Tire changing hardware - recommendation?

On Sep 25, 8:54?am, Mike W. <outof... DeleteThis @emailbiz.com> wrote:

> Has anyone try the Motion Pro offering?

Looks like they have some good ideas. Combination tire iron/spoons.
Who thought that one up?

http://www.motionpro.com/tech/articles/tire_changing.php

http://www.motionpro.com/motorcycle/tools/tire/

Somebody else sells a version of the trail bead buddy that works with
cast spoke wheels. I could have used that when I mounted a Bridgestone
with a very stiff carcass on a rim that was marginally too narrow.
 >> Stay informed about: Tire changing hardware - recommendation? 

On Tue, 25 Sep 2007 07:43:39 -0700, ~ <RhiannonX DeleteThis @gmail.com> wrote:

>On Sep 25, 7:25?am, Mike W. <outof... DeleteThis @emailbiz.com> wrote:
>> Can anyone recommend any gear that would make changing my tires notably
>> faster, short of a full-on tire changing rig?
>
>Does speed matter more to you than avoiding scratches and nicks in the
>aluminum rims?

Actually, I want this for my dirt bikes, so speed does matter. It's a point
of manhood amongst dirtbikers with 4 min for a rear being the grail. I've
heard of people taking hours.

>
>I bought two great big c-clamps for about $6.00 each to break the
>beads loose, but I have to take great care to keep the clamps from
>buggering the rims.

Good idea... but there goes my excuse for why I'm carrying "a few extra
pounds" for busting the tire off the rims faster:)

>
>Ru-Glide is a commercial rubber lubricant that you can buy from Pep
>Boys.
>
>I use 12-inch long tire levers and sometimes protect the edges of the
>rim with strips of rubber. Other times I use thin strips of aluminum
>sheathing to keep the tire lever from touching the edges of the rims.
>
>Some people use sections old plastic garden hose, split longwise.
>
>I can spend up to two hours changing a tire in the hot sun and wind up
>sweating like a horse to save $15 or $20 and a trip to the motorcycle
>salvage yard where the tire ape does the job in 15 minutes on his
>machine.

On those kinds of rims, the caution is warranted.

>
>And, no matter how carefully I work, I will always manage to chip a
>little bit of the factory paint off my expen$ive rim.

For my street bikes, I don't think I'd try for exactly the reasons you
cite. A tire on those tends to last well over a season.

>
>> Do those "fixtures" you set
>> the tire on make much of a difference?
>
>If you burn through about two sets of tires a year, a Harbor Freight
>tire changer with motorcycle rim attachment would pay for itself
>quickly, based upon paying around $20 to a tire ape per tire R&R, or
>paying about $80 for the machine.

Thank you for the suggestion. I'm going to look into that right now!

Has anyone try the Motion Pro offering?

Mike


--
Mike W.
96 XR400
99 KZ1000P
70 CT70
71 KG 100 (Hodaka-powered)
 >> Stay informed about: Tire changing hardware - recommendation? 

Mike W. <outofthe RemoveThis @emailbiz.com> wrote:

> Can anyone recommend any gear that would make changing my tires notably
> faster, short of a full-on tire changing rig? Do those "fixtures" you set
> the tire on make much of a difference?
>
A powered tyre changer is a wondrous device. Makes the job incredibly
fast and easy, which is why workshops use them.

Without one, whatever you do is going to involve a certain amount of
struggle and muscle.


--
BMW K1100LT 750SS CB400F CD250 CB125 SL125
GAGARPHOF#30 GHPOTHUF#1 BOTAFOT#60 ANORAK#06 YTC#3
BOF#30 WUSS#5 The bells, the bells.....
 >> Stay informed about: Tire changing hardware - recommendation? 

"Mike W." <outofthe DeleteThis @emailbiz.com> wrote in
news:4dbif3lnodc5n08ak8dmhdpsbff169rcd0@4ax.com...
> On Tue, 25 Sep 2007 07:43:39 -0700, ~ <RhiannonX DeleteThis @gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>On Sep 25, 7:25?am, Mike W. <outof... DeleteThis @emailbiz.com> wrote:
>>> Can anyone recommend any gear that would make changing my tires notably
>>> faster, short of a full-on tire changing rig?

After a very frustrating fight with some unbelievable "heavy" conti
tubes my next investment will be something to pull the valve into place
with. Flexible valve extension or purpose built tool.

The damn tubes were so thick walled that my friend jokingly said I
could run them without the knobbly covers (MX tyres) for better
street grip.

> I've heard of people taking hours.

That's me!

--
Ole Holmblad - Göteborgs Prima MCK / MK Pionjär
TDM850 / WR450F FL#44 OTC#489 UKRMSBC#08
SGFPTH#00 Remove hat to answer by mail
 >> Stay informed about: Tire changing hardware - recommendation? 

On Tue, 25 Sep 2007 19:15:10 +0100, chateau.murray.takethisout RemoveThis @dsl.pipex.com
(The Older Gentleman) wrote:

>Without one, whatever you do is going to involve a certain amount of
>struggle and muscle.

