How to replace tires?

2473 Views 12 Replies 8 Participants Last post by NSBolens, Jun 29, 2009

C2H8O

Discussion Starter · Jun 28, 2009 (Edited)

Next question - How do you seat the %[email protected] replacement tubeless tires? I got them on, but I cannot get them to seat and hold air. They won't pop out to the rim. Tubeless tires are the work of Satan.:banghead3

EDIT -
OK, I got the tires off by cuting through the rubber then grinding through the steel belts with a Dremel
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How do you unmount and remount the front tires on the rims? Should it really be done by a tire shop?

Replacing the front tires seemed simple, but I did not expect the original Goodyear tires to have 4 steel wires in the rims. They are semi-rusted to the rims.

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C2H8O

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jun 28, 2009

mikeemc said:
you can spray ether in the tire and use a long BBQ liter and blow them on I don't recommend it but it does work and hurts your ears LOL .

Okaaay, I think I will pass on that one. :ROF I see that it would create pressure extremely quickly to seat the tire, but with my luck I would be picking bits of new tire out of my teeth.

The tube sounds like a good idea but I'm gonna first try to wrestle it on without one. Heck, now that I have it on, squeezing a tube in there would be a challenge.

I will lube the tire and take out the stem. I should have thoughly cleaned the rim when the tire was off and now I'm dealing with all kinds of old crud on the rim.

I don't have a ratchet strap but I tried a regular strap - no luck, it needs the extra force of a ratchet strap. I'll poke around for something similar. Oh, I just thought of using that regular strap with a stick to twist it like a tourniquet. Off to do battle...

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C2H8O

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jun 28, 2009

Success! and :thanku:

The soapy water really helped. First, the bubbles showed where air was escaping so I could concentrate on those areas. Second, it lubricated the rim so the tire could slip on more easily. The bubbles showed where I needed to scrape off more crud.

The 1 in wide strap I used was ineffective, even tightening it like a tourniquet. I think your suggestion, a broad strap with a ratchet, would have worked better

Taking out the valve stem to fill more rapidly was the other technique that helped enormously. I took out the valve and used a simple blow gun pushed hard against the valve stem. It leaked a bit but enough was flowing in there to overwhelm the minor leaks and the tire stared taking shape immediately.

It did look overinflated when it finally settled on the rim. The air gauge measured 32 psi, just a tad over the maximum 12 psi. I got it back down to normal and noticed the stem was leaking where it meets the rim - soap bubbles again! Oh well. I will replace the stem rather than patch it with Slime.

I did not know there was a "bead breaker" tool. The inexpensive Harbor Freight version now says it is handles "up to 5 inches", which is just enough for those rims. I also came across a 5 dollar bead breaker - a length of 2x4 arranged as a lever. However, these old, cracked tires were rusted on. I do not think anything but a hydraulic bead breaker would have worked.

What I have garnered from this:

if your wallet can afford pre-mounted tires, get them!
ALWAYS replace the stem. It's worth the couple of bucks. I don't know why Tractor Supply let me go out the door without a stem.
ALWAYS clean the inner rim thoroughly after de-mounting the old tire, If necessary, use a wire wheel. If you scratch the inner rim paint just spray-prime it. Now is a good time to paint the outside of the rim.
Tubes are probably worth the extra bucks. They already have a stem and you don't have to fight with the tubeless demons. OTOH, if you get a leak, a simple tire plug will not work and you have to remove the tube
Always use very soapy water to lubricate the tire and rim.
Take out the valve stem for faster inflation and to overwhelm minor rim leaks. For me it was the difference between success and frustration. I used a plastic zip-lock bag to keep track of the very tiny valve stem.

Thank you again. I'd buy a round but this is the best I can do over the web
Cheers!:trink39:

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C2H8O

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jun 28, 2009

Yeah, I noticed the bad orientation. But I guessed that tractor people (as opposed to moto-cross people) would catch that error and use the beam more appropriately And you did.

I too would not use the side of a car but there are any number of things to brace it - like, say, a heavy garden tractor. Or use the car's rear bumper. Yes, the lever could slip out or break under the stress and then you would have an expensive gouge in your car door. But if you are running moto-cross, it is dad's car anyway. (OK, that's enough beating on cyclists)

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