Changing tires

Wheels, hubs and tires
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kell
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Changing tires

#1

Post by kell »

Has anyone here ever changed a tubeless tire by hand or done a roadside tube repair? I have plugged holes in tubeless car tires but never broke or seated a bead on anything bigger than a bicycle.
DuoDave
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Re: Changing tires

#2

Post by DuoDave »

I,ve changed lots of tubed tyres by hand. Never tried a tubeless. The stock Harley spoked wheel rim has a safety bead on the inside of the rim. The idea is that the tyre will stay put on the rim in the event of a puncture, but it makes it a real bitch to take the tyre off. I couldn't move it with tyre irons. I ended up laying the bike wheel flat on the ground and running my 4x4 back wheel on to the bike tyre. It sat there for a few seconds, then the bike tyre rode over the safety bead with a crack like a pistol shot. It was then easy to lever the tyre off. Getting the tyre back on is also easy because of the angle of the tyre bead. The same trick should work with a tubeless tyre. All you need is a truck in your toolkit!
Sidecar
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Re: Changing tires

#3

Post by Sidecar »

I have done quite a few tubed and tubeless tires by hand but I will never attempt a non-steel wheel. The cost is too great to crack a mag wheel.
I use tire irons that are around 2 ft long. I also have bead breakers for different wheel widths. A hand bead breaker for a cycle tire kind of looks like a big C clamp. That is the easiest thing to break the bead with.
It ain't fun but it's do-able.
I have seen shops mount tires the wrong direction.
I was told by a Goodyear tire engineer that the little circle on the sidewall is supposed to go directly over the stem. He told me that the tire is "lighter" in that section to compensate for the stem and will require less weight to balance the tire properly. I have no idea if this is true or not.
VintageTwin
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Re: Changing tires

#4

Post by VintageTwin »

Yeah. Dot on the tire at the stem is right. Here's the ticket for tube tires: Get a JC Whitney catalog. Buy a bead breaket set of compression jaws $34.98. Get that tire tool called a Breezer (VT16-0167). Looks like a 1" x 10" aluminum bar with a soft hook on it. The hook fits around the Big Twin rim edge and you beat it with a hammer. Whitney used to sell them, but now doesn't. The bead breaker will take the fight out of a tire. Your life will be better with these tools. There is some gained satisfaction out of beating rubber with a hammer, especially if you've had a bad day. VT sells the same bead breaker jaws.
sleeper
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Re: Changing tires

#5

Post by sleeper »

If I'm at the shop I use my vise to break the bead & then the tire spoons, off & on. I agree the dot should be lined up with the v. stem & less balance weight will be required. ;D
On the road you would need the clamp mentioned above to break beads. & of course the spoons. I use talcum powder on the tubes, makes them easier to slip into place & get the job done..
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Re: Changing tires

#6

Post by VintageTwin »

Yes. A set of 6" vise jaws should do the same thing as a clam-shell bead breaker. I like to use liquid tire mounting in a can. You can get it at Honda shops. Spray a line around the bead of the tire when removing or replacing the tire. The baby powder thing is good for tube placement. And a stem leash (valve fisher) in your tool box. Lets you screw the leash onto the valve stem and pull the stem into the rim hole. Keeps you stem's mind right. Big hole rims for rubber stems. Small hole rim for metal stem.
sleeper
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Re: Changing tires

#7

Post by sleeper »

I just wrestled with both my back tires on my Servi. They have date codes of 1972 on my '73 Servi & they are Speedgrips, Dry rotted & one hell of a fight to break the beads in my vise! They may be the Original Speedgrips! They still had the Goodyear tubes in them, too. ;D
They put up a seroius fight, ;) But the're out with the trash now. I did some glass beading on the rims, and things are back on track now, should be mounting my new skins tomorrow
57stroker
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Re: Changing tires

#8

Post by 57stroker »

I usually paint the inside of the rim with the best rust proof paint I can find. The rim will die because it will rust from the inside out. If you know someone that can true the rim for you, have them spin it and see how much runout it has. If it all possible, find a shop that can electronically spin balance your wheel and tire. An out of balance front tire will destroy fork seals in a hurry.
sleeper
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Re: Changing tires

#9

Post by sleeper »

57 stroker, I "true" my own wheels, But I should have mentioned, that my back Servi rims are stock Servi 5 bolt Ford Pattern Steel rims [no spokes] They definitely needed time in the glass beader, for clean-up, I heavily hand painted the centers. I did run them for true & had only 1 spot that needed the 'Harley Hammer' for fine tuning into submission. They both turned out fine, radial & lateral run-out was almost none. Very Acceptable!!


57stroker, since reading your post I gave the centers a second coat of Rustoleum Black. Then resprayed the outer & inner rims. They look Brand New! ;D
Putting on the tires can wait till all is very dry. Meantime I checked my rearend for running true & made a minor adjustment while I was there.. I just did All the Brakes & cylinders, So all was cool there.. Next new rubber!!

Thanks for your input!! I appreciate it!! ;)
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