[SJ12DS]

What are you using to change your own tires?

Are you doing it with 2x4s, zip ties, gorilla tape?

Harbor freight bead breaker, spoons and rim protectors?

Just would like to get your ideas on methods and tools that work.

Seriously thinking of changing my own tires. I have a rear tire on my 05 HD that will need changing soon and figured that it would be a good project to learn on.

Changed car tires years ago but that was on a tire changing machine and a dynamic wheel balancer.

Are you balancing the tire and wheel after mounting? What are your using?

Thanks!

 

[Baron58]

What are you using to change your own tires?

Are you doing it with 2x4s, zip ties, gorilla tape?

Harbor freight bead breaker, spoons and rim protectors?

Just would like to get your ideas on methods and tools that work.

Seriously thinking of changing my own tires. I have a rear tire on my 05 HD that will need changing soon and figured that it would be a good project to learn on.

Changed car tires years ago but that was on a tire changing machine and a dynamic wheel balancer.

Are you balancing the tire and wheel after mounting? What are your using?

Thanks!

What are you using to change your own tires?

Are you doing it with 2x4s, zip ties, gorilla tape?

Harbor freight bead breaker, spoons and rim protectors?

Just would like to get your ideas on methods and tools that work.

Seriously thinking of changing my own tires. I have a rear tire on my 05 HD that will need changing soon and figured that it would be a good project to learn on.

Changed car tires years ago but that was on a tire changing machine and a dynamic wheel balancer.

Are you balancing the tire and wheel after mounting? What are your using?

Thanks!

There is a lot of videos on you tube, mostly sport bikes, and it looked like a pain in the ass. But maybe not.

 

[Max Kool]

Two or three irons, two rim protectors and a bead breaker. Oh, and a balancing stand. ?

 

[Skin7]

Unless your way out in the Boonies or you have a shit load of energy, I wouldn't change my own tires especially when most Independent shops charge $15-$25 bucks a wheel to mount AND balance. The only benefit to changing your own is if you have to do so on the side of the road, but then again,,,,there's AAA. Just saying, something to think about.

 

[ferraiolo1]

If you have a shop that will do it for $15, buy him beer too.


MOST shops are $30. And bigger shops are $50 per wheel. If you take them the wheel.

I use motion pro bead breaker spoons, motionpro wheel protectors, and a tusk balancing stand. All paid for itself after two tire changes

I then take my tires to recycling once a year.

And unless you have tubes, changing the tire on a sport bike is no different than a cruiser.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TigerGA]

I’d take the wheel off myself, but take it to an shop to have the new tires mounted. To me, it’s not worth the hassle and time to do this without a home tire removal setup, like a No Mar.

 

[SJ12DS]

Two or three irons, two rim protectors and a bead breaker. Oh, and a balancing stand. ?

Thanks for the suggestions. Debating whether it is worth doing myself or not. Buy all the items and then space to store said items. Should not take up too much space.

 

[SJ12DS]

Unless your way out in the Boonies or you have a shit load of energy, I wouldn't change my own tires especially when most Independent shops charge $15-$25 bucks a wheel to mount AND balance. The only benefit to changing your own is if you have to do so on the side of the road, but then again,,,,there's AAA. Just saying, something to think about.

Yeah I thought of that but here are my issues with taking it to the shop:

1. I have found it cost more than 15-25 bucks. Maybe I am looking in the wrong places. HD Dealer, some indie shops. Haven't checked a metric shop yet.

2. In the past I have had shops screw up things like wheel weights, pinched tube and other things that a professional shop should not be screwing up. I have also had shops not align the rear wheel properly when having them do the entire job.

If you gotta go back and fix their screw ups then you might as well do it yourself. All it is going to cost me is parts and time. Time I have.

 

[SJ12DS]

If you have a shop that will do it for $15, buy him beer too.


MOST shops are $30. And bigger shops are $50 per wheel. If you take them the wheel.

