Heavy Wheels

Yep a square mouth shovel is good

Just jack it up till its just off the ground then get the new wheel up against the studs, slide the shovel end in to about the middle of the tyre and push down on the handle till it can be pushed onto studs.

If its not lined up spin the axle or work the wheel around on the shovel a bit

Thats how my boss used to put the 22 in wheels on buses and it worked ok.

Cant help with putting it back on door though.

There is a device that you can use to slide the wheel in and out and raise it to line up with the studs.

I'll have a look through my emails as someone sent the details to me. Must reckon I need it too???

Yes my mate John has used this system to great effect over many 4x4 excursions. It's multi-purpose and can also be used to set-up camp, cook, pack and drive, oh and it has a washing machine function as well. For best effect it needs to be lubricated every so often with a white wine but does a great job. I'm working on getting one myself.


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(I'm probably dead meat for this but I couldn't resist ;-)


Mick

Have a look at this Hahn eezy lift
Site Link

Rob

Have a look Wheel Lifter

I think I saw a mechanical lifter on castors in the latest Supercheap cattledog, but SWMBO has thrown it out. Check with your nearest auto parts shop.

I'm heading in the same direction Racoon :-(

Fred

Mate,
I think you maybe talking about lifting or lowering the wheel from it's carrier.

If you have a swing away carrier a lightweight post could be attached with a small hand winch to lift and lower the tyre, the same way a davit works on a boat to lift and lower a dingy.

Have a good one

He he just looking at the Hahn lifter and I thought a wine cask bladder with a bit of air in it would do the same thing and every one sholuld have one.

But then I thought why are we making it complicated all you have to do to put the tyre on the hub! is to raise or lower the car jack until you have the tyre sitting on the studs! with out lifting it. Then raise as required after you got a nut on.

Now getting it on and off the carrier may take some rope and a pully.

Cheers

There is a device that Repco have just put into stock. I bought one a couple of weeks ago.

It is called the Ezy Wheel Lifter but is mechanical, not the air operated one mentioned above.

I've tried Googling and the Repco site but it's not coming up.

Basically it lifts the wheel which can be rotated on two barrel type rollers to line up with the studs. Fits in a small plastic case.

I carry a large flat piece of timber to give it a smooth surface to work on.

Many thanks all for the helpful advice.
I followed the link for the "Eezy wheel lift".It included a demonstration video used on the ABC program "the inventors". Clever device using an air bag inflated from the air in the replacement tyre.
I will also chase up the repco device and was impressed by the multi purpose ramp.
I'm confident one of these inventions will save "her indoors "back.

I have been using a breaker bar and socket to both remove the wheel and lift it back onto the hub ever since I started doing a motor mechanic apprenticeship way back in 1961. I am now getting on a bit in years and I am not heavily built yet I still find it very fast and easy.

Roll the wheel up to the hub and wriggle it around as necessary to make sure the studs line up with the holes. It does not matter if the car is two or three inches too high as long as the wheel will go straight on with a vertical lift. I then get down on my right knee and, while sitting on my heel, I place my left toe under the edge of the tyre. About one third of the bar then goes under the other side of the tyre as close in under it as possible. I place my left hand near the top of the tyre and, using the bar as a lever, I lift the wheel up off the ground.

The bar is taking about 99% of the weight while your hand and toe keep it steady and make sure it goes straight up. The wheel should go straight on. If you find the studs and holes are slightly out, you can rotate the wheel a little while it is in the air by swinging the bar to the left or right.

I showed a friend how to do this recently on his Landcruiser and even though I was wearing thongs, the wheel went straight on. If you are able to kneel down ok then you should be able to learn how to do it quickly. You don't have to do any physical lifting and your back stays straight.

the reply from Graham H said it all. A shovel is dead easy to use and you are carrying one anyway. I have used this technique for years. Just go and try it a bit before you spend $ . It's the old principle of being able to move the world with a lever and pivot point. With minimal practice, you can use your foot to rais lower the tyre effortlessly anf adjust the wheel from side to side while leaving your hands free to do the nuts.

Hullo All

I am interested to know how to raise and lower wheel(s) from a roof rack on a Landcruiser. I have carried a "spare-spare" up there and fortunately not had to use it on several trips.

However, like the original poster I am getting older and man-handling a large 17" wheel and tyre off the roof rack and back up onto the roof rack is now a daunting task!

I have thought of using a small hoist on an arm like those used on the back of utes, but am concerned about having the flexibility to lower the unit onto the roof rack to minimise height. I can pick up 12V power from the Anderson plug at the rear of the Cruiser to run an electric winch on the hoist.

Anyone got any ideas?? Your assistance would be appreciated.

Regards, Jack

I use a small shovel, while working on my knees at ground level - gotta carry the shovel anyway (I've already got too many camping toys). It's easy enough as a method (I've got a dicky back too - always worried about having 'an episode') - once the top stud pops through the hole it's easy to wriggle the wheel on from there. Shovel design is the only thing - something with a nice dish in the blade, to provide a fulcrum on the ground (a spade would be useless - too flat).

I was shown a trick by a tyre repairer in Alice Springs a few years ago.

To lift the spare onto the back door of our Troopy -

Stand with the wheel vertical on the ground, facing the wrong way (ie back to front), resting against your knees/thighs. Grasp it from the other (remote) side through the centre hole and using your knees/thighs as a pivot, raise the far side of the wheel until the wheel is standing vertical resting on your legs. It should then be at about the right height to slide onto the back door. Shuffle forward to the vehicle and slip it onto one of the retaining bolts, rotate to pick up all bolts and slide it on.

Done this way, your legs carry much of the weight for most of the lift. Still not exactly women's work (or so I'm told by an often reliable source!), but far easier on the back than lifting any other way I know of.

To get a wheel up on the roof - I use the same lift to position the wheel adjacent to the back door spare, then pivoting on the top of the back door spare bring the bottom of the second wheel up so that it rests vertically on top of the mounted one. From there it's an easy push using only the legs to get it the rest of the way up onto the rack.

A picture would save a lot of words here, but the better half isn't keen on me photographing her demonstrating the process !

Cheers

John