Changing Your own Tyres....

[comfysofa]

Thought id throw this up....watching Rob the other day on you tube changing his own tyres i thought id jump in and take the plunge....im not flush (moreso at the moment) !! but, if i could learn to change and balance my own tyres then that would a. save me money as i can order my own and get them delivered at home. B. Obvioulsy save me on fitting charges. And C, i could change them whenever i want....its a bind getting up saturday morning to get down the tyre fitters with loose wheels to drop them off then go back down to collect them....

Heres my shopping list....

2x sets of these...you can use 2 but id rather have more to hand than less....
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2pcs-Motorcycle-Car-Saver-Changing-Tyre-Tire-Wheel-Guard-Rim-Edge-Protector/193021299371?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

1 set of these...
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-x-Metal-24-Tyre-Levers-Tire-Heavy-Duty-Garage-Change-Lever-Car-Van-Bike-15-79/322645842520?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

1 set of these....
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07DC5WZG5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

A bead breaker
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Motorcycle-Tyre-Bead-Breaker-Removal-Tool-Clamp-Abba-Stand-Pro/401542352546?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

A set of weights
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10-X-BLACK-ADHESIVE-WHEEL-BALANCE-WEIGHTS-MOTORCYCLE-BLACK-ALLOY-WHEEL-STICK-ON/123109516817?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649 - ive also got a rolls of 3m double sided tape so i can reuse weights....perfect.

Balancing kit to go on my paddock stand...
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Warrior-Motorcycle-Bike-Wheel-Balancer-Kit-Supplied-With-Paddock-Stand-Adapters/303015673685?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649 now i had a stroke of luck here.....those bars that go into the paddock stand didnt go into mine the bars in my paddock stand are square and smaller...ive got a front yoke mounted paddock stand and they went in there....lucky...balancing - took me about 10 mins to do the back wheel - not done the front yet (will need to soon though)

And finally...

The initial problem was inflating - if i cant inflate them at home then i wouldnt bother as its hit or miss if the local garages air line is working and if you have to go somewhere else you have to pay...now a quid doesnt bother me...but, never carry cash anywhere anymore....and again, time, more time out doing something that could be done at home...this was a bit of a punt but paid off...ive got a small garage but, if i needed one with a tank then so be it....anyway i found this one...


www.aldi.co.uk/ferrex-portable-compressor-1100w/p/090352319982100#product-reviews

But one of the lads on the Ducati reckoned it wouldnt work as it wouldnt have enough grunt to push the bead out....it did! - so very 'appy....50 quid....

I didnt use the tie wrap method....just broke the bead and used the levers....the crucial thing was getting the broken bead to the centre of the wheel then it was easy....id say once the wheel was off about 30 mins to do the whole job.

In summary - all this lot packs into a small drawer - once ive done a few sets of tyre changes it'll have paid for itself. As i can change as often as i want i can get nearly used supercorsas for half the price...top stuff. A bit long and drawn out but, if i can do it anyone can!

Boom! Tyre changed....

[invitro]

Great job! Would have loved to see a video on it!

[comfysofa]

Never really thought about it....theres a million videos out there...!

[keef666]

I'm lucky as where i live the bike shop is just a few hundred yards away, but still a struggle humping wheels there and back, but early last year he was closed [ Holidays] and i humped the front wheel all over the town trying to get it fixed, had a small nail on the curve, they said can't be fixed and will have to buy a new tyre, that meant waiting and humping the damn thing back and fore, so i bought a bead breaker think it cost me £50 got it within three days, a metal ring the wheel sits on, deflate the tyre and use the bar to break the bead, took me a bit of time to do it, got the tyre off, had my new tyre from Spain by then and used zip ties to pull the thing together so it would fit over the rim, cut the ties off and pumped it up with my compressor, loved it when it goes POP! The hardest part was getting the pressure correct, had to go on line to get a conversion chart for PSI /BAR.

After i refitted the front wheel back on the bike i felt really chuffed as that was one task i always left me cold!