any suggestions for changing my tire?

[snowbeard]

So I bought a lightly used metzeler ME99A on ebay, looks pretty good and tho I don't plan to risk my a$$ to save a buck, I think it'll work well.

now I just have to get it on there without a week of downtime!! I talked to a guy at a local custom harley shop who said he'd mount and balance it for me, but I bet he'd balance it for even less as I'll have to take off the wheel myself anyway, so I think I'll give it a try.

So any, hint's tips tricks y'all know for getting it off, and back on?

thanks in advance!!!

[SqDancerLynn1]

If you don't have the tools just have it done. I use a big C clamp to break the bead loose. Need 3 12" minimum MC tire irons and a bottle of
windex or what ever you want to use for lube on the tire bead and a couple of plastic rim protectors (cut from a butter container?) and have at it

[chuckycheese]

What?

I think he's trying to get the wheel off the bike....not the tire off the wheel.

[sharpy]

wheel changing

The trick here is to get the rear of the bike high enough to allow the wheel to slide out from under the guard. 3 ways of doing this is. For the first 2 ways tie the front brake lever up with with rubber-bands/tape so the front brake is on. Using the centre stand either place some wood under the stand to raise the height of the back or place the bike on the foot path so the rear of the bike overhangs the gutter allowing the wheel to fall down out through the back. #3 is to have a mate to lean the bike over on the right hand side on the centre stand whilst holding the front brake allowing the wheel to slide out. Practice makes perferct for this last one! Four bolts need to be removed to get the wheel out. Axle nut, the 14mm brake stay nut (the one in front of the caliper), 10mm nut the one the other side of the axle and the exhaust bolt to allow the muffler to be lifted up to remove the axle if it has a standard exhaust. (or badly made four into one pipe). It will be a bit akward for your first time but you should learn about the bike you ride.

[snowbeard]

well thanks guys, I was actually talking about the tire off the wheel, but I haven't gotten even as far as wheel off the bike yet!!! I'll prolly use the dangle the rear off something on the centerstand, as I don't trust my mates not to drop the thing on me~!!

maybe I'll just stick with that and have the guy actually mount it for me. those hydraulic presses have gotta be nice!!

[Billy Ricks]

I built a bead breaker out of 2X4s. Sorry no pictures. It's just a base built out of 2X about 14"wide and 3' long. Then I have two 2X4s coming up from the base with dead wood between the two so you have space to bolt in a lever to use as the press. That 2X is mounted about 30" from the top of the base and is about 42" long. From that I bolted another 2X hanging from the bottom of the lever about 6" out from the vertical 2X4s. It's just long enough that when it makes contact with the bead the lever is just above horizontal. Leave the bolt that holds the ram to the lever slightly loose so the ram can pivot a little. Lay the tire on tiop of the base and push down going around the tire with soapy water. You won't hurt your rims with this. Hope you can picture what I'm describing. Cost maybe $15 tops to build and you always have it after that. You'll be able to figure out where a little extra bracing is need where the verticals attaach to the base.

You can get an idea of what I did from here.

http://users.net1plus.com/holbrook/tireeqpt.htm

Here's a site on tire changing.

http://www.clarity.net/~adam/tire-changing-doc.html

Once you do it a couple of times you won't pay to have it done again.

[snowbeard]

might have to try that! but for now I got it done and I'll just wait till I need another tire...

now to get it back on the bike!! no time, I'm late, I'm late,

[snowbeard]

boy, now that's a whole different ride!! 8O I've been running the tires that were on it for nine months now, and the rear was so bald it was flat in the middle!! (metzler groove gone entirely!) so when I would go around a corner, I almost had to lever it up onto the sides, making a much slower turn response!! now I'm back on a 90% new tire with a consistent curvature for the first time ever and it's really easy to play with!!

one thing, after replacing the rear wheel and tightening everything up well (actually have a new torque wrench in the mail but used the neighbor's for now) I feel like I can hear a rythmic pulsing from the rear sometimes, almost like I got it too tight or maybe not close enough... I was really happy to find out how clean and straight my axle was, it came out gently and went right back, light coat of grease, etc. this sound could be from the actual tire, or it could be in the drive, but just in case someone knows it as a warning sign, I'd hate to blow something important now! it's just getting good!!!

[lhanscom]

Did you grease the gear splines when you put the wheel back in?

[lhanscom]

I built a bead breaker out of 2X4s. Sorry no pictures. It's just a base built out of 2X about 14"wide and 3' long. Then I have two 2X4s coming up from the base with dead wood between the two so you have space to bolt in a lever to use as the press. That 2X is mounted about 30" from the top of the base and is about 42" long. From that I bolted another 2X hanging from the bottom of the lever about 6" out from the vertical 2X4s. It's just long enough that when it makes contact with the bead the lever is just above horizontal. Leave the bolt that holds the ram to the lever slightly loose so the ram can pivot a little. Lay the tire on tiop of the base and push down going around the tire with soapy water. You won't hurt your rims with this. Hope you can picture what I'm describing. Cost maybe $15 tops to build and you always have it after that. You'll be able to figure out where a little extra bracing is need where the verticals attaach to the base.

You can get an idea of what I did from here.

http://users.net1plus.com/holbrook/tireeqpt.htm

Here's a site on tire changing.

http://www.clarity.net/~adam/tire-changing-doc.html

Once you do it a couple of times you won't pay to have it done again.

I use a bench vice, and a couple of pieces of wood to protect the rim/tire, for a breaker. Works great, so if you have a large enough vice, it's easier then making one.

[snowbeard]

well, I didn't re-coat the splines with grease, but I also didn't clean off the old, it was still thick, and if I put much more in there it's gonna start slinging it around!! it had already slung some into the surround of the spline that I had to clean off, hoping to keep the balance even...

I didn't have the time or energy to really clean it up nice, as I wanted to ride again this week, but I didn't feel like I was skimping badly either, the grease was clean, and plenty of it! would tension be a possibility? I used a screwdriver to hold the axle in place while I tightened the axle nut, then tightened the pinch nut, then realized I hadn't reconnected the brake strut so I had to loosen the axle nut, but didn't re-loosen the pinch, assuming that I had pulled the axle all the way tight from there already the first time...

just ordered some steel brushes to work on the wheel, looks so clean and shiny where the guy brushed it to apply the weights!!!