Tire changers

[Twisties]

No, I'm not up for doing it with spoons.  We've got an older Nomar changer, but as Nomar notes, tires are getting increasingly stiff carcasses.  So, it's getting more difficult to use the Nomar unit.  Local shop will mount for $35, might start taking wheels in there.

 

Just curious what others that change their own are doing these days, particularly if you use a very stiff tire like the Dunlop Trailmax Mission. Any using any pneumatic changers?   

[wbw6cos]

Sure, the sun is free for pre-heating a tire, but cloudy days, winter, and such as the like make that an issue.  I use a tire warmer from https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/chicken-hawk-racing-privateer-line-tire-warmers?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwr7ayBhAPEiwA6EIGxBtOGNzEK_GOBQem1VYn-TNj26yKNi3h-IxLYP89rXkcZlpgcv5bShoC-UsQAvD_BwE

 

It performs well for Michelin Road 6 GT.  Also Metzeler 888 for my R 12 C.  Simply, amazing results. 

 

Some folks think that a tire warmer is expensive,  but if you change your own tires, it pays back in dividends via sweat equity.  Just sayin'

 

Ask @Boxflyer maybe he can relate; he now owns one.  

[Boxflyer]

+1 on the Chicken Hawk Racing tire warmer!

Thanks again to @wbw6cos for gifting one to me!

Brad

[Twisties]

40 minutes ago, wbw6cos said:

Sure, the sun is free for pre-heating a tire, but cloudy days, winter, and such as the like make that an issue.  I use a tire warmer from https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/chicken-hawk-racing-privateer-line-tire-warmers?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwr7ayBhAPEiwA6EIGxBtOGNzEK_GOBQem1VYn-TNj26yKNi3h-IxLYP89rXkcZlpgcv5bShoC-UsQAvD_BwE

 

It performs well for Michelin Road 6 GT.  Also Metzeler 888 for my R 12 C.  Simply, amazing results. 

 

Some folks think that a tire warmer is expensive,  but if you change your own tires, it pays back in dividends via sweat equity.  Just sayin'

 

Ask @Boxflyer maybe he can relate; he now owns one.  

Interesting!  We have a bathroom with a wall heater in the garage.  The thermometer in there sits at about 4' up, I hung the tires near the ceiling and the thermometer read 100 F.  So it would have been over that up there where the tires were.  Sun is best by far, but heating them up in that bathroom got me through last time.  Still a struggle though with the stiff tires.  How warm does the tire heater get them?

[Etienne Lau]

I am using the Cycle Hill Tire Changer on my 2010 R1200RT. I was able to remove PR4 GT and install Dunlop RS4 without any issues. I spend more time getting the wheels off the motorcycle than anything else. With proper technique and good amounts of lubricant the tires just slide on/off.

 

[wbw6cos]

Single temp= 175°F

Dual temp = 135°F / 175°F

 

The ease of handling is another plus.  Mount the old one to the machine,  wrap it and do something else or 10- 15 minutes. Remove the wrap and dismount the tire from the wheel.  I place the tire warmer on the new tire whilst I remove old wheel, with 15 minutes warming time.  Sometimes I get distracted and come back after 30 minutes,  or so.  Wow!

[Rougarou]

Sometimes, you just need to have heat the best way you can

 

[Ron-M]

Last time I changed my tires, I placed a hair dryer on the inside of the new tire, on low, while I was breaking the bead and removing the old tire.  Worked great. I probably did not need to leave it in there that long.  It made the tire hot. 

[wbw6cos]

Hair dryer?  What is that for?  I have not had a need for hair since high school.  

[Rougarou]

26 minutes ago, wbw6cos said:

Hair dryer?  What is that for?  I have not had a need for hair since high school.  

 

Get some

 

 

[TSConver]

The Rabaconda is fantastic.  I have changed three sets on it now and was a great investment.

[9Mary7]

I use this Mojolever with my No-Mar....works great and a warm tire always helps.

https://www.mojotiretools.com/mojoweb.htm

Thanks Mitch!!!!!

[simskid]

23 hours ago, TSConver said:

The Rabaconda is fantastic.  I have changed three sets on it now and was a great investment.

Agee wholeheartedly!!!  I've done about 6 sets on the Rabaconda.  Its paid for itself and I let others use it as well.  Its portable, stable and easy to use.  No more wasting tread.

