Should I start to change my own tires?

[iowabeakster]

This is likely a question that only I can answer, but I would like some feedback from you guys anyway. (Maybe I shouldn't be posting in OFF TOPIC if I wanted feedback)

I am (again) in the situation of changing a tire before it is fully worn out. My rear tire has over 4K miles on it and I am thinking of taking a 5 day trip that will be roughly 2-2.5K miles, with a lot of interstate miles. My last Z6 was prematurely swapped out for the same reason. I don't have a lot of twisty roads locally so I tend to square off my Z6's faster than most. I figure I will waste 2-3K miles of tire life, just in the last 2 changes. I know I could switch to ME880's, but I don't want to. I'm probably kidding myself that I need the extra grip provided by the Z6. (I stick with Metzeler just because my dealer is very close and they always have what I need in stock)

My local dealer also charges very fair prices on tires and installation. Up till now, I just pull the wheel off the bike and just bring in the wheel. 10 minutes later, I am out the door. I love the service. But my problem is that I feel like I'm wasting money by swapping out the tire prematurely. I feel it would be absurd to hang on to these "mostly" worn tires and pay them to reinstall them for 1K miles. Then, I would be back again to put on a new one. If I did it myself, I would be OK with doing that.

Besides my bike, I also have Amy's bike to think about too.

I would make myself a bead breaker, so the cost of that is almost zero. I think the only tools I would need to buy are tire irons and a good static balancer plus a bottle of tire goo. I am thinking about a Marc Parnes balancer, with an additional cone for Amy's bike.

Of course, I don't have any experience with changing tires. That is something that I have always used professionals for. But from watching numerous "how to" videos, I am confident that I can do a good job.

Are there any safety/reliability issues with mounting a tire more than once?

Please give me feeback about DIY tire chages, the tools you reccommend, if you think I'm nuts, whatever...

[bobw]

With multiple bikes and the ability to put a tire on when you need/want to, I would say go for it. Several options, but here is an article on what is reported to be one of the most user friendly and high quality set ups (I have no affiliation). Several good how to comments on various boards if more info is needed.

http://canyonchasers.net/reviews/accessories/no-mar.php

[Ves]

Just changed another tire Saturday. Every time I do I tell myself I have GOT to get a machine, cause it's never been as easy as on the "videos" I've seen. It's a guaranteed sweat-breaker... I think it takes a year out of my life every time I do it. The biggest problem is getting the tire beads to stay in the middle of the wheel to give you the slack you need to pry the last of the bead over. So I find I have to stand on the tire, with both feet, while bending down to work the remainder of the bead over. I'm thinking I need a couple of clamps to squash the tire down to help that out. But anyway, here's what I use now:

Two Nylon rim protectors (have to have them or you will ruin your rims; moving those around and keeping them from dropping into the tire is always fun)
Two 10" tire irons (you don't want them too long... gives you too much leverage and you're more likely to screw up the bead by overstretching it)
Pledge furniture polish
A helper... to occasionally hold a tire iron and maybe keep the bead where it needs to be
And a recent addition... 2-4 oz of Steel BB's... for dynamic balancing (as in, put them in the tire and forgetaboutit)

[Biff's R]

With multiple bikes and the ability to put a tire on when you need/want to, I would say go for it. Several options, but here is an article on what is reported to be one of the most user friendly and high quality set ups (I have no affiliation). Several good how to comments on various boards if more info is needed.

http://canyonchasers.net/reviews/accessories/no-mar.php

A friend of mine locally has the Classic model, and it takes about 10 minutes to change a tire. Last time we did it by hand it took about an hour and a half(cold day, and the tire wasn't cooperating).

If you have some other friends that ride in the area, I am sure they would give you a few bucks to use the machine. Kevin has the trailer hitch mount, so it can be put onto the back of a truck.

[jeepinbanditrider]

I try to make friends in bike shops whereever I go and I can usually get a tire mounted and balanced for 20 bucks.

Personally I've changed out tires and the outlay of 20 dollars to have it done in litterly 5-10 mins all while I sit around and shoot the crap about bikes with the shop guy is money VERY well spent.

I think the most I've been charged for a mount and balance was 30 bucks......I still felt like it was worth not having to wear myself out changing a tire.

[Airman]

I like changing my own tires.

