Tire Changing for novices

baconpocket

baconpocket

eating bacon
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so i got a flat earlier this week, and the journey begins. I'm posting this to encourage anyone who might be afraid to try this (like I was).
first, i am an unashamed novice and that usually ends up with me getting in way over my head. in this case i didn't even know whether i had tube or tubeless tires. after searching all over the web i found out that although the microfiche looks identical for 1979-81 cm400t, in 81 they switched to tubeless. first battle won, i can start tire shopping.
the local shop wants about 200 to mount and balance a new tire for me. not gonna happen...if i can help it. i can order a set of shinko's from motorcycle superstore for 100 shipped.
BUT
can i do it.
Wednesday night. its 96F and like 100% humidity in the garage, but i manage to wrestle the rear axle out and have a few beers.
Thursday. watch youtube videos in my spare time at work about how to use tire removal tools (theres a good video series in the HOW-to vid section in this forum) but then i decide i'm too cheap to buy any of them and figure I can do it anyway.
i started by grabbing a twobyfour i had laying around and and putting it on top of a scrap piece of wood to break the bead.
34165_780881235805_22401740_44505277_8157234_n.jpg

i used the jacking point on my car as leverage.
It Worked!
34165_780881240795_22401740_44505278_2353006_n.jpg

i started spooning the tire off using a large lug wrench, two screw drivers and a cutup plastic juice bottle to protect the rim, windex to lubricate the tire, and plenty of beer
34165_780881250775_22401740_44505280_6029882_n.jpg

i worked my way around, then switched to the other side.
finally done!
34165_780881255765_22401740_44505281_7960608_n.jpg

and found the culprit
34165_780881260755_22401740_44505282_4215614_n.jpg

i'll update this post when the new tires come in the mail!
 
Ain't it fun!
I too like your bead breaker, I used a C-clamp and two wood strips right at the bead then just tightened the clamp.
Good news is (at least in my case) the new tires went on a HELL of a lot easier than the old ones came off.
As far as balancing goes, rumor has it, modern manufaturing process of quality tires has really improved this over the years. (Not sure if your Chinese Shrinko's apply). On Most tire brands there is a painted dot or circle that you line up with the valve stem and you should be pretty darn close.
You can reinstall your axle (lubed) and straddle it between two jackstands, give the tire a little spin and mark where it stops a couple times, if it's the same place every time the heavy side will be down, weights go on top, adjust the weight amount until it stops in a different place every time.
Mine checked good this way with the Bridgestone Spitfires, but I haven't traveled more than 10' in the garage since the install. If I do have a vibration at speed once it is on the road, I will use Dyna beads. http://www.innovativebalancing.com/motorcycle.htm
 
The genius in this place is staggering. If you guys could get on this gulf oil thing for me, that would be great.
 
dyna beads? man dont buy those.


buy BB gun ammo... same shit man! just way cheaper...
 
Rocan said:
dyna beads? man dont buy those.


buy BB gun ammo... same shit man! just way cheaper...
Click to expand...

pretty sure Ive never seen a BB that small.. the dyna beads look to be roughly 1mm in diameter, also they are not made of metal.
 
copperlite, i haven't seen or heard of anyone trying that with a motorcycle tire, but the principle is the same...I might go for it ;D it looks fun

as far as balancing, first i think i will manually check the balance on the axle, and tape on pocket change to get an idea of how far out of balance it might possibly be.

dynabeads sound awesome, i'm still trying to figure out the physical principle on how the work, but from what i've seen they do the job. if i go that route, it'll probably be the BB gun ammo that Rocan was talking about. they make em in plastic, and yes they are quite a bit bigger than dynabeads, but they should still do the job.

i wonder if the flame-ball bead seating technique and plastic balls are compatible?
 
Rocan said:
dyna beads? man dont buy those.


buy BB gun ammo... same shit man! just way cheaper...
Click to expand...
im not saying that BB gun ammo will not work, but Dyna beads are far different in size and material than any bb gun ammo
 
dcmspikes said:
im not saying that BB gun ammo will not work, but Dyna beads are far different in size and material than any bb gun ammo
Click to expand...

this.

I feel like using some random amount of airsoft BB's in place of dyna beads (which I believe are packaged in a quanity for the application) is paramount to use JB weld for structural applications using the logic that it will be fine because it has the word "weld" in the name of the product.

note: the kit costs under $15.. airsoft BB's probably cost about $5...
 
baconpocket said:
here's a link to a physics-type description of how dynabeads work. http://www.bestrestproducts.com/c-100-dyna-beads.aspx

i can't verify it with experience yet, but I'll be happy to guinea pig my bike with BB's and share my results
Click to expand...