I use motion pro bead breaker spoons, motionpro wheel protectors, and a tusk balancing stand. All paid for itself after two tire changes

I then take my tires to recycling once a year.

And unless you have tubes, changing the tire on a sport bike is no different than a cruiser.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for your suggestions. Yeah my HD has spoked wheels with tubes. But as I understand it I just have more steps and have to be more careful with the new tube during assembly. Thanks.

 

[SJ12DS]

I’d take the wheel off myself, but take it to an shop to have the new tires mounted. To me, it’s not worth the hassle and time to do this without a home tire removal setup, like a No Mar.

Thanks for your suggestion. Definitely thinking about it if I can find a decent shop to do it. Done with taking it to shops that put some ham fisted newbie on it to screw it up. I got it, that is how they learn, but I don't want them learning at my expense anymore.

 

[NI Bob]

Not worth the hassle, I take my own wheels off and take them to a local independent who i order the tyres from and he fits and balances them for nothing as he has made his money on the tyre sale. Fitting to a loose rim with the right machinery only takes a couple of minutes, you can battle for a very long time trying to do it manually, not withstanding the chances of damaging the rim or indeed yourself in the process.

 

[WillyH]

My last tire change was done on my 2001 Heritage Springer, which I have since sold off. The indy I generally use for tires and inspections was bizzy as hell, so I went to a different shop. Anyways, I picked up the wheel with new tire installed from the new to me indy I delivered it to. Got home and checked for balance.... not even close. That, and noticed they scarred up a bit of the white of the WWW. So I properly balanced the tire myself and cleaned up the scarred part of the WWW and put it back on the bike. I stewed over it for a few days (sometimes bad tempered so needed to count to 10 a few times) and decided to take a ride to that indy shop. I pulled in and the tire changer kid saw me a smiled and waved. I waved back ? and went inside and spoke with the shop owner. I was polite, and he was polite back but offered no real resolution, such as a refund or price break if I return, but I wouldn't expect that in today's world. So, ya don't always get what ya pay for. And if you have an indy or shop you know and trust, stick with'm LOL.

 

[111BagBoy]

I have been changing my own tires for quite a few years. I like doing my on stuff. When I change and balance a tire I know it's done right. I don't have to wonder if the kid at cycle gear who knows almost nothing about motorcycles got it right. Plus I am on my time when I change the tire. I don't have to worry about not being able to ride because the tire shop couldn't fit me in by the weekend. Good luck, it's not rocket science.

 

[NI Bob]

Bike shops in the US must be super busy, I can just rock up to my independent without warning and he will fit them to my loose rims then and there whilst I wait. He is more than happy for me to stand over him and watch whilst he's doing it.

 

[Davetac1]

Since owning my first two wheeler back in the late 50's,I've been changing AND balancing my own tires,as well as tires for a few other guys' I know.What I have learned to use is a couple good quality tire irons specifically made for MC tire R+R [cheap money] ,a small beed breaker [made to break the sides of the tire down],and a decent sized air compressor to inflate the tire.And when you mount the tire,take notice as to the small dot on the side wall [it could be red,orange or yellow] and this DOT HAS TO LINE UP WITH THE VALVE STEM.
Why?? Cause that's your balancing reference point and most brand name tires have these.And also take note of the directional arrow [all MC tires also have these] which indicates the tires' forward rotation.[DO NOT mount it backwards because the tires plies can and will come apart which could be disasterous,especially at highway speed.lol lol ]
And then, I spin balance the MC tire using small 1/4 oz. stick on weights [available at any auto parts house] which can be used over and over,simply by using a fresh piece of double sided tape to hold em in place on the wheel [centrifical force will do the rest] and I have not missed yet.If the tire has a tube,then ya gotta be carefull not to pinch it when removing and or installing it back into the tire,putting just enough air into it to stiffen the tire up alittle,but THEN,letting the air back out again so the tube will seat and not pinch,then re inflating it to its' recommended pressure.
To balance a MC tire [it needs to be inflated to its' recommended pressure first] then ya slide the axle thru the wheel assembly,placing each end of the axle on top of a jack stand,[naturally ya need two,one on each side] then give the wheel a slow spin to see where the valve stem [ reference point] stops.The idea is,your reference point needs to stop in a different position each time,without,spinning back in the opposite direction too far.[a couple inches is OK] And if an adjustment is needed,you add, remove ,or relocate the weight.[try to keep em even]
Anyways,this job is really not that difficult to do. Dave!!!

