Taking a tire off a wheel
- Thread starter merczab
- Start date
Tools you will need are, a valve stem remover, a lubricant, a bead breaker of some type and tire spoons... (I do not recommend using screwdrivers or prybars, the will scratch, dent and mar the snot out of your rims.) You will also need weights, a way to balance the wheel and an air source. Where are you located?
That will be a future purchase! Its way better then how I been doing it!
Hayabusawannabe
Registered
I've watched videos of it on Sportbiketrackgear.com (I think it was that site) and it looks really easy. They have all the tools you'll need to do it and if I lived in a house instead of an apartment I'd have a go at it. It could have been motorcycle-superstore.com too I forget which.
Do my own, but all I have is the cheap tire changer. 
Check this out. He lives about 20 miles from me and it works great. He makes his own bars too. I'm building me one right now. I'm going to weld the wheel to a piece of 4x4 steel tubing with a plate on the bottom to bolt to the floor. I'm also making a plate that will weld in the bottom of the wheel with tapped holes at different spacing to accept different rims and brakes. I'll cover the threaded rod with some plastic dip.
No-scufftiretool
No-scufftiretool
FALQN
Registered
Get on youtube and watch all of the videos. There are a few successful self-builds that work. No-mar will sell the actual No-mar bar for $125 and then you can build your own stand or holder instead of buying the entry level stand at just over $400. It appears, from my research, that the most significant piece of any tire change setup, is the bar. You can make a rim stand or holder on the cheap, but an anti-scuff/scratch bar would be a good investment.
I purchased a static balancer from Harbor Freight for $39. The frame is sturdy, but the bearings suck...so i am swapping them out with very cheap skate board bearings. The skate board bearings are high quality, are very sensitive and will spin for days. They will run about $10.
I am going to repace my rear rubber for the first time, using rim protectors, tire spoons and the balancer. With what I've invested so far, I'll make my money back immediately...compared to the $ I would have given a shop.
Eventually, I will build a stand and buy the No-mar bar....but I need some other toys and gadgets first
Sorry for rambling...my $.02
I purchased a static balancer from Harbor Freight for $39. The frame is sturdy, but the bearings suck...so i am swapping them out with very cheap skate board bearings. The skate board bearings are high quality, are very sensitive and will spin for days. They will run about $10.
I am going to repace my rear rubber for the first time, using rim protectors, tire spoons and the balancer. With what I've invested so far, I'll make my money back immediately...compared to the $ I would have given a shop.
Eventually, I will build a stand and buy the No-mar bar....but I need some other toys and gadgets first
Sorry for rambling...my $.02
I'm in Arizona.
SS14PSI
Registered
Not to sound uppity, because in reality I'm just a big dumb okie, buuuut wrestling a tire/wheel and taking the chance on scratching up my painted wheels, not to mention purchasing the tools to do it, is nowhere near worth my time when I can drive the wheel to a shop 5 minutes away and pay $15 to have it done.
Defiant
Registered
I did it myself using a some scrap pieces of 2 by 4. 2 pieces to keep wheel off ground while breaking beads and spooning. I used cut up plastic milk carton pieces to protect wheel from spoons, they sell plastic pieces for protecting wheels from spoons too. 1 longer 2 by four to break bead. You tube vid shows you how to use 2 x 4 attached to garage wall or using truck as fulcrum to break bead.
Breaking bead is very easy with long enough 2 x 4. Spooning could use a friend for help but manageable. After doing 1 wheel, the 2nd one goes smoother. Also, don't forget to use pledge or some other spray wax when spooning (lots of it). I think a lot of people forget to do that and just give up. Total cost, set of tire spoons. Scrap 2x4 I got for free at menards. Also, if your not racing on track, you can balance tires on axle like I do on mountain bike. If your not comfortable with this get a tire balancer from harbor frieght.
IF YOU DO THIS, PAY ATTENTION TO THE TIRE / WHEEL MARKINGS.
A lot easier than changing a duce 1/2, 5 ton, hemit tire.
Breaking bead is very easy with long enough 2 x 4. Spooning could use a friend
for help but manageable. After doing 1 wheel, the 2nd one goes smoother. Also, don't forget to use pledge or some other spray wax when spooning (lots of it). I think a lot of people forget to do that and just give up. Total cost, set of tire spoons. Scrap 2x4 I got for free at menards. Also, if your not racing on track, you can balance tires on axle like I do on mountain bike. If your not comfortable with this get a tire balancer from harbor frieght.IF YOU DO THIS, PAY ATTENTION TO THE TIRE / WHEEL MARKINGS.