Just changed another tire Saturday. Every time I do I tell myself I have GOT to get a machine, cause it's never been as easy as on the "videos" I've seen. It's a guaranteed sweat-breaker... I think it takes a year out of my life every time I do it. The biggest problem is getting the tire beads to stay in the middle of the wheel to give you the slack you need to pry the last of the bead over. So I find I have to stand on the tire, with both feet, while bending down to work the remainder of the bead over. I'm thinking I need a couple of clamps to squash the tire down to help that out. But anyway, here's what I use now:

Two Nylon rim protectors (have to have them or you will ruin your rims; moving those around and keeping them from dropping into the tire is always fun)
Two 10" tire irons (you don't want them too long... gives you too much leverage and you're more likely to screw up the bead by overstretching it)
Pledge furniture polish
A helper... to occasionally hold a tire iron and maybe keep the bead where it needs to be
And a recent addition... 2-4 oz of Steel BB's... for dynamic balancing (as in, put them in the tire and forgetaboutit)

I'd probably get a machine if I had the space for it. I made my own bead breaker, but those plastic screw clamp bead breakers look good. I made my tire fixture from a truck wheel, plywood and a 5/8" threaded rod. I tried the soap bottle rim protectors and found them very difficult to use. Plastic rim protectors are the best, I just bought a couple and an additional 16" MotionPro tire iron. I now have three irons so the tire has no chance of resisting me. I use RuGlide, a professional tire lube from NAPA. It isn't expensive and works better than almost every other tire lube you'll try. And of course the Mark Parnes tire balancer. It's easy to use and works well. Easy tire changes are all about getting set up with the proper tools. I don't know what those steel BBs are. I've used the stick-on weights with no trouble. I never use a helper as I never want the tire to get the idea I'm afraid of it. =)

[duckdave]

Not as big a deal as I thought it would be.
+1 on the Parnes balancer.
The amount i saved on the first set of tires more than paid for the balancer.
-d.

[Ves]

...I don't know what those steel BBs are. I've used the stick-on weights with no trouble.

Where you been man... "Dynabeads"... dynamic balancing... compensates for imbalance, wear, mud on tire, you name it... all on the fly... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eq263AYgyYg But any small beads will do... hence the steel BB's.

[iowabeakster]

Thanks to all the responders (delayed response so that the thread did not die too quickly).

The idea of the Dynabeads freak me out a little bit. I don't know why. I fear that what I don't understand. Plus, I know I would have shot all over the garage floor. Then, I would slip and fall in a cartoonish manner...cracking my skull and funny bone...lie unconscious for hours...and cost me much more in hospitalization bills. I've lived long enough to know that!

I now have three irons so the tire has no chance of resisting me.

One video I saw, the guy used three tire irons. He made it look so slick. Although, I expect some swearing and sweating. That seems like the way I would go.

...and VES...

So the knee is good enough to wrestle on a tire? Great news!

[jeepinbanditrider]

I ran regular BB gun style BBs in my Jeep tires for years. They worked great. With the Jeep always seeing rocks and mud a normal balance using lead weights was useless after the first trip to the woods. The BBs kept the tires balanced throughout their lives.

I haven't tried it in my bike yet because these tires and rims really don't see any real volume of mud. I will say this using steel BBs you get a noise that sounds like falling change when the tire comes to a stop. The BBs will be distributed throughout the tire and when you come to a full stop they fall to the bottom of the tire bouncing off the rim on the way down.

I didn't care on my Jeep cause it made all kinds of noises but some may care if their bikes make that noise.

[Airman]

Thanks to all the responders (delayed response so that the thread did not die too quickly).

The idea of the Dynabeads freak me out a little bit. I don't know why. I fear that what I don't understand. Plus, I know I would have shot all over the garage floor. Then, I would slip and fall in a cartoonish manner...cracking my skull and funny bone...lie unconscious for hours...and cost me much more in hospitalization bills. I've lived long enough to know that!

One video I saw, the guy used three tire irons. He made it look so slick. Although, I expect some swearing and sweating. That seems like the way I would go.

The last full set I did was in summer and I recall the sweat running off when I struggled with the front tire using the miserable soap bottle protector and not enough 16" MotionPro tire irons. (I think I only had one and some other near useless tire tools.) Nothing makes it easier than the right tools. You can buy the tire irons and rim protectors from Motorcycle Superstore, and if you include it all with a tire purchase it will probably ship for free. I haven't found a cheaper tire place and as they're close, (to me) I get the tire in a couple of days. Now that I think about it, I should have also ordered front brake pads with my last tire order as they have to come off anyhow, eh ?

[Ves]

Keeping the rim protected definitely makes it harder. You have to keep moving your tire irons AND the rim protectors (without dropping them into the tire ). At some point there's so much pressure on the rim protectors you can hardly budge them. I need a one piece rim protector that's half the circumference of the rim (anyone seen anything like that?); put it on and leave it in one place until the tire is completely on.

The only time I hear any noise from the BB's is when I'm just rolling the bike around. I'm sure at some point they are doing the dropping/pinging thing.

--- regarding the leg, yup it's coming along pretty good... I still get a little swelling and some clicking but I'm pretty much getting around... wont we running any marathons just yet, but more importantly I'm back riding... starting to contemplate a trip... didn't think that was going to happen this year...

