Using a pallet jack to install/remove super singles

[HDN]

I recently got a pallet jack to use on my tire job this spring. The only thing I'm trying to figure out is how to safely use it to remove and install the super single wheels on my truck. Have any pallet jack users here fashioned some kind of a rack or wall to secure the wheel against when moving it so that it doesn't flop over when you don't want it to?

 

[NY Tom]

Maybe you can use a ratchet strap to hold it down to the jack and upright?

 

[BKubu]

Or, you could buy my military-issue tire jack. It works with singles or duals. $75. It comes with a nylon safety rope, although the rope has seen better days (the jack, inself, is fine and works well).

 

[HDN]

Or, you could buy my military-issue tire jack. It works with singles or duals. $75. It comes with a nylon safety rope, although the rope has seen better days (the jack, inself, is fine and works well).

My pallet jack cost me maybe $8 in gas

I'm actually thinking about making a wooden backrest frame that sets on the forks and is secured to them by sliding pins and braces either against the forks or where the pallet jack handle mounts. I'd love it to be metal though and have a guy down the street from me who could probably make one. Hmm...

EDIT: Here's a quick 'n' dirty 3D model of what I'm thinking about making:

 

[SandBar]

This is an interesting idea, I'm due to do my hubs soon. Following

 

[gimpyrobb]

When I used a pallet jack to pull off, put on tire/rim combo's, I just let it balance on the jack. It wasn't too big of a deal.

A quick down n dirty way would be to just weld an upright to the hump of the jack and strap it to that.

 

[simp5782]

Or simply use your brain. Walk tire in and let the jack holding the truck down so that you can lean the tire on the hub etc. Then jack it back up to lift the tire up and slide the tire in.

 

[HDN]

Or simply use your brain. Walk tire in and let the jack holding the truck down so that you can lean the tire on the hub etc. Then jack it back up to lift the tire up and slide the tire in.

I'm not confident in my own strength to do that with a super single. A M37 wheel? Sure, but not this. Plus I won't always have soldier B handy.

 

[simp5782]

I'm not confident in my own strength to do that with a super single. A M37 wheel? Sure, but not this. Plus I won't always have soldier B handy.

I never have a soldier B. Use you tire tools and know Physics to obtain the advantage

If you aren't confident on knowing you can lift a tire or work with it safely with your own strength then you should not be touching it at all. Especially alone.

 

[Floridianson]

Tire walking is not that hard. I had to walk one of these off and yea it is a little bigger than a 1600. Anyone that knows me or seen me I am not a big man and getting old. Think I was about 60 when I had to repair one of the knuckles on the Hanson seven years ago.

 

[HDN]

I never have a soldier B. Use you tire tools and know Physics to obtain the advantage

If you aren't confident on knowing you can lift a tire or work with it safely with your own strength then you should not be touching it at all. Especially alone.

Last a I knew a big pry bar and a pallet jack were tools to help obtain the advantage I'm happy to know my limits and how to work with them so I know how to do this safely.

 

[Floridianson]

I believe that the point some are making you never have to lift a tire just balance it up right while on the ground. Most are wide enough with very little effort they stay up right. Just do not lay them down or loose the balance or yes they are heavy.

Just to add as Wes said you can raise or lower the jack and the wheel / tire will hang on the hub when it is leaned over just a bit. Then just jack the axle up a little higher and push the wheel on the studs. Yes I have one of those 30 ton air jacks with that long handle and knob on the end to open or close off the ram so it does make it easer for me to raise or lower the axle and hook the wheel on the hub. Now I have seen the jack had the axle just to where the tire was still on the ground and all the hub studs were still in the center of the wheel stud holes after taking off the lug nuts. The OP was able to walk the tire on and off without doing the raise and lower the jack thing or hanging it on the hub. So no lifting.

 

[pigpen60]

In my youth we would lay a sheet of tin down and oil it then slide it under the dual wheels hub assembly. Slide it out slide it in. Yes it was nasty but its what we had. Ive been meaning to make a fork to lift up on the tires to install them. The pallet jack is great if you have a concrete floor or drive.

 

[glcaines]

I have a motorcycle jack I got from Northern Tool. I simply roll the wheel/tire up onto the jack and then roll the jack into place. You do have to balance the wheel on the jack while moving it, but it isn't that hard. The nice thing is that I can run the motorcycle jack up and down, as well as the jack holding the truck up. I've never had a wheel tip over, but if it did tip over, I would simply get out of the way and let it go where it wants.

 

[V8srfun]

A pry bar under the tire does it for me. Very little strength needed when leverage is working for you.

 

[Karl kostman]

I used a pallet jack when mounting the tires 1600 20 on my M920 and I had myself and a helper and it worked terrific but I can see having a second person to stabilize the tire was very helpful!

 

[NY Tom]

I stand by the strap around the tire down to the jack. If the ground is pretty level and hard like concrete or good asphalt it should not go anywhere.

simp5782 with the lean and jack method is very good I have done it that way on my truck. Takes a little more time but with no soldier B it seems safe.

 

[glcaines]

No matter how it's done, one thing to watch is to not damage the threads on the studs.

 

[simp5782]

No matter how it's done, one thing to watch is to not damage the threads on the studs.

I'm sure Noone here uses the chain on the beadlock studs to pull back on the tire to seat the lug nuts correctly

 

[HDN]

I think I've finalized my design. It weighs around 75 lbs and folds to 1/4 of its length to store.