Sunday, February 24, 2013

Tire changing stand


When I bought out Everett's old moped shop, along with the parts came a large variety of factory and home made tools.  Some are easy to identify, some take a bit to figure out what they are for, and some I have no idea.  This one was pretty easy.  It is a Maxi swingarm welded to a motorcycle sprocket, with some notches ground into the tensioner part of the swingarm, so an axle can rest in it easily.  It has a mobile arm attached to it with a little threaded foot to accept a dial indicator so you can true wheels.  Pretty slick.  I'm using it as a tire changing stand.  Hang your new tube in the swing arm, set your wheel in place and tighten the axle down so it can't escape.  With the sprocket clamped to the work bench, your tire stays in place wonderfully as you pry with the tire irons to remove the bead and withdraw the tube.  Then you simply bring the new tube up, tuck it in, and use your hands to finish the job.  If you were replacing the tire as well, you would have to remove the wheel to get the old tire out completely and insert the new one, so a bit more work, but it is nice to not be wrestling around the garage with a wheel in my hands pinned to the floor under my knees.