Just last night I changed the front tire on my wife's 500 Interceptor. It took
longer to remove and replace the wheel than it did to change the tire. From
breaking the beads to airing up the new one was probably less than 5 minutes.

You just gotta have the right stuff and know what you're doing.

I use three tire irons, a home-built bead breaker, and a Harbor Freight
motorcycle attachment just to hold the rim steady. I used to do it on a piece
of plywood in the driveway.

http://home.earthlink.net/~jhunt1x/tires/breaker.htm

--
Jack
 >> Stay informed about: Tire changing hardware - recommendation? 

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 >> Stay informed about: Tire changing hardware - recommendation? 

paul c <toledobythesea.DeleteThis@oohay.ac> wrote:

> Some aren't so wondrous. The last powered one I used tore part of the
> bead off a brand-new Pirelli. I was familiar with the machine since I'd
> used it about a dozen times before. Granted, it was designed originally
> to handle car tires.

Um, that's missing the point. I was talking dedicated bike tyre
machines.
>
> The hardest parts for me are breaking the bead and setting the bead
> which is sometimes tricky even with shop air. I find a three-gallon
> compressor that I can lift with one hand works just as well as shop air.

Agreed. For setting the bead, I tend to use a garage airline.
>
> It's a little different but I don't think much harder for a dirt tire
> with a tube and lock bolts. Only ever did one of those but didn't use a
> machine at all.

Lock bolts, as you call them (we call 'em security bolts), are a PITA.
My old Kawasaki Z650 had them as standard. I never understood why.

>
> With fairly new tires, once one has had some practice, I tend to
> dis-believe that any struggle is necessary and certainly not much muscle.
>
> I know a guy who changes big truck tires for a living. He does all that
> with machines and says bike and scoot tires are harder. But you
> wouldn't think so to watch him. He's scrawny, weighs about 140 pounds
> and has very skinny arms but learned hands and eyes. He uses the shop
> machines only to break and set beads. Doesn't even use a screw-driver
> in a vice like some of those guys. Has two beautiful smooth old hand
> irons. To get a tubeless off or on, puts a little box or cushion on the
> floor (not for him, for the wheel) then kneels down and works the irons.
> He looks closely at his starting position and uses both hands to feel
> the shape of the tire as he manipulates it. Sometimes he doesn't like
> what he feels and just re-positions and starts over. Of course he uses
> lots of tire soap. I've seen him do the whole thing including new valve
> in less than ten minutes. The guy's an artist, but I imagine that after
> a couple of hundred changes most ordinary people would start to approach
> his time.

I've watched people like this and yes, always impressive.
>
> His irons are beautiful, thin and shiny, donkeys-years old. He only
> uses two. They put the ones MotionPro makes to shame even though they
> don't have as much curve at the end. Neither he nor I know where one
> could buy comparable ones today, maybe at a garage sale/flea
> market/auction where the seller doesn't realize how hard good irons are
> to find.

My feeling entirely. Good, indeed superb, tools are a must.


--
BMW K1100LT 750SS CB400F CD250 CB125 SL125
GAGARPHOF#30 GHPOTHUF#1 BOTAFOT#60 ANORAK#06 YTC#3
BOF#30 WUSS#5 The bells, the bells.....
 >> Stay informed about: Tire changing hardware - recommendation? 

paul c <toledobythesea.RemoveThis@oohay.ac> wrote:

> The Older Gentleman wrote:
> ...
> > A powered tyre changer is a wondrous device. Makes the job incredibly
> > fast and easy, which is why workshops use them.
> > ...
>
> When it comes to workshops that sell lots of new tires, suggest the
> reason is quite different:

Now, that's exactly the *same* reason.

>there's more profit when most of their techs
> know dick about tires except how to sell them and never got taught how
> to do them by hand, or lace or balance wheels for that matter.

Lacing wheels is a dying art because spoked wheels are fewer than they
used to be. You don't think very hard, do you?

> In this
> as in some other things, the hand job has better potential for a good
> result. How many powered tire machines do you see at the race track, for
> that matter how many mechanized wheel balancers do you see at a track?

Again, you're not thinking. I hate to burst your bubble, but the answer
is: loads. They're not in the pits because race teams have their wheels
ready tyred and balanced, for faster changes. Have a look in a tyre
company's articulated truck instead.

--
BMW K1100LT 750SS CB400F CD250 CB125 SL125
GAGARPHOF#30 GHPOTHUF#1 BOTAFOT#60 ANORAK#06 YTC#3
BOF#30 WUSS#5 The bells, the bells.....
 >> Stay informed about: Tire changing hardware - recommendation? 

