Changing tires

[toocko]

Just interested if you guys on the forum change your own tires or have it done at a shop. The reason I am asking is that I just bought a front tire and was thinking of doing it myself. If any of you do it please share with me how and what type of solution you use for the bead. Can soapy water be used?

[smokinwrench]

I change my own tires, but when I buy new tires I have to have the shop get them on the beads for me. They are usually out of shape very badly from shipping. They put crap loads of this wax stuff on the bead and air them up.

To do the swap I just get a couple huge screw drivers and get after it. Sometimes on hard tires I use the down rigger on my service truck.

[CHAINSAW]

soapy water is pretty much what the tire shops use!

[smokinp]

I change my own tires and I just let the shop take the old ones off but it isnt that hard too do by yourself.

[JoeSuzuki]

Tire Irons, wich are long metals bars with curved ends, are what you should use for changing your tires yourself, but big ars screwdrivers will do a similar job. And kitchen soap is a very good tire lubricant. Just remember youlll need quite a blow of air to get your tire to beed.

[TrikerR]

whats beading

[TrikerR]

whats this bead you talk about because ive got new tyres and wouldnt have the foggiest how split rims work and was just going to take em to the tyre shop, would this be best for someone who has only had experience at changing bicycle tyres

[martyrsxblood]

the bead is a rubber circle like a rubber gasket thats super strong inside the tire

[AirManCam]

And kitchen soap is a very good tire lubricant. Just remember youlll need quite a blow of air to get your tire to beed.
I just use KY Jelly to lube it uphttp://www.bluetraxx.com/phpBB/images/smiles/jerkit.gif
http://www.bluetraxx.com/phpBB/images/smiles/shrug.gif

[83185s]

lol amc..thats funny...u can use soap the stuff called slime..its green u can get at walmart..i used big screwdrivers and soap tho...or the old handy dandy tire iron and feet job..stand andpush..lol...down rigger..thats good

[toocko]

Thanks guys I will give it a shot. I have an air compressor so air won't be the issue.

[3 weelin geezer]

I used a belt from a large man to squish the tire in the middle to hold the beads on the rim while I used a bike pump with the other hand. Getting the old tire off proved to be a tad more difficult. I thought they used glue or something last time. I was contemplating getting out the hacksaw and cutting it off it was that stuck on.

[polabareus]

You might need an o ring if it's a split rim. It's just a rubber ring that goes between the two halfs, incase you don't know what it is. Also clean up around the edges of the rim and in the middle where the two halfs connect. Take a wire brush and get any rust off. To seat the bead your going to need to inflat the tire beyond the recommened pressure. You want to get it so that if you let all the air out of your tire it stays on the rim. After the bead is seated you can pour soapy water around the edge of the rim, and if you don't see and little bubbles than theirs no "large" leaks and your ready to go. The suckiest part is breaking the bead on the tire before you change it. At least when all you have is a couple screw drivers and a hammer.

[bigredhead]

I had to resort to using my neighbors rear wheel on his 1/2 ton truck to break the bead, that worked pretty good.

Instead of a belt ( wich works.. don't get me wrong :p ) try using tie-straps, they make things easier as you can crank them tight and have lots of lengh to them.

If you have a 2 part rim, i suggest silicone before you put them back together !

[Yamahammer490]

I haven't changed a tire since I found out that one of the gas stations in my town will do it for $5. In fact, I took advantage of their services just last week after using my right rear tire to clean old barbed wire out of a ditch :(