SuzukiSavage.com - Changing the rear tire

justin_o_guy2

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Re: Changing the rear tire
Reply #30 - 09/12/12 at 00:08:00

Re: Changing the rear tire
Reply #29 - Today at 05:21:48 Alert Board Moderator about this Post! Quote
Here is what I used to lay the wheel on when changing tires before I got my tire changing stand:

I used it to keep the disk brake rotor off of the ground.

Look at all the "battle scars" on this thing:

Yea,, those are battle scars, allrite,,& theres more of them on that than there are on my forehead, but, the one on my forehead just seems more important to me, for some odd reason,,

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Gyrobob

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Re: Changing the rear tire
Reply #31 - 09/12/12 at 03:50:35

Digger speaks truth. Knowing how to do it is the largest factor. I like his statement about taking a mental break and figuring out what you are doing wrong when it seems too hard to do.

I have always changed my own tires,.. since the late 1950s. The toughest one was on a Goldwing along the side of the road at night in the rain when a nail did me in. It took a couple of hours altogether,... even with some help from a really good guy with a coleman lantern, some tools, and an umbrella.

Curiously, I am just too lazy to do this kind of thing on the big bikes like my FJR-1300 anymore. I'd probably still be doing my own work on that, but I found a guy here in the ATL area who is a real craftsman with tires, and will install and balance for $25 if you buy the tire from him, or $35 otherwise. These days my time is worth more than $25 for that amount of work.

I did do all the tire-changing and wheel straightening on the Double RYCA build.
-- Taking off four tires took about an hour.
-- Straightening the wheels took a couple of evenings.
-- Installing the tires took another hour.

The Savage tires and wheels are child's play compared to a 'Wing, but, again, as Digger relates, if you know the relatively simple techniques, changing Savage tires is more a matter of tedium than difficulty.

I carry a couple of small aluminum tire spoons with me in the toolkit. For the FJR, I don't do that anymore. I carry a tubeless tire plug kit, and a very small pump,.. the idea being to get me on the road temporarily so I can get to a bike shop. I haven't ever had to use that option.

Anyway, read up on it, study those videos, and use Digger's advice. Tire take-off and install will be only a chore, not a nightmare.

P.S. -- the trash bag thing does not work on motorcycle wheels/tires.

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Dave

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Re: Changing the rear tire
Reply #32 - 09/12/12 at 04:55:11

ralfyguy wrote on 09/11/12 at 10:43:15:

How do you guys keep the rim from getting nicked and scratched when prying to get the bead off and on?

I lay the rib down on a piece of carpet on the floor - disc side up. I have 4 of these rim protectors - but generally only 3 are needed.
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/4/22/276/4448/ITEM/K-L-Nylon-Rim-Saver.a...
They work well - but occasionally one will slip inside and it hard to retrieve.

I think I am going to buy these and give them a try:
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/4/65/36693/ITEM/Motion-Pro-Rim-Shields...
Since posting this I read the reviews.....and these aren't reported to be very durable.

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« Last Edit: 09/12/12 at 06:38:35 by Dave »

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Dave

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Re: Changing the rear tire
Reply #33 - 09/13/12 at 09:30:23

Digger wrote on 09/08/12 at 19:29:26:

I change all of my own tires, using no tools more cosmic than tire irons. This includes the rear tire on my GL1800.....the most feared tire in all of motorcycledom.....

My secret weapon is a heat gun. Judicious use of this can turn an otherwise impossible job into one that's almost trivial. And, I hate to sound flippant, but I consider the IRC tires on my Savage to be quite easy to change.

If you want to learn how to change your own motorcycle tires, I suggest you practice first on a few bicycle tires. Then, try the front tire on your Savage. Finally, try the rear tire.

Just remember this: If you're working too hard, you're doing it wrong. Stop, take a few slugs off of your beer, and think about it. Technique is more important than strength. I'm only 155 lbs butt naked, old, and not particularly strong, and, like I said above, I can change my GL1800's rear tires using just tire irons.....

When I read you heat gun trick.....it didn't come to my mind immediately.......but I can relate that it does help.

My uncle wanted to mount some really big stiff tires on one of his 1912 era cars. He called up his funeral home friend......and they put his tires in the crematorium oven for a bit to warm then up before they mounted them! Grin

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Gyrobob

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Re: Changing the rear tire
Reply #34 - 09/13/12 at 10:04:21

Dave wrote on 09/13/12 at 09:30:23:

When I read you heat gun trick.....it didn't come to my mind immediately.......but I can relate that it does help.

My uncle wanted to mount some really big stiff tires on one of his 1912 era cars. He called up his funeral home friend......and they put his tires in the crematorium oven for a bit to warm then up before they mounted them! Grin

The refuse collection company here uses really large black plastic garbage cans. I use the heat trick as well,... I set the can out in the sun, and put the tire in the can for 30 minutes or so. It gets the tire up to about 120 degrees. Very helpful.

.

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