 

[RonDale]

Thanks for your suggestions. Yeah my HD has spoked wheels with tubes. But as I understand it I just have more steps and have to be more careful with the new tube during assembly. Thanks.

I’m going to change my front tire on my older Road King this April in SB Indiana at McDaniels Harley shop with me taking them the rim with old tire it’s $50 includes balance. However my Roadmaster needs a rear I’m gonna just drop the bike & have my indian dealer do the complete job.

 

[SJ12DS]

Since owning my first two wheeler back in the late 50's,I've been changing AND balancing my own tires,as well as tires for a few other guys' I know.What I have learned to use is a couple good quality tire irons specifically made for MC tire R+R [cheap money] ,a small beed breaker [made to break the sides of the tire down],and a decent sized air compressor to inflate the tire.And when you mount the tire,take notice as to the small dot on the side wall [it could be red,orange or yellow] and this DOT HAS TO LINE UP WITH THE VALVE STEM.And also take note of the directional arrow [all MC tires also have these] which indicates the tires' forward rotation.[DO NOT mount it backwards because the tires plies can and will come apart which could be disasterous,especially at highway speed.lol lol ]
And then, I spin balance the MC tire using small 1/4 oz. stick on weights [available at any auto parts house] which can be used over and over,simply by using a fresh piece of double sided tape to hold em in place on the wheel [centrifical force will do the rest] and I have not missed yet.If the tire has a tube,then ya gotta be carefull not to pinch it when removing and or installing it back into the tire,putting just enough air into it to stiffen the tire up alittle,but THEN,letting the air back out again so the tube will seat and not pinch,then re inflating it to its' recommended pressure.
To balance a MC tire [it needs to be inflated to its' recommended pressure first] then ya slide the axle thru the wheel assembly,placing each end of the axle on top of a jack stand,[naturally ya need two,one on each side] then give the wheel a slow spin to see where the valve stem [ reference point] stops.The idea is,your reference point needs to stop in a different position each time,without,spinning back in the opposite direction too far.[a couple inches is OK] And if an adjustment is needed,you add, remove ,or relocate the weight.[try to keep em even]
Anyways,this job is really not that difficult to do. Dave!!!

Appreciate your insight and experience with changing MC tires. Seriously think I am going to just do it myself. Good tip on balancing using the jackstands. I got plenty of them.

Thanks again. Need to get some good tire irons and rim protectors.

 

[SJ12DS]

Thanks to all for your insight. I think that I am just going to do it myself. Keep the ideas coming. Maybe I will learn even more and the tricks needed to save a hassle. @Davetac1 gave some great tips on changing the tires myself.

 

[Dochardtail]

I bought the tire mount and dismount tool from no mar.i don't use tire irons anymore.
Had to make my own rim clamp holder.i made one to hold the wheel high so as no needing to remove the disk.worth every penny.
Careful changing your tire with spoons on the ground,bent a disk once,had a shop scratch up a chrome wheel once as well.
Getting the right stuff pays for it's self sometimes.

 

[WillyH]

I bought the tire mount and dismount tool from no mar.i don't use tire irons anymore.
Had to make my own rim clamp holder.i made one to hold the wheel high so as no needing to remove the disk.worth every penny.
Careful changing your tire with spoons on the ground,bent a disk once,had a shop scratch up a chrome wheel once as well.
Getting the right stuff pays for it's self sometimes.

Any suggestions or maybe a link to a good/proper set of tools to change tires, with spoke rims? I've watched a couple of you tube vids of MC tire changes and I might try doing it myself. Good way to kill a rainy or snowy day!