andyp Posted July 3, 2014 Report Share Posted July 3, 2014 Having been back in the market for tyres this week, it got me thinking (as it always does) about the merits - or lack of - of changing my own tyres at home. Anyone got their own equipment for doing this? What does it entail and what do I need? A bead breaker, levers and a balancing machine? Plus tyre soap and wheel weights etc. obviously, but I'm thinking about the big bits of kit and what they might cost. Cheers. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porter_jamie Posted July 3, 2014 Report Share Posted July 3, 2014 yes you can make a bead breaker you need a couple of mc levers and a rim protector you can make a static balancer tyre soap, stick on weights, levers, everything available off ebay i bought a tyre machine and car balancer off here really cheap and got the spares to fix it up from my mate who runs a tyre machine place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsxr renegade Posted July 3, 2014 Report Share Posted July 3, 2014 Having been back in the market for tyres this week, it got me thinking (as it always does) about the merits - or lack of - of changing my own tyres at home. Anyone got their own equipment for doing this? What does it entail and what do I need? A bead breaker, levers and a balancing machine? Plus tyre soap and wheel weights etc. obviously, but I'm thinking about the big bits of kit and what they might cost. Cheers. Andy I wrote a little guide a few months ago about changing my rear tyre; http://pbmagforum.co.uk/index.php?/topic/49876-how-to-change-your-own-tyres/ (be warned, it's quite heavy on pictures) All in all, my kit probably cost about £90 (I bought one of the £60 bead breakers from ebay). All you need is a method of breaking the bead, then just a couple of decent tyre levers and rim protectors. edited to add: It takes longer than getting a shop to do it for you, but after a couple of changes, the kit pays for itself. Plus, i like the conveniece of being able to change my tyre whenever i want and not having to worry about carting loose wheels to a tyre shop - mainly becasue i don't have a car. Plus, i find most places won't fit tyres you haven't bought from them - so doing your own means you can get cheper tyres and fit them at home. It's really not difficult at all as long as you take your time and don't get too frustrated with things. As i mention in my thread, the first time took me ages, but now that i've got my technique sorted, i can change a tyre in about 10-15 minutes now (Just need to buy myself a little compressor so i don;t have to trek to the garage to seat the bead and pump them up!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyp Posted July 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2014 Nice one, cheers. At the likes of £90, this is in no-brainer territory. At least to begin with, then I might get extra kit if I use it enough. My old man and brother could use it too so it is bound to pay for itself reasonably quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsxr renegade Posted July 3, 2014 Report Share Posted July 3, 2014 Nice one, cheers. At the likes of £90, this is in no-brainer territory. At least to begin with, then I might get extra kit if I use it enough. My old man and brother could use it too so it is bound to pay for itself reasonably quickly. This was the bead breaker i bough; http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mechanics-Workshop-Garage-Motorcycle-Tyre-Bead-Breaker-Motorbike-Tyre-Changer-/141289245718?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item20e57ecc16 And i got the trye soap and levers a few years ago from a bike shop that's now shut down, but 2 sets of levers like this; http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-X-12-METAL-TYRE-LEVER-300-MM-TYRE-LEVERS-CAR-MOTORBIKE-BIKE-CYCLE-WHEEL-NEW-/291010793916?pt=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item43c19851bc Rim protectors (You can make your own from old hosepipe, milk cartons etc. if you want to) http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-ALLOY-WHEEL-RIM-EDGE-PROTECTORS-MOTORBIKE-MOTORCYCLE-/141243162927?pt=UK_Cars_Parts_Vehicles_Wheels_tyre_Trims_Trims_ET&hash=item20e2bfa12f and tyre soap (again, you can use stuff like a very weak mixture of fairy liquid/water etc. but i prefer using tyre soap becasue it doesn't run and you don't need much) http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/REMA-TIP-TOP-TYRE-MOUNTING-PASTE-TYRE-SOAP-WATER-BASED-5KG-AND-PASTE-BRUSH-/131191709629?pt=UK_Vehicle_Oils_Lubricants_Fluids&hash=item1e8ba29fbd My 5kilo tub has lasted me for about 5 years. (i kid you not) although it has gone solid so i need to add a little water to it every time i want to use it now. This is pretty much the exact kit that i've got. My local place charges about £20 to fit a set of tyres to loose wheels (£10 per tyre) so my kit paid for itself after 4 or so changes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porter_jamie Posted July 3, 2014 Report Share Posted July 3, 2014 i use an old washing up sponge thingy for appling the soap, seems to work ok Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanWinkle Posted July 3, 2014 Report Share Posted July 3, 2014 Yep i do my own tyres too..add valves and cores to your list too.. i bought all my gear from ABBA about 7 or 8 years back, i think i spent may be in total 150 on setting up, tyre soap and weights i now cadge off the guys at national tyres, they used to supply my bike tyres at cost but they dont supply now which means i have to shop around for a good deal...anyway,the kit bought has paid for itself 100 times over, so a good investment imho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanWinkle Posted July 3, 2014 Report Share Posted July 3, 2014 Oh yeah, should have added. Make up a frame of sorts so your wheel can lie flat without damaging your discs, i use a fucked rear tyre for this but a couple bits of wood knocked into a square shape will do the job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyp Posted July 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2014 This is really useful stuff. Thanks very much guys. I guess it's a bit late now as I need the tyres fitted today, but I'm gonna go and investigate this for next time. Will be useful for mates etc. too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanWinkle Posted July 3, 2014 Report Share Posted July 3, 2014 Oh yeah,mistake doing others tyres incase of damage, but allow them use of your gear for the price of a beer or two is the way to go... