Recommendations for DIY Tire Changers (tools & tips)

Hey All, I have three scooter tires to change out and have decided that since I'm pretty handy, I'm going to invest in some tire changing "spoons" and tackle this myself.  I have a few questions:

1 a) What brand spoons would you recommend and; b) how many do you need i.e. 2 or 3 ... or a longer pry bar (say 16" and two shorter spoons)?  FYI - I buy "better or best" quality tools when possible ... especially if I know I'll be using a tool many times and get my money out of them.  

2) Are the rim protectors that come in some kits worth it?

3) Regarding balancing, after changing out the tire, do you take it to a shop for balancing or do you use a product like Dyna Beads etc.

4) Lastly, based on your hands on experience, what tips and tricks  can you provide to make this task go easier/better?


Thanks in advance.

1. I use 3 each tire irons they are 11” long. The longer the more torque you can apply to remove tire. Make sure the tire seal is completely broken off rim.
2. I have used Dyna Beads with good results on a Vespa 12” tire but be sure you buy Dyna Bead made for motorcycles as they are different for cars or trucks. I prefer a weight balanced tire and bought a Marc Parnes balancer. google his name to order it. A bit pricey but really works great. You can call him at 714-842-9210 PCT.
3. Tips. If the tire is old heat it up with a blow dryer or put near a heat source. This will soften the tire. Use a lot of soap to lube the tire edges before removal and putting on new tire or buy Motorcycle No-Mar Tire Mount Lubricant this stuff is great and make tire removal and install on rim much easier.
Take your time and good luck.
Oh ya, if you want a shop to balance the tire call them to be sure they are equipped to do do it. Scooters seem to need special tools.

What about bead breaker, air tank to air up/seal bead? If you are older like me, long tire irons make up for the loss of strength, mine are 24 inch-----big rubber hammer helps in getting stiff tire from rim in final removal.
Although I have static balance stand, I have been using "Ride On" for years and many miles---unlike beads it provides some sealing possibilities.


Most cannot or do not balance scooter tires

I use spoons, I have some like big screw drivers with a large flat curve, and normal flat tire bars. Both in the 1 foot range. They both work fine. Wrap the shafts in electric tape to not scratch rims, and if you are really worried cut strips from a thick plastic bottle to put between rim and tool.  When you are doing it right it goes very easy, if you are fighting and need lots of force something is wrong.
For lube I use wd40, on a big powerful bike it may be a problem, but I have not seen it on street bikes.  You can also use dawn and water… Just be sure to let them dry for a few days before trying burn outs on big bikes.
A drop balance can be made cheaply and the shafts with durlin cones are cheap on eBay. In a pinch the wheel bearings can be used but a bearing shaft holder is the right way.
I have never had much trouble beading a new tire, sometime it takes a little playing with it but not much. Maybe a bead blaster would be needed with hard race tires but cruiser and scooter tires can be pushed in the center to push out the beads to the rim. Just be sure to remove the core to seat and to have a good air source.

The biggest problem you can have is breaking the beads on the old tires…  If they want to work with you, you can do it with a hammer and a pry bar. That has never worked for me. A big vise will work, as will a old type bumper jack, The kind that clicks as it ratchets up. The foot of it works well as a bead breaker if you still have a bumper or something to jack against.  But most shops will break the bead for nothing if you bring in the wheels only and ask nicely..

Just be sure to protect the rim at all times. They scratch easy without rags or wood.  

And a bucket that the rim sits on with the tire hanging over is a big help also.

Take your time, go easy and it will work out well. If you get frustrated and try to force them tires can be very stubborn.

Dan

Best bet----buy bead breaker to break beads. Expensive one from Aerostich works, even on small scooter wheels----currently I use this one, had cheaper one in past....broke it. Since 1955 I figure I have gone thru/changed about 400 mc tires.

Bead breaker ... mmm ... didn't really think of that. B-I-L has a manual tire changer that comes with a bead breaker that I swing by and use ... or, I like Dan's idea of the farm/implement jack which I have. I also have an air compressor, air gun, valve stem remover tool, torque wrenches etc.

I have never used this method but have been told a larger C ClMp can be used to squeeze the tire together to break the need. I bought a small Harbor Fright bead breaker that has worked too. Even got a free flashlight too. Ha Ha!

Rim protectors, I cut mine from plastic milk bottle handles, use a HF tire changer with an assortment of spoons and flat bars with curved tips. What I really like the best is remove the tire buy the new tires at a local shop and he mounts and balances for the price of the tires.

I'm very "lazy" and take the tire off and run it over to Larson Cycle in Cambridge, MN. They are a motorcycle shop and have done great work for me in the past.

I wonder if a simple running over the tire (not the rim) with a car would be the easiest and fastest way.
Put some cardboard on the concrete, maybe have a second person for assistance and you separate in seconds.
Maybe put the tire on the curb for holding it in place.

Just a thought from somebody who lives in a place where all your conveniences are not easily available.

...but to be honest, I always take my bike to a tire/motorcycle dealer and let them do it all.
never payed more than 20 to 30 Euros on top of the tire price.

Sepp wrote:

I wonder if a simple running over the tire  (not the rim) with a car would be the easiest and fastest way.
Put some cardboard on the concrete, maybe have a second person for assistance and you separate in seconds.
Maybe put the tire on the curb for holding it in place.

