| Author | Message | ||
     Reepicheep |
I got together with a couple other people and got the Harbor Freight tire mounting kit. I started on the KLR, as the tires are easy and the rims are already hacked up. It went a lot easier then I expected. I used the stand, and it helped a LOT, but I don't know that I did anything that I could not have done with a big bucket in a pinch. Though it might have been a two person job with the bucket, and the changer made it an easy one man job. The front (cheap Kenda knobbie) did not appear to completely seat right though. (The KLR uses tubes). Should I be cranking this thing up to more then 40 PSI to get it to seat all the way? Or after I ride it or let it sit over night, will the bead work itself to the right position? Its really close, just not quite lined up for about 30 degrees on one side... Its sealed fine and solid, the bead is just 2 or 3 mm "deeper" on one part of the rim then the rest. Also, if the tubes look fine, should I reuse them? They did, so I kept them (as i pulled street tires off and want to keep the good tubes for when those tires go back on for a deals gap trip next summer). Opinions anyone? When I get the job down pat on the KLR, I'll try the Buell next when I wear out my current scorpion syncs. The hardest part of the job by far was drilling holes in the garage floor to put in the anchors to bolt down the stand. | ||
| Gowindward |
Bill, it if you didn't it helps to use some tire lube on the rim and tire when inflating to seat the tire on the rim. It could take more than 40psi to seat the bead. I usually have the regulator at 60psi when I'm doing the wheels on the XB. Not sure if I'm using all of that, but when the beads do "pop" out to be seated it always a shock. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Thanks Go. This is the 21" front knobbie, so its getting really flexy when it is that big. And its a tube tire, so it does not really pop onto a really defined bead like the tubless ones would. I'll crank it up to 60 and see what happens, and just pop it off, lube it up, and put it back on if that doesn't help. It goes on and off pretty easy. Thanks! | ||
| Mikej |
No need to pop it off, just break the bead free and lube the edge and rim shoulder. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Thanks Windward and Mike! That did the trick (along with some vigorous dribbling of the front wheel). Next time, more soap, less water, spread more carefully. | ||
| Mikej |
You should try mounting tires on pitted rusty rims, lots and lots of fun. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Woo Hoo! Took the thing for a ride, all put back together. Here I am, a 40 year old fart, and I am all excited because I actually changed my own tires  My self study in HTFU. | ||
| Reepicheep |
I'll post a pictorial when I do the next change on the Buell. Doing this on the Kawasaki really drove home the genius of the elves. Do you know how many mickey mouse stupid little pieces are on the back axle of a chain drive bike? And how tedious it is to get everything back together in the right order, and the tension set right for the chain slack? What a fussy little process. You should see the exploded parts diagram (both of them, one of which is wrong). Unlike the XB. Loosen pinchbolt, loosen axle, Loosen tensioner (two bolts), remove axle, remove wheel, done. Replace wheel, replace axle half way, tighten tensioner, tighten axle, tighten pinch bolts. Done. How long until those Japanese manufacturers abandon that outmoded 1950's chain technology and move to a modern, simple, clean, and low maintenance drive train? Geesh! | ||
| Slitherin |
I have been doing my tires for a while now. Shops inflate with the stem out so that as soon as the bead pops the air comes out. However, my air hose requires the valve stem and yes it gets uncomfortably high sometimes to get the bead to pop. Seems worse on tubes vs tubeless tires. After doing track days, this has been a huge cost savings for me and several friends. | ||
| Gohot |
Here's a trick, get a milk carton and cut out a center piece around the circumfrence so you have a piece about ten inches long and about 3-4 inches wide, fold in half, bang the fold with a mallet so's it dosn't want to unfold and use it when you break the bead and have tire irons to pull the bead off. Use the milk carton piece between the tire bead and the aluminum rim, as a tire iron rimsaver, you then won't gouge and dent your soft aluminum rim. Use soapy water and a brush'paint brush works' or plenty of WD40 (Message edited by Gohot on October 21, 2008) |
