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Mitch's Mojo Bar


MarcParnes

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I got to try Mitch's tire bar last week on my Coats 220 machine. I was installing a rear 020 on my R1200GS. This was a good test since an 020 can be a bear to get on. The original Coats bar I've been using for the last 15+ years has always had one flaw when installing difficult tires. The problem is that the bar end wants to keep popping out from between the tire beed and the rim when the going gets tough. That usually means I have to back off and start over. A real pain. The other problem is that the plastic cover that goes over the bar end wants to comes off occasionally. Mitch's bar worked flawlessly. The design of the installing end makes it so that the tire itself holds the tool in place so it can't pop out. That in combination with the built in plastic sliding surface means I don't have to mess with a plastic cover popping off. The 020 went on slicker than "snot". clap.gif The removal end worked just as fine other than I have to get used to how much wider it is compared to my Coats bar. You need to make sure you pull the tire over far enough in order to get the larger tool end inserted properly. All and all it will make my tire changes (of which I do a LOT) a whole bunch easier. Thanks Mitch thumbsup.gif

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skinny_tom (aka boney)
Between your balancer thumbsup.gif and Mitch's MOJO bar thumbsup.gif, how can we go wrong when fitting tires to our bikes?? clap.gif

 

We can't. cool.gif

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  • 4 months later...
Shawnee Bill
Between your balancer thumbsup.gif and Mitch's MOJO bar thumbsup.gif, how can we go wrong when fitting tires to our bikes?? clap.gif

 

We can't. cool.gif

 

Can to, I can not get a tire on with Mitch's bar, that bar will not stay hooked on the rim, just pops right off.

 

Sorry about that, I'm sure I'm doing something wrong but I don't know what.

I'm due to change the front tire on my son's bike later this week, we'll try again.

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My guess is that you are not holding the bar 'flat' against the rim. I had the same issue the first tire I mounted but found that holding the bar as close to the rim as you can makes it work much better. You may need to remove a brake rotor or sprocket to get the right angle, I did.

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Can to, I can not get a tire on with Mitch's bar, that bar will not stay hooked on the rim, just pops right off.

Sorry about that, I'm sure I'm doing something wrong but I don't know what.

I'm due to change the front tire on my son's bike later this week, we'll try again.

 

I've used Mitch's bar to change several sets of tires. On the first set we did, we didn't keep the tire in the center of the wheel to maintain enough "slack" in the tire when putting the new tire on the rim. Once we realized what we were doing wrong, the other tires went on without a problem. We have never had to remove the brake rotor to get the tires on the rim.

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Shawnee Bill

I have a tire change scheduled for Thursday, I will print out the instructions and there will be two of us there to figure out where I have gone wrong.

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Can to, I can not get a tire on with Mitch's bar, that bar will not stay hooked on the rim, just pops right off.

 

Sorry about that, I'm sure I'm doing something wrong but I don't know what.

I'm due to change the front tire on my son's bike later this week, we'll try again.

It's definitely a technique, I really struggled the first time I used it until I read the instructions then it went great. Last weekend Chris Olson, Flying Greg and myself changed a tyre using the bar and had a terrible time with the tyre slipping off the bar and the bar off the rim, it's put me off trying it again, not that I have another realistic choice out here.
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steveknapp

You may need to remove a brake rotor or sprocket to get the right angle, I did.

 

Beware. Some of the fasteners which hold sprockets/rotors on are one-time use.

 

As far as Mitch's tire changing bar, we bent the tip, Ron is looking at how to improve it. grin.gif

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On my first attempt I had the same intractable problem others have mentioned in getting the flat end of the Mojo tool to seat the second bead. I was using the essential 'cram the opposite side of the tire into the wheel' trick but still no go... until I realized my problem. While the top bead of the tire was pushed into the center of the rim, the bottom bead was not. This may seem like an obvious error but the condition is not very visible and easy to overlook. Once I got both top and bottom beads on the opposite side of the tire pushed into the wheel then everything went smoothly. Just something to check, hope it helps.

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Joe Frickin' Friday
... I can not get a tire on with Mitch's bar, that bar will not stay hooked on the rim, just pops right off.

 

Sorry about that, I'm sure I'm doing something wrong but I don't know what.

I'm due to change the front tire on my son's bike later this week, we'll try again.

