How to mount a new tire for 2.00

[movenon]

OK, maybe a little more than 2.00 but not by much. Over the years I have changed a lot of tires at home and a few the field. I had heard about using tie wraps but until now I had never tried it. Well it works.... This morning I went out grabbed my GSXR rim and a new Michelin Pilot Road 3, 180 55 17 and had it mounted and inflated in less than 7 minutes by hand... Using no hard tools unless you count the side cuts to remove the tie wraps.  I still can't believe how easy it was to do.

Stuff to have on hand:
7 or 8 - 24" long tie wraps        (a bag of them purchased from Harbor Freight for less than 2.00)
Small bottle of Baby Shampoo   (Cheap.... TIP: do not substitute)
1 ratcheting tie down strap      (on hand, bike tie down)


Use 24" plastic tie wraps. Bought from Harbor Freight for less than 2.00. For soap use Baby Shampoo. I have used other soaps and mixtures. Baby Shampoo mixed 50% with water is the slickest...... Cheap / smells good and works the best.....






Pull the 24" tie wraps as tight as possable. Get the tire beads as close to each other as you can. This is what makes it easy to install. Put your knee on to the tire and compress, pulling on the tie wraps. You will have to go around the tire a time or two. Only takes less than a minute to do.  When you get ready to slip the tire on, coat tire and rim liberally with Baby Shampoo mixed about 50% with water.    TIP: use Baby Shampoo.......... It is slick.


I started to mount the tire and wanted to reposition the tire for another photo and the tire literally pressed in to the rim...... I was expecting to fight it a little but it just slipped into the rim..... No tools, no jumping on the tire, no pounding, no grunting, no frustration etc.. Just pressed right in by my 65 year old hand. Did I mention use Baby Shampoo?    After the tire is on the rim cut the tie wraps, thank them, then throw them in the trash.....




After the tire is on the rim in order to re-inflate and to set the bead. Use a ratcheting strap to compress the tire radially to force the bead into the rim enabling it to seal and re-inflate. You can also use a rope or strap using a stick or bar twisted to tighten up the tire. It is just easier to do by yourself with a ratcheting strap/motorcycle tie down. Any cheap strap will work.


Mounted......

[markmartin]

Very nice.  Great write up, thanks.  I just spent $$$ getting two tires mounted.  Next time I'll know better.

[FJmonkey]

I will be doing this shortly for front and rear, the balancing stand was $40 at Harbor Freight. It would normally cost me $30 to $35 to have a shop M&B the tires for me, now after my first set I will be on the Black side of the balance sheet. The cable ties are a nice alternative if you don't already have the straps in a drawer, I don't, but I have the ties. Thanks for the great post.

[Pat Conlon]

Very cool, thanks--------?
I don't know your name...I checked your back posts but you haven't mentioned it...
Question: Do you need a compressor for a big blast of air to seat the bead or will my 12v portable do it?

Thanks again, Pat

[FJmonkey]

Very cool, thanks--------?
I don't know your name...I checked your back posts but you haven't mentioned it...
Question: Do you need a compressor for a big blast of air to seat the bead or will my 12v portable do it?

Thanks again, Pat

Pat, you can will it to inflate, no need for pesky straps.... Unless you like straps...

[movenon]

Very cool, thanks--------?
I don't know your name...I checked your back posts but you haven't mentioned it...
Question: Do you need a compressor for a big blast of air to seat the bead or will my 12v portable do it?

Thanks again, Pat

Pat:  Sorry , it's George.
I used my shop compressor. It didn't seem like it took a lot of air before it popped on the bead. If you get a seal then I would think anything that can get up to 40 or 50 PSI would set the bead. If your 12 volt unit will not seat it then take the rim up to a auto tire store / gas station etc and use there air.
I think most of the time you will have to put a radial strap around to squeeze down on the tire forcing the bead out to the rim edge. It depends on the tire. probably more common with low profile tires? Heck, just do it .

When I had the tire clamped down with the plastic tie wraps and set it on the rim as you would normally do, there was moment there where you normally would start fighting it with tire irons, that I thought "oh here's where the problem starts" but I just pushed down by hand and heck it just slipped right on. No scratching or marring of the rim. There is a fellow on You Tube doing this but he seemed to work up a sweat. I did it while drinking my morning coffee. No sweat....No forcing... I don't think he was using enough plastic ties and he was using Windex or something like that. (you don't need squeaky clean, your want slippery clean).

FJmonkey: Let me know how it go's with you. I also have the same balancer. Works good enough for me. Most motorcycle magazines etc. all have H.F. ads with 20% off coupons knocking the price down. It looks like the key is to get the beads as close as you can with the plastic ties and using lots of Baby Shampoo mixed with a little water. That stuff is slick, it might have some lotion or some such in it. It will also help when you set the bead.
George

[andyb]

If the tire is lubricated* and warm** it'll seat usually without much pressure.  Not more than 50psi usually, often 40 is enough. 

If the tire is dry and cold, you're in for a long day, in my experience.  A gas station air compressor will do it though, before I had one myself.


*Real tire lube is not dish soap.  KY is a better choice than dish soap and works well.
**Leave it laying in the sun while you get the rim off and such, on a decently warm day.  Doing it with cold tires is not much fun.

[rktmanfj]

Very cool, thanks--------?
I don't know your name...I checked your back posts but you haven't mentioned it...
Question: Do you need a compressor for a big blast of air to seat the bead or will my 12v portable do it?

Thanks again, Pat

No compressor required...       

http://youtu.be/mHZ0_OIF0eE     

[giantkiller]

My brother knocked my atv tire off the rim and we popped it back on with a can of fixaflat out on the trail. Oh yah and his belt around the tire.

[ribbert]

My brother knocked my atv tire off the rim and we popped it back on with a can of fixaflat out on the trail. Oh yah and his belt around the tire. quote]




This would be your BIG brother then.

[giantkiller]

Ya small tire. Large brother

[bcguide]

When seating the bead it helps if you remove the valve core. Less restriction for the air entering

Scott

[Steve_in_Florida]

There's usually a spot of paint on the tire that corresponds to the valve stem location. In theory, lining it up will make the balancing process easier.

Also, remember that the tire will have a direction of rotation arrow on it, too.

It sucks to find it after-the-fact, and realize that you got it mounted wrong!

Steve

[movenon]

There's usually a spot of paint on the tire that corresponds to the valve stem location. In theory, lining it up will make the balancing process easier.

Also, remember that the tire will have a direction of rotation arrow on it, too.

It sucks to find it after-the-fact, and realize that you got it mounted wrong!

Steve

Did the wrong way thing once with a knobby tire. Life is a learning experience.  

The Michelin Pilot Road 3 isn't marked with a red dot but some tires are. As I understand it the red dot or mark is supposed to be the heaviest part of the tire.
What you should do is balance the rim without the tire and mark/tape the the LIGHTEST spot on the rim and when you mount the tire, line that up with the heavy / red dot marking on the tire. It should help minimize the amount of weights.

Also with the H.F. balancer spinning the tire hard is a waste of time. Just turn it 1/4 - 1/2 turns back and forth letting the tire rotate on it's own. After the wheel stops  wiggle / tap /vibrate  on the upright arms a bit and the tire will settle ( bearings are not the best quality in the balancer ). I will "MOD" that also at some later date.
As it is it works fine for home use you just got to know the quarks.
Flea bay also sells a balancer with better bearings but you have to build the upright support arms. You could set the cross bar on a set of adjustable jack stands also.
George

[X-Ray]

Now *that* is a fantastic write up. I would never have thought of using cable ties etc, now we know.