Y
yak
Guest
just wondering what fhe going price for mounting tires around the forum. i think 27 dollars a wheels is a little steep. thats me bringing the wheels to the shop .
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B
bj
Guest
If that includes balancing it's not too bad. Course I mounted two myself recently so my opinion might be a bit slanted. 
M
Macmatic
Guest
I mounted up two tires this summer and this is what I learned:
Next time I'm going to pay someone else to do it.
Or.
I'm going to spring for or build a bead breaker/mounter.
I did it myself with tire irons/spoons, soapy water, rope to help seat the new bead and a lot of swearing and sweating but I'm sure as hell not going to do it that way again if I have a choice.
Balancing was a snap though, I just stuck the axle into the bearings and set the wheel between two jack stands then spent a little time watching the wheels go round and round. I figured that once I got to where they didn't stop in close to the same place four times in a row I was set.
/\/\ac
Next time I'm going to pay someone else to do it.
Or.
I'm going to spring for or build a bead breaker/mounter.
I did it myself with tire irons/spoons, soapy water, rope to help seat the new bead and a lot of swearing and sweating but I'm sure as hell not going to do it that way again if I have a choice.
Balancing was a snap though, I just stuck the axle into the bearings and set the wheel between two jack stands then spent a little time watching the wheels go round and round. I figured that once I got to where they didn't stop in close to the same place four times in a row I was set.
/\/\ac
B
bj
Guest
Jezzzz. The ISDE guys can replace a tube in under 4 minutes with just the tools they carry. We must be a bunch of wimps. :wink:
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8trackmind
Guest
Macmatic said:
No need to buy bead breaker, a car jack and a (metal) bumper work great. I use armour all instead of soap and I remove My valve cores before I seat the bead. It took about twenty mins per wheel. Hope this helps.
I snap mine open with adjustable clamps. I use three quick clamps and it pops. I have a metal strap 3/16" thick 1 inch wide that is deburred I use to pry them off. I use a piece of wood to protect the rim and it is a snap. Took me about an hour to remove the wheel, change the tire, balance it and install. With enough soap it slides right on. You make something slippery enough it fits anything. 
To balance it I clamp an old axle in a vise, make sure it is level with a level, and then static balance the tire. No problem.
I ain't paying 37 dollars a wheel and waiting for two days for them to get around to replacing my tires. I have a spare pair of rims and tires, I will probably mount the tires on them so that I can quickly replace a wheel if I pick up a nail. I got a screw in my back tire in September and had to order tires.
7 days without a GS in Fall weather, I needed methadone treatment. :wink:
To balance it I clamp an old axle in a vise, make sure it is level with a level, and then static balance the tire. No problem.
I ain't paying 37 dollars a wheel and waiting for two days for them to get around to replacing my tires. I have a spare pair of rims and tires, I will probably mount the tires on them so that I can quickly replace a wheel if I pick up a nail. I got a screw in my back tire in September and had to order tires.
7 days without a GS in Fall weather, I needed methadone treatment. :wink:
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8trackmind
Guest
duaneage said:
Ditto that. I got both of My tires online from Bike Bandit. I paid less for two Dunlops than the dealer wanted for one...
R
RobGS850L
Guest
I like the idea of the quick clamps. I haven't done it that way but next time I'll have some on hand to try it out. 8) I'm way too cheap to pay out the $$$ to some guy when I can do the same job. What's real bad is I used to change my car tires to save a few bucks. I used to run over them to break the beads. But with a buddy and a 12 pack we usually got 'er done in a reasonable amount of time. :wink:
I used to run over them to break the beads. But with a buddy and a 12 pack we usually got 'er done in a reasonable amount of time. :wink:
O
oldschoolGS
Guest
I use a local independent shop where I buy a lot of parts. I use mail order/web for tire purchases.
They charge $15 per wheel on a carry in.
In my book that is money well spent.
Ride On, Ed.
1983 GS750ED
2005 GSF1200SZ
They charge $15 per wheel on a carry in.
In my book that is money well spent.
Ride On, Ed.
1983 GS750ED
2005 GSF1200SZ
G
Guest
Guest
tire mounting
tire mounting
Duaneage, I've been looking for a good guide to mounting my own tires, and the link that you provide is the best one that I've seen. I don't so much mind paying to have a tire mounted. What bothers me more is paying $40 per tire more than mail order price to buy the tires from the motorcycle dealer.
Tom
tire mounting
Duaneage, I've been looking for a good guide to mounting my own tires, and the link that you provide is the best one that I've seen. I don't so much mind paying to have a tire mounted. What bothers me more is paying $40 per tire more than mail order price to buy the tires from the motorcycle dealer.
Tom
The author of that site races and goes through tires like there is no tommorrow. If I was replacing soft tires every 1000 miles I would have a tire shop setup too. I am tempted to make the tire breaker and keep it in my storage area because it is a time saver. I don't have real tire irons, might get a set cheap on eBay someday. His balancing guide is great, I have no problems with tire shake at all using his mounting and balancing method.
