Manual Tire Changing Methods Questions

[tls25rs]

OK, so I bought some tire irons and a couple of new knobbies and tubes for the 50 I bought for my nephew. I figured I'd try to take off the road tires that are on the rims now and throw the knobbies on. Yeah right!

So what are the tricks to using manual tire irons to change tires? Is it the small rims with the relatively stiff tires that is the problem, or am I just incompetent? Please help me if you can.

Thanks

Joel

[Stegosaurous]

PAGING MARKBVT

[Rambunctous]

Did you let the air out of the tires? Seriously, not hard at all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0s2NzImDhA

[Stegosaurous]

That is unorthodox at best.. but still works i guess lol.

Honest question. Shouldnt there of been a pop, when the tire seated against the rim?? Or do you think he just edited it out

[Tricky Mike]

First, take a shot of rumplemintz. Then punch someone in the dome. The less they deserve it the better. You can also choose to open-hand smack a midget, but I've found that those little fuckers are never around when you need them. Next, start a David Lynch film but DO NOT finish it.

Right... Use lots of lube. I keep a spray bottle with a water/lube mix handy. Water and dish soap is OK. Wear your best cursing shoes. I find it works best if I make up some "custom" curse words. Use your imagination.

Break BOTH SIDES of the bead and make sure the tire is all the way down into the rim on both sides... To get it started, use two irons at once... just a few inches apart. If the tire is all the way into the channel of the rim you should be able to lever both irons over without too much effort (relatively). If it seems impossible that usually means that the tire is still in the bead somewhere. Once it's *really* over leave one iron to hold the tire in place and use the other to lever the remaining rubber over. Should only take one or two additional "leverings" before you're in the clear.
Sometimes it's easier to use your knees to hold the tire into the rim and put the irons at 12:00 and pull them towards you while using your knees to keep the tire into the bead. Pinch the tube and you get to do it all over but don't worry.. it's considered good luck in Bhutan.

Praise be to Alah.

[richw]

Small stiff tires are hard

I usually have 3 irons so 2 can remain while I move the other to get another bite

Once started you can help yourself remove only the old tires with a spray lube wd40 etc. Then clean it off when done before new tires use dilute soap only.

New tires 1/2 on then stuff tube in
inflate tube just enough so it will slip around the end of the iron and not get pinched<<< major problem use talcum or tire powder also has them slip inside tire

when you have the rim then check it out file down burrs make sure nipples are covered I use like 3 layers of 1/2 duct tape not the rubber

even with tubes seat the bead and examine that the tire is concentric around the rim

good luck once you learn it you got it for life

[TheIglu]

I've found that furniture polish works mint, better than the water/soap mixture because it stays put. Pledge/Generic Pledge.

[klp]

Yeah, pretty much what everyone said. This can be a real PITA. Buy an extra tube or two and have at it. To avoid pinching the tube I have found that adding just enough air to make it round is key.

Also a good set of tire irons will be a great help. I have a motion pro set of various sizes which I use to remove the tire then another with a flat ish end that U re install with.

Good luck.

[KB]

Piece o cake............call me!

[FTMS]

I hope you realize you have pick the most difficult tires to change to learn on. It is just a matter of working the tire off the rim in as large of an increment as possible with the spoons. The less times you have to use the spoons to either put the tire on or take it off the better chance of not pinching the tube. One thing that can help is to leave some air in the tube. If the tube has air in it, it is harder to pinch it. Another thing that can help is put the axle back in the rim and put it in a vice as a make shift rim holder. Just don't damage the axle with the jaws of the vice.

[markbvt]

Plenty of good advice so far. I'll add:

Use good tire irons. I like these curved Motion Pro ones:


I use two of those and one shorter straight one. The long curved ones are for prying, the shorter straight one is for keeping the part of the tire I've already done in place (mostly only necessary for removing the tire from the rim).