"The Older Gentleman" <chateau.murray.takethisout.DeleteThis@dsl.pipex.com> wrote in
message
news:1i51dfj.1j8er9v1yg1z2jN%chateau.murray.takethisout@dsl.pipex.com...
> paul c <toledobythesea.DeleteThis@oohay.ac> wrote:
>
..
>
> >
> > With fairly new tires, once one has had some practice, I tend to
> > dis-believe that any struggle is necessary and certainly not much
muscle.
> >
> > I know a guy who changes big truck tires for a living. He does all that
> > with machines and says bike and scoot tires are harder. But you
> > wouldn't think so to watch him. He's scrawny, weighs about 140 pounds
> > and has very skinny arms but learned hands and eyes. He uses the shop
> > machines only to break and set beads. Doesn't even use a screw-driver
> > in a vice like some of those guys. Has two beautiful smooth old hand
> > irons. To get a tubeless off or on, puts a little box or cushion on the
> > floor (not for him, for the wheel) then kneels down and works the irons.
> > He looks closely at his starting position and uses both hands to feel
> > the shape of the tire as he manipulates it. Sometimes he doesn't like
> > what he feels and just re-positions and starts over. Of course he uses
> > lots of tire soap. I've seen him do the whole thing including new valve
> > in less than ten minutes. The guy's an artist, but I imagine that after
> > a couple of hundred changes most ordinary people would start to approach
> > his time.
>
> I've watched people like this and yes, always impressive.
> >
> > His irons are beautiful, thin and shiny, donkeys-years old. He only
> > uses two. They put the ones MotionPro makes to shame even though they
> > don't have as much curve at the end. Neither he nor I know where one
> > could buy comparable ones today, maybe at a garage sale/flea
> > market/auction where the seller doesn't realize how hard good irons are
> > to find.
>
> My feeling entirely. Good, indeed superb, tools are a must.
> --

Way back when; my new GS1100 got a flat in Middle of Nowhere, South Dakota.
Luckily the only buildings in site was a farm where the owner worked on
tractors. After I finally got the rim off the bike he quickly patched the
tube. Used two of the biggest, by far, levers I've ever seen to remove and
replace the tire. Really thought the aluminum rims would be chewed up but
the marks weren't even visible enough to bother trying to clean up. When I
praised him for the good job he said he should be able to do a good job he
had been doing it for over 60 years. Don't under estimate knowing what your
doing. Really makes me feel silly using MC levers and rim protectors on the
few street tires I've done since.

In spite of the problem, one of my better touring memories.
 >> Stay informed about: Tire changing hardware - recommendation? 

On Oct 1, 12:07?am, Wudsracer <dirtbike_smackoverRem....DeleteThis@yahoo.com>
wrote:
> *************************************

> I use WD40 for a tire lube. Since it is basically naptha, it almost
> completely disappears within an hour.

I have been using WD40 as tire lube for years. Some people don't like
it because it seems to glue the tire to a tubeless rim and makes tire
changing with manual levers a lot harder.

You can buy a tire changing lubricant caled Ru Glide at Pep Boys in
pints and quarts and gallons.
 >> Stay informed about: Tire changing hardware - recommendation? 

*************************************
>On Tue, 25 Sep 2007 16:44:21 -0400, Jack Hunt <jhunt1x.DeleteThis@tds.net> wrote:
>
>Just last night I changed the front tire on my wife's 500 Interceptor. It took
>longer to remove and replace the wheel than it did to change the tire. From
>breaking the beads to airing up the new one was probably less than 5 minutes.
>
>You just gotta have the right stuff and know what you're doing.
>
>I use three tire irons, a home-built bead breaker, and a Harbor Freight
>motorcycle attachment just to hold the rim steady. I used to do it on a piece
>of plywood in the driveway.
>
>http://home.earthlink.net/~jhunt1x/tires/breaker.htm


***************************************

Using my bench vise, I can break the bead on all but the "ultra
wide" tires. I then twist the wheel inside the tire (against the
vise's grip) to break the other side's bead.

Your bead breaking set-up would allow me to avoid that tough second
step in my procedure. Good job! I like it. If you don't mind, I'd
love to build a copy.
I am going to build a tire changer attached to a section of 2" square
tubing, and use it mounted in the receiver of my work truck.

Street tires are so much easier and quick to change than knobbies,
that they are almost a joy to deal with.
I use WD40 for a tire lube. Since it is basically naptha, it almost
completely disappears within an hour.

I use three tire irons; two 9.5" irons and a 15" iron (to hold the
bead in the middle of the rim.) At the correct height, I can sit on
the longer iron, while I work the bead in place with the two smaller
irons.
To protect the wheel from the tire irons, I use generic white nylon
rim protectors. I think I got mine from Parts Unlimited when I sold
them at my shop. These rim protectors look like long wheel weights as
much as anything else. I move them around the rim as I work. They are
about $6 each.

Good Tire Changing to You.



Wudsracer/Jim Cook
Smackover Racing
'06 Gas Gas DE300
'82 Husqvarna XC250
Team LAGNAF
 >> Stay informed about: Tire changing hardware - recommendation? 

Jack Hunt <jhunt1x.TakeThisOut@tds.net> wrote:

> http://home.earthlink.net/~jhunt1x/tires/breaker.htm

Genius.


--
BMW K1100LT 750SS CB400F CD250 CB125 SL125
GAGARPHOF#30 GHPOTHUF#1 BOTAFOT#60 ANORAK#06 YTC#3
BOF#30 WUSS#5 The bells, the bells.....
 >> Stay informed about: Tire changing hardware - recommendation?