[R4R&R]

I just ordered a new front Roadsmart - my second one (great tires!). As for balancing, I go with the tried and true method of lead weights. I already have a balancer and more than enough weights so there's no reason for me to try the beads.

As for making the decision to change my own tires - I wish I started about 20 tires earlier. The biggest reason for me to change them I guess came down to money, but indirectly it was more time. I say money since there is a big savings in mailordering tires as opposed to buying them from the dealer (all of the dealers around me charge MSRP!!). I used to mail order the tires, remove my wheel and take to the dealer for mounting/balancing. Then their prices went up and I realized the amount of time it was taking: From when I left my house with the wheels removed and new tires, drop them off at the dealer, wait, pick them up/return home was over two hours (if the dealer could mount them relatively quick). After performing a few changes myself, I can do both tires (including removing the wheel from the bike) under 90 minutes - and that's taking my time, having a few beers! Plus I can do it when it's convenient for me. The one drawback is tire warranty issues, but I doubt you could make a realistic claim from the dealer too. I guess you're taking a chance that the tire is damaged during shipping.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Very interested in this thread because it is so expensive to have a dealer change them. Locally it is 1.5-2 hours of labor at about $85/ hours...ouch. PLus the inconvenience

so If I build a box frame on which to support the tire rim what else will I need to do this with the minimum of knuckle racking and cursing?

tire irons--how many, what size?

rim protectors 2? 3?

I plan on the Marc Parnes balancing bar and external weights

anything else?

tia

Looking at Conti Road Attacks vs Dunlop Roadsmarts. I have PR2s now and will get about 11+k miles from them, and like them but they are so much more expensive these days

John

[taosports]

John,

Here's my tire changing stand that I made with some lumber and carpet remnants. Works pretty well. I use 3 Motion Pro tire levers, two 11 inch and one 15 inch. For rim protectors I use old cut up pieces of plastic laundry soap containers. You need 3 - one for each lever.




A few other things you'll need :

A bead breaker. That's the black metal contraption you see in my photo (It slides out of the way when I'm done with it)

An air compressor to set the bead

2 jack stands to hold the Marc Parnes balancer

Some kind of lube - I prefer RU Glide from NAPA auto parts - works great although you can use any kind of liquid soap

A large C-clamp is also handy for pinching the tire so that it fits in the center of the wheel well when you're struggling with the last bit of tire

Finally, some patience and muscle...your first tire change will be a challenge but they do get easier the more you do.

[Dr. Strangelove]

hey Michael,
thanks for the quick response

The post in the center--threaded rod? The size? 5/8" ?
and what is used to secure the tire under the wingnut--to keep it from slipping around I suppose? Is that a big washer? Would a bolt be better than the wingnut?

And I suppose the dimensions of the box are not too critical as long as they are open enough for the rotor?

but thanks for the pic--worth a thousand words I hear

John

[iowabeakster]

Strangeone,

Here are a few links for the DIY tire change. The first one listed below is quite good. If you use the google...you can find many more.

http://www.clarity.net/~adam/tire-changing-doc.html
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 6315225781
http://www.geocities.com/sl_mille/general/mount.html

[taosports]

The post in the center--threaded rod? The size? 5/8" ?
and what is used to secure the tire under the wingnut--to keep it from slipping around I suppose? Is that a big washer? Would a bolt be better than the wingnut?

Yes, it's a 5/8 inch threaded rod used to center the wheel. Probably not even necessary. I just didn't want the wheel moving on me. I use a wingnut and washer rather than a bolt because it's easier and you don't need to use a wrench.

And I suppose the dimensions of the box are not too critical as long as they are open enough for the rotor?

You just need it wide enough and deep enough to clear the rotor and give the wheel a solid support. My box measures 18 X 18 inches, outer diameter.

After mounting over a dozen tires, I learned that the following 4 tips make the process much, much easier.

1. Put the tire out in the sun or another heat source prior to mounting. Makes the rubber much more pliable and easier to mount.
2. Use generous amounts of soap on both the rim and edges of the tire.
3. Use your knees to keep the tire mounted in place as you're working on the last half of the tire. I even end up at times using my elbows to hold the tire irons in place!
4. Pinch the section of tire closest to you with a C- clamp or two to put/keep it in the well of the wheel when you're trying to spoon that last bit of rubber over the rim. Makes a huge difference!

[Dr. Strangelove]

good tips all--thanks

[Dr. Strangelove]

is this a decent bead breaker?
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=92961

can the tire irons be used to break the bead?

I saw the DIY bead breaker and I havd exposed studs in the basement. but they are >100 year old heart of pine and hard as steel