Change tires?
no mar tire changer, or a bead breaker/manual tire changer from harbor freight and a set of tire spoons and ruim protectors. its actually an easy thing to do once you get teh hang of it,
i charge $20/tire if you bring just the tire in or $40/per tire if i gotta remove them from the bike for you. that includes the requisite amoutn of dyna beads per tire, but doesnt include the $3 disposal fee i charge if you leave your tire here.
i charge $20/tire if you bring just the tire in or $40/per tire if i gotta remove them from the bike for you. that includes the requisite amoutn of dyna beads per tire, but doesnt include the $3 disposal fee i charge if you leave your tire here.
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 736
Likes: 1
From: Iowa
$30.00 per rim here. I'm gonna buy the tools and start doing it myself. I take pride in this kind of stuff. My nephew does this. He uses a vice to break the bead. Then removes them with 3 spoons. Never has balanced a rim.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 2,938
Likes: 30
From: North Florida
I do my own, I would not call it easy, but not really that hard, just need to be stubborn.
Takes a lot of time, but not longer than running to the Indi.
And in all honesty that has always been more of a hassle than doing it my self.
To break the bead, I use a four foot long 2x4 and put it under my work bench top, then put the tire on the ground below it and run a 2x4 from the tire where i want to break it down to the top 2x4 and just push down on the top 2x4. works easy. cheap.
Taking off the tire there is a sweet spot that you must find.
It is the area where the tire bead is not touching the rim edge and the rim center, (a little left of where the iron is in the picture) take your time finding this spot/Hole then just pry it up and rotate the iron slightly as you go.
Don't try to bite to much at a time, or you will not find the spot.
Putting it on the first side you don't need a iron, just man it on.
On the other side, getting the iron in just take your time.
Tie all your protectors together otherwise one will end up inside the tire.
Takes a lot of time, but not longer than running to the Indi.
And in all honesty that has always been more of a hassle than doing it my self.
To break the bead, I use a four foot long 2x4 and put it under my work bench top, then put the tire on the ground below it and run a 2x4 from the tire where i want to break it down to the top 2x4 and just push down on the top 2x4. works easy. cheap.
Taking off the tire there is a sweet spot that you must find.
It is the area where the tire bead is not touching the rim edge and the rim center, (a little left of where the iron is in the picture) take your time finding this spot/Hole then just pry it up and rotate the iron slightly as you go.
Don't try to bite to much at a time, or you will not find the spot.
Putting it on the first side you don't need a iron, just man it on.
On the other side, getting the iron in just take your time.
Tie all your protectors together otherwise one will end up inside the tire.
Last edited by Harleycruiser; May 8, 2013 at 08:02 PM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 27,096
Likes: 4,673
From: Frozelandia, Minnysota
I didn't want to pay dealer prices, don't like using tire irons on cast wheels even with those plastic protectors (just a small slip can ding the heck out of them), and didn't want to pay over $500 for a good changer, so I just watched Craig's List till one finally showed up at a price I was comfortable with. It's a Cycle Hill, the budget brand from No Mar, but very adequate for motorcycle tires, and supports the outer edge of the rim, not the center like a car wheel changer - you don't want that for a motorcycle wheel. I see a lot of guys writing on the forum that they don't feel any vibration without balancing; it's probably still there, not enough to notice, but enough to cause extra wear on your suspension and the tires. Balancing is cheaper than any of those components, and dyna beads are so easy to use. Gives the kids something to do, too...
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Local Indy referred me to a shop and not only were his tire prices in line with the on line places he offered to install new tires front and rear for $85 on the bike complete. They guarantee the tires to be properly set and balanced with no wheel damage.
Bob
Bob
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,719
Likes: 91
From: Florida
I had the local indy do it today...never again. On the phone I got a price ($130 plus $60 to install) which I was fine with. Turned out to be $140 plus $11 to ship the tire, $62.50 shop labor, plus all the little toss ons (shop supplies, weights, seals, etc.) and it turned into $230. I did learn a few things while I was there, had the belt properly adjusted and aligned, and they found/fixed my oil leak, so it wasn't a total dig, but I wasn't tickled pink about it.
Front tire needs replacing in the next six months or so, but that's the easy one.
Front tire needs replacing in the next six months or so, but that's the easy one.
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Club Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 15,420
Likes: 7,118
From: Beyond Fucital
Oh ya, use plenty of soap too.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 27,096
Likes: 4,673
From: Frozelandia, Minnysota
Another tip - if you use dyna beads, don't use soap on the tire, get some of the stuff that dries to a hard film; I use the lube from No Mar. Soap can leave tacky spots the dyna beads will stick to, and then your tire is almost guaranteed to be out of balance.