Mounting & Balancing Your Own Tires

my 2-cents -- i pretty much mount and balance tires myself - not a lot of experience, but i've done my fair share. being 74 and between the arthritis and carpal tunnel, didn't look forward to the wrestling match. with my last flat, broke down and took the wheel assembly to a local MC shop - $43 - mounted, balanced, a new rim liner, a couple wheel weights, and an hour later, i was back home putting the wheel on the bike (i supplied a new tube). not sure i'll ever go solo again.
 
Where I live, changing your own tires might be forced on us. I usually change tires on my old bikes.
But I need some new tires on my Triumph Thruxton R, and unhappy with the Triumph dealer prices, I phoned around to a couple of other dealers. One place would only change tires on the brands of bikes they sell. But if I brought in just the wheels, they would mount the tires.

The second place would not change tires either on or off the bike, unless they sold that brand of bike. When I asked why, they said liability reasons. When I pushed on that, they said in case they might scratch a rim or something. Which is the equivalent to saying they just can't be bothered.
 
Done plenty of puncher repairs but I always bought my new tyres from the same shop new tyre and balancing free fitting even take the wheel off and put back on, but the owner has sold up after 40 years and now new owners are charging $35 fitting so went to my Triumph dealer and they do the same free fitting on new tyres and the tyres were cheaper than the bike tyre shop, the tyre machines do a quick job and balancing is also quick, always less than a 1/2 hr wait, not even enough time to look around the shop.
When you own and ride dirt bikes you need to know how to fix punchers and replace tyres and find 3 tyre levers are better than 2, I have 2 motorcycle tyre levers that hook on the edge of the rims and 3 long car tyre levers, the bike levers are great no chance of pinching the cube and the long ones are great for tight tyres but slippery stuff works a treat and most of the time just the last bit a tap with a rubber mullet is all that is needed.

Ashley
 
I balance my wheels myself with very rudimentary equipment that anyone can improvise. You need a piece of 1/2" diameter cold rolled steel bar or similar. It has to be straight. You need two ball bearings like a 6204 bearing , or similar. It works best if the bore of the bearing is bigger than the shaft. A used bearing is OK. It is best to use an open bearing clean and lightly oiled. Put two tables or chairs about 8" apart. Put your cold rolled steel through the wheel. Put a bearing on each end of the shaft and then put the wheel between the two tables so it is held up by the two bearings and the shaft. It will roll really easily to show the heavy spot. Everything is really loose so it rolls easily. If it is a spoked wheel I use lead solder wrapped around the spokes on the light side to balance the wheel. On cast wheels I usually glue on pennies.
 
tricatcent said:
I balance my wheels myself with very rudimentary equipment that anyone can improvise. You need a piece of 1/2" diameter cold rolled steel bar or similar. It has to be straight. You need two ball bearings like a 6204 bearing , or similar. It works best if the bore of the bearing is bigger than the shaft. A used bearing is OK. It is best to use an open bearing clean and lightly oiled. Put two tables or chairs about 8" apart. Put your cold rolled steel through the wheel. Put a bearing on each end of the shaft and then put the wheel between the two tables so it is held up by the two bearings and the shaft. It will roll really easily to show the heavy spot. Everything is really loose so it rolls easily. If it is a spoked wheel I use lead solder wrapped around the spokes on the light side to balance the wheel. On cast wheels I usually glue on pennies.
Click to expand...
If I may add, the round rod needs to be fairly level,or maybe not,Just a thought
 
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When I spoke and trued my wheel, axle in soft jaws on a vice. If you're balancing the rear, do you do it with the sprocket attached? If not, I'd say the sprocket would affect the final result on the bike.

I haven't found a problem not balancing my front and I've had wheel weights fall off previous bikes in the past, without noticing until I washed it. Maybe just lucky they've been close enough not to matter?
 
My tires came in but the timing is bad. I had eye surgery and the doctor said no lifting or core muscle strain so they are sitting in my office space. It's all good though. I smells like a bike shop in here. Maybe I'll get some oily rags and a burn a cigrette or two to make the illusion complete.

The places that would mount and alliance motorcycle tires are getting fewer and fewer around here. I do think a lot of shops are put off by the liability problems. Anytime you work on a bike you make yourself a target if that bike happens to end up in a wreck. I even thought that doing this would make a nice little retirement business except for the liability issues.
 
Mart UK said:
When I spoke and trued my wheel, axle in soft jaws on a vice. If you're balancing the rear, do you do it with the sprocket attached? If not, I'd say the sprocket would affect the final result on the bike.

I haven't found a problem not balancing my front and I've had wheel weights fall off previous bikes in the past, without noticing until I washed it. Maybe just lucky they've been close enough not to matter?
Click to expand...
It depends how fast you ride
Over 90mph you'd probably notice
Under 90 probably not
 
I got after it this Saturday morning. I pulled the rear wheel, pulled the old cracked Avons. I installed a new 712 Shinko 110/90-18. Then I did the same for the front installing a new 712 Shinko 100/90-19. Both went on with a modicum of persuasion from the operator. I suspended the wheels on their axles between two 5 gallon paint buckets and static ballanced them using some Harbor Freight stick on wheel weights. I would prefer spoke weights but I just do not have enough. I pulled the oil filter but discovered that the one I have was marked wrong so I wil have to wait until Monday to finish that little project. I am tired now but the bike is almost ready for the road.
 
I gave up :mad:

18" Excel rims with 110/90 Conti Classic Attacks

IMG_0853sm.jpg
 
TomU said:
I gave up :mad:

18" Excel rims with 110/90 Conti Classic Attacks

View attachment 95451
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The area opposite from where you are trying to mount looks like it is up on the bead - it needs to be pushed down into the well of the rim. Tire beads don't stretch....

That said - I would be nervous about mounting tires on those rims if it were my first attempt - best take it to a shop....
 
I purchased some real tire irons because I wanted to do it right. I ended up with my big Craftsman screwdriver I have had for the past 100 years and a well placed knee. Worked like a charm.
 
Zip ties make changing tires very easy, no tools required and no risk of damaging rims. Lots of videos on youtube demonstrate the procedure, search 'Zip tie motorcycle tire change.'
 
www.advrider.com

Zip tie tire change

I have changed many a bias-ply tube tire (pinched many a tube in the process). It takes some good tire spoons and a lot of effort/sweating/swearing...
www.advrider.com www.advrider.com


I haven't tried it.

Been doing it the old way since 9yo, just default to it.
 
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