 

John

[Rockosmith]

After struggling with a NoMar for several years I finally anted up and got a pneumatic changer. Real game changer!  Wish I had bought it years sooner. That being said, an hour or so in the sun and good lube really makes the job easy. 

[Twisties]

6 hours ago, Rockosmith said:

After struggling with a NoMar for several years I finally anted up and got a pneumatic changer. Real game changer!  Wish I had bought it years sooner. That being said, an hour or so in the sun and good lube really makes the job easy. 

Which one do you have?

[randy]

I did BattleAx T32 at the spring ART.  was a very stiff tire.  I was shown how to use the "black" helpers (do not know the real name) and it was a game changer. Tires on/off no issue.

Otherwise with a NoMar and warm tire, as noted above takes more time to remove the tire from the bike than mounting the new tire on the rim.  assuming a warm tire, old tire off, new tire on, about 12 minutes per tire.

 

but sure if I could afford a pneumatic that would be cool  :-)

[Rougarou]

32 minutes ago, randy said:

I did BattleAx T32 at the spring ART.  was a very stiff tire.  I was shown how to use the "black" helpers (do not know the real name) and it was a game changer. Tires on/off no issue.

Otherwise with a NoMar and warm tire, as noted above takes more time to remove the tire from the bike than mounting the new tire on the rim.  assuming a warm tire, old tire off, new tire on, about 12 minutes per tire.

 

but sure if I could afford a pneumatic that would be cool  :-)

 

Speed up a bit wouldja

 

 

[Rockosmith]

6 hours ago, Twisties said:

Which one do you have?

Derek Weaver with the pneumatic push down

 

[Shelterwoods]

My brother and I recently bought the Rabaconda tire changer, and have been very happy with it. Works well with stiff ADV tires.

 

Del

[Toter]

Derek Weaver machine is the bees knees.

[81delorean]

I've never changed my own tires before but I'm still interested in the topic and would probably be willing to give it a shot someday just because I've never done it. I'm curious about balancing though. How do you balance the tire? Do you just throw so many ounces of beads inside? or do you just not worry about it? Just curious. 

[Toter]

4 hours ago, 81delorean said:

I've never changed my own tires before but I'm still interested in the topic and would probably be willing to give it a shot someday just because I've never done it. I'm curious about balancing though. How do you balance the tire? Do you just throw so many ounces of beads inside? or do you just not worry about it? Just curious. 

Marc Parnes static  balancer. Go to his website and watch the customer video by Jim VonBaden.

[Bluenoser]

Marc Parnes wheel balancing kit is reasonably priced and works very well.  He has kits for specific bikes so if you change bikes you just need to get the appropriate adapter to fit the wheels.

[9Mary7]

10 hours ago, 81delorean said:

throw so many ounces of beads inside?

NO....just no.

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

On 5/22/2024 at 8:22 PM, 9Mary7 said:

I use this Mojolever with my No-Mar....works great and a warm tire always helps.

https://www.mojotiretools.com/mojoweb.htm

Thanks Mitch!!!!!

 

 

Interesting to hear people talking about heating tires.  My workshop is in my basement, where it's in the upper 60s during the summer.  I've never bothered to heat my new tires, and never had a major difficulty getting them on.  I've heard from a lot of people complaining that the NoMar mount/demount tool, with its double-knob configuration on the mount end, takes up an excessive amount of slack in the bead when you're trying to mount a tire.  

 

On 6/15/2024 at 8:08 AM, 81delorean said:

I've never changed my own tires before but I'm still interested in the topic and would probably be willing to give it a shot someday just because I've never done it. I'm curious about balancing though. How do you balance the tire? Do you just throw so many ounces of beads inside? or do you just not worry about it? Just curious. 

 

If you're at all mechanically inclined, then go for it.  You'll spend some money getting equipped, but after a few changes you'll be way ahead on cost, you'll feel good about having done it yourself, and you'll get to know your bike a bit better.

 

Re: balancing, car tires are wide enough that they need to be concerned about lateral balance (to prevent wobble), which requires spin-balancing on an expensive machine.  OTOH, motorcycle tires are generally narrow enough that lateral balance isn't an issue, and you can just do a static balance: put it on low-friction bearings, let the heavy spot settle at the bottom, and then put some weight up top on the light spot.  Repeat, adding/removing weight as necessary until you no longer get one spot always settling at the bottom.  

 

I agree with others here: get a balancer from Marc Parnes.  All you need is something to support the balancer, e.g. a couple of jackstands like this guy: