XPost: alt.home.repair   
   From: @.   
      
   On 5/1/2023 11:05 AM, Michael wrote:   
   > On 1 May 2023 04:51:26 GMT, rbowman wrote:   
   >   
   >>> Lift the lower bead into the drop center & lift the top bead to the rim.   
   >>> Fill with air until it pops. If necessary, grab the bazooka (1 out of   
   >>> 10).   
   >> And don't forget to add the $90 bazooka to your home tire changing   
   >> station. It's that 1 in 10 where you need a sledge hammer to break the   
   >> bead and a bazooka to seat it that turns it into a 5 hour pain in the ass.   
   > You got that right. I didn't know if people would realize what I meant by   
   > "grab the bazooka" but you clearly understood what it is, and what is for.   
   >   
   > Sometimes, it's just so much easier to have the right tools to do the job.   
   > You can get away with NOT having it, but then you need at least two people.   
   >   
   > You have one person underneath keeping the bottom bead in the drop center.   
   > Then you have another person on top wheedling the top bead into the rim.   
   > You must also have air running continuously screwed into the open valve.   
   >   
   > It CAN be done without the bazooka (or without the MAF kaboom trick), but   
   > it's EASIER to do with the bazooka on those problem tires if you're alone.   
   >   
   > It's the LT tires, with that high profile stiff sidewall that are the   
   > hardest to get the initial seal in the drop center that need the blast.   
   >   
   > If you already own some tools, then the cost will be lower, of course.   
   > For most people the "extra" tools will cost about $100 per tire ($400).   
   >   
   > HF sells everything you need though, which, using rounded numbers costs you   
   > $100 tire mounter (throw away its bead breaker which just gets in the way)   
   > $100 bead breaker (you have to extend it for the larger diameter wheels)   
   > $100 bazooka (if you work alone, you'll need it on some brands of tires)   
   > $100 static balancer (this tool works amazingly well even as it's low tech)   
   > $100 floor jack (you want it to go as high as you can but 15 inches is ok)   
   > $100 jack stands & chocks (height is usually more important than bearing)   
   > $200 compressor & hoses & fittings & electrical adapter (mine is 220VAC)   
   > $100 torque wrench (the only time it's needed is at the final cinch'up)   
   >   
   > There are minor tools but those are the three major tools that you'll need.   
   > Minor tools, offhand, are all around ten bucks so I'll just say that below.   
   >   
   > $10 schrader valve removal screwdriver (required)   
   > $10 tire valve removal & replacement tool (more useful for rubber valves)   
   > $10 air gun (you sacrifice one air gun to screw onto the open tire valve)   
   > $20 two long additional tire irons (useful, but not always required)   
   > $10 strong spray bottle (don't use a Windex bottle which always breaks)   
   > $10 vise grips (required because the long tire iron twists in your hands)   
   > $20 pack of wheel weights of various sizes and types (stick on works ok)   
   > $20 plug and patch kit (best to get the combined patchplug type)   
   > $10 wheel weight on/off tool (optional - it just makes you feel better)   
   > $10 assorted curved picks (to remove rocks and glass from between treads)   
   > $10 assorted patch tools (scrapers, pizza wheels, chalk/grease markers)   
   > $20 set of four all metal tire valves (bolt in types are my favorite)   
   > $20 special tool for the BBS wheel covers in some fancy alloy wheels   
   >   
   > Let me know if I missed anything as that's just off the cuff from memory.   
   >   
   > Obviously there's a serious (about $400) investment in tools that you don't   
   > already have and which aren't useful for any other job, while the rest of   
   > the investment will be useful for almost any job you do under the car.   
   >   
   > At easy numbers of $25 saved per wheel, it would take 16 tire changes   
   > (which would take a few years) to start making money on the tools bought.   
   >   
   > Almost nobody has only one car in the household, but if we assume easy   
   > conservative figures of a new set of tires every four years and no flats,   
   > that's about 16 years for one car. For a two-car household, that drops in   
   > half to 8 years. For a four car household (I don't feel like dividing by 3   
   > in my head) that should take about 4 years to start making money doing it.   
   >   
   > There are other advantages and disadvantages, such as the satisfaction of   
   > being self sufficient versus the dissatisfaction of having to take a   
   > shower, but there is no case anyone could make against cost as you will   
   > always end up making money on your tools given how much it costs to pay   
   > people.   
   >   
   > The main case people would have for not doing the job is they don't want to   
   > do it or they don't have the room for the tools, and those are both valid.   
      
      
   You haven't factored in the medical cost if you lose an eye or a limb.   
   Industrial accidents do happen, more often to amateur auto mechanic.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)