that mounts to the garage floor.

Once you break the bead, 3 tire spoons make it the easiest to get the tire off.

I've had to change tires at the trailhead several times. Can't imagine being without this tool unless you keep spare rims and tires.

/Jon

 

I have a bead breaker from HF. It has worked good on all the car and atv tires except for my Kodiak's. It wouldn't break them from the rim. We then tried them on one taht a buddy has and still wouldn't do them all. We had to wind up cutting 2 of them off the rims. It took a long time and sucked!

 

bead breaker or not have fun.....lol, damn tires from the factory are the worst tires i've ever changed, it's like the glue them on the rim with some kind of epoxy. it took 4 people including me to get a rear set of factory tires off my buddy's 2004 Warrior and we used a bead breaker and they still wouldn't break

 

I tried to break the bead off of my Banshee rear stockers and It Sucked. I finally broke down and took them in to a local shop but Im getting the tire changer on the Harbor freight site. I can weld good so if it breaks I'll make it better. Cost me 20 bux for them to take them off and put new tires on. I'm not afraid of alittle work.

 

That's the problem we had. They had some kind of glue or epoxy that wouldn't break loose. Hope the Honda is different.

 

Hey, I just had a brain storm....I got a hydrolic wood spliter from my grandfather last year, wonder if it could be modified to break the bead on a ATV tire...[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

Hopefully it only breaks the bead and does not split the rim.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] Would be cool if it works.