"Seating" and inflating new tires ?

[scootertrash]

Ok, does anyone have a trick to seat new tires on rims ? I just installed new tires on the ZX9R using the zip tie method. It was pretty easy. Now I need to seat the tires on the rim so I can inflate them. I tried spinning the tire and dropping it (on the tire not rim) from a foot off the floor, but that didn't do much to help. I have a typical homeowner air compressor. But I think that between the valve on the air compressor hose, and the valve in the rim, I am not getting enough air flow to force the tire onto the rim edge. If I take the valve out of the rim, it obviously won't trigger the valve in the compressor hose to release air from the compressor. What's the trick to doing this ?

[e30addict]

Get the bead as close as possible to inner wheel lip (minimize gap) and make sure it's lubed up with Windex or something. Apply lots of air and wait.

You can seat beats with a cheap portable compressor.

[scootertrash]

Thanks, but the problem is that I can't get both sides of the tire close enough to the inner wheel lip. There is small gap, so when I try to inflate the tire, the air just escapes through that gap. I am wondering if I need to do something strange like wrap a rope around the tire circumference and pull it tight to make the tire bulge out to seal the gap on both sides ? But the front tire is so firm, I doubt I can make it bulge very much.
The tires/rims are in a warm basement, so it's not a case of them being frozen or something like that.
Maybe I'm just being too impatient and need to wiggle them around a little more...

[Kurlon]

Try pulling the valve core. Your air chuck should be engaged by the valve body not the core. (The core is spring loaded, but can't actually put up much of a fight vs the spring in the air chuck.)

[e30addict]

It can take time. Bounce away and keep the air on it. It can be frustrating sometimes. I actually bought mounting compound to fill the gap and provide lube.

I've heard of people using ratchet straps around the circumference of the tire to suck it towards the wheel and hopefully bulge the bead out to help seal the gap.

[jasnmar]

You can also try running a rachet strap all the way around the tire (the same way it rolls) to spread out the tire a bit.

[scootertrash]

Solved. Thanks. The ratchet strap worked !

[carsick]

Congrats! The air chuck on the end of your hose (not the inflator attachment) can be jammed onto a stem with the core removed. Just make sure you pull it off as soon as the tire seats!! You don't want 120 PSI in the tire.

[stoinkythepig]

I know it's fixed now, but the easiest and most fun way is with starting fluid and a lighter. Works great.

[Not Sure]

Do what I do, bring it to someone.

[Tekime]

Did my first set on a Harbor Freight tire changer and the rear tire was a nightmare just getting it on the rim, ratchet straps saved the day.

Far as inflating, I used soap & water then took it across the street to the air compressor at Circle K (mine died last year). Steady blast of air and just bounced the wheel a ton and it finally popped. That was a beautiful sound!