price sound about right? (tire install/balance)

[jlew]

rant

shop #1: $68/hr rate $38 per tire (off bike) $45 (on bike) quoted $220-300 total
shop #2: $74/hr rate $39 per tire (off bike) $49 (on bike) quoted $250-300 total
shop #3: $70/hr rate $50 per tire (on or off) quoted $200-225

this is just putting rubber on the rim (no current tires on them) and balancing.

/end rant.

moral of the story - Cycle shops in Des Moines don't even spit on it when they bend you over; they just squeeze it off and push.

heading to spam craigslist!

 

[Rich Ard]

the funniest part is that you can do it yourself for free

From Dan's MC (http://www.dansmc.com/tires1.htm):

"I hate changing tires. They are a pain in the rear, or front, as the case may be. I charge way too much money to change a tire or tube in hope that they will take it somewhere else!"

 

[Swapmeet Louie]

Just mount them yer self with some spoons. Then buy some beads... Its not hard. Swear! Spens the $ on more parts=pay your self!

 

[jlew]

i have fully thought of doing it myself but never have. not too hard?

 

[Rich Ard]

It's a pain in the ass.

 

[lingo]

Buy an extra tube for each wheel. you will pinch them both your first time

 

[Rich Ard]

Re: Re: price sound about right? (tire install/balance)

Buy an extra tube for each wheel. you will pinch them both your first time

Ha!

Seriously though that's a really good idea

 

[lingo]

Damn, all of my screw ups are coming out this week

 

[jlew]

750C is tubeless, thats a head start. can someone tell me more about these dynabeads? put these in the tire instead of rim weights?

 

[Rich Ard]

that's the whole thing, yep.

 

[jlew]

retainer was a piece of cake! bearings look like they've been replaced before, no punch marks in the retainer. seals were fused and nasty,
need to get a bearing puller or an anchor, tried moving the spacer to the side but can only get a mm or 2 clearance.
gonna grab that tonight.

broke my c-clamp trying to release the bead on the tire as well. thought about driving the car over the rubber but the wife halted that idea.

 

[kraptastic k]

Don't buy anything else. I did this job myself and I'm a total idiot!

That little guiding tube in there is floating in the same area as the bearing occupies and will move when you force your way in. Each of the bearings can be knocked out with a hammer and a long drift/punch. I tapped the new ones in using a 1x1 wood block, using its corners mostly.
You can do it, less than 1 hour!


Look how big the hole is:

 

[kraptastic k]

Obviously mine is not a C, but trust me anyway.

1981 CB750K (a bunch of parts in boxes)

 

[o1marc]

Here is a good demonstration on how well the beads work. This is not a new trick as we were doing this 40 years ago putting golf balls into semi's and dump truck tires. This is the best demo I have seen to show you how well they work. If you tires wear unevenly they will still never go out of balance.
If you are changing your own tires and your rims are painted or powder coated get plastic spoons.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eq263AYgyYg