Home TubelessTire Installation: an incredible jour By ericrockstar (Read 1,290 times)

[ericrockstar]

I thought I would update everyone on my tire issues. They are finally on and have a good look and feel, but it took some time to get here.

I ordered the tires off eBay back in October for a great deal. It was $50 for 2 130/60/13 tires, and got them in November. No big hurry to get em on as my riding season was closing up for the year.
Then I ordered some tire spoons for a great deal, $5 for 3 spoons. Didn't realize they were coming from Hong Kong and took 3 weeks to get here. Oh and when they came in, the spoons are all of about 4" inches long and not very sturdy. Look just like the picture but not hardly useable for anything I can tell. So harbor freight has a tire spoon on sale for $4. I pick up two of them. It is 20" inches long and big. But it works. I also ordered some cheap rim protectors online for $7. It seemed like a good idea at the time.

I started with the front tire first cause it's easy to get off. Take the valve needle off and try using a big c-clamp to break the bead. Got one side off but couldn't get the other side loose. End up using a flat screwdriver and a hammer. Got the bead off but that tire is in no shape for a spare as I punctured the bead. Oh well. The harbor freight tire spoons were great for getting the tire off the rim and the rim protectors worked well to keep me from messing up the rim. Now, I have watched about 20 YouTube videos to see how to do this. They make it look a lot easier than it really is. Maybe it is with a bigger tire and the right tools and know how.
It still took me about 20 minutes of struggling to get the tire off. Soap is your friend. Use it like you have a never ending supply.

Now getting that tire back on...leave space for some choice words. Leave the rim on the ground brake side up and slide one side over. Make sure you line the tread pattern up the right way. It is directional. The first bead goes on easy. No problems right...
The next is a fight every step of the way. I get about half way around and then you need those rim protectors and spoons badly. I use my knee to hold one side down, then work it around with the spoons. Get it almost on then the side my knee holds just pops up. Not an easy job. Hold one side down with a spoon then work the other. You need more spoons. I end up using a flat screwdriver. Then I finally get the last bit on and one of the rim protectors falls inside the tire!doh...
Yeah, so the tire had to come back off so I can get it out. Just great.

Next part, getting the bead to seal. I have a 25 gallon air compressor, so I figured that would work fine. NOT. Would not seal. I had to take it to my mechanics at work. They wrap a tie down strap around it, no luck. Tire soap helps fill some gaps. Three guys pressing sides out and a giant 125 gallon shop compressor before it finally seals.

What a major PIA. That was just one tire. The front. Easy right....

Well, the Know how does help, cause I get the back tire off and on in about 20 minutes. Decided I had to take it to work to get the bead sealed. I could not deal with that at home.

So I know that I have some resources that many just don't. "mechanics", real tire soap, giant air compressor, straps.

My conclusion is for most people it would be totally worth spending some $$$$ to have someone else do this job. My scooter will most likely be in a junkyard by the time I need new tires. 7500 chinomiles original engine.

[ce]

You are a champion, and are to be commended for perserverance in the face of obstinate resistance.

After a valiant struggle, I managed to change a ten inch tire with 5 spoons.

Flushed with confidence, I removed a 13 inch tire, but was thoroughly thwarted mounting the new one after only 3 hours at the most punishingly strenuous thing I had ever done. This should be a part of Hell Week for the Navy SEALs.

I paid a motrcycle shop $10 to mount the new tire in 3 minutes.

[ericrockstar]

Thank you! If there is a next time, I will follow that route. You got an awesome deal BTW. Motorcycle shop near me would charge a lot more. Maybe a small discount if I took the wheel off myself?

[Bashan]

Wow, your story reinforces what I already think, the only way I would do my own tires is if I couldn't get somebody else to do them. That is a consideration around here as most MC shops tell you to take a hike. Most of the scooter places tell you to take a hike if you didn't buy the scooter from them. Luckily there's an old biker about ten miles away that has a tire machine and isn't afraid to grab a 13 inch rim. After reading your tale I sure hope he doesn't retire. Rich

[ce]

Once you have the wheel dismounted it's much more aceptable to the motorcycle mechs, so that's kinda required. You don't really want to ride up on a big ol' Chinese scooter and try to leave it there for them to work on.