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattbloke Posted July 5, 2014 Report Share Posted July 5, 2014 changing your tyres at home is doable, the problem you will have is balancing them properly. yes, you can buy those daft spindle/gravity balancing things but they really arnt good enough for modern bike speeds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsxr renegade Posted July 5, 2014 Report Share Posted July 5, 2014 changing your tyres at home is doable, the problem you will have is balancing them properly. yes, you can buy those daft spindle/gravity balancing things but they really arnt good enough for modern bike speeds. I've never had an issue with unbalanced wheels/unwanted vibes at speed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porter_jamie Posted July 5, 2014 Report Share Posted July 5, 2014 Ime it is better to do it statically Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gobert Posted July 5, 2014 Report Share Posted July 5, 2014 changing your tyres at home is doable, the problem you will have is balancing them properly. yes, you can buy those daft spindle/gravity balancing things but they really arnt good enough for modern bike speeds. You mean the same kit that the pro tyre changers use at track days / race meets.......................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanWinkle Posted July 5, 2014 Report Share Posted July 5, 2014 changing your tyres at home is doable, the problem you will have is balancing them properly. yes, you can buy those daft spindle/gravity balancing things but they really arnt good enough for modern bike speeds. Really, ive never had any problems, what is it that you think is wrong with doing it this way?. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattbloke Posted July 5, 2014 Report Share Posted July 5, 2014 You mean the same kit that the pro tyre changers use at track days / race meets.......................... yes. both myself and customers of mine have all had issues with vibration/imbalance from "pro tyre changers" at race meetings. that was the reason we spent loads of dough (a few grand) on a dynamic wheel balancer for the workshop rather than a plain static one. edited* one of my customers wheels were out by nearly 40grams per wheel after having them done on circuit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porter_jamie Posted July 5, 2014 Report Share Posted July 5, 2014 Other way round here only ever had an issue with dynamically balanced mc wheels Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregorious77 Posted July 5, 2014 Report Share Posted July 5, 2014 bead breaker (block screwed to door frame). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark/Foggy Posted July 5, 2014 Report Share Posted July 5, 2014 changing your tyres at home is doable, the problem you will have is balancing them properly. yes, you can buy those daft spindle/gravity balancing things but they really arnt good enough for modern bike speeds. In 10 yrs at World Endurance Level, where more tyres get changed and more rims get inspected that anywhere else, I'd suggest that dynamic balancing is pretty much a luxury. Nobody in the paddock does it, most trust the manufacturers fitters and the top teams conduct a second static balance check after the tyre factory supplied techs have done the best that they can. Wooden bead breaker as above is all you'd need, could be useful for pressing in that last bit after you've walked most of the tyre round the rim and given up on levers that are about to split the rim. Really modern tyres like Dunlop N/R-Tec slicks are a real bastard as the construction that lets them run at really low pressures make them complete bastards to fit. Tyre machine is a good idea, but if I was given the choice of going down the local tyre monkey/ fast fit local shop and gettting the job done right, I'd stay at home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lorenzo Posted July 7, 2014 Report Share Posted July 7, 2014 I bought myself one of these a few months back and found it pretty simple to use. The handle could do with being a little longer to get more leverage, but I've got an old fork stanchion hanging about for just this sort of occasion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich7/12 Posted July 7, 2014 Report Share Posted July 7, 2014 I bought myself one of these a few months back and found it pretty simple to use. The handle could do with being a little longer to get more leverage, but I've got an old fork stanchion hanging about for just this sort of occasion. Exactly what I've got and I also have to use a fork tube to get the leverage needed... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanWinkle Posted July 7, 2014 Report Share Posted July 7, 2014 A heavy duty vice will do the job too.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lorenzo Posted July 7, 2014 Report Share Posted July 7, 2014 Exactly what I've got and I also have to use a fork tube to get the leverage needed... Phew, I thought it was just me being a wimp. Turns out there two of us being wimps.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanWinkle Posted July 7, 2014 Report Share Posted July 7, 2014 I bought myself one of these a few months back and found it pretty simple to use. The handle could do with being a little longer to get more leverage, but I've got an old fork stanchion hanging about for just this sort of occasion. How does that work then, does the centre part adjust depending on wheel sizes?. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gobert Posted July 7, 2014 Report Share Posted July 7, 2014 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lorenzo Posted July 7, 2014 Report Share Posted July 7, 2014 How does that work then, does the centre part adjust depending on wheel sizes?. No, it's much more simple than that, you just move the wheel a bit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHimmer45 Posted October 2, 2014 Report Share Posted October 2, 2014 any recommended levers which are not made of cheese? the ones at the top of the thread that's got to be a misprint on the price £113? looking at fitting tyres to my 500RS project so only narrow 18" tyres lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsxr renegade Posted October 2, 2014 Report Share Posted October 2, 2014 any recommended levers which are not made of cheese? the ones at the top of the thread that's got to be a misprint on the price £113? looking at fitting tyres to my 500RS project so only narrow 18" tyres lol Something like this should be fine. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-X-20-TYRE-LEVERS-TIRE-HEAVY-DUTY-GARAGE-1-PAIR-CHANGE-LEVER-SHOP-5D-/281283817666?pt=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item417dd270c2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonkeyJim Posted October 2, 2014 Report Share Posted October 2, 2014 try http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php?topic=1877.0 HTH edit: oh, you said *not* cheese. sorry. still some useful info there, though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanWinkle Posted October 2, 2014 Report Share Posted October 2, 2014 Ive not had any problems with leaver quality or durability, possibly ive just been lucky..lets know how your new leavers are and how long they last.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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