Community Forums

jondrew55 · 05-13-2015, 11:08 AM

Thinking about getting the tools necessary to change, unmount and remount my own tires on my Excursion Class A. I'm not really interested in a discussion thread about the relative merits of doing this as opposed to depending on a roadside tire service. I already carry an unmounted spare. I do have coach.net. In most cases I'd call for service and have an expert do the work. But I like to think I could do it myself if the circumstances required.

I found this torque multiplier on Amazon for $150. There also seem to be several knock offs for about half that much.

http://www.amazon.com/Torque-Multipl...que+multiplier

Along with this, I'd need (I think)

20 ton bottle Jack
Tire pry bar (maybe 2?)
Bead breaking hammer (is this necessary?)
Tire lube.
Pancake compressor (or my chassis air pump)
Tire plugging tool maybe?

I'm a healthy 60 year old and can wrangle heavy items fairly well. I'm sure this isn't rocket science, but I know how difficult and potentially dangerous regular auto repair tasks can be if you've never done them before. Add to that the size and weight a class A brings and I'd think you need to have adequate respect for the job in front of you.

Again, let's not hijack this thread with "why would you do this?"

sheepofblue · 05-13-2015, 11:23 AM

I think the difficult part will either be braking the bead (you have something for that) or setting the bead. Resetting a bead with a pancake compressor might not be possible without more tools.

I would want a minimum of two tire irons (long) and something like a yellow thing
YellowThing Tire Tool

That would allow you to hold the bead as you walk around with the tire irons. I use one all the time on motorcycle tires as I change a lot of slicks.

You are also missing the wrenches/sockets needed. And should add someway to support the jack if you are dirt/grass.

Not something I would sign up for but there are some thoughts.

BFlinn181 · 05-13-2015, 11:23 AM

The weight of the wheel and tire make this a job I'd not like to tackle. Since I pay for roadside assistance, I'll leave it to them. Besides a bottle jack, you'll need an adequately sized jack stand. If you're working alone, a tire dolly is also helpful, but hard to carry in the RV. Of course a rear blow out is doubly complicated.

I was having a tire replaced on my RV on the side of the road in WY and it was windy enough that it blew the RV right off the jack. I'd suggested to the mech. that I could put the jacks down to support the rig, he didn't think it necessary. We were both standing next to the RV when it blew off the jack, we thought the whole thing was coming down on us! He had to stop work for a few minutes he was shaking so badly. I went inside and used the jacks to lift it up again, his jack was used as an additional prop.

hclark6345 · 05-13-2015, 12:01 PM

I just came in the house after rotating the front 19.5 inch tires on my class A.

My back HURTS and I have an ice pack on it.

I needed a sledge hammer to break the wheel loose from the axle hub. There was some rust between the wheel and the hub and the hammer helped.

Getting the wheels back on the studs seems to be more of a wrestling match than taking them off.
Pry bars under the tire helped to line up the bolt studs with the rim.

I did not need a torque multiplier. I just stood on the end of the lug wrench to loosen and tighten the lug nuts.

I used the RV leveling jacks with to raise the wheels off the ground. Your bottle jack would make a good safety stand while you work.

I did this on my paved level driveway. I cringe to think about doing this in the dirt on a slant at the side of the road.

Mounting and dismounting the tire from the rim would be way beyond me.

TeJay · 05-13-2015, 12:17 PM

I've had my 6 tires (19.5") off and on twice in the last month with no issues. My torque wrench goes to 250 Ft lbs as well. Yes levers, a few wood wedges to slide the tire up for alignment and patience makes it fairly easy.

That's a lot different than the 22.5" tires. I know I could move them around and get them onto the hub with levers but R&Ring it from the rim that would be another story.
I like the "Little yellow tire thingy" That looks like it would work but i don't know how effective it would be on a 22.5" tire. The side walls are a lot thicker and much less flexible that a MC or 15" tire.

I admire your tenacity and willingness to attempt this. I've watched guys do this at a truck shop a few years ago. I was amazed exactly what you can do with levers.

Here's a suggestion. Get the necessary tools and video tape yourself demonstrating to us your success. It would be an advisable thing to try before you HAD to. Also we'd probably all like to witness your successes.

TeJay

BillJinOR · 05-13-2015, 01:01 PM

Setting the bead will be your problem most of the guys I've seen use an explosive air pressure device to set ... I doubt a air compressor will do much .

sheepofblue · 05-13-2015, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillJinOR

Setting the bead will be your problem most of the guys I've seen use an explosive air pressure device to set ... I doubt a air compressor will do much .

They also make an inflatable tire band thing (sorry no link) that I have seen used.

Tejay true on the stiffness though the racing slicks I run are tougher than most street tires you see (maybe Gold Wing grade being an exception) The YellowThing is to keep the tire from walking off as you move around the rim. Kind of like a person holding what you set below the rim while you are on the other side so it does not just go round and round

I saw a video once of a guy changing a dump truck tire in nothing flat. VERY impressive and fast. In a lot of ways it was like what I do except everything was much heavier. He had something that was a rim lock type but I forget what it looked like, just noticed the function.

Old Scout · 05-13-2015, 01:14 PM

Dear "hi-jacker," the money in tools, and the sweat in the labor, make this questionable effort at best. Carrying the necessary tools and the spare tire are problematic--unless you include the spare in some sort of rotation, its likely it wont be worth anything by the time you get around to using it. More important, the safety issues involved with changing a tire along the side of the road seal the deal for me....Cant you do?--sure, but why?.....oops, I am sorry....

jondrew55 · 05-13-2015, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillJinOR

Setting the bead will be your problem most of the guys I've seen use an explosive air pressure device to set ... I doubt a air compressor will do much .