I still dont get why you want to do this. You are not saving a significant amount of money, and you are risking a potentially dangerous situation. Look at it like this: the dyna beads are small for a reason.. thats because not all are going to be perfectly opposite the heavy spot in the rotation, yet the high numbers afforded by the tiny size allows for a few strays to not mess anything up. Furthermore the full weight of the beads is not always going to be necessary to balance the tire in the exact opposite of the heavy spot, so naturally the beads will be less concentrated at the opposite pole to properly balance the wheel; even spreading will not be offered by bigger sized spheres. To illustrate it simply, imagine having just one large ball in your tire to balance the wheel. This would be horrible and would cause all sorts of terrible wobbles. With that said, we can easily see that the larger the size of the spheres, the less accurate the balancing will be.

With all that said, plastic BB's might work, but I just cannot see how it is worth the risk and the probably extra effort (having to unmount the tires, clean out all the failed BB's, order the right stuff, and reinstall) for a savings of what? Less than $10? But ya, Ive said my peace, if you still want to go for it, best of luck.
 
i hadn't thought of all that, you make some very good points. it's probably my tendency to want to stick it to the man that make me want to try the generic local solution. haha
if i were a betting man, i'd say that you're probably 100% right. my curiosity may get the best of me though.
 
baconpocket said:
i hadn't thought of all that, you make some very good points. it's probably my tendency to want to stick it to the man that make me want to try the generic local solution. haha
if i were a betting man, i'd say that you're probably 100% right. my curiosity may get the best of me though.
Click to expand...

fair enough :) Best of luck to you either way.
 
Here's my new tires:
35293_783673130825_22401740_44607229_7129268_n.jpg

i was gonna take a length of rope and wrap it all the way around the tire to pull the beads closer together and mount it in one go, but i couldn't find my "doeverything" rope. i just set my rim down on an old piece of carpet and started working one side on. the first bead took about 2 minutes and the second took maybe 5. this time i did it just with my long lug wrench and an old parking permit as a rim protector.
here's a picture of the new mounted tire standing next to the old unmounted tire. i went up 1 size from 120/90-16 to 130/90-16.
35293_783673135815_22401740_44607230_539542_n.jpg

i'm taking the tire up to the gas station to set the bead.

i tried the fire setting technique, but the new tire is already pretty snug up against the rim so there wasn't enough space for the gas to get inside and ignite. i made a short video, lets see if this works
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Hot Water Tip:

I got a great tip for this thread. If you have brand new tires that are stiff as a brick and don't have the proper tools to install the tire you can soak the tires in hot water for awhile and that will get them really soft. This will help a little when trying to get that last section of the bead on to the rim.
 
baconpocket said:
Here's my new tires:
35293_783673130825_22401740_44607229_7129268_n.jpg

i was gonna take a length of rope and wrap it all the way around the tire to pull the beads closer together and mount it in one go, but i couldn't find my "doeverything" rope. i just set my rim down on an old piece of carpet and started working one side on. the first bead took about 2 minutes and the second took maybe 5. this time i did it just with my long lug wrench and an old parking permit as a rim protector.
here's a picture of the new mounted tire standing next to the old unmounted tire. i went up 1 size from 120/90-16 to 130/90-16.
35293_783673135815_22401740_44607230_539542_n.jpg

i'm taking the tire up to the gas station to set the bead.

i tried the fire setting technique, but the new tire is already pretty snug up against the rim so there wasn't enough space for the gas to get inside and ignite. i made a short video, lets see if this works
<object width="400" height="300" ><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://www.facebook.com/v/783717741425" /><embed src="http://www.facebook.com/v/783717741425" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="300"></embed></object>
Click to expand...

Hey I bought the same tire as you for my cb :D but 18 rear 110 and 100 at front
 
srgtbear that's a great idea! i'll have to try that next time.

i'm remodeling my bathroom while doing this, so i took a little hiatus. the gas station air pump was waaaay weak, but its free so i just kept messing with it until the bead popped on. i reassembled the rear and moved on to the front, which was....different
the front tire was harder to break the bead (i assume because it is narrower and i hadn't rode on it flat). but pulling it off and throwing the new one on was pie. i threw it in the back of my car and set the bead during a work break. i'll reassemble it tonight and snap some triumphant photos.

anybody have fun/cool ideas for doing something with the old rubber?
 
and done!
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since i went up in size slightly, i had to shim the rear brake stay at the drum side.
rode it to work today and it appears to be balanced well enough that i won't need to add dynabeads or BBs or weights. maybe it's the weight of the comstars? who knows. results will vary i guess. if i ever do develop a hop, i will most likely buy the dynabeads

let me know if you have any questions!
 
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