I need tire iron advice
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Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 237
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio, TX.
I need tire iron advice
I'm shopping for a pair of tire irons to keep in the bags along with my tire kit. I've found that they come in different shapes and lengths, so I need a little advice from those of you that have used irons before. I'm thinking the bigger the better, just watched a video and the person used a long one and a shorter one. What do you think? Thanks... RC.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3,785
Likes: 18
From: Emmett,Idaho
If your talking about for your Harley bagger small tire iron's are fine. The hard part is breaking the bead. Once you break the bead you can just about get the tire off by hand. I carry a tire plug kit and a compressor for the road.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 10,033
Likes: 29
I change my own tires. I use a curved iron and a flat iron. They are shorter ones made for a motorcycle.
Breaking the bead on a blackwall is easier than a WWW. The WWW's require a good bit of pressure. Some people use C-clamps. In my experience, it would take a heck of a clamp to break the bead of a WWW.
You can change the tire on the side of the road without a jack. The diehards roll the bike the grass, take off the saddlebags and lay 'em over on the crashbars. You can do it without putting a scratch on the bike. I guess it's all just a matter of how bad you wanna patch that tube.
Breaking the bead on a blackwall is easier than a WWW. The WWW's require a good bit of pressure. Some people use C-clamps. In my experience, it would take a heck of a clamp to break the bead of a WWW.
You can change the tire on the side of the road without a jack. The diehards roll the bike the grass, take off the saddlebags and lay 'em over on the crashbars. You can do it without putting a scratch on the bike. I guess it's all just a matter of how bad you wanna patch that tube.
Tourer
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 270
Likes: 1
From: Lake Charles, La
You can change the tire on the side of the road without a jack. The diehards roll the bike the grass, take off the saddlebags and lay 'em over on the crashbars. You can do it without putting a scratch on the bike. I guess it's all just a matter of how bad you wanna patch that tube.
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Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2006
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[QUOTE=swlamedic;4500876]I don't about laying an Ultra Classic over in the grass, AND picking it back up! Maybe an old school bobber or something, but my fat lazy a$$ is not doing it. QUOTE]
It is fairly easy to pick an Ultra Classic back up by yourself if you know the right technique. It doesn't require a team effort.
It is fairly easy to pick an Ultra Classic back up by yourself if you know the right technique. It doesn't require a team effort.
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 3,900
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From: way down upon the Suwannee River
A little hint when you do get them, Buff the spoon section to a high polish. In my younger days I was a truck and off highway heavy equipment tire changer. A polished spoon will make working on beads a lot easier. .02
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 9,208
Likes: 374
From: Central Illinois, Between I-80 and I-74
You get more leverage with longer spoons but they take up more space.
Short Irons are fine if you are patching a tube. You can do it without removing the wheel.
There is no need to remove the tire to plug a tubeless tire along the road.
Short Irons are fine if you are patching a tube. You can do it without removing the wheel.
There is no need to remove the tire to plug a tubeless tire along the road.