Written By: cam_1100

I've started changing my own tires, saving the trip to the cycle shop and the labor costs. Using the Central Machinery tire changer and motorcycle tire attachment at $40-$50 for each, they've almost paid for themselves after only 2 sets of tires.

Tools

Here's all the parts you get. From the left, the tire changer includes the tire changing stand and 4ft tire iron, while the motorcycle attachment package includes the wheel clamp and what I call the leverage arm (red, right-angled piece). I use the ¼" lag screws to anchor it down when in use. For motorcycles, the lower stand is really only used for the bead breaker, but also includes the 4ft tire iron which works pretty well. It also gets everything up to a level that's easier to work on.

Setup

You need to anchor the whole thing down to use it. Some folks just bolt it to a 4x4 ft piece of plywood, but I used some concrete anchors to bolt it to the pad at the side entrance to my garage. When I'm not using it, I take it in and put some smaller bolts in the anchors to keep out dirt.

Make sure to keep pesky spectators away while setting up...don't want anyone to see you screw it up!

The 4-ft tire iron included with the kit works well. One end is used for removal and the other for installation. The only problem is it's bare metal so it needs some work to make it rim-friendly. One option is to use the clip on rim protectors, but I didn't have any and didn't want something else to have to fidget with so I decided to try and modify the tire iron itself. I found some furniture sliders that fit perfectly after a slight trim and some Crazy Glue to hold it on.

Bead Breaking

The bead breaker works great. Since the ground slopes away, I need a 4x4 to help keep the tire level, but it also keeps the rotor off the ground and keeps dirt out of the hub. Also, I used a piece of carpet to protect the rim from the nub that keeps the wheel from sliding off. Remove the valve core from the tire to let all the air out, set the breaker just outside the rim, then use the tire iron as a lever to push the breaker down. Do this in a few spots on both sides of the tire.

Secure Wheel in Changer

After breaking the bead, mount the tire on the changer. The clamps hold the rim and keep the rotors elevated. I added some small rubber pieces to help protect the rim.
Note: The rubber pieces kept falling off, so I bought a spray can of Plasti-Dip and painted each clamp with about 10 coats. So far, this seems to be working really well.

Once the wheel is secured I put on the leverage arm. Although the picture shows the rod lowered into the wheel, you'll want to wait until you have the removal end of the tire iron ready to go. Lower the rod so that the tire iron is between the rod and the vertical leverage-arm post.

Tire Removal

Use some soapy water to help the tire slide over the rim and help the tire iron slide along the tire.

Insert the removal end of the tire iron between the tire and the wheel with the flat side against the rim. Notice how the furniture slider protects the rim.

**Make sure not to lever the tire iron against sprockets or brake rotors. Remove them if possible**

Then flip the bar over to pull the tire up over the lip of the rim.

Then leveraging against the center post, rotate all the way around until the tire is completely over the rim.

Then repeat for the bottom lip of the tire.

Clean the Rim

I use this to clean off the rim where the bead sits. Not exactly sure what's in it, but it smells a lot like paint thinner or mineral spirits, which I've also heard recommended for cleaning rims.

Tire Installation

Soap the rim and new tire to lubricate:

Make sure you have the tire oriented in the right direction by comparing the directional arrow on the tire to how the wheel would spin when moving forward, then set the new tire on the rim. Push as much of the lip of the tire over the rim as possible by hand. If you make sure to keep the lip of the tire in the center channel of the rim, you should be able to get the lower lip of the tire completely over the rim. If not, you can use the tire iron to finish the job by following the rest of the instructions.

Now comes the hardest part. Push part of the upper lip of the tire over the rim and insert the installation end of the tire iron with the hook over the rim and the tire resting on the flat portion. You may want to wedge a tire spoon or a block of wood between the tire and the rim at the point where the tire first goes below the rim. This should keep the tire from sliding around and keep the lip of the tire from coming back up over the rim as you work your way around the wheel.

Rotate as far around as you can, always trying to keep the beads of the tire in the center channel of the rim. This will give the tire the most room to move around. The best way to do this is to try to push the tire iron with your hip while using one hand to guide the tire iron near the rim and the other to keep the beads in the center channel. When you get to a point where you can no longer slide the tire iron around, lever it over to the other side of the wheel. This should pop the tire the rest of the way over the rim.

Now the tire should be all the way on the rim. Most tires will have a colored dot to indicate the light spot on the tire. Spin the tire on the rim until this spot is lined up with the valve stem...this should save some balancing later. You may find it easier to line up the dot just after the lower bead is over the rim before you start working on the upper bead.

Seat the Beads

Now you need to seat the beads. Re-insert the valve core and start inflating the tire. Make sure not to have anything resting in the bead area because when they pop into place, they pop HARD! It's pretty scary the first time you do it. Adjust the tire to the proper pressure, put the valve cap back on, re-install the rotor or sprocket and any wheel spacers (basically anything that rotates with the wheel) and you are ready to balance.

Wheel Balancing

I got this balancer setup from a guy on e-bay. Basically some rollerblade bearings in aluminum brackets with a steel rod and cones (the jack stands are mine). It wouldn't be too hard to make your own, but at the price I got it wouldn't have been worth the effort. Just resting on the stands at this point, so I still need to figure out something to permanently mount them to.

Spin the tire and note where it stops. Then repeat. If it stops in the same place, the heavy spot will be at the bottom. Tape some weights on the opposite side of the wheel from the heavy spot and repeat. Adjust the weight until the tire stops in random spots. Then manually rotate the tire to a few spots and let go. If it stays put, it's balanced. Remove the tape and permanently adhere the weights to the wheel (if using stick-ons).

This was my second attempt and went better than the first. It's really not difficult. It's harder to explain than it is to do. The tire change shop is open to any ZZRBikes.com member that wants to stop by.