Mount and Balance Tires at Home: Manual Tire Changer & Bubble Balancer

If you're wondering how to mount and balance tires at home, I'll be showing the process on alloy wheels and fairly low profile tires (no wheel scratching allowed). I'll be using the ever popular manual tire changer with a duck head modification attachment and the infamous bubble balancer.

IMPORTANT! Many (perhaps most) people don't get into DIY mounting & balancing of their own tires to save money. If that's your understanding, you're missing the point. It's all about the convivence of doing a tire replacement or tire repair any time you want and being totally self-reliant. You know, what most DIY'ers crave; while hopefully doing a better job and forgoing wheel damage like shown in the part 4 video.

This is part 3 in my manual tire changing series. Part 1 covers the basics of one of these manual tire changers and installing one:

Part 2 covers dismounting the tire along with an overview of what a duck head modification is and how it works to safely dismount tires from alloy wheels:

Part 4 is fixing careless tire shop wheel damage which is a big reason I wanted to start doing my own tire service work in the first place:

Part 5 Covers Easy Valve Stem Replacement:

Part 6 - Manual Tire Changer One Year Update - Tips & Tricks:

Item's used in this manual tire changer series:
- Manual Tire Changer (DOESN'T INCLUDE DUCK-HEAD MODIFICATION)
- Duck Head Modification Attachment I use:
- Similar Duck Head Modification @ Amazon:
- Lucid Autowerks Duck Head Options:
- Bubble Balancer
- Digital Tire Pressure Fill Gauge
- 1/2 oz Stick on Wheel Weights
- Alligator Brand Premium TR413 Valve Stems (the only stems I will use now):
- CK Auto TR413 Valve Stems
- Low Cost Valve Stem Tool
- Higher End Valve Stem Tool
- Tire Lubrication Paste
- Tire Lubrication Liquid
- Tire Lube Brush
- Tire Lube Swab
- Drop Center Wheel Clamp
- 24" Tire Iron
- Nylon Wheel Scratch Protecting Socks for above tire iron (I use these ones)
- Brake Clean

For those who want to get really ambitious and try their luck/skill at modifying the bubble balancer using the same method I did (half glass sphere & glass plate), here are a couple links for both items. 30mm Dia for both should work but be sure to check the size of hole up in your balancing head to make sure it's not smaller than that (sizes can vary I've been told).
- 30mm Flat Watch Glass
- 30mm Half Sphere Magnifier/Cabochon (pick the correct size)

Time Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:30 Wheel Prep
3:27 Tire Prep
4:56 Mounting The Tire
8:20 Seating Tire Beads
10:26 Bubble Balancer Issues
14:15 Balancing The Wheel
18:41 Road Test Balance

DISCLAIMER: This video is for information and entertainment purposes only. It's no substitute for prior tire removal/installation experience and/or training. You remove, mount & balance tires at your own risk.
Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you! Thank you for supporting my channel which helps me keep creating content.

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[Rchelicopterfun]

Tire Changer One Year Update Video with Tips & Tricks
Manual Tire Changing Series: Part 1 - Manual Changer Overview & Mounting
Part 2 - Duck Head Modification & Tire Removal
Part 3 - Mounting & Balancing Tire
Part 4 - Repairing Tire Shop Damaged Wheel
Part 5 - Valve Stem Replacement Without Tire Removal

[retselyarrh]

I’ve been doing tires myself, my whole life with a manual bead breaker and an M-60 Micro bubble balancer!
Next year I’ll be 60 and see no need to stop
😀😀

[GriffonriderTom]

You had me convinced right up to "I just used my lathe" to fix the common accuracy issues all these balancers have.

[maxcarter]

I used a bubble balance in 1971 at a Mobile Training Center. It was all we had back then. It worked just fine.

[frankcoffey]

If you want it done right do it yourself. Tire shops can’t even get air pressure right and don’t care about your car.

