Post by Smorkle on Jul 21, 2012 15:48:15 GMT -6
I purchased some new tires for my Silverwing and they came in last week. I called around to a few of the places around town that do bike tires and the going price to put the tire on the rim if *I* take the rims off the bike and bring them in is $35 EACH. I decided that was too high when the tires only cost $50 each. I decided there must be a better way so I found this tire changer tool at Harbor Freight:
www.harborfreight.com/portable-tire-changer-69686.html
I bought that tire changer and as a I feared it is NOT designed for motorcycle tires. That having been said, the "bead breaker" on it works fine for my tires. I happened to have a steel rod that fit nicely through the hubs and I drove that into the ground and used that and another rod as a stake to keep the tire from spinning along with the separation tool that came with the tire changer to get the old tire off and the new tire on. I figured out how I was gonna do it all, removed the front tire, rim and all, replaced the tire and put all it back on the bike in about an hour. I left some red marks on the rim where the tool rubbed it, but I think I can buff those out fairly easily.
I had never changed a tire on anything other than a bicycle before and so I'm thinking when I get around to the back tire the process (for the tire itself anyway) will be shorter. If it needs balancing (which it didn't seem to on the first ride afterwards) I'll get some Dynabeads and put in it.
If you decide to do this make sure to get some bead breaker lube available at any auto parts store. I bought a gallon from Advanced Auto Parts for $9. Don't use water based soap without some sort of rust inhibitor in it or your rims may rust. Also don't use petroleum oil as it can break down the tire.
There's no better feeling than discovering that you can do something yourself that other people charge you through the nose to do. And the tool cost me $39 plus the $9 for the lube and that is STILL cheaper than having the tires changed at a dealer.
www.harborfreight.com/portable-tire-changer-69686.html
I bought that tire changer and as a I feared it is NOT designed for motorcycle tires. That having been said, the "bead breaker" on it works fine for my tires. I happened to have a steel rod that fit nicely through the hubs and I drove that into the ground and used that and another rod as a stake to keep the tire from spinning along with the separation tool that came with the tire changer to get the old tire off and the new tire on. I figured out how I was gonna do it all, removed the front tire, rim and all, replaced the tire and put all it back on the bike in about an hour. I left some red marks on the rim where the tool rubbed it, but I think I can buff those out fairly easily.
I had never changed a tire on anything other than a bicycle before and so I'm thinking when I get around to the back tire the process (for the tire itself anyway) will be shorter. If it needs balancing (which it didn't seem to on the first ride afterwards) I'll get some Dynabeads and put in it.
If you decide to do this make sure to get some bead breaker lube available at any auto parts store. I bought a gallon from Advanced Auto Parts for $9. Don't use water based soap without some sort of rust inhibitor in it or your rims may rust. Also don't use petroleum oil as it can break down the tire.
There's no better feeling than discovering that you can do something yourself that other people charge you through the nose to do. And the tool cost me $39 plus the $9 for the lube and that is STILL cheaper than having the tires changed at a dealer.
Rich
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