 

Bill, sorry you're having trouble. As others have noted, holding the bar in a position far from horizontal can allow the tire to slip down off the end of the bar, at which point the hook pops free of the rim. Does this describe what's been happening to you? If so, then try to keep the bar closer to horizontal when installing the tire. It shouldn't be necessary to remove the brake rotor, but you'll want the bar to come fairly close to it.

 

Also: does the hook on the "mount" end of the bar still have a 90-degree bend in it, or did it somehow get damaged?

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Shawnee Bill

Mitch,

The 90 degree bend looks fine, I thought I had the instructions down, I did mount one tire several months ago and didn't have too much trouble, but hadn't changed a tire since and last week when I needed to mount a new tire I went without the instruction sheet. I pulled the instructions up today and I figure I didn't have the tire hooked on the bar right.

I'll find out Thursday, my son has a front tire we will practice on then.

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'one time use fasteners'-

Good Point Steve, and well taken. In my case it was simply a matter of pulling the cush drive/sprocket assy. from the wheel of my Ducati. I have not mounted a front tire with the dual rotors to contend with yet.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Shawnee Bill

Well, mounted a tire last Thursday, front on my son's Honda Magna.

We printed the instructions, kept them right there. The bar worked much better than last try but still problems. Maybe more the rim than the bar. It is a very narrow rim, we almost broke the dismount tip before we realized how far we bent it, it was almost 90 degrees. So used the Harbor Freight bar to get it started, from there it popped right off with the "mojo" bar.

Going back on was hard because the wheel had almost no "valley" for the tire bead to go down into, had to lever the last 6 inches or so with tire irons.

But I finished off my rear tire this weekend in Arkansas so in a few days when SW Moto gets my new tire here I will mount that with the "mojo" bar. I think it will go much better.

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DavidEBSmith

One recommendation I have is to put the side of the front wheel that has the ABS ring facing downwards when mounting the tire. It gives you a smidge more room for the bar and you don't have a toothy thing grabbing at the bar.

 

Once I figured out (1) when dismounting the second bead, don't try to pull the tire up so that the bead is near the upper rim that you're trying to get it over, just snag it down by the lower rim; (2) when mounting the second bead, when the directions say to press the tire over the rim counterclockwise from the bar, you should do it; (3) keep pressing the upper and lower beads into the depression in the wheel as you go along, and (4) a bar clamp helps pinch the sides of the tire together and keep them in the depression (tip from watching BMWRich58), it was pretty easy.

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Shawnee Bill

Just put a new rear tire, followed the instructions carefully this time and it went right on.

The only issue I have now is the tire changer, the arm that comes up and over seems to be always in the way, so I have to be real careful just where I start with the mount bar or I run into the upright before the bead is over the rim. I think I am going to take it off next time.

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DavidEBSmith

Just leave the attaching bolt out of the arm, and when you're going around the tire and you get to it, you can remove the arm, slide the tire bar under it, and drop the arm back into place.

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Yeeha! Stephen
Between your balancer thumbsup.gif and Mitch's MOJO bar thumbsup.gif, how can we go wrong when fitting tires to our bikes?? clap.gif

 

We can't. cool.gif

 

Can to, I can not get a tire on with Mitch's bar, that bar will not stay hooked on the rim, just pops right off.

 

Sorry about that, I'm sure I'm doing something wrong but I don't know what.

I'm due to change the front tire on my son's bike later this week, we'll try again.

 

May help to see some Video of the procedure...

 

Tools are a little different, but the theory is the same. Try www.nomartirechanger.com and hit the Video Instructions page. #8a will help you a lot.

 

They really highlight keeping the opposite tire bead in the "Valley".

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Yeeha! Stephen

By the way... Thanks Mitch!

 

Add me to the growing list of Home Tire Changers. Last time I had Ft Worth BMW mount a tire, they charged me $43 Wheel Off!

Straw that Broke the Back. Got Mitch's bar and a machine and took off from there.

 

Changed 4 tires this weekend. The only problem was the rear tire on my 1100 Shadow. That Fat 15" rear is really Stiff! Had to use a "C" clamp to hold the sidewalls together far enough to get them in the "valley" of the wheel and get the Mojo Bar started. Once started, popped the tire off like a breeze.

 

Saved $200 right there.

 

Yeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!

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Added Praise

 

I don't even think about mounting tires anymore, I just do it.

 

Before, I'd plan the event and allow plenty of time to cuss.

 

This bar is slick. I wanna spare!

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