Tire mounting question

[taosports]

Planning to change my own tires. I have most of the tools (Marc Parnes wheel balancer, TireQuick bead breaker, levers) - just need an air compressor to seat the tire on the rim. What size compressor is needed to do this? I'd rather buy one than make trips to the gas station.

Thanks for the help!

[camfarm]

Most references say to use no more than 40 psi to seat the bead. Frankly, I think (emphasize think-and that's not always good) that the volume of air moved is more important than just its psi.

So, to answer, I use the Wal Mart special Campbell-Hausfield 5 h.p. oil-less compressor that handles up to 120psi and moves 5.1 cfm. I set the psi at 40 initially but have moved it to 60psi for some difficult to seat beads. And I am quick to remove the air chuck at just the moment the bead pops in, releasing that pressure quickly.

[taosports]

Thanks Camfarm!

[beemerphile]

I've seen tires that wouldn't seat for anything with 40psi. Sometimes you got to break the rules. High airflow is important to seat the rim. It doesn't matter how many CFM the compressor makes if you have an adequate air tank size. A smaller compressor just has to pump longer to get the tank to pressure. What I have found important on hard-to-seat tires is to have a stem-gripping chuck so that you can inflate it with the valve stem out of it. This flows much more air and leaves both hands free to manipulate the tire. Other tricks include storing the tire in the sun or under a heat lamp with an inflated tube in it to expand the sidewalls some before mounting. Liquid (like lots of tire lube) or rubber tubing to seal around the leaking bead helps sometimes as does knowledable pushing and shoving on the tire to seal gaps as you introduce air. There are other tricks for the truly cantankerous tires up to and including dangeous ones (don't ask). My never-fail hydrogen bomb is a homemade copy of the over-priced Cheetah bead seater. It's da' bomb! If you haven't done this before, beware of partially seated beads. This is evidenced by less than two pronounced "pops" during initial inflation. - Lee

[boxermania]

The key to mounting tires on wheels is LUBRICATION and the best I have found is the common garden variety liquid hand soap. I coat both sides of the tire bead sparingly and proceed with the mounting.

One way to protect your rim from scratches is to take a two or three liter plastic Coke bottle and cut it, lengthwise, into 2 to 3 inch strips that you place between the tire iron and the rim.....it works like a charm and costs nothing.

There many ways to balance, on my Duc I used a screw driver and a rest with the wheel bearings as support.....problems, none....

Good luck.......

[darthrider]

The key to mounting tires on wheels is LUBRICATION

That's the key to many important things...

[Biff's R]

The key to mounting tires on wheels is LUBRICATION

That's the key to many important things...

AMEN