Changing your own tyres?

[rapid van cleef]

Hey, I'm just curious if there are many track day/ race guys that change their own tyres? If so, what gear do you use to do it? its not particularly expensive to get a garage to do it but for the cost of a few tyre changes I could buy a tyre changer/bead breaker and do it myself....potentially...Also, theres heaps of you tube vids of guys with home made tyre changers made of a few bits of 4x2 etc. Not that I want to go that budget, but whatever I can do to effectively cut costs is good.

No, ive never done it so, seeking the words from those that are in the know . If I was going to invest in some gear to 'do it mesel' what should I be looking at, if at all ?

Thanks

[Rhys]

Never used one but something like these should do the job

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/car-parts-accessories/wheels-tyres/other/auction-653537066.htm

[F5 Dave]

. . . And most motorcycle wheels up to 16.5". . . Yeah see no problem there

[roogazza]

Not so much lately, getting lazy. But I use a garden spade to break the bead and then two tyre levers and a rubber hammer.

Not hard all really once you know the process. But of course I only used to static balance in those days too. :yes:

ps It can cost up to 2 hundy dollaros for two wheels, so that's an incentive for some to wrestle it out.

[quickbuck]

Well for me once you add up the time mucking around and then skinned fingers, sweet, frustration, and the cost of a new rim if it all goes wrong, then it is just easier to pay the shop to do it.....
Often there is a guy at the track who will change them for you on the back of his truck if you make a small donation....

[caspernz]

Mmmm, nowadays I only go as far as to take the wheels off my bike, then let the fellas at the bikeshop do all that hard stuff.

And like Aaron (quickbuck) said, the cost of getting a pro to do it works out in your favour anyhoo...:yes:

[boman]

Well for me once you add up the time mucking around and then skinned fingers, sweet, frustration, and the cost of a new rim if it all goes wrong, then it is just easier to pay the shop to do it.....
Often there is a guy at the track who will change them for you on the back of his truck if you make a small donation....

I agree.

It is not as easy as it looks.

And easier to damage the rim, than to not damage the rim, and the bead, and the valve stem, if not done right.

I have seen a few "Expert" Home tyre changers fuck a few tyres before today, just to save a few bucks.

[mossy1200]

I did a few with a home made breaker but for the time and effort plus the trying to get the service station pump to start the beading process its easier to take wheel to shop and pay cash monies for rubber on rim.

[Flip]

I will do it if I have to..........

Much easier for the tyre guy to do it.

I have done Landrover SAT's in the past when I have had to that is. What a cunt of a job!

[Kickaha]

I have done Landrover SAT's in the past when I have had to that is. What a cunt of a job!
A lot of that is the shape of the rim, the Landrover rims are shit

Some of them you take off from the back

Late model bike stuff with wide wheels is fairly easy once you've done a few, hardest part is breaking the bead

[SVboy]

I got a bead breaker from torpedo7 and levers,rim protectors etc plus a balancer that fits to a rear stand. Reasonably straight forward,but can be hard work at times. Quite satisfying. I only learned how because Don and Pitlane moved out to Darfield which is a bit far given the frequency I change tyres.

[R650R]

Yep it's one of those simple jobs that takes time unless you do it a lot.
Done two of my own on the DR with a 50% success rate (or failure lol) so hopefully if I get a puncture up in the bush I can sort it by myself.
Image is testing one person tyre change setup before I wisened up to the idea of just laying the beast on the ground like all the other adv riders do lol
Even the guys in the shop will tell you some tyres bead easy then there some brands/models known to be a mission even with the right gear...

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8152/6994964136_22dbc806d7.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/77819625@N08/6994964136/)
print00001 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/77819625@N08/6994964136/) by DR650NZ (http://www.flickr.com/people/77819625@N08/), on Flickr

[BMWST?]

Yep it's one of those simple jobs that takes time unless you do it a lot.
Done two of my own on the DR with a 50% success rate (or failure lol) so hopefully if I get a puncture up in the bush I can sort it by myself.
Image is testing one person tyre change setup before I wisened up to the idea of just laying the beast on the ground like all the other adv riders do lol
Even the guys in the shop will tell you some tyres bead easy then there some brands/models known to be a mission even with the right gear...

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8152/6994964136_22dbc806d7.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/77819625@N08/6994964136/)
print00001 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/77819625@N08/6994964136/) by DR650NZ (http://www.flickr.com/people/77819625@N08/), on Flickr


this why every bike should have a centre stand

[Mental Trousers]

I hate doing tyres. I'm lucky Craig at the garage next door to us is into bikes and he does mine for no cost. Unless you're changing tyres every time you go to the track and you do lots of days at the track don't bother doing them yourself.

[Coldrider]

Never used one but something like these should do the job

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/car-parts-accessories/wheels-tyres/other/auction-653537066.htm
I have changer similar to that, junk the lever that comes with it and make a lever similar to the 'no-mar' type, or import a no-mar, piece of piss tyre change.

[Mo NZ]

Depends on what you want to do.
For instance on my Triumph Scrambler I use one like this.
http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/motorbikes/parts-for-sale/other/auction-654354095.htm
I bought a set with levers.

However for my Wing I take the wheels and tyres to a car tyre company as the sidewalls will munch most bike shop changers.

[Dave-]

I do it myself.

Plank of wood, tyre irons, a rubber mallet, a brush (6 pack for 4 bucks style), and a container with some warm soapy water.

I think it's a lot easier to do and a lot harder to fuck up than people are making it out to be. Any damage you can do with the above can be undone by a rim specialist for not much money.

I find it therapeutic like boxing, or posting on kiwibiker.

edit: as a student the cost to pay a guy is equal to food for a day, so go fish.

[Kickaha]

I think it's a lot easier to do and a lot harder to fuck up than people are making it out to be. Any damage you can do with the above can be undone by a rim specialist for not much money.

Depends entirely on the type of rim and brand of tyre on how easy it is to fuck it up, a rim specialist cant help you if you damage the bead of the tyre

[300weatherby]

Made my own armstrong powered tyre changing frame, with bead breaker, balancer and built in spring compressor.

With practise I can get even the difficult Dunlop Ntecs done in a few minutes, from wheel on the bike to wheel back on the bike in 20 minutes flat if I am organised, and I can do it at home when it suits me, I do all the tyres for my mates, lowering the cost to them to buy tyres in the first place. Get levers, learn how and you have a usefull skill forever!

And do not use an F*#!+ing hammer, ever! not needed if you learn to do it correctly.

[Slorider]

im a diy guy where I feel im capable......as funds allow i'll get the shop to swap em out for me (road tyres on trail rims) but at $40 labour from wrecker providing I first remove the wheel thought id have a go-It took me 2 hrs (first time ever on m/c) cruising at it,didnt want to sweat it out and get angry!...after breaking bead tyre was pretty hard to remove so I just lifted it above the rim and hacked it in half-that's the way folks if you don't wanna struggle-soaped new tyre beads and she slipped on relatively easy,thats 40 saved when yr not workn!.....t'was gonna be $80 taking whole bike in with my own tyre for swap at a franchised outfit........think i'll set up a stand of some sort to save some backache nxt time though.