I read in another thread about putting thick rope around the circumference of the tire and taking an axe handle and twisting until you compress the tire enough that the bead will stick enough to start getting air in it. Amazon also had some sort of gizmo with a 5 gal air tank that sets the bead by blasting air into it.

Right now this is as much of a mental exercise as anything else.

dvmweb · 05-13-2015, 01:17 PM

We had to get two new tires because the bead was mismounted on each. That caused a terrible wobble/vibration in the front end. Brand new coach at the time so it was covered under warranty, but still.

2013 FleetWood Expedition 38B

BFlinn181 · 05-13-2015, 01:56 PM

I forgot to mention that on one tire the tech had trouble getting it to mount on the wheel. He tried using a strap with a ratchet to get it, that failed. Next he pulled a 5 gallon pail of goop, as thick as axle grease out of his truck. He slopped that around the tire bead to help build pressure to get the tire bead to slide into place. That worked, then he had to scoop all the goop back into his pail. A few more things you might want to have on board if you want to change your own tires. (My tires are 19.5", I think 22.5" would just multiply the effort needed)

Pigman1 · 05-13-2015, 02:08 PM

I don't have any experience with the torque multiplier you show. I do however use a 3x1 multiplier I got on ebay for $186. Torque Wrench Multiplier 1 2" inch Input 3 4" inch Output Drives Tool w Case | eBay I find 180 ft-lb on the torque wrench (a Kobalt) gives me 450 on the lug. I've checked this against a 600 ft-lb one piece torque wrench I used to carry. A couple of 2' pipes gives me a bit more push if I need it to pull or install the lugs.

In addition I carry 2 large truck tire irons , a short handled bead breaking hammer, a 250 ft-lb torque wrench and a 20T bottle jack. Also a peanut butter jar of tire lube. I have not had any problems setting the bead on the road but if I do I'll use a 5,000lb tie-down strap around the tread to spread the beads. I will not repair a tire but will take it to the experts after swapping it out with my unmounted spare I carry. We travel to a lot of remote areas (Alaska) where Coach Net help can be a day or two away if you can reach them.

bhuppert · 05-13-2015, 02:30 PM

Speaking from experience.....in a pinch a can of ether aka starting fluid and a match. Spray in the tire around the rim. Not much and throw the match at it. Whammo. Seated.

FIRE UP · 05-13-2015, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jondrew

Thinking about getting the tools necessary to change, unmount and remount my own tires on my Excursion Class A. I'm not really interested in a discussion thread about the relative merits of doing this as opposed to depending on a roadside tire service. I already carry an unmounted spare. I do have coach.net. In most cases I'd call for service and have an expert do the work. But I like to think I could do it myself if the circumstances required.

I found this torque multiplier on Amazon for $150. There also seem to be several knock offs for about half that much.

http://www.amazon.com/Torque-Multipl...que+multiplier

Along with this, I'd need (I think)

20 ton bottle Jack
Tire pry bar (maybe 2?)
Bead breaking hammer (is this necessary?)
Tire lube.
Pancake compressor (or my chassis air pump)
Tire plugging tool maybe?

I'm a healthy 60 year old and can wrangle heavy items fairly well. I'm sure this isn't rocket science, but I know how difficult and potentially dangerous regular auto repair tasks can be if you've never done them before. Add to that the size and weight a class A brings and I'd think you need to have adequate respect for the job in front of you.

Again, let's not hijack this thread with "why would you do this?"

jondrew,
I most certainly admire your willingness to "Help yourself" in a given situation which, could be in the middle of nowhere, with no cell phone reception and or, any other way to contact "road service". The equipment that you've listed as a possible tool "kit" for this endeavor, is pretty right-on.

I already have the "torque multiplier" that's shown. But, do yourself a favor and don't cheapen out on that tool. I paid close to $160.00 for mine and, it's the one with the 1:75 ratio. I have used it many, many times at home to break all the lug nuts loose on our coach. Incidentally, those are at, 450 ft. lbs. of torque. I can sit on my small mechanics chair and, with one arm, break all 10 lug nuts completely loose, in right at 9 minutes.

Now, re-torqueing them is another story. I purchased a K-D 650 lb. click type torque wrench for a whopping $75.00 on ebay that works absolutely flawless. If you (or I) was to use that torque multiplier to re-torque the lugs, you (or I ) could easily, without too much strain, literally break the stud off with well over 1100 lbs. torque.

As for doing all the rest of the break down of the beads, removing the bad tire, installing the new one and, re-inflating it which, includes seating the bead, well Sir, you definitely have some chores ahead of you if and when this task, should arise. I also carry what's called a "Low Profile" 20 ton jack in the coach too. It has no issues raising any corner of the coach. I use the coach jacks as stabilizers and, to get the tire in need of change, as high as I dare to remove it.

EVERYBODY knows that, you won't be doing this on a daily basis. I have no idea what national statistics would be for the average frequency for changing a flat tire on a class A, diesel coach, would be. Not even a clue but, I know it don't happen every day.

So, if and when you ever have to do it, be careful and pay attention to all the details when doing it. If I was passing by, I'd lend a hand.
Scott