[DeanLangley]

I have an old bubble balancer similar to yours. It’s been my experience that I balance tires better than the tire shop. I’m not saying it’s better than a computer balancer but it’s better than a sloppy mechanic with a computerized balancer. The best advice I can give is if the wheel requires much weight to balance use two weights half the size and put them 45 degrees apart centered on where the bubble indicates. If the rims are steel I put half on the inside and half on the outside. I’ve had tires vibrate from the tire shop and checked the balance on my static balancer to find they applied too much weight. Car drives perfect after I balance it. I’m sticking with what works.

[robinsonsauto]

You didn’t say goodbye to the tire shops, you became the tire shop 😊 👍

[arte]

One thing I learned and always do when seating the beads.
I remove the valve core and use the air hose WITHOUT the quick connect chuck installed...this allows more air at a faster rate to fill the tire.
Works great on harder to seat tires.

[Platoface]

I worked at a Sam’s club tire shop going through school. I learned I could get the balance machine down to .05 tolerance vs the default .25 tolerance. So that’s what I did. Btw, my fav story is the time a guy brought his Honda civic in for 4 new tires. By the time he was done paying for it I handed him his keys back. 😂 you should have seen the look on his face. 4 of us at once worked on the vehicle. He was so dumbfounded he couldn’t talk. 😂

[AllanG]

Hi John. I'm posting this here because it's your newest video and I want to make sure you saw it. I came across your flight school more than 10 years ago and was really helpful to me getting started. I left the hobby about 3-4 years later but just picked it up again about a week ago. Your videos have become really helpful again - about 8 year later. So, I just wanted to say thank you.

[tedcorey]

I want to get a tire changer for the same reason as you . I brought my old tires to a shop, bought 2 tires, had them mounted and balanced, brought them home and put them on the car . A couple days later one went flat (I didn't drive the car), they re-mounted it (cleaned the seat, I'm sure), they wanted to charge me 20 bucks, I told them I wasn't paying it, they told me to never come back, I said I wasn't planning to .

[Trump]

I’ve had way to many issues with tire shops from scratched wheels to bad balancing. The problem is the turnaround is insane at these places and you have a very good chance of getting the “new guy”. Fortunately I have a buddy who has a shop and lets me use his tire machine and balancer. Unfortunately it’s over 100 miles away from me but it beats the hell out of getting a nice set of wheels destroyed.

[Halon]

Very well done sir. I was impressed with your video in demonstrating what can be done in my own garage. I worked at a tire shop as a teenager and took for granted having the right equipment.

[TRUMPUSA]

I like the extra steps he took that shops probably never do like cleaning the rims before mounting the tires, etc.

[Harold_Callahan]

Last time I had a tire shop fix a flat (on a tire I bought from them) they managed to put another hole in that tire by running over a screw in their lot, which is a mess full of junk that can puncture tires. When I went to pick up the car of course I inspected the fixed tire and saw a new screw poking right out of it. They are the "top rated" shop in my town, but from now on I think I will learn how to DIY most of my tire work.

[artlife]

Best part is avoiding the inevitable moment the manager walks in and tells (lies to)you that your car needs $4000 worth of emergency repairs in addition to a set of tires.

[im-that-guy-pal]

Those are the cleanest rims I ever seen

[dmd]

Very impressive road test indeed ! It is such a great feeling to DIY knowing you did a cleaner, nicer and probably as ( or more) accurate job than most shops where you cross your fingers they don't damage anything ( which they always do 90% of the time !! I've experienced scratches, leaks, wrong side rotation mounted...) Hmmm, that tire balancing machine at $ 1000 also has me is it Chiniseum quality and durability??? As you said, I have 2 cars with winter and summer tires plus 1 or 2 punctures a year so it is beginning to make sense to own this tire changing equipment !! Thanks again for taking the time to make those videos !

[jeffalvich]

When I first started working for a gas station as I was working my way through college bubble balancing was the standard for all new tires. Even the Chevron rep who trained us stated that there is almost no reason to ever have to dynamic balance a tire when you're properly trained on static balancing procedures. You must almost always use two weights separated at at least 12 in or so on the side of the wheel. As one of the practices for static balancing.

[bradmottishaw]

I was really appreciating how clean and well lit your garage was, and then saw R2 sitting there. Now I think this is the most EPIC garage I have ever seen. Very nice video on this subject. Thank you for sharing it.