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Message started by Oldfeller on 01/11/18 at 03:06:34

Title: zip ties and tire changes
Post by Oldfeller on 01/11/18 at 03:06:34

Last tire I did before this one, for $15 Cycle Max would put it on and balance it.

Called them about the current tire and their price was just like everybody else, $69 to mount and balance.

So, I bought some 18" long Zip Ties and used the newfangled Zip Tie method. This simplifies the tire mount as you only work "one bead" over the rim edge and it totally stops the chance of snagging the tube while you wrestle with it.

Here is a YouTube that explains the method.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6WPzRRJLpA

Since I own a nice set of 16" and 14" tire irons, I used them instead of hand wrassling the tire on the ground like this guy did. Also, he'd have had an easier go of it if he had centralized the zip tied lips in the center of the rim well on the far side of the wheel instead of letting them drift up the side of the rim like he did (and he should have sprayed his lube there as well).

Even old retired men can keep on changing their own tires using these tricks.

Title: Re: zip ties and tire changes
Post by Dave on 01/11/18 at 03:27:45

So.....how did you modify this video method to work with a tube - and get the valve stem through the rim hole?

Title: Re: zip ties and tire changes
Post by Oldfeller on 01/11/18 at 04:49:21

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6luPxbODw8

This kid showed me that particular how to do the valve stem trick, and it works as advertised You lightly air fluff the tire once to take out any fold over wrinkles, then take the core out completely during mounting as no air pressure is desired during mount (you'd just have to fight against it). You fluff it once more for good luck to pull any tube wrinkles out of the junction between the lips, then you pull the core and retighten the zip ties because they likely stretched a tiny bit during the fluffing.

No core in place during the actual mounting / wrassling and you should use enough zip ties to keep the tire from gaping open any at all in the zone up where you are using tire irons.

I tied a string around the valve stem and used the string through the hole to guide the stem to hole mate up, which was fairly easy to do. You have the stem in the hole and the nut turned in place a turn or two before putting the rest of the tire into the rim well and getting out the irons, working on the wheel side that is opposite the stem.

(I mean if a 10 year old kid can do it, I should be able to do it even as I get older and weaker -- very encouraging to me, really)

The needed 16" or longer zip ties are HUGE and a small flat blade screwdriver can hold the zip ratchet up out of engagement (tug hard while inserting the thin flat tip at the ratchet paul edge) so I was able to recover the big zips ties to use on my next tire.

;D

Now, having been told you can guarantee you won't pinch a tube and you only have to fight one bead, who wouldn't like this method?

My old batting record for brand new pinched inner tubes was about one tire in four.

Title: Re: zip ties and tire changes
Post by HAPPYDAN on 01/11/18 at 10:10:37

Thanks for sharing. Absolute genius. I wish I'd known this method last summer when I rotated the tires on my Honda CT110 (the rear wears out much faster than the front). I do believe that Steve Smith (Red Green to our Canadian friends) was right - you can repair anything with duct tape and zip ties! I wonder if he has used Flex Seal yet? Also Kudos to the 10 year old's idea. We did something similar when I was a kid. We were always getting flats on our bike tires. Put the cap on half way, tie a string around the threads, work the string through he hole and pull the stem through.

Title: Re: zip ties and tire changes
Post by engineer on 01/11/18 at 17:53:27

I've used the zip tie method to change tires on my lawn tractor and it works. My motorcycle tires are all fairly skinny and the classic tire iron method works well enough. On the narrower bike tires I've found that a "Bead Buddy" helps speed the job along.

Title: Re: zip ties and tire changes
Post by Oldfeller on 01/11/18 at 18:19:35

My resident bead buddy got whacked on the wrist by a tire iron that flipped on her and has retired from the task, forever. She really wasn't strong enough for the task (no wrist strength) and she was always in some danger because she didn't understand what was going on very well.

Zip ties don't bruise and they don't complain about it, either, no matter what you do to them.

Motorcycles tires do like to beat my wife up whenever they get the chance -- no wonder she doesn't like them.

Now back to the world of serious stuff, the captured valve stem inserted in the hole centralizes the side of the tire opposite from where you are levering to the exact center of the rim well. It can't go anywhere.

Title: Re: zip ties and tire changes
Post by piedmontbuckeye on 01/16/18 at 07:11:32

My local Honda/Suzuki dealer will change and balance a tire (that I purchased off the internet) for $39.00 I remove the wheel and take it in. After fooling around for several hours on the front tire, I figured that their price was worth the effort and exasperating trouble and back pain!

Title: Re: zip ties and tire changes
Post by jcstokes on 01/16/18 at 09:44:52

Very interesting, I'm wondering if this method could be applied to Beaded Edge or Clincher antique car tyres.

Title: Re: zip ties and tire changes
Post by MMRanch on 01/16/18 at 10:38:10

I'm going to be changing the Sports Demon off the rear of the Guzzi in about a thousand miles , or shortly after winter gives us a break. I couldn't hardly believe the short life of that tire . Only 3200 miles and its 2/3 gone , if that tire last for 5,000 total it will be because its totally bald .

I had a Avon Road-Rider on the front of my first Savage . It griped really good and was real easy to like in the rain. It also lasted near 30,000 miles with me using the front brake almost escluively . It still had tread on it when I sold the bike , but it was beginning to dry rot a little.
So , I'm thinking of trying one of them on the rear of the Guzzi. Some how I think it will last a lot longer than that 4,500 miles ;).
The Commander II tires that last 20,000 miles don't come in Sport-bike sizes (130/90-17) size and it is deffantly not a good tire on wet roads.

Title: Re: zip ties and tire changes
Post by Dave on 01/16/18 at 15:40:18

MM:

The Sport Demon is know for being the grippiest and most short lived tire that comes in vintage bike sizes. They grab like crazy in the wet or dry for their very short life.

Either the Avon Roadrider or the Michelin Pilot Activ would provide good traction and more mileage.

Title: Re: zip ties and tire changes
Post by MMRanch on 01/16/18 at 16:31:42

The Sport Demon is know for being the grippiest and most short lived tire that comes in vintage bike sizes.

Dave , I can sure second that ! Its one grippe tire alright . Never once did it lack traction .
But less than 5,000 miles means I'd go through two of them a year and even that wouldn't be enough if I didn't have other bikes to share the load.

The Avon is a known qunanty to me. I've ask two on line seller for tire dates before I buy and waiting on ansures now. The other Avon of simular desigh are garenteed 15,000 miles tead life. Those dual compound tires are changing everything. I'm thinking the Road-Rider is single compound because its a lot lower price than the Cobra (Avon) , also it comes in 90 series. Cobra only comes in those low profile sizes.

You going to try the Michelin Pilot Activ this year ? Its got a really round profile and should corner REALLY Good for one of the longer lasting compounds ! :)

I'll be trying that Zip-tie trick in the next couple month. ;)

Title: Re: zip ties and tire changes
Post by Dave on 01/17/18 at 05:37:06

MM:

I don't believe I will be buying any tires this summer - I have a full season of riding left in the Bridgestone Battlax BT45 tires I am currently running. The rear BT45 is dual compound and has harder rubber down the center, and I expect it will last about 8 - 10K miles - I don't like the front BT45 as the tread has little diamond shaped tread blocks that wear weird and make growling noises when you lean the bike over in a curve.....the weird thing is that I will likely wear out the front as quickly as I am wearing out the back tire.

You try the Avon RoadRider AM26 next.....and I will give the Michelin Pilot Active a try next time.