OMGSelenaGomez
Well-known member
Never done it before, but I am curious to know if it's a process that's easy to do on your own and what materials I'll need beforehand and in what quantity.
Changing Tires?
- Thread starter OMGSelenaGomez
- Start date
You can get by with a much cheaper bead breaker and a few extra bits and bobs.
The first few will likely take a while, scratch something, and/or be a pain in the butt.
Kapscomoto is a site supporter and pretty close if you want to pickup in person, not sure where is best to get the other stuff locally.
http://www.kapscomoto.com/product_p/smi2063.htm
http://www.nomar-secure.com/product_p/ac-rim protectors.htm
http://www.nomar-secure.com/product_p/ac-tirespoonx2.htm
http://www.nomar-secure.com/product_p/ac-rim shields.htm or some cut-up tropicana bottles, or similar.
The first few will likely take a while, scratch something, and/or be a pain in the butt.
Kapscomoto is a site supporter and pretty close if you want to pickup in person, not sure where is best to get the other stuff locally.
http://www.kapscomoto.com/product_p/smi2063.htm
http://www.nomar-secure.com/product_p/ac-rim protectors.htm
http://www.nomar-secure.com/product_p/ac-tirespoonx2.htm
http://www.nomar-secure.com/product_p/ac-rim shields.htm or some cut-up tropicana bottles, or similar.
Three pieces of 2x4 two short and one 8ft.
Two short ones support wheel off rotors. use the 8ft one by laying close to wheel use your bodyweight to break bead. Both sides.
30gal drum with top cut out and padding around lip (garden hose works well) to avoid scratches
Lube (water mixed with soap) in a spray bottle
Three irons (I prefer spoons but many like bent irons)
three or four pieces of garden hose in 6 inch lengths cut lengthwise
Remove stem let out air and break beads on both sides
Set in drum push bead away from wheel all way around and lube well (repeat for other side
Set cut hose around bead all together on one side (away from you)
Push side of tire closest to you down and into drop centre at same tile use spoon to pull far side past wheel lip
Work your way around wheel
After you are about 1/3 way around you can just pull it past wheel.
Remove the cut hoses.
Stand tire vertical come at it from back side and fold tire off wheel as far as you can, be sure to protect wheel with rag or something
While holding spoon with lots of force on tire a few taps on the tire with a soft hammer will knock wheel free.
Done thousands over the years. Still dont own a tire machine.
Two short ones support wheel off rotors. use the 8ft one by laying close to wheel use your bodyweight to break bead. Both sides.
30gal drum with top cut out and padding around lip (garden hose works well) to avoid scratches
Lube (water mixed with soap) in a spray bottle
Three irons (I prefer spoons but many like bent irons)
three or four pieces of garden hose in 6 inch lengths cut lengthwise
Remove stem let out air and break beads on both sides
Set in drum push bead away from wheel all way around and lube well (repeat for other side
Set cut hose around bead all together on one side (away from you)
Push side of tire closest to you down and into drop centre at same tile use spoon to pull far side past wheel lip
Work your way around wheel
After you are about 1/3 way around you can just pull it past wheel.
Remove the cut hoses.
Stand tire vertical come at it from back side and fold tire off wheel as far as you can, be sure to protect wheel with rag or something
While holding spoon with lots of force on tire a few taps on the tire with a soft hammer will knock wheel free.
Done thousands over the years. Still dont own a tire machine.
CruiserGoneSport
Well-known member
A picture paints a thousand words:
.. add some tire irons and rim protectors to pry on without marking your rims and you're good to go.
.. add some tire irons and rim protectors to pry on without marking your rims and you're good to go.
Got one and it's friggin awesome!
GateKeeper
Well-known member
If you were only close, and not so far away, I would come and see you, I have a couple of tires that need to be installed....
A picture paints a thousand words:
.. add some tire irons and rim protectors to pry on without marking your rims and you're good to go.
GP_RZ
Well-known member
It's a lot easier to do on a tire machine
Spend some of your millions Ken, you can't take the money with ya after your are gone
Last edited:
cjbenedict
Well-known member
I have a NoMar, it only took two seasons of changing my own tires and friend's tires to "pay off the machine" in funny money. Well worth the investment
Tire machines are for ladies
cjbenedict
Well-known member
And a NoMar goes for all the ladies out there.... 
cjbenedict
Well-known member
I've changed alot of bike tires, first time I've seen it done with zip ties, too funny!
Sport bike tires are soft, are relatively easy to do by hand or really easy with my Nomar machine. Cruiser tires are a bit stiffer, but I've gotten decent doing them with tire irons, don't want to pinch the tube.
Tire lube is hard to find, sunlight dish soap with water is the next best thing. I don't know if windex would chemically attack the rubber or not?