Make sure you fully break the bead on both sides (I do not recommend backing your van over the tire). Then push the bead down into the well of the rim on the side opposite the valve stem. If you have someone to help you, have them hold the bead down there; if you're working alone, it's helpful to have a Motion Pro Bead Buddy to hold the bead down. Start working the bead off the rim on the valve stem side using the two curved tire irons; once you've popped it up, stick the straight tire iron in to hold it there and start working your way around on both sides of the wheel with the curved tire irons. Once it's off, fish the tube out, then you can use any number of methods to get the tire the rest of the way off the rim -- for some wheels, it works better to stay on the same side of the wheel and work the other bead off from the inside out; for others, it's easier to flip the whole thing over, work the bead off the same way you did the first time so the wheel is now inside both beads, then stand it up, let the wheel drop down into the tire, and sort of peel the tire off the wheel from top to bottom.

When mounting the new tire, figure out rotational direction first, spray both beads down with WD40, lightly inflate the tube (just to where it holds its shape) and spray it down thoroughly with WD40, pop it into the tire, then position the wheel over the tire with the hole for the valve stem aligned properly (don't forget to first remove the nut that holds the valve stem in place on the wheel). Start pushing down on the wheel on the side opposite the valve stem and work your way around; you shouldn't need the tire irons for this. Once the bead has popped over the rim, use your finger to guide the valve stem through its hole and work the nut onto it a few threads, then using the nut to grab onto, pull the stem into position. Then once again start opposite the valve stem -- pop the bead into position and down into the well of the rim (use that Bead Buddy I mentioned earlier) and use the tire irons to work your way around and pop the rest of the bead over the rim. This goes a lot more easily than getting it off. Then tighten the valve stem nut.

Then simply inflate to pressure -- you'll probably hear two pops, which is the bead seating on each side of the rim. I strongly recommend using a high-pressure air source such as a large air compressor capable of powering air tools. With tubed tires, you can use a portable emergency compressor or even a hand pump, but it takes forever. With tubeless tires, you end up losing the air before it has time to set the bead.

Once aired up, balance the wheel if it's going on a streetbike (most people don't bother for dirtbikes).

The single biggest pain in the ass tends to be breaking the bead. On some rims this goes easily (my XR650L, for instance, is no problem), and on some it's surprisingly difficult (my V-Strom rear wheel takes a C-clamp and lots of pounding with a bead popper and a rubber mallet). If you're going to be doing a lot of tire changes, it makes sense to invest in a proper bead breaker. I keep meaning to build one but haven't gotten around to it.

But once you've done a few tire changes, the process becomes fairly easy. Pulling a wheel, changing the tire, balancing it, and remounting the wheel takes me a lot less time than it would to pull the wheel, take it to a shop for tire mounting/balancing, bring it back home, and remount it.

--mark

[Pestilence]

Been doing my own for a few yrs now and it's a PIA the first few times.
I use an old 14" car rim with tubing around the rim and bolt it to my workbench with all thread rod, some washers and nuts.

It all comes down to technique and if it seems to hard to get the bead over the rim, you're doing something wrong.

Spend 30 bucks at Harbor Freight and get the bead breaker, it'll save all the pounding and your bumper.

Something I've done when it's cold out, put the tire in a 150 oven for 20 minutes or so and it'll spoon on like butta.

[tls25rs]

Thanks for the replies.

Looks like I had the right ideas but just wasn't able to get it done. I only have two tire levers so I'm guessing a third may be helpful. Also the tires etc. weren't really warm so they were pretty stiff.

Guess I'll give them another shot next weekend.

Joel

[Awesome]

Small tires like that can be a pain in the balls. The advice is here.

[R1]

First, take a shot of rumplemintz. Then punch someone in the dome. The less they deserve it the better. You can also choose to open-hand smack a midget, but I've found that those little fuckers are never around when you need them. Next, start a David Lynch film but DO NOT finish it.

