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Tire mounting questions


Willie

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After getting the runaround from my "local" BMW dealer for the past 2 weeks about getting tires on my RT, I just had a freind at the rice shop order me in a set of Metzler Z6's. Anyway, they will only do the mount if I take the wheels off and bring them in. No "knowledge of BMW" I guess. No big deal though. $40 per wheel bncry.gif. This has me thinking of just doing them myself. How much of a pain in the ass is thsi to do with just a pair of irons? I have been reading this thread "Tire changing thread" And it seems to be not too bad, but still have a couple of questions. Is it OK to be jumping down on a wheel like that with the rotors still on. Can't that damage something? Also, this guy didn't have his wheels balanced. I'm not sure I want to invest the $107 on the balancer in the article, but the dealer does charge $15/wheel plus cost of any weights needed. Does a non-BMW shop have the ability to balance a BMW wheel. I ask because of the numerous adapters needed for the various bikes for the balancer listed in the article. I would figure that the Honda shop would not have access to any of these. How important would it be to get it balanced. I have read threads were some guys swear you HAVE to do it while others say you don't. I know it's "better" to do it, but is it really needed. Just debating on eating the $80 or putting myself through the mill and doing it myself. I know, I know... It would be a great learning experience, but in all honesty, I don't go through tires like alot of you guys so while this is a skill that would be great to know how to do, it would not be saving me hundreds of dollars a year by knowing it. Thanks, Terry

 

BTW, any recommendations on tire irons? Thanks

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ShovelStrokeEd

I know how to do tires and I have the equipent but find it more trouble than it is worth.

 

It is no trick at all to remove your wheels and bring them to a place like Cycle Gear, if one is available to you. They charge about $25/wheel including balancing if the tires are off the bike. You can even pull the wheels in the parking lot and bring them in one at a time. They do require you buy the tires from them but they offer a pretty nice discount.

 

If you are gonna do them yourself get the long Michelen style tire irons from Motion Pro. They make the job a good deal easier. You are also gonna need some lubricant, a bead breaker of some sort, some form of stand (milk crate) and a lot of sweat.

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I have been very fortunate to have a great local shop that mounts for 10 dollars each. I do my own balancing so mount is all I need. I take in my internet tires with no problem.

 

I realize this info is of no help to those not in L.A. but man it just feels good to get a deal now and then in this high price "sport".

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What kind of 'run around' can you be getting for a mere set of tires?

 

Well, the first week, after the 2nd call to them to get in, I was told they had no one to do it as the "only" person that could do it got married and was off that week. They told me to call back the next week. I made an appoinmtment for the next Monday to bring it in. I luckily called first and was told that it would be another week until they could do it because they were backed up from the prior week. Man, it's just tires dopeslap.gif

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Aluminum_Butt

Is it OK to be jumping down on a wheel like that with the rotors still on. Can't that damage something?

 

Not really OK in my book, and also not necessary.

 

I've done mine once. It took me about four hours, but will go much more quickly next time. I mostly referred to the article Mitch provides a link to. Lessons learned for me:

 

1. I didn't build the tire rim support in the article. Instead I made a triangular box out of 2x4's that support the rim, but clear the rotor. I think Ed recommends a milk crate. Basically anything will work that protects the rotors. I also worked on top of a large piece of scrap carpet.

 

2. I built a bead breaker by screwing a 2x4 into an open stud in the garage as a lever, then attaching a pointed 2x4 down toward the rim. C-clamps did not work for me.

 

3. Everybody here seems to recommend Motionpro irons. I borrowed a set of straight irons from a buddy. Worked fine. I will probably order some Motionpro irons before my next change, though. The curve would be helpful. I personally like the commercial rim protectors (versus milk jugs). Have lots of whatever you use on hand.

 

4. Getting the tires off was easy enough to do alone. Getting the last part of the second bead on required an extra set of hands for me. It also went much faster with two people - I had putzed around for an hour before deciding to ask for help. Two of us got in on in about 60 seconds.

 

5. I had to invest about $200 for a balancer, torque wrench, and Torx sockets. I saved this on my first change versus what the dealer charges for a set of tires.

 

6. Order weights online. At least in my case, I could find no local sources of stick-on weights.

 

Oh, and DOUBLE check the direction arrow before you mount the tire. Nothing more frustrating than having to demount the tire because it's wrong. I speak from experience. dopeslap.gif

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BTW, any recommendations on tire irons? Thanks

I change and balance my own tires. That way it gets done right.

 

As for tire irons, here is a related recommendation. Get a roll of hard polyethylene tubing (about 5/8" OD or so). Cut a few pieces about 1" or a bit more long, then slit them down one side. Once the tire is off the bead, clip one into the rim under where each tire iron "hooks". This will eliminate rim damage.

 

The tubing is available at (among other places) Home Depot. It is used as cold water pressure tubing for connecting water coolers and the like.

 

Bob.

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Shawnee Bill

I change my own tires, not to bad after the first one, lot of good advice already about the how to, now about the why.

 

Some of it is the cost, it does save a few bucks for sure, but a bigger factor is time and convenience. I can swap tires any time of the day or night in my garage, and if I'm slow it takes less of my time than riding to a shop somewhere, waiting around for them to change my tire, then riding home. I'm not much on waiting around for someone to do something I can do myself.

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