DIY tyre changes??

[Lou Girardin]

Did mine on Saturday, piece of wees.


Used the workshop tyre machine though.

[750Y]

where/who is TWL?

[Motu]

Transport Wholesale Limited???

[Milky]

The most important thing my boss taught me about doing tyres was - if it's not going easy you are doing something wrong.He used to piss me off by doing ones I had trouble with by hand,without levers! So if you are having to fight things...stop,check that the beads are into well,work slowly and keep an eye on the whole plot - don't fight it!

That is the best advice that you can get. Unfortunately when you start it is hard to determine what is hard and what is easy. Some tyres on some rims can be absolute bastards to get off, but in general, if it aint easy, you are doing something wrong.

[Oscar]

When I was riding enduro's you had to be able to swap a tube as quickly as possible out in the swamplands. They used to have tyre changing competitions amongst the guys who were going to ISDE's...some of 'em could get a new tube in a tyre and the wheel back on the bike in 2 minutes.

Off road tyres are much more difficult because of the rim savers (although some guys use rim pins and tubes with side mounting valves to make things easier).

Some tips:

1. When remounting the tyre, use a 50/50 mixture of dish washing liquid and water brushed on the last bit of the tyre bead to help it pop on. this reduces the extra (rim denting) violence required and reduces tube pinching (if you have them).

2. Don't use levers to do the last bit of the bead - use a rubber hammer, or out in the boondocks, the heel of your riding boot.

3. Use the heel of your boot to break the bead when removing the tyre.

4. If you are installing a new tube, inflate it slightly first - it's easier to handle.

5. If you are using tube type tyres, pay the extra and buy the heavy duty tubes. The money you save on ordinary ones will seem pitful as you're looking at a flat tyre out the back of Nowheresville...

6. Get a set of those white plastic rim protectors (they go betwixt lever and wheel).

[Wellyman]

When I started my apprenticeship in 1970 in a local 3 man garge we had no tyre machine and I was taught to do car and truck tyres on the floor with just tyre levers and a hammer.I would break the bead with a lever and hammer,going around until I got it all down....to get a truck tyre off the rim was a two man job - we had another rim and we would lift and drop the rim/tyre onto the other...lift and drop,lift and drop,until the tyre shocked off the rusty rim,long and tyreing work.

The most important thing my boss taught me about doing tyres was - if it's not going easy you are doing something wrong.He used to piss me off by doing ones I had trouble with by hand,without levers! So if you are having to fight things...stop,check that the beads are into well,work slowly and keep an eye on the whole plot - don't fight it!

Thats exactly the way i learn't at my work how to do it and i can most tyres motorcycle tyres now with a bit of help.

[750Y]

thanks for the help people, I managed to fit a new front tyre & balance it. took about an hour all up & put a few scratches in the rim but i don't worry too much about that. hopefully the rear will take less time now i've had some practice and once my new brake pads are worn in i'll change it(i don't wanna wear out a rennsport in the middle, riding like a nana for 400kms while the pads bed in).
cheers
...dave

[XTC]

I do all my mx tyres myself. When I worked for mt eden I did both road and trail tyres with the levers. No machine there then. Some old rusty gn250 etc rims needed a good wire brushing before you put the tyre back on or it would be hell to get the tyre out on the rim with the max allowable pressure. Do not be tempted to go above this pressure when trying to get the tyre out on the bead. let it down, clean/lube the beads and start again. Don't forget to balance those wheels.

[erik]

thanks for the help people, I managed to fit a new front tyre & balance it. took about an hour all up & put a few scratches in the rim but i don't worry too much about that. hopefully the rear will take less time now i've had some practice and once my new brake pads are worn in i'll change it(i don't wanna wear out a rennsport in the middle, riding like a nana for 400kms while the pads bed in).
cheers
...dave

Cool