15 bucks is a sweet deal, but not in my neighborhood. They don't even want to see an old GS at most places. I also have a problem with long lead times since with the right tools and a tire machine both wheels can be done in about 45 minutes flat. Most shops I called wanted 1-2 days minimum.
15 bucks is a sweet deal, but not in my neighborhood. They don't even want to see an old GS at most places. I also have a problem with long lead times since with the right tools and a tire machine both wheels can be done in about 45 minutes flat. Most shops I called wanted 1-2 days minimum.
duaneage said:
I am the proud owner of an old car wheel turned into a tire changing stand, based on the info at this site.
Works great -- once the wheels were off the bike, it took me maybe 30 minutes to have the old ones off and the new ones on. Another 10-15 minutes spent balancing, and they were ready to install. And that was my first time changing any kind of motorcycle tire!
The GS wheels are narrow enough that seating the beads was really no struggle. PSSSHHHH...POP POP! and that was it.
I would also add that I went to NAPA auto parts and got a gallon jug of tire mounting lube for about $6, which will probably be a ten year supply. Nothing like having The Right Stuff for the job.
Frankly, I don't understand why you would trust your life to some home made concoction made from corrosive dish soap, or some hillbilly substitute like WD-40, Armor All, Crisco, bear grease, or whatever. There's a NAPA in just about every little town, or at least some auto parts store that caters to pros. Tire mounting lube works wonderfully, it won't damage your rims or your tires, and it cleans up easily without leaving dangerous slick residues.
G
Guest
Guest
tire mounting
tire mounting
Now that bwringer told us where to buy tire bead lube, where can I find an air chuck that doesn't need valve core in the stem to inflate the tire and set the bead? I already have the 3 HP compressor.
Tom
tire mounting
Now that bwringer told us where to buy tire bead lube, where can I find an air chuck that doesn't need valve core in the stem to inflate the tire and set the bead? I already have the 3 HP compressor.
Tom
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outofcontrol
Guest
tire changer
tire changer
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=42927
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=34542
You have to buy these both. I happened to buy them both on sale, and it was $55 total. The local outlet even had had them in stock. Even if you buy them at full price ($90) its a steal. Comes with a bead breaker - It's part of the base tire changer (item 34542). The only thing you'll need is some rubber coating to protect your rims (or some duct tape).
Use soapy water. If you use something that will really lube your rubber like grease or WD-40, you might risk spinning the tire on the rim once you start riding. I use about 20:1 soap to water (that's 20 parts water) No offense bwinger, it's no more corrosive than what you wash your bike with.
I too race, and I've changed up to 5 sets of tires in one day just for myself. Rains, to slicks, to practice rains, to race rains, etc. Only once did I have a problem setting the bead. I used a ratcheting tie down and wrapped it around the center of the tread to push the tire out.
I can change both tires with balancing in 25 min.
I've watched the AMA superbike and MotoGP guys balance tires the same way I do it on my home made wheel stand. If it's good enough for them, it's good enough for me.
-KM
tire changer
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=42927
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=34542
You have to buy these both. I happened to buy them both on sale, and it was $55 total. The local outlet even had had them in stock. Even if you buy them at full price ($90) its a steal. Comes with a bead breaker - It's part of the base tire changer (item 34542). The only thing you'll need is some rubber coating to protect your rims (or some duct tape).
Use soapy water. If you use something that will really lube your rubber like grease or WD-40, you might risk spinning the tire on the rim once you start riding. I use about 20:1 soap to water (that's 20 parts water) No offense bwinger, it's no more corrosive than what you wash your bike with.
I too race, and I've changed up to 5 sets of tires in one day just for myself. Rains, to slicks, to practice rains, to race rains, etc. Only once did I have a problem setting the bead. I used a ratcheting tie down and wrapped it around the center of the tread to push the tire out.
I can change both tires with balancing in 25 min.
I've watched the AMA superbike and MotoGP guys balance tires the same way I do it on my home made wheel stand. If it's good enough for them, it's good enough for me.
-KM
Almost forgot -- the hardest part of my quest was finding the stick-on wheel weights. Several tire stores and motorcycle shops flatly refused to sell me any wheel weights, and finally one guy mentioned that he gets his from Pep Boys.
The pimply teenager at the Pep Boys counter had no idea what I was talking about (worse, she wouldn't admit that there might be something in the world she hadn't heard of at the advanced age of 16), but one of the managers happened to walk past and knew exactly what I needed and where to get it.
The only problem was that I had to buy a 20 pound box -- enough for several lifetimes. It was only $18, though.
NAPA didn't have wheel weights (whyyyy?!?), but Pep Boys didn't have tire mounting lube, so I had to visit both. PITA, but I'm set for many years now.
There aren't a lot of dirt bikes around here, so that might explain why the motorcycle shops didn't sell any tire mounting lube or wheel weights. But I think it has more to do with protecting their lucrative tire changing and tire-selling-at-ridiculous-markups business. Keep the public ignorant and powerless, ya know.
I see your point about the diluted dish soap, but I certainly wouldn't wash anything with 20:1 dish soap and just leave it to dry without washing -- and that's what you're doing to the inside of your wheel. But hey, do whatever works for you. The chance of fatal corrosion is admittedly remote, and some kinds of soap are less corrosive than others.
