Who do you trust to install and balance tires on new Powdercoated wheels?
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I take my wheels to Competition Cycle Center 1001 Old Griffin Rd Dania Beach FL 33004 & if you go on Sat, be sure & make the two mile trip into Dania Beach to the AMCA meet at Frost Park (posted in events)
'Newt' is the resident tire changer. He was a Yamaha factory mechanic for years, and has worked at this business for about as-long. If you go inside there is plenty of knowlegable assistance, Gabriel, Mikey, Cliff, all w/lots of knowlege about their products & the showroom/warehouse is probably 15,000 sq ft. Helmets, clothing, boots, gloves, tires, batteries, lighting, oil, etc... he will take care of your painted, anodized, or plated rims.
'Newt' is the resident tire changer. He was a Yamaha factory mechanic for years, and has worked at this business for about as-long. If you go inside there is plenty of knowlegable assistance, Gabriel, Mikey, Cliff, all w/lots of knowlege about their products & the showroom/warehouse is probably 15,000 sq ft. Helmets, clothing, boots, gloves, tires, batteries, lighting, oil, etc... he will take care of your painted, anodized, or plated rims.
sdt354
Well-Known Member
After getting my polished wheels gaffed up by two local cycle shops I bought some spoons and rim protectors from Motion Pro. A truing stand comes in handy too. No-one loves your bike like you do.
Not all shops are bad though. Guys like Garrett are considerate of your wheels, and have good equipment.
I'm fixing to find out, hopefully this weekend, whether or not I can trust ME with the re-install of Shala's GenII rubber on her newly re-powdered wheels. I'm a bit nervous myself. I use a Mojolever - with the nylon protectors on both ends - but still very apprehensive.
Redbone
Well-Known Member
My tire change place (Yamaha dealer's w/ well used air powered tire changer) let me help mount my tires on my brand new Carrozzeria's! I think he was as nervous as I was but we easily installed the two tires but did not balance b/c I am using Dynabeads. I arrived late in the day, about 40 min to closing, boss must have been gone because we did no paperwork and he only charged me $20! There is only two places within a 100 miles of me that change tires, luckily the guys that do mine are good mechanics. The parts guy is a little wishy washy with his prices, sometimes charges me ~$28 for a off bike tire change and other times it's $37.50. The $20 charge for 2 wheels was strictly the mechanics deal.
unsure on cazz rears but the front was a bit tougher than usual as the deep V is very shallow so not a lot of room for the tire to sit in.
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Redbone
Well-Known Member
As I remember it the front was a little tougher for that very reason. It was tough with two of us although I have not ever change a street bike tire before. I changed a few dirt bike tires and a bunch of car tires way back in high school, but street bike tires is harder than any other that I've changed. I hope to be able to afford a tire changer in a couple of years so I can run a little businees locally changing tires/ oil and other stuff.
Well, after I got the bearings & seals back into Shala's front wheel yesterday afternoon, I got brave, got out the tire changer and went at it. I can now say I trust ME to not scratch powdercoated wheels when changing rubber. At least, I did her front tire w/o and marring. Hopefully, I have as good of luck when I do her rear 240 tire. The Mojolever did it's job as advertised, and not a scratch.
do you have a HF stand?
By the time I decided to start changing my own rubber, HF had discontinued their MC specific tops for their tire changers. So, I have one of their bottom parts - the part where you can do car/truck tires and also the bead breaker part. Then I had to get a much more expensive MC specifit top half that sits on the HF base. http://www.wikco.com/mc110.html
The Wikco MC specific part I bought fit right onto the less expensive HF base. At a glance, I don't see that specific part listed at their site any longer, so I'm not sure if it's still offered. But the ones shown at the link I've copied looke identical, except that they have the colormatched Wikco bases under them - and of course, even more pricey. (HF base was under $60.00) And it looks like Wikco now offer a verion of a Mojolever as well, perhaps the same company(?).
The Wikco MC specific part I bought fit right onto the less expensive HF base. At a glance, I don't see that specific part listed at their site any longer, so I'm not sure if it's still offered. But the ones shown at the link I've copied looke identical, except that they have the colormatched Wikco bases under them - and of course, even more pricey. (HF base was under $60.00) And it looks like Wikco now offer a verion of a Mojolever as well, perhaps the same company(?).
