Neduro's Tire Changing Class

[jon_l]

I recently installed a Wolfman Enduro Tool Bag on the headlight cowl of my WRR. It uses a bolt-on Velcro base, along with straps. Since I don't always carry the tool bag, I wanted a cover for the Velcro so it didn't get clogged with bug-guts and lose it's grippiness.

I cut up a bleach bottle to make a rectangle of plastic, added Velcro and use it to protect the Wolfman base when not using the bag.

It looked kind of plain, so I added the decal I got when I ordered Double Take mirrors last year.

Thanks Ned, for the mirrors and the tire changing advice!

[ktmbmw]

Originally Posted by

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Nice idea, thanks.

[Bli55]

Time for a bump!

I won't bother you with my romantic story of anger, frustration and hate being transformed into satisfaction and bliss as my day-long relationship (wrestle) with a TKC ended in the most intimate way possible, when a large, super duty, thick tube filled that lubed up tyre deep from the inside to a point of that joyful "PPPOP".

And the people to thank are Neduro himself and toolman (see http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=458452).

PS. If you've never encountered wheel innards before, check pictures from this page - http://www.africatwin.ru/download/bortirovka/

[YetiGS]

Thanks Ned for doing this so many years ago!


In all my years I've never had a flat on a dirt bike (**knocks on wood**) so I've never done it. Always had my local shop do it when I bought the tires from them. Decided to do it myself because, well, I figued I'd better know feckin' how. Overall, not too bad, the key is keeping the bead in the center of the wheel!

Thanks again Ned!

[neo1piv014]

Hey, Ned. If you're ever in the NM area, you've got a beer owed to you in Albuquerque. After pinching a couple of tubes, reading your post got it taken care of in ten minutes flat.

[Stumblebike]

Great How To but I am still a Muppett
I had a fun day last week rode out of the bush to the pub figured that light less insects and a floor would help the tyre changing experience.
so i got the front tyre off the rim without to much drama. Then stuck the spare tube in without to much trouble but it pinched a neat hole in it .
Tyre came off again pretty easy.
went back on found i hadn't fixed all the holes but didn't pinch it.
Changed it a third time and pinched it again.
Time to wait till morning strap the tyre on the back of the other bike and ride to salvation and a tyre changing machine.

I stuck air in before leavering the tyre back on. Not a heap of air but it was inflated to its shape. No lube

Is there any more tips to avoiding pinch flats? I felt inside the tyre each bite seeing if the tube was in the way.

[sTE610vE]

Tire lube makes it so much easier that your aren't fighting friction of the bead on the rim and the levers. I have one of those small flip top travel type shampoo bottles that i carry lube in on the bike. It's about 3 inches long by 1.25 in diameter, plus you can use it to clean your hands when your done.

Use the hooked end of the tire irons to take the tire off and the straight end to put it the tire back on.

I always round out the tube with a little air before I put it in the tire, then insert the valve stem in the rim, and then let the air out before using the levers.

The other best piece of advice is take your time, I've seen a lot of guys get in a hurry because they don't want to hold up a group and they pinch a tube and have to start all over. I don't know how many times I've heard "is the compressor working?" it is always working you pinched the tube.....

Another tip is always carry a rag, it's the best way to check the inside of your tire for a sharp object that may still be in the tire. Wad it up inside the tire and then drag it around the tire anything sticking through should get caught on the rag. You can find very small thorns, rocks or whatever still in the tire that way.

I assume you are keeping the bead in the drop area of the rim opposite of where you are using your levers as you work the tire on.

When you get the tire back on push the bead down and look to see if the tube is caught under it anywhere around the tire, if it is you can usually grab the bead on either side of where the tube is caught and lift it up so the tube can pull back in the tire.

When you are in your garage use a 5 gallon bucket to put the wheel on the open end of the bucket, it gets it up off the ground and makes it easier to work on. Put some sand or water in the bucket if you need to stabilize it, but it's usually not needed.

The best advice is one that nobody ever wants to do, Practice. I'm pretty good at it because I spent several summers as a kid changing tires in the "Yamaha Shop", and yes I pinched my fair share learning how not to do it.

Some tires are just a lot tougher to mount than others, stiffer sidewalls or whatever, Dunlop D606 and Pirelli MT-21's have always been easy tires to mount in my experience, Michelin T-63 and Dunlop D908 (rear) are tough to mount in comparison.

[victor441]

Originally Posted by Stumblebike

Great How To but I am still a Muppett
snip
Is there any more tips to avoiding pinch flats? I felt inside the tyre each bite seeing if the tube was in the way.

use zip ties, nearly impossible to pinch a tube that way and the ties can be reused too, the locking tab can be released w/ a small screwdriver (learned the method here in an old thread and am completely sold on it...) The tube is inflated just enough to round it out, placed in the tire, the zip ties force the beads together, both are mounted at once and then the zip ties are removed after the valve is through the rim hole...and always use tire lube or soapy water, makes the job much easier and avoids damage to the tire, rim, tube, etc...

[Datan556]

Any pointers on changing it without the use of tire irons? Screw drivers?

[Sparrowhawk]

Originally Posted by Datan556

Any pointers on changing it without the use of tire irons? Screw drivers?

Use a screwdriver to break the piggy bank and go buy a couple of tire irons.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

[neo1piv014]

Originally Posted by Datan556

Any pointers on changing it without the use of tire irons? Screw drivers?

For as cheap as tire irons are, there's no good reason not to pick a couple up.

[murgatroid42]

Originally Posted by Datan556

Any pointers on changing it without the use of tire irons? Screw drivers?

A screwdriver will probably pinch or put a hole in a tube. That will cost as much as tire irons. Screwdrivers will probably chew up the rims, too.

Changing tires are much easier with the long, 15 in. Motion Pro tire irons that neduro used in his writeup.

[jon_l]

Originally Posted by murgatroid42

A screwdriver will probably pinch or put a hole in a tube. That will cost as much as tire irons. Screwdrivers will probably chew up the rims, too.

Changing tires are much easier with the long, 15 in. Motion Pro tire irons that neduro used in his writeup.

Good advice. At home, I have these tools:



For the road, this:



Just added (3) 8" ultra light Tusk irons to the travel kit, will try them soon (at home).

[Datan556]

Originally Posted by Sparrowhawk

Use a screwdriver to break the piggy bank and go buy a couple of tire irons.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

advice taken. Was easier to find it here in local neighbourhood than I thought!

[jon_l]

Tried the zip-tie method yesterday on a T-63 rear. Could not make it work. Maybe I didn't tighten them enough? The beads were perhaps 3/4" apart, Afterwards, I wondered whether the beads are supposed to be touching the valve stem?

Didn't help that it was cool and rainy outside (11C/51F), though I brought the tire and tube inside for 90 minutes before heading out to the driveway to wrestle with it. Sunshine to warm the tire seems to help a lot.

Gave up eventually and did it the regular way. That T-63 rear was a stubborn SOB.