joe Posted March 30, 2003 Share Posted March 30, 2003 Does anyone know the procedures (and/or equipment required) for removing / installing your tire from / to the wheel? I want to be able to do this without taking it to the dealer. Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbirdxx2000 Posted March 30, 2003 Share Posted March 30, 2003 Joe many years ago I did it myself by buying a set of tire Irons (for bikes) and the use of a metal garbage can. It's NOT worth the aggravation of doing it yourself and scratching your wheels and about the 20 minutes per wheel to do. Including driving over the outer edge of the tire with your car to break the bead. Also need a compressor :cry: . Plus you should have your wheels spin balanced, which means you have to go to the dealer anyway (do not use a bubble balancer). So go spend the $20.00 per wheel and get it balanced and not have your wheels sctatched :wink: , If your that broke I'll send you the $20.00 :roll: Harry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxxbirdxxx Posted March 30, 2003 Share Posted March 30, 2003 That would suck to mess up your rims for $40, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe Posted March 30, 2003 Author Share Posted March 30, 2003 Hey Joe, he only offered to send me the $20. Harry, send me an e-mail and I'll give you my address... Okay, I'm just kidding. Yeah, you're probably right. I saw a product on-line that will make breaking the bead real easy, but I will have to own a compressor to re-install the tire. Looks like I'll be making a trip to the dealer. Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hookman49 Posted March 30, 2003 Share Posted March 30, 2003 Harry is right. Not worth the money doing it yourself. If you were going to do alot of them Northern tool does sell a tire changer that is not too bad in price. Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdie_xx Posted March 30, 2003 Share Posted March 30, 2003 Check this site.... http://www.clarity.net/~adam/tire-changing-doc.html Hope this helps...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwampNut Posted March 31, 2003 Share Posted March 31, 2003 My brother owns the machine from Harbor Freight ($90). It makes changes about as easy as you can, but I still just don't think it's worth the hassle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar10dah Posted March 31, 2003 Share Posted March 31, 2003 Cycle Gear, out here in AZ does mount/balance for $11.99 per tire. That's the best I've ever seen! When I lived in VA, I paid $31.50 per tire at my local Honda shop. Of course, these prices are for when you buy the tire from that shop. Cycle Gear charges somewhere around $25 per tire and Honda of Norfolk charges $45 per tire when you bring in your own tire. Call around, and see if you can find a good deal. The place I almost had do my tires wanted $75 per tire! Just because I was buying the tires somewhere else. I don't want to give away which dealer this is because they may lose a sale, but I'll give ya a hint: It starts with an "A"... and ends with "rizona Motorsports." (BTW: I strongly recommend not buying from AZ Motorsports. Nothing! No bikes, no parts, not even fluids! They suck. Long story, that I'd be glad to share someother time.) Just remember, just because it's cheap, doesn't mean they'll do a good job! Anyone from around where Joe lives know of a good shop?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flk Posted April 1, 2003 Share Posted April 1, 2003 Just started doing my own tires since the cheapest alocal dealer will do it is about 44/tire off the bike, if you buy from them at ridiculous prices, and I go through some tires. Let me say rightup front that it sucks, but is manageable. As far as protecting the rims goes, I got hold of a set of plastic sheathing about 6" long called rim savers that do well at protecting the rim from the iron. I did do a static balance and then carried it to a shop for them to check my work (10$) and they moved one of the weights about 1/4 inch from where I had it. it was a 1/4 ounce, so no big deal. I have a Metzeler balance rig, about 75$. I have done 3 so far, and am planning on buying a rig to help mount the damn things; until then, I'm using plenty of dish soap. I've heard you shouldn't use it, but don't know why and know people that have been doing it for a while. I can't the whole job in 20 minutes, although I did get the last one mounted in a little less than that. Also bought a bead breaker, and seeing how it works, can build a better one when I get time in the shop to do some measuring, cutting, and welding. If I didn't go through so many, and had a dealer I trusted, I wouldn't screw w/ it myself. One last thing- no, 2 last things. On first inflation, don't look at the wheel, since the dish soap used as a lube to get the damn thing on comes out with considerable force, and will always find an eye or nostril at high velocity. It burns. The other last thing is that using a sawzall to save a few minutes getting the old one off doesn't save any time. Even though the belted part of the tire doesn't go all the way around from side to side, there is another layer of steel radial that goes around the bead part and you can't get in there with a sawzall blade so I still ended up fighting the damn thing off. Francis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar10dah Posted April 1, 2003 Share Posted April 1, 2003 The other last thing is that using a sawzall to save a few  minutes getting the old one off doesn't save any time. Even though the belted part of the tire doesn't go all the way around from side to side, there is another layer of steel radial that goes around the bead part and you can't get in there with a sawzall blade so I still ended up fighting the damn thing off.Francis That's good info! I was tempted to cut my old rubber off myself, but then I found out Cycle Gear was really cheap for mount and balancing. At least now I know for next time, so I don't waste my time. :grin: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomek Posted April 6, 2003 Share Posted April 6, 2003 Once you learn how to do it tire change is very easy,provading your not dealing with ST1100 with 7 years old tires. The most difficult part is breaking the bead,all the rest is very easy,there is no need to cut tire,use brute force, etc,, I guess it depends,for 11.99 for tire I would not bother providing they do it right away,but if I had to drop wheels and pick up later,,,,,,,it takes me less then two easy hours to change both tires,less the hour if I go to my cousin`s shop (compressor). We have three bikes in a household ,that means 4-5 tire changes per year ,I can`t imagine going to the dealer every time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar10dah Posted April 6, 2003 Share Posted April 6, 2003 It usually takes Cycle Gear about 20 mins per tire, every time I've been there. That's not bad. Although, it's about a half hour drive each way to get there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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