Just a thought from somebody who lives in a place where all your conveniences are not easily available.

...but to be honest, I always take my bike to a tire/motorcycle dealer and let them do it all.
never payed more than 20 to 30 Euros on top of the tire price.

Just had a bad vision of me running over the tire and somehow the vehicle changes direction and runs over the rim and the rim gets bent/cracked. LOL!

BMW owner's manuals used to include---how to break bead with center stand foot---those air heads were well balanced and this could be done with wheel off. Now? Might work on SilverWing with front off. Rear probably trouble due to imbalance of bike.....

I have used the "drive over it" method of breaking the bead on a couple of motorcycle tires and one on a Cessna I used to have. I don't drive over them directly with a car tire but lay a short board on the tire that's laying on the ground just off the rim with the other end on the ground and drive the car onto the board. That way there's no chance of bending or damaging the rim. Works well. Then it's time to work up a sweat with tire irons. As already mentioned plastic from a milk bottle or some such makes a good rim protector so the irons don't scratch it.

BTW - the hillbilly way of getting the tire seated on the rim works well. Just spray a little hair spray into the tire and lite it. I've done it on truck tires and it worked well. Starting fluid works well too.
Here's how it works for anyone who hasn't seen it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63RAFk1Ae84

I just went through some of this. I put new tires on a Helix I just purchased and my Silverwing front tire kept going flat and seemed to vibrate above 65mph. I bought my Helix tires online and my local independent shop refused to mount or balance them since I purchased tires elsewhere. Cycle Gear is near me and they said it would be about $60 per tire since I didn't buy from them. My local auto-tire guy did all the mounting for $10 per wheel - but no balancing. The slow leak was just the valve stem. I finally used some bearings that I had replaced and washed them out and oiled them for low friction. Jury rigged my own balancer using the Silverwing front axle (solid steel shaft inside the axle tube) and balanced to tire quite easily. It now runs smooth as can be. I didn't want to have to buy, fix, and store the Harbor Freight balancer, so I just did it with minimal equipment. You really do need to come up with low friction bearings, don't try to just use the greased packed bearings in the wheel.

Jim, I also used the front axle on my Silverwing but cleaned bearings and new axle grease. Came out better than the motorcycle shop slop job.

So is the front axle suspended between two jack stands? Or do you balance the tire with the wheel still mounted in the fork but the caliper removed?

Given that the bearings are inside the wheel are you saying that 1) those bearings are removed, cleaned of all grease, then reinserted so that the wheel & tire will freely rotate for balancing? Or, 2) that the existing bearings be cleaned & degreased while still in the wheel? Then the wheel balanced using those bearings. If so then do you later remove those bearing and replace them with a new set?

Tim

When you do it “properly” you use 2 bearings to hold the axle that have had the side seals removed, all grease removed and only light oil on them. So off the bike you use the axle through the wheel and its normal wheel bearings, with the extra bearings with only oil holding the axle at its ends resting on jack stands or whatever your rig up. Look at this link below and think only one bearing on the end instead of the 2 the shaft rides on.

 https://www.amazon.com/SUNROAD-Universal-Motorcycle-Balancer-Balancing/dp/B073XMKP8K/ref=asc_df_B073XMKP8K/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=385215594456&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2519159193908330131&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-824685007890&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=81184753369&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=385215594456&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2519159193908330131&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-824685007890

I have a old snap on balancer made for cars, but with a proper shaft and cones for motorcycles..  For $36.00 shipped its getting harder and harder to justify rigging or building your own anymore. I paid more for my motorcycle shaft with durlin cones to convert the snap-on balancer  I already had years ago than it would cost to buy a cheap motorcycle one complete from amazon now…

Dan

Can anyone tell me why after I posted the topic is now so wide? Im sure it was normal befor.....

Thanks
 Dan

If you look at your previous post DLK the link is what makes it wide. Not sure why but some links don't "word wrap" or whatever you want to call it. Don't worry about it tho it's just one of those things.

There is a benefit going on as I write this for the family of a young guy who died when the tire he was mounting blew up. Granted it was a truck tire, but I am sure severe injury could occur if that scooter tire or rim blows up.

One thing I've used successfully on a stubborn motorcycle tire was a ratchet strap. Just run it around the tire in the middle of the tread and tighten it up until the beads are against the rim.

Hi Sunovabug,

I know it would be a good ride but I have all the need to do your job. Machine tire, dynabeads and a lift...
Offer is on... up to you.. If you do it yourself using dynabeads is the best one on the marcket for tire balancing....

Michel

Michel Vachon wrote:

Hi Sunovabug,

I know it would be a good ride but I have all the need to do your job. Machine tire, dynabeads and a lift...
Offer is on... up to you.. If you do it yourself using dynabeads is the best one on the marcket for tire balancing....

Michel

Merci Beaucoup Michel. It's a little bit of a journey from KW ON to La Belle Province. I have just bought my MC tire irons and will be giving it a try. Your equipment sounds great ... only wish you were closer. Thanks for your kind offer. Perhaps we'll have a chance to meet on the road ... QC is on our must camp/ride list. Salut!