Who is spooning there own rubber? | GTAMotorcycle.com

Who is spooning there own rubber?

FLSTC

Well-known member
Who is spooning their own rubber?

Who is spooning their own rubber onto their rims?

Anyone doing this to switch between tire types during their life - i.e. put on a set of TKC80's for a road trip, saving your D606s for offroad/single-track?

Preferred tools? Balancing stand required? Or is balancing skipped if you're only replacing tires for lower-speed offroad usage?

If just for replacement when worn, I may stick to a tire shop. If folks are swapping tire types for using the same bike on different then I may consider acquiring the tools. 2nd set of wheels would be ideal but too pricey...


Thanks,
 
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I used to do my own changes on the KLR and DR650E. I was happy with 60/40 rubber, and bought a second set of rims for the KLR for dirt.

I was using the longer levers, 16" I think, three of them, along with a DRC valve stem puller and a slime air compressor, soap and water, baby powder for the tube and some 2x4 s for under the rim.

I found that heavy duty tubes were far superior to medium and light duty, as well as being harder to pinch.

Rim tape would get replaced about every third tube change.

And leaving the tires to warm up beside the furnace or in the hot sun helped quite a bit.

I also had a 'bead buddy', sort of a third hand, but never really bothered using it until I started playing with rim locks on the DR650 rear.

I wouldn't change dirt rubber for touring, it was too much of a hassle and found that I enjoyed the Kenda 270 on both highway and dry off road. They became slicks in the mud.

Levers x 3
Valve stem puller
Spray bottle w soap and water
Baby powder
Air compressor
Wood blocks
Valve stem tool or valve cap with integrated puller

I didn't bother to balance and paid for it with slightly shorter tire life and vibration.

I hope this helps.
 
I thought bike tires were a b**** to swap requiring a bead breaker? They can be purchased or made, but it's not a small tool to have to store. I would balance at least the front tire for on-road use, people have had good luck with the cheap PA tilting balancing stand.

I've never swapped motorcycle tires personally, from experience swapping tires on other vehicles, the feasibility is affected by the tire/rim combination. Some can be assembled without tools, other are almost impossible to get together or apart without a machine.

The spare set of wheels was my first thought. Most racers keep a spare set for their rains and they are mostly on limited budgets, so there must be a good reason they spring for the second set of rims.
 
Is this for tubeless?

I did it once for a rear tire on the bandit.

I rested the rim on a tri folded bath mat, then ran my Honda Civic up onto it to break the bead. A spotter would have helped, lol.

WD-40 to slip it into the rim, and duct tape to protect the rim.

I got lucky and was able to air up with the slime compressor.

I only did it the once on the bandit post crash with a deer, so I wasn't concerned about cosmetics.

I'd rather pay the $25 per tire for swap and balance. ;)
 
I do it somewhat regularly on my dirt bike. It isn't my favorite thing to do but it doesn't make sense for me to take them to a shop, if your talking maybe one trip a year then get a shop to do it.

Tools and supplies. 2 short tire irons with handles and 1 long tire iron, proper bead lube from princess auto (soap and water works but don't use WD40 mentioned above) baby powder, a small homemade box made out of 2x4's to lay the wheel/tire onto keeping the rotor and sprockets off the ground, valve tool, and a bead buddy which I love. Keep extra tubes on hand and band aids come in pretty handy.

I would balance the front tire if riding on the street but for what I do I don't bother. I wouldn't balance the rear either way.

Watch some youtube videos. You will not do it anywhere as quickly or easily as it looks at first. Take small bites and make sure the bead is pushed into the center of the wheel, both of these things will make it possible to finish the job. Otherwise you'll probably get the tire 95% on and the last bit simply won't budge. I try to start at the valve stem and get the tire over the rim lock as quickly as possible. If you leave the rim lock till the end I find it gets a lot tougher and I end up pinching tubes etc.

I'd try to find an older mx wheel with a tube and tire on kijiji and practice with that a few times.
 
yes - dirt bikes / tubeless I was considering, not street bike / tube / bead-breaker/ high-pressure bead-seating...


follow-up question - which heavy duty tubes, and where to acquire? I ordered some tubes from F9 previously for a Suzuki S40 and the sizing was complex...
 
Re: Who is spooning their own rubber?

You can still get ULtra heavy duty for the front, but my source closed (both of them). I was using a metzler rear tube that I consider a medium duty for the KLR 17" rear.
 