However, I bet tire lube is still much easier to use -- it's thicker so it stays put and it stays slippery without drying up. It also dries tacky so that the wheel can't rotate on the rim. It's cheap (assuming you can track it down in your town) so why not?
One other tip that I found here is to use a large wooden woodworker's clamp to break the bead. The wide wooden jaws are much kinder to the rubber than other methods in case you plan to remount the tire later, and won't scratch your rim. Just tighten the handles, then twist the clamp a bit or use a second clamp if the bead is stubborn. This method also has the advantage of placing little to no stress on your wheel -- it's too easy to bend a wheel or rotor with the brute force lever methods. Plus, you're applying force in a gradual, controlled way -- even if the clamp slips off, the result won't be catastrophic. And the clamps are cheap at Menards.
The pimply teenager at the Pep Boys counter had no idea what I was talking about (worse, she wouldn't admit that there might be something in the world she hadn't heard of at the advanced age of 16), but one of the managers happened to walk past and knew exactly what I needed and where to get it.
The only problem was that I had to buy a 20 pound box -- enough for several lifetimes. It was only $18, though.
NAPA didn't have wheel weights (whyyyy?!?), but Pep Boys didn't have tire mounting lube, so I had to visit both. PITA, but I'm set for many years now.
There aren't a lot of dirt bikes around here, so that might explain why the motorcycle shops didn't sell any tire mounting lube or wheel weights. But I think it has more to do with protecting their lucrative tire changing and tire-selling-at-ridiculous-markups business. Keep the public ignorant and powerless, ya know.
I see your point about the diluted dish soap, but I certainly wouldn't wash anything with 20:1 dish soap and just leave it to dry without washing -- and that's what you're doing to the inside of your wheel. But hey, do whatever works for you. The chance of fatal corrosion is admittedly remote, and some kinds of soap are less corrosive than others.
However, I bet tire lube is still much easier to use -- it's thicker so it stays put and it stays slippery without drying up. It also dries tacky so that the wheel can't rotate on the rim. It's cheap (assuming you can track it down in your town) so why not?
One other tip that I found here is to use a large wooden woodworker's clamp to break the bead. The wide wooden jaws are much kinder to the rubber than other methods in case you plan to remount the tire later, and won't scratch your rim. Just tighten the handles, then twist the clamp a bit or use a second clamp if the bead is stubborn. This method also has the advantage of placing little to no stress on your wheel -- it's too easy to bend a wheel or rotor with the brute force lever methods. Plus, you're applying force in a gradual, controlled way -- even if the clamp slips off, the result won't be catastrophic. And the clamps are cheap at Menards.
R
retrex
Guest
Penny wise
Penny wise
I echo this sentiment. My local aftermarket store charges 15 a tire if you buy their rubber. And they spin balance the wheel. Worth every penny.
Penny wise
oldschoolGS said:
I echo this sentiment. My local aftermarket store charges 15 a tire if you buy their rubber. And they spin balance the wheel. Worth every penny.
The shops around here (Indianapolis) are pretty uniform in that they either refuse to mount tires you don't buy from them or quote $45 - $50 each just to make you either go away or buy tires through them.
The best deal around here if you don't want to mount tires yourself is Cycle Outfitters on the south side -- they charge a premium of $35 - $50 (and up) per tire, but mounting is included. They mount tires while you wait 7 days a week, and they have a room full of tires, so you normally have a choice of several brands in stock, even in obscure sizes. Convenient, and their prices beat all the other dealers, but still pretty expensive.
I ordered up a set of Dunlop 491 tires for $165 delivered and mounted them myself. Cycle Outfitters wanted $270 plus tax ($150 rear, $120 front). Yeek! That adds up when you burn through two or three sets a season.
The best deal around here if you don't want to mount tires yourself is Cycle Outfitters on the south side -- they charge a premium of $35 - $50 (and up) per tire, but mounting is included. They mount tires while you wait 7 days a week, and they have a room full of tires, so you normally have a choice of several brands in stock, even in obscure sizes. Convenient, and their prices beat all the other dealers, but still pretty expensive.
I ordered up a set of Dunlop 491 tires for $165 delivered and mounted them myself. Cycle Outfitters wanted $270 plus tax ($150 rear, $120 front). Yeek! That adds up when you burn through two or three sets a season.
O
Ogri
Guest
bwringer said:
I have heard that about Cycle Outfitters,....... a couple of my friends have their tires done there. They also said that CO aslo has a great selection of accessories. I may have to make a trip down there to check them out.
There is only one dealer in the Fort Wayne area that is worth dealing with, that is Woodson Motorsports, and they charge $35.00 mount and balance whether you bought the tire there or not. But, they do it while you wait.
I don't mind paying that for mount and balance as much as I hate paying a premium to get a tire right away. I want to support the local dealer, but they are not making it easy at $150 for a BT020. At that rate, I could make a trip to Cycle Outfitters and it would be less. All I would loose is a little time.
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