Fitting your own tyres

Discussion in 'Maintenance' started by Shameless, Apr 20, 2012.

  1. Shameless

    Shameless Active Member

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    Did my first tyre change today, I need to try everything once. Good luck to you who do your own!
    Broke the bead on one side no problem, then my home made bead breaker broke, resorted to the Bongo method. Great!
    Changed the tyre after one hour fighting with the thing and trying not to scratch the rim. I feel like a right hero (note to self do not give up your day job) So after being asked by the wife why I would want to even try to do my own tyres, I am thinking why?
    Because I can and I will do it again, not sure if I want to do the Repsol wheels though.:p
    Any advise on making it easier is well recieved
     
  2. ColinBR

    ColinBR God Like

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    I've changed a few set now and to be honest after the last time changing my mates on his blade, I'd rather just spend the £20 to get them changed at my local bike shop. 4 hours of sweating and worrying was enough for me to give that game up. Don't get me wrong I would defo take the wheels off and take them to the shop first.

    Also while the tyres are getting changed it gives u a chance to go and service the brakes till you go pick them up again :)
     
    #2 ColinBR, Apr 20, 2012
    Last edited: Apr 20, 2012
  3. arthurbikemad

    arthurbikemad A very helpful Gent

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    Im always happy to fit tyres for anyone round me while they wait and bal them too, auto offset fitting system no chance of scratched rims!
     
  4. ColinBR

    ColinBR God Like

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    I would be happy enough fitting tyres on that machine of yours too mate :)
     
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  5. Shameless

    Shameless Active Member

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    Arthur, can I have a new career working at your place. You do have the dream job. Should you fancy a swap I can let you have a go on latest excavators we have on site.
     
  6. arthurbikemad

    arthurbikemad A very helpful Gent

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    lol, you know mate I do drive JCBs and 360s and have done for years all started when I was young on an old Drott, mind you that said nothing like the kit you have! Love those news diggers they are awesome!
     
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  7. Shameless

    Shameless Active Member

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    The new kit is great, shame we have to fill in ten pages of H&S before we can put the bucket in the ground. Im not to good on a JCB after being on the 360 cant seem to do diagonals with the levers. Probably why they put me in the office!
     
  8. scooby

    scooby Elite Member

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    theres a few simple things to know that makes life so much easier when doing your own tyres.

    this is assumng you have taken off your tyres,which is usually the easy part.....

    1.if poss put your new tyres in a set of warmers for 20mins
    2.make sure you lube the rim+tyre bead
    3.when prying your tyres in use 3 levers.

    1 at each side of where you have the tyre in,leaving 1 in place (you can tie it down if your not very bendy,i hold it with my shin lol)
    the the 3rd is used to push in the bead,a little at a time,swapping over each lever as you go.(that sounds complicated but i'm sure you know what i mean)

    now this is the bigest tip i can give,and makes changing soooooooooo much easier.

    make sure you go round the tyre,pushing it down as far as it will go at every lever swap,it gives the tyre a lot more room to seat into the bead,i'm sure you got to a point where it looked+felt like it just wouldn't fit,this stops that,then you'll get to the point where it just falls in.job done :)

    been doing my own for a few years,and after the initial cost of about £150 for everything(bead breaker,balancer,weights soap etc) it's saved me best part of grand i reckon.

    failing all that,get yourself an automatic tyre changer :)

    this is the kit i use...but was cheaper back then.

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Heavy-Dut...370?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item20c4d42ab2
     
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