Just say it's for a Honda, and if they balk, insist that you called and someone said to bring it in.
Then hand them the rim, new tire and a new valve stem and get the hell out of there and come back later to pick up the Honda tire.

[kz1000st]

I've done many tires myself. I have a big tire iron, a Breezer Bar, a bunch of big c-clamps to pop the bead and a bunch of mallets. They're all collecting dust. I take the wheel off, take the wheel and new tire to Klinger Kawasaki and let them do it on their machine. The most I've paid is $25 for my wife's spoked Rebel wheel. The least is $10 for the Chinese scooter wheel. They do the job, with balancing, in five minutes and my knuckles go home intact.

[bcgreatness]

does your wifes rebel have a tubeless tire? or does hers have tubes too? mine has tubes im not sure if the old rims will take a tubeless tire either, so i might have to get new rims. hope not.

[jct842]

I did both small scooters a couple years ago now. I used a bench vice to break the seal on the rims. the yamaha with 10" was harder to do than the 12" or what ever the carino has, the larger just has more room to manuver the tire around on. I did't think it was any big deal on either. The majesty I bought a pair of tires from a local dealer and he installed them. All are pirrelli tires on my scooters too. A tire with max holding on a wet surface is most important for me, I don't want to go down. john

[Kaveman]

Oy ! This makes me feel very very fortunate that the rims on my Stella ( Vespa PX-150 Clone made in India) are 2 pieces that bolt together and that are not just 1 piece like on the chi-com twist and go scoots . JFYI: The 10" and 8" tires on a vespa and stella have inner tubes aswell. There are 1 piece tubeless rims available for the Vespa but are not exactly real cheap to get !

will c.

[SABER]

I don't need a new tire yet but my valves are looking a little cracked. What size valves fit into the 13" scooter wheel.? I used to work in a tire shop in my youth so I know valves come in all sorts of sizes and shapes.

[ericrockstar]

I just used a short stubby one they had at Walmart. It might be better to get a valve with a bend in it. I couldn't find one at a store though. Probably have to order it online.

[jct842]

get an all metal one, they come with a rubber washer and a nut tightens them up. If one of them cheap rubber stems cracks off at speed you are going to have a hell of a time to keep from going down. I know from experience. when one breaks you loose, all the air gets gone just like you had a blow out. (takes about 5 seconds to go flat) most all of the vendors have them.

Most of the OEM tires are junk, rough riding on and do not have good grip on the road. On my carino I changed the OEM tires before I had worn out the mold tits. The difference is night and day.

Remember one thing, its your butt that hits the ground if your tire slips or goes flat, not mine. john
john

[SABER]

Feb 1, 2012 10:29:31 GMT -6 jct842 said:

get an all metal one, they come with a rubber washer and a nut tightens them up. If one of them cheap rubber stems cracks off at speed you are going to have a hell of a time to keep from going down. I know from experience. when one breaks you loose, all the air gets gone just like you had a blow out. (takes about 5 seconds to go flat) most all of the vendors have them.

Most of the OEM tires are junk, rough riding on and do not have good grip on the road. On my carino I changed the OEM tires before I had worn out the mold tits. The difference is night and day.

Remember one thing, its your butt that hits the ground if your tire slips or goes flat, not mine. john
john

No doubt. That's why I'm looking and asking. But does anyone have a size that's they have used and know to work and be safe

[kz1000st]

Jan 30, 2012 22:39:23 GMT -6 bcgreatness said:

does your wifes rebel have a tubeless tire? or does hers have tubes too? mine has tubes im not sure if the old rims will take a tubeless tire either, so i might have to get new rims. hope not.

Yes, my wife's Rebel has a tube. It's expensive to replace the wheels with cast ones. I've never had trouble with tubes in any of my street bikes and now that I've found someone to do the tires there's no problem pinching them. You can't go tubeless with spoke wheels.

[tmec]

the right tools make or break the job


www.ebay.com/itm/3-Motion-Pro-8-5-in-Tire-Irons-Spoons-Tool-Dirt-Bike-/370541188191?pt=Motors_Automotive_Tools&vxp=mtr&hash=item5645f9d45f