You can make something to break the bead, else this tool from princess auto has a decent bead breaker (don't use the machine to mount/unmount tires). If you're worried about touching the rim, can wrap the edge with some electrical tape. NEVER break the bead with a rotor touching the ground, guaranteed to bend it. Put a block of wood under the rim.
http://www.princessauto.com/pal/product/2050002/Maintenance/8-to-16-in.-Tire-Changer
On a sport bike rim a couple of tire irons and rim savers does the job. You can pick them up at most bike shops, or if you're going to the bike show there is usually some to be had at a few booths. There's probably a million youtube's for using tire irons. The first time is always a pain, you get better with practice.
Tire irons are usually $10-$15 each, get a pair. Rim savers are usually $5-$10 for a set, no scratches on your rims.
Motion pro rim savers are soft plastic, easy to take on/off, but after a dozen uses they are on borrowed time. The hard plastic ones last forever. They are "meant for dirt bikes" but I've used them many times on sport bikes/cruisers.
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/14/71/995/29625/ITEM/Motion-Pro-Rim-Protectors.aspx
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Rim-save...-Suzuki-Kawasaki-Harley-Triumph-/181019042489
Any tire iron with the curved profile will do the job.
http://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/p/43/-/171/726/-/19196/Tusk-15%22-Curved-Tire-Iron
http://www.motionpro.com/motorcycle/partno/08-0007/
Keep in mind that you don't want the rotors touching the ground while putting force on the tire/rim, especially the front, they can warp easily. Have the rim on a raised surface like a couple pieces of wood.
Also, when putting the tire on, you can pop the first bead on by hand, it doesn't take alot of force when lubed up. The second bead is where the irons come in.
For balancing, bike shops will usually charge $5-$10 per rim to balance. Or I saw that Kapsco started selling the static balancer tool. Lots of how-to use it online and they balance well, none of my track buddies have died yet
http://www.kapscomoto.com/product_p/wb3003.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=st9BRHm2LEY&feature=youtu.be
I could go on in more detail, but I'm sure you're bored of my novel by now. Best of luck, cheers
Sport bike tires are soft, are relatively easy to do by hand or really easy with my Nomar machine. Cruiser tires are a bit stiffer, but I've gotten decent doing them with tire irons, don't want to pinch the tube.
Tire lube is hard to find, sunlight dish soap with water is the next best thing. I don't know if windex would chemically attack the rubber or not?
You can make something to break the bead, else this tool from princess auto has a decent bead breaker (don't use the machine to mount/unmount tires). If you're worried about touching the rim, can wrap the edge with some electrical tape. NEVER break the bead with a rotor touching the ground, guaranteed to bend it. Put a block of wood under the rim.
http://www.princessauto.com/pal/product/2050002/Maintenance/8-to-16-in.-Tire-Changer
On a sport bike rim a couple of tire irons and rim savers does the job. You can pick them up at most bike shops, or if you're going to the bike show there is usually some to be had at a few booths. There's probably a million youtube's for using tire irons. The first time is always a pain, you get better with practice.
Tire irons are usually $10-$15 each, get a pair. Rim savers are usually $5-$10 for a set, no scratches on your rims.
Motion pro rim savers are soft plastic, easy to take on/off, but after a dozen uses they are on borrowed time. The hard plastic ones last forever. They are "meant for dirt bikes" but I've used them many times on sport bikes/cruisers.
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/14/71/995/29625/ITEM/Motion-Pro-Rim-Protectors.aspx
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Rim-save...-Suzuki-Kawasaki-Harley-Triumph-/181019042489
Any tire iron with the curved profile will do the job.
http://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/p/43/-/171/726/-/19196/Tusk-15%22-Curved-Tire-Iron
http://www.motionpro.com/motorcycle/partno/08-0007/
Keep in mind that you don't want the rotors touching the ground while putting force on the tire/rim, especially the front, they can warp easily. Have the rim on a raised surface like a couple pieces of wood.
Also, when putting the tire on, you can pop the first bead on by hand, it doesn't take alot of force when lubed up. The second bead is where the irons come in.
For balancing, bike shops will usually charge $5-$10 per rim to balance. Or I saw that Kapsco started selling the static balancer tool. Lots of how-to use it online and they balance well, none of my track buddies have died yet
http://www.kapscomoto.com/product_p/wb3003.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=st9BRHm2LEY&feature=youtu.be
I could go on in more detail, but I'm sure you're bored of my novel by now. Best of luck, cheers
cjbenedict
Well-known member
The inside of the lip (except for kawasaki's) of the rim is curved and the tire bead has to move over that lip to pop into place. Before putting the tire on, lube both lips and the beads will pop into place easier.
Soft Pirelli's I've pop into place at 10 psi. Harder tires for me usually pop into place at less than 30 psi.
Motorcycle Mike
Well-known member
Where can I buy a good set of tire levers locally?
cjbenedict
Well-known member
Riders Choice doesn't, they only change tires (I asked once). I don't know if Pro6 has them since they have a small front.
I don't know if GP Bikes has 'em, but Royal Distributing for sure does. So does Kahuna Powersports in their accessory shop upstairs.
Glen at Flying Motorcycles in Toronto (close to leslie & lakeshore) has the irons and rim savers for a good price. If you don't live close to anything he will ship for a reasonable price.
ask Justin to change them for you, he is so manly
