How to change your own tyres

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D-Rider · #1 Post by **D-Rider** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 10:12 pm

Some "how to" videos - basically say the same things .... but useful tips in each.
The third one uses those little beads to balance the wheel that were discussed in this thread https://www.ridersite.com/viewtopic.ph ... =dynabeads (or there is always the Easybalance compound that Mangocrazy spoke so highly of in the same thread):

1) http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 315225781#

2) http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 9684300457

3) http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 5907660686

...... and just for a bit of light entertainment ... you'll love this one ..... who's going to let Drew change their tyres then? ..... there again, without his advice I may have been completely oblivious to the real danger that my tyres may have Dry-Rot .....

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 2031043915

paddyz1 · #2 Post by **paddyz1** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 9:10 am

I have stopped changing my own tyres now because of the 'collection' that i have aquired over the years.

I can't get rid of those used tyres

#3 Post by **mangocrazy** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 10:01 pm

The last one of the four is a real joker. Looks like he preys on feeble-minded types (Harley owners...) and has a second job as a Snake oil salesman.

The first guy is a typical tyre fitter; if he wanted to he could probably get the tyre off the rim with his teeth... I notice that he was using a well-worn slick as his guinea pig; I'm sure the number of times that has been on and off the rim that it's getting pretty flexible. New tyres in my experience put up a lot more of a fight.

One thing that I tried was to use my Black and Decker Workmate as a means to hold the wheel steady while working on it. It's a low-tech version of those fancy hydraulic rams that grip the wheel by the rim while the fitter is doing his thing. Instead of the hydraulic rams I used the Workmate with its orange pop-in bung things, with the jaws covered with gaffa tape to protect the rim surface. There are four of these, all pointing inward, and the Workmate is gradually wound in on the clamping levers until the rim is gripped evenly at four equidistant points. This makes it a lot easier to work on, without the wheel slipping around all over the place.

The most important thing to remember is to ensure that the tyre opposite the lever action is always forced into the well of the wheel. This gives you the 'slack' that allows the tyre to fit over the rim. And plenty of lube (fnarr, fnarr)...

It's also worth getting hold of some good quality tyre levers. Spoons and those wide flat levers are a waste of space. The best ones are Italian (Buzzetti come highly recommended), and are specially shaped for both getting tyres on and off the rim (different ends for each function).

#4 Post by **mangocrazy** » Sun Dec 23, 2018 9:10 pm

Some years ago I bought myself one of these devices:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sealey-Tools ... 0663801481

and also one of these (the removal tool supplied with the item above will wreck alloy wheels in very short order):

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sealey-Tools ... 0518209514

I didn't pay anything like the above amount, as I bought both secondhand but in virtually new condition. I can honestly say that a combinatiom of the above has made tyre changing a breeze. The TC965 also has a very effective and efficient bead-breaking attachment and can handlewheel/tyre diameters from 10.5" to 21". It does need bolting solidly down to the floor (you're putting a fair amount of force through it) but has worked brilliantly for me.