Does anyone think it will be a good idea for me to mount the tires myself using the "ziptie method" as found on youtube? After I get the tires mounted I can take them to be balanced and there should be less chance of them being nicked up.
Pretty-slick. It keeps the bead in the center pretty-well. Why-not do it? I may try that next time. Getting the bead to seat is another one but I dunno if I would try the aerosol method.
sdt354
Well-Known Member
Yea, save the starting fluid trick for truck tires. For bike tires a rope tied around the middle of the tire then twisted tight with a rod does the trick seating the bead. If you change a lot of tires, an air band instead of the rope. Leave the inside of the shreader valve out till the bead is seated. A decent capacity compressor is your friend.
Steve-o
I have a 10 cfm/90 psi compressor, but still take my tires to the shop because they offer free mounting if you give 'em the wheels off the bike, & you buy their tires, you pay for balancing, but still not-bad.
I have used the bar & rope method, but I use a tiedown instead, & a breaker bar or a piece of rebar. I've considered buying an air band but never have.
Yes, leave out the schrader valve until the beads 'pop.' I use Windex for the rubber bead edge.
I have used the bar & rope method, but I use a tiedown instead, & a breaker bar or a piece of rebar. I've considered buying an air band but never have.
Yes, leave out the schrader valve until the beads 'pop.' I use Windex for the rubber bead edge.
[email protected]
Well-Known Member
Never did the rope trick. I've used a small ratchet strap on the lawn tractor tire before.
I use starting fluid on the wheelbarrow. Works pretty good. Definitely would not do it to my bike.
I use starting fluid on the wheelbarrow. Works pretty good. Definitely would not do it to my bike.
harbor freight has a balancing stand for $45 usually. marc panes has awesome additional cones if you need them. motion pro weights are pretty cheap on the weby web.
if you're paying a shop to balance your tires, and they want anything over $5 the above is probably cheaper. seating the bead isnt' tough either. a bead of dishwashing liquid is your friend if you can't get a ratchet strap to seat 'em. even a small compressor with enough pressure should be enough to seat beads.
if you're paying a shop to balance your tires, and they want anything over $5 the above is probably cheaper. seating the bead isnt' tough either. a bead of dishwashing liquid is your friend if you can't get a ratchet strap to seat 'em. even a small compressor with enough pressure should be enough to seat beads.
ninjaneer
Well-Known Member
who do i trust? well after I took the wheels off (cuz, these geniuses didn't think about loosening the bolts BEFORE hanging the bike from a tree :doh
, i'd trust these blokes to change out the rubber. who'd a thunk: squares of plastic cut from a milk jug and some tender loving care.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HISTC-sC0o
, i'd trust these blokes to change out the rubber. who'd a thunk: squares of plastic cut from a milk jug and some tender loving care.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HISTC-sC0o
Gregoryuw
Well-Known Member
I just received my Fatdaddy from Jon the other day , I chose to go with a ME880 metzler . I am lucky to have access to a tire macine ... its old and you have to take care and duct tape the fingers that hold the wheel in place .
I have done the zip tie with dirt bike tires but would be leary of putting plastic ties with the chance of slicing the tire ... rope is a better choice .
As another post said no one loves your machine .
When I mounted up the ME880 the wheel was perfect , did not need a oz of weight .
I was just doing a Avon Distanzia for one of my other bikes that uses tubes and what a pain in the butt ... everything all lubed up and it still took 80lbs to seat the the bead ...LOL
I have done the zip tie with dirt bike tires but would be leary of putting plastic ties with the chance of slicing the tire ... rope is a better choice .
As another post said no one loves your machine .
When I mounted up the ME880 the wheel was perfect , did not need a oz of weight .
I was just doing a Avon Distanzia for one of my other bikes that uses tubes and what a pain in the butt ... everything all lubed up and it still took 80lbs to seat the the bead ...LOL
NHVmaxpower
Well-Known Member
I just did both tires w/ the zip ties it was a piece of cake they go on slicker than shit. I used 5 ties per tire & a spray bottle w/ water & a lil dish soap. Good luck
