EVLXX Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Yesterday I changed both tires. What I learned is... changing tires once or twice a year is not enough to get good at it. I made mistakes, I'm sure of it. How do I know... my bloody knuckles and pinched fingers still hurt today. So.... I ask. What tips and tricks do you have for changing tires ? Then in the future maybe Myself or someone else, can have a much more pleasant personal experience. Here's what I did. 1. Rear tire first. 2. Break the Bead, using a Big Bench vise and tire irons. This resulted in pinched fingers, a bloody knuckle, and a half of an hour of time gone, not to mention my Sanity. 3. Dismount tire with soapy water, first bead easy, second bead pain in ass. 4. Clean rim. 5.a. Mount tire, first bead, what a bitch holding the rim in one place, then getting the bead fully over the lip was a challenge, rim savers just got in the way, and I pinched more fingers. 5.b. Using quick clamps to hold the bead down in the Well of the rim, I started on the second bead. after some fighting and pinched fingers again, I gave up on the Rim savers, which resulted in chipped paint but was 5 times easier. 6. Inflate and Balance. Rear tire took about 1 hour. The same procedures and methods were used on the following Front tire, except that it only took 15 minutes. So in review, breaking the bead off the Rim was the Most difficult thing, especially the second bead. This leads me to believe I need a specialized Bead Breaking tool.... Of which I'm up for suggestions. Then some way of holding the rim, during removal and installation.... and NO.... I don't have the room for a big ass Harbor Freight No Mar Tire Changer..... Nor the Money. Thoughts... suggestions.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redbird Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Second bead when removing and first bead when mounting are gravy- if you have a solidly mounted wheel to work with. Working with a loose wheel is the biggest mistake you're making that I can see. Start here. I'll be back later.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVLXX Posted March 8, 2009 Author Share Posted March 8, 2009 A solidly mounted wheel.... yes I believe that would have made things a lot easier. Now How to achieve that without taking up a lot of room..... ? As for the Bead Braking, I scanned your Link, very nice, but, I do not have a Press, nor any other Bench big enough to mount a wheel to.... this is something I really need to work on. I believe EliXXir posted a simple Bead breaker once... a portable swinging scissor clamp device if I remember correctly... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
testrider Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 This is what you need :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomek Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 My "solidly mounted wheel" is a wheel laying on the top of old/new tire. Practice,gentelman,practice.Two short irons,some rim protectors ( ghetto version),WD40 and hammer.That is it. Whipping out old tire ,etc is fasts and easy,removing,balancing,installing wheels back on the bike,that is what eats time.I hate balancing stage of tire changing process. I can do 2 wheels in 1 hour or less.Everything,wheels back on the bike. BTW, in case of XX it is better,if you are doing both wheels at the time,to keep rear wheel off the bike.That way front fender can stay in place,just tilt the bike and slide front wheel out/in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redbird Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Bead breaker Changing station- I have mine permanently mounted, but if you're short on bench space it'd probably be a matter of about 2 minutes to bolt the rim to a bench before you start, then unbolt it and stow it when you're done. I'm about the same as Tom, an hour or so start to finish with balancing. The balancing is definitely the time eater. Once the wheel is off the bike I can dismount an old tire and mount a new one in 5-10 minutes, maybe 15 if it's an ST tire and it's cold out. Tom has practice, I've got a solidly mounted wheel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomek Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 As far as ghetto engineering and/or bike maintenance you U.S. born people will never catch up to my level. Having grown up in socialist Poland I have extensive and unsurpassed experience in getting the job done without proper tools and parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVLXX Posted March 8, 2009 Author Share Posted March 8, 2009 Bead breaker Changing station- I have mine permanently mounted, but if you're short on bench space it'd probably be a matter of about 2 minutes to bolt the rim to a bench before you start, then unbolt it and stow it when you're done. I'm about the same as Tom, an hour or so start to finish with balancing. The balancing is definitely the time eater. Once the wheel is off the bike I can dismount an old tire and mount a new one in 5-10 minutes, maybe 15 if it's an ST tire and it's cold out. Tom has practice, I've got a solidly mounted wheel. Very Good... I Like. That is exactly the bead breaker I was thinking of.... I need one of those. I can come up with a spare car wheel fairly easily... what size and width is that one ? It also looks like you covered the rim edge with something... what did you use... rubber Hose ? As far as ghetto engineering and/or bike maintenance you U.S. born people will never catch up to my level. Having grown up in socialist Poland I have extensive and unsurpassed experience in getting the job done without proper tools and parts. I love it.... Getting to meet you 2 years ago at OzarXX was priceless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceman_40 Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Tree faller wedges, they are plastic wedges that are used for assisting when cutting trees. Aircraft mechanics up here use them to break the beads on the rims. Put it between the tire and the rim and hammer away. Plastic is softer than Alum so it shouldn't hurt the rim. I've used it once on my rims but they need a paint job anyway so I wasn't concerned. Real cheep and real simple. http://www.beaverstateplastics.com/tree_faller_wedges.