A lot easier than changing a duce 1/2, 5 ton, hemit tire.
1styearbusa
Registered
I get great pleasure from being "self-sufficient" in as many services as possible.
At least any ones I can purchase the minimum tools at fairly low entry cost.
And if the learning curve isn't too incredibly difficult.
And there are upgrade tools if I choose to invest deeper at a later date.
Changing motorcycle tires certainly meets this criteria.
After a good scouring of Youtube videos on the DIY swapping fools on the 'net I found the info needed.
I made a bead breaker (2) 2x4s doweled to a garage stud.
I use one long S-shaped tire spoon and one cheapo flat tire spoon.
I use large slabs of thin plastic scavenged from antifreeze jugs as rim protectors (best internet tip EVER)
I use a piece of rod with two tiny funnel-cones perched on two jack-stands to balance wheels on their own bearings.
All this info was free
All the tools
Cost way under $100
Satisfaction of taking care of this service my self ... priceless.
DISCLAIMER ! ! ! The risk of scratching a wheel is possible until this skill is under your belt.
Be patient , take your time , use plenty of lube , after having done a dozen or so I am fairly proficient at it , finally.
I have delicate custom painted wheels and am able to change my tires without leaving any marks.
At least any ones I can purchase the minimum tools at fairly low entry cost.
And if the learning curve isn't too incredibly difficult.
And there are upgrade tools if I choose to invest deeper at a later date.
Changing motorcycle tires certainly meets this criteria.
After a good scouring of Youtube videos on the DIY swapping fools on the 'net I found the info needed.
I made a bead breaker (2) 2x4s doweled to a garage stud.
I use one long S-shaped tire spoon and one cheapo flat tire spoon.
I use large slabs of thin plastic scavenged from antifreeze jugs as rim protectors (best internet tip EVER)
I use a piece of rod with two tiny funnel-cones perched on two jack-stands to balance wheels on their own bearings.
All this info was free
All the tools
Cost way under $100
Satisfaction of taking care of this service my self ... priceless.
DISCLAIMER ! ! ! The risk of scratching a wheel is possible until this skill is under your belt.
Be patient , take your time , use plenty of lube , after having done a dozen or so I am fairly proficient at it , finally.
I have delicate custom painted wheels and am able to change my tires without leaving any marks.
I enjoy doing the work myself and since I do things for others on occasion I rationalized the cost of a floor-mounted NoMar setup.
busabobh
Registered
Here in Denver , to take the tires off bike, mount and balance is100.00.
Oh , I agree but 7 years ago my shop wanted $50 if I brought the wheel in and $100 if I brought the bike in. $15 heck yes
FALQN
Registered
I changed my rear today. What a pain in the hind quarters that was. I noticed all of the videos were all done using the front rim 58W versus the stiff @$& 73W rear. Lessons learned for beginners (like me):
Get the rim protectors...no matter how I tried, the cut up pieces of plastic that I used moved around way too much. They did protect the rim, but only when they stayed in place.
Use plenty of lube. When you think there is enough...put some more on! I used a water based lube that was left over from pulling 12-2 wiring throughout the house.
Get a clamp to hold one side while you inch along with irons or spoons on the other side.
Ultimate lesson: Buy a No-Mar Bar
Get the rim protectors...no matter how I tried, the cut up pieces of plastic that I used moved around way too much. They did protect the rim, but only when they stayed in place.
Use plenty of lube. When you think there is enough...put some more on! I used a water based lube that was left over from pulling 12-2 wiring throughout the house.
Get a clamp to hold one side while you inch along with irons or spoons on the other side.
Ultimate lesson: Buy a No-Mar Bar
AV8R_Murf
Registered
I bought a Cycle Hill tire changer. It's a slightly cheaper version of the No-Mar and it's made by them so many of the parts are the same. It was a little difficult at first until I learned to use enough lube. Great investment. It's getting easier and I'm sure it will pay for itself someday. I do almost all my own maintenance on my motorcycles, cars and airplanes so this was a no-brainer.
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