Right... Use lots of lube. I keep a spray bottle with a water/lube mix handy. Water and dish soap is OK. Wear your best cursing shoes. I find it works best if I make up some "custom" curse words. Use your imagination.


Praise be to Alah.

OMFG

this may be the best thing i have EVER read....

EVER

[richw]

Don't lose hope

Remember
ISDT competitors fix a tire tube in a swamp wheel back on the bike in a total of 1 minute using 6 inch long tire irons and spit.

[tls25rs]

Don't lose hope

Remember
ISDT competitors fix a tire tube in a swamp wheel back on the bike in a total of 1 minute using 6 inch long tire irons and spit.

I'm betting that if it was a full size 18" or 19" tire that I wouldn't have had an issue, the tires I'm trying to change are 10" tires that are stiff as hell, not like a larger wheel knobbie tire is.

I will get these things changed one way or another just figured I would ask those who have how to do it and save myself the swearing and breaking of parts.

Joel

[lrrs313]

just figured I would ask those who have how to do it and save myself the swearing and breaking of parts.

Joel

Swearing and breaking stuff is part of changing tires, I think. I'd rather rebuild the top end of my motor than change a tire on my dirtbike.

[scubasteveRR]

Or you could drive your manual shift motorcycle to Trickey Mike and have him do it for you.

First, take a shot of rumplemintz. Then punch someone in the dome. The less they deserve it the better. You can also choose to open-hand smack a midget, but I've found that those little fuckers are never around when you need them. Next, start a David Lynch film but DO NOT finish it.

Right... Use lots of lube. I keep a spray bottle with a water/lube mix handy. Water and dish soap is OK. Wear your best cursing shoes. I find it works best if I make up some "custom" curse words. Use your imagination.

Break BOTH SIDES of the bead and make sure the tire is all the way down into the rim on both sides... To get it started, use two irons at once... just a few inches apart. If the tire is all the way into the channel of the rim you should be able to lever both irons over without too much effort (relatively). If it seems impossible that usually means that the tire is still in the bead somewhere. Once it's *really* over leave one iron to hold the tire in place and use the other to lever the remaining rubber over. Should only take one or two additional "leverings" before you're in the clear.
Sometimes it's easier to use your knees to hold the tire into the rim and put the irons at 12:00 and pull them towards you while using your knees to keep the tire into the bead. Pinch the tube and you get to do it all over but don't worry.. it's considered good luck in Bhutan.

Praise be to Alah.

[SSearchVT]

The first tire is going to be the worst. You will chase it from one end of the garage to the other. Make sure the beads are both completely broken loose - a C clamp coupled with a dead blow hammer works great for this. The previous posts give good descriptions. The only thing I will add - keep an eye on the tire irons. If you lever one over, the other one can come out of no where and crack you in the knuckles...

[blacklightning]

Or you could drive your manual shift motorcycle to Trickey Mike and have him do it for you.

If you are lucky Mike will punch himself in the nose and bleed directly on your tires. He did it for me and didn't even charge extra..............although, I did get scared when he started swearing and looking for a midget.

[BLACK SQUIRREL]

Or you could drive your manual shift motorcycle to Trickey Mike and have him do it for you.

Good luck with That, He hit me with a Big stick last time and it hurt Bad Real Bad

[Tricky Mike]

If you are lucky Mike will punch himself in the nose and bleed directly on your tires. He did it for me and didn't even charge extra..............although, I did get scared when he started swearing and looking for a midget.

HA!
I don't think I actually bled on your tires... Holy shit that hurt.

[whynot]

Keep some of the soapy water in an open can or small bucket so you can dip the levers in and lube them before sticking them into the bead. When it comes to fitting the tube (that you have inflated a little so it has some shape but hangs kinda limp), then lube the tube with some baby or bath powder and spread it all around the tube surface. That will help the lever slip off the tube if you make contact, and help the tube seat within the tire. Before inflating, check that you haven't pinched the tube between the bead and the rim.