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redbird Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 14" rim, rubber garden hose and duct tape. I rattle canned the whole thing black when I was done, but it looks considerably worse now after 3-1/2 years of use and dozens of tires. The bead breaker works well, but the upright is beginning to bend a bit from heavy use and the occasional hard to break bead. I'll post more pics later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVLXX Posted March 9, 2009 Author Share Posted March 9, 2009 The bead breaker works well, but the upright is beginning to bend a bit from heavy use and the occasional hard to break bead. I'll post more pics later. I'm going to make my own.... so if I can see what's wrong with yours.... I can improve upon the concept. I look forward to your pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redbird Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 You can see the portion that's bending in this pic. Not hard to improve on this design, as it's crap metal and not all that thick. Let me know if you want exact measurements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BackStreet Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 Here is how I do it. Call by local independent bike shop Washington Cycle Works - Washington NJ Discuss tire options with Ron (owner). Advice is good and FREE! Order some new tires. Work a couple of extra hours at work in a nice clean office. Get extra cash. Give bike to bike shop. Go have breakfast across street at diner. Go back. BS with whoever happens to be there. Watch a bike or two on dyno. Give cash to bike shop. Get bike with new tires. Break in tires VERY carefully first 100 miles (More of Ron's good FREE advice). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redbird Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 I've done it your way, have you done it mine? Also, no need to ride 100 miles to "break in" the tires. A ten minute ride to warm them up and then five minutes doing some nice, tight figure eights and circles in a parking lot and you're good to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willxx23 Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 I've done it your way, have you done it mine? Easiest way I have found is to take them into Cycle Gear and have them put them on....after all that's where I bought them in the first place... Oh yeah and don't let them con you into paying 2$ for each tire for a "disposal fee" ....I take them down to the ocean and toss them in...the fish need a place to live.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB4XX Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 The rear tire comes off easier if you do a burnout until it pops down the center. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcrich Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 The rear tire comes off easier if you do a burnout until it pops down the center. I must say the slickest thing I have seen is Josh and Walt changing Josh's rear tire in my basement. Asks if I have any Windex, sure do. Sprays Windex on the tire and basically manhandles the tire onto the rim with out really using the spoons. :icon_thumbsup: :icon_clap: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon haney Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 The rear tire comes off easier if you do a burnout until it pops down the center. I must say the slickest thing I have seen is Josh and Walt changing Josh's rear tire in my basement. Asks if I have any Windex, sure do. Sprays Windex on the tire and basically manhandles the tire onto the rim with out really using the spoons. :icon_thumbsup: :icon_clap: I did that with the last rear tire change on my aftermarket rim. I was so surprised that I double-checked the tire to make sure it was the right diameter. Apparently my Dy-mag wheel has a deeper rim that allows the tire to go on much easier. If you have the means, I highly recommend them. I hope the front works the same way. :icon_pray: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silverbird2 Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 I saw one a guy made using open stud wall in his garage, using 2x4's. Looked something like this but with the part that mounts to the wall bolting through the 2x4 stud (the walls in his garage were not sheetrocked) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVLXX Posted March 10, 2009 Author Share Posted March 10, 2009 Silly Carpenters will try and build anything out of 2x4's and nails. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockmeupto125 Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 I don't know if its a tip or trick, but this works for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JuXXtin Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 I just take it to a buddy in Castle Rock Colorado and say, dewd, you have the tools?!?!?.... and I get no compaints, great hospitality and the best company yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackhawkxx Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 I don't know if its a tip or trick, but this works for me. What you got there Joe? It looks pro. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JuXXtin Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 I don't know if its a tip or trick, but this works for me. What you got there Joe? It looks pro. I think it's pro sarcasm! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVLXX Posted March 11, 2009 Author Share Posted March 11, 2009 I don't know if its a tip or trick, but this works for me. Nice...... very nice ! About $1200 I'm guessing, but It looks just like a small version of the $ 10K unit we have at work. Nice. The hardest thing about changing tires with that is..... picking the tire up and putting it on the table. .... Wow, if a guy had a few friends.... that machine could become very cost effective. I just take it to a buddy in Castle Rock Colorado and say, dewd, you have the tools?!?!?.... and I get no compaints, great hospitality and the best company yet. Maybe....... but if I remember right... I was complaining... weren't we struggling with your tire for about 5 minutes there. Then after this last weekend... hence the Topic. ... Wished you could have stayed longer. ... I'll be ready the next time your Riding through ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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