Re: Who is spooning their own rubber?

What's not to like about WD-40? ;)

Of course holding off on wheelies til it dries is a good idea. :p
 
Re: Who is spooning their own rubber?

changed some dirt bike tires, two 12" spoons and a smooth rounded butter knife.

want good practice changing tires? try changing a pick up truck tire - two tire irons, a crowbar, and a sledge hammer for sliding along the tire irons...
 
Re: Who is spooning their own rubber?

I have all tubed tires on all my bikes. Tubes and me do not get along. I will take them off the bike in my garage, but I then take them to GP to get the rubber swapped. It takes them about 15 minutes in and out there, but if I tried it myself I'm sure I'd be about 2 hours in, have ruined about 3 tubes, and would still hurling cursewords.

Anyhow, OT, but I've seen this done lots of times in my trade - always impressed how fast these guys are.

[video=youtube;bD3odCC7oyw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bD3odCC7oyw[/video]
 
Re: Who is spooning their own rubber?

Wow!
 
Re: Who is spooning their own rubber?

I change all my own dirtbike tires and tubes as I usually need a new rear every 30 days. Two tire irons, some soap in a spray bottle and a milk crate to rest the rim/tire on. 20 minutes or so back on the bike and ripping.

Sent from my SM-A500W using Tapatalk
 
Re: Who is spooning their own rubber?

I have all tubed tires on all my bikes. Tubes and me do not get along. I will take them off the bike in my garage, but I then take them to GP to get the rubber swapped. It takes them about 15 minutes in and out there, but if I tried it myself I'm sure I'd be about 2 hours in, have ruined about 3 tubes, and would still hurling cursewords.

Anyhow, OT, but I've seen this done lots of times in my trade - always impressed how fast these guys are.

[video=youtube;bD3odCC7oyw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bD3odCC7oyw[/video]

That's obviously not that guys first rodeo, but damn that tire went on easily. I've had some that even when they were in the deepest part of the rim, about 30% if the tire required leapfrogging irons. I wish all tires/rims cooperated as well as the one in the video.
 
Re: Who is spooning their own rubber?

I've done mines a long time. You need to figure out technique
 
Re: Who is spooning their own rubber?

I change all my own dirtbike tires and tubes as I usually need a new rear every 30 days. Two tire irons, some soap in a spray bottle and a milk crate to rest the rim/tire on. 20 minutes or so back on the bike and ripping.

Sent from my SM-A500W using Tapatalk

You are my hero (for riding enough to consume a tire every 30 days, LoL)

Balancing included? Worth it to get a balancing stand?
 
Re: Who is spooning their own rubber?

You are my hero (for riding enough to consume a tire every 30 days, LoL)

Balancing included? Worth it to get a balancing stand?
I never balance my offroad only tires. Balancing a dualsport tire can take a fair bit of weight if you have a rimlock.
I use to burn through a rear every month, especially when I had the drz and ran trakmasters.

Sent from my SM-A500W using Tapatalk
 
Re: Who is spooning their own rubber?

I do my own, easy as it get's.

I use tusk irons and a motion pro Bead Buddy which makes my life very easy.

Who is spooning their own rubber onto their rims?

Anyone doing this to switch between tire types during their life - i.e. put on a set of TKC80's for a road trip, saving your D606s for offroad/single-track?

Preferred tools? Balancing stand required? Or is balancing skipped if you're only replacing tires for lower-speed offroad usage?

If just for replacement when worn, I may stick to a tire shop. If folks are swapping tire types for using the same bike on different then I may consider acquiring the tools. 2nd set of wheels would be ideal but too pricey...


Thanks,
 
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I use a motion pro bead breaker, it takes a few seconds and I can carry it with me

https://www.google.ca/search?q=Moti...#imgdii=k3I83xyZxMh2_M:&imgrc=pXPsUlkTDBcdJM:



I thought bike tires were a b**** to swap requiring a bead breaker? They can be purchased or made, but it's not a small tool to have to store. I would balance at least the front tire for on-road use, people have had good luck with the cheap PA tilting balancing stand.

I've never swapped motorcycle tires personally, from experience swapping tires on other vehicles, the feasibility is affected by the tire/rim combination. Some can be assembled without tools, other are almost impossible to get together or apart without a machine.

The spare set of wheels was my first thought. Most racers keep a spare set for their rains and they are mostly on limited budgets, so there must be a good reason they spring for the second set of rims.
 

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