Changed my own tires - totally worth it

[Frankie675]

Tire shops in and around Fort Collins Quoted $500+ for new Michelin PP3's and installation.

RidersDiscount hooked me up with the PP3's for $260.

I've never taken off a m/c wheel before. Didn't know how. Didn't even know where to start. I found a few good posts on triumph675.net and dove in. Needed about $100~ in tools.

Researched how to remove the tires and decided zip ties and 2x4's were going to be my safest and cheapest route.

Started out with not having a front stand available so used - wait for it - 2x4's....and some ratchets to the 2x4's on the rafters

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7418/8907475623_3ba9c4e2db_b.jpg

Front wheel was actually easy to take off. Didn't need the any instructions, just went for it.

Proceeded to build the bead breaker with 2x4's *Pic is of rear tire

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8137/8908038458_5bee782f0a_b.jpg

Teater-tottered the bead off.....

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3806/8908039124_cc50654e96_b.jpg


Bead broke easily. Make sure you have 2x4's on the ground to support the wheel and keep the rotors off the ground.

Then took some big asz zip ties and bam! Seen this on the gsxr(or other jap) forum. I ended up using a pry bar to help the process.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5450/8907476407_ef04bd3b25_b.jpg


Applied the zip ties to the new front tire and used the bead breaker to shove the tire back on then cut the zip ties. Drove to the shell and set the beads.

I decided to call it a night and complete the rear tire in the morning.

The rear wheel was easy to take off. I had a stand so that helped. I honestly don't know why I've never taken a wheel off before. Even doing this and taking it to the shop would save money.

I broke the bead the same was as the front wheel

But......after zip tying the rear tire I ran into issues

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3710/8908039580_3b5b09062c_b.jpg

When I zip tied the front I was able to get the beads to touch, thus making one bead to get over the wheel. The rear tire is too wide and the zip ties didn't really accomplish anything.

Off to the store to buy tire pry bars.

Got home and realized that the pry bars were damaging my paint and I was getting no where. Went back to the store to make a rim protector and got home only to find I was still unable to get the tire even slightly off without damaging the paint. At this point I had been working on this for 6 hours and was about to throw the triumph in the trash.

I finally calmed down and found my Zen. My neighbor came over to see how I was doing. He highly doubted I was going to get the front wheel done, but was pretty amazed. We started a brain trust and went at it, only to damage the paint some more.

At this point I started calling all the shops in the area to see if they would quickly remove and install the rear tire. It would have taken the rest of the day before I would get the tire back and it would cost $40.

FINALLY we watched a youtube video and decided that maybe this whole "spray bottle with soapy water" was worth a try. No shite - sprayed it on the rim and we were able to pry the tire off.
Once again we we able to get the tire slightly on and then I used my 2x4 bead breaker to get it all the way on.

Went to shell....forgot my stem at home...went back home...went back to shell...attempted to put dyna-beads into the tire and accidentally dropped a tube into the tire...spent 10 minutes with my hand and fingers mangled into the side of the tire attempting to get the stupid little tube back out...finally got it out and attempted to put air into it....the air was just flowing out of the beads...went back home and got ratchets (ratchet the circumference of the tire)...drove back to shell and SUCESS! FML lol

Got both tires on!!!

I ended up using dyna-beads instead of weights. So far so good. I don't really care about the unverifiable science behind the success of dyna-beads. They've worked for me so far.

I did mess up the rim paint a little bit. It's unnoticeable. The money I saved doing the tires myself could go to a new rim paint job :)

2x4's are the cheapest and best tool available

USE that soapy water!

I will be purchasing a nice set of tire irons and rim protectors for future changes.

Hopefully I've slightly motivated you to tackle your next tire change by yourself.

[madvlad]

Nice dude, save money, get to know your bike :yes:

[Chaos]

........no words.

[Wrider]

Sooo... $100 in tools, 8 hours of cussing, 3 trips to the Shell, a tube of Dynabeads, a couple of 2x4s, and a newly ugly rim to save 80 bucks.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9jZt7AFgxBk/TkUfL12P5XI/AAAAAAAAAnM/NyZHqKTngDo/s1600/guinness-brilliant.jpg

[Chaos]

my thoughts exactly. If it were swapping out an engine or rebuilding a junk trans I could kinda get it. It's just tires.......................

[Frankie675]

All in all $350ish, so I saved $200. Now I have the tools so it'll be cheaper next time. And should only take half the time.

And with how many miles I rack up I can't see spending extra money on paying someone for something I can do myself.

I'm mostly preparing for my month long trip out to the west coast. I want to know that when shite hits the fan I'm ready. I don't want to get bent over for $600.

[sag]

youre nuts lol. isnt the going rate for tires and balance off bike like 10 bux a wheel?

[jcj81]

Yeah thats a lot of work, how did you balance them? I did my own tires but I have access to a tire machine that takes about 2mins to break bead dismount and mount. I just couldnt spend that much time trying.

[Frankie675]

youre nuts lol. isnt the going rate for tires and balance off bike like 10 bux a wheel?

I wish! I called the shops up here and they were quoting $40 a tire. And I still would have had to buy tools to take off the wheels (socket/bar/allen key = $50) to take them off. So I was looking at $130.

I plan on putting a another new set on in a month or two so I figured it's more cost effective to just do them myself.

[Chaos]

Don't get me wrong. I take mine off and bring them in loose to save myself some $$. But I let them do it with the right tools. (I'm an auto tech) I do most everything myself. Just would rather pay to have them mounted and balanced properly.

[Frankie675]

Yeah thats a lot of work, how did you balance them? I did my own tires but I have access to a tire machine that takes about 2mins to break bead dismount and mount. I just couldnt spend that much time trying.

I used dyna-beads to balance them. So far theres no vibrations.

[Frankie675]

And just to be clear. I'm definitely over-exaggerating the rim damage. It's not even noticeable. More or less 2mm of the cheap triumph rim paint chipped off. Had I purchased the correct tire irons I wouldn't have had this problem.

[06xbss]

I've been changing my own tires and using balance beads for the last 5 sets.

Total savings so far has been ~500.00. That's either a couple of sets of tires or a lot of beer:)

[frank2]

That's nasty. Buy a NoMar tire changer and tools. You can have it pay for itself in a short time by doing all your friends tires at a cheaper price than the dealer. Maybe a total of 500 dollar investment that comes back to you right away. Look it up.

[j0ker]

That's nasty. Buy a NoMar tire changer and tools. You can have it pay for itself in a short time by doing all your friends tires at a cheaper price than the dealer. Maybe a total of 500 dollar investment that comes back to you right away. Look it up.
A good friend of mine in Wichita did this. He now changes everyone's tires for $25 a pair.

I love that guy. His whole garage is a motorcycle shop with hydraulic lifts and tools out the wazzu.

[CaptGoodvibes]

People rarely do their own work solely to save money. Seems like the OP got personal satisfaction by doing this. :up:

[mdub]

Good fer u Frankie!!! Those beads wk. 303 Cycle put some in a while back fer me and no wobble.

[Samko]

Aurora Honda $25 a piece, off the bike.

[bulldog]

Wow...take that money and buy yourself a set of motorcycle stands....that is pretty ghetto using 2x4's and straps :eek:

[daemon]

Next time call Oscar....https://www.facebook.com/solperformance.pirelli?fref=ts
Totally worth it!!!

[Zach929rr]

Lololololololololololol

[Grim2.0]

After reading this thread I will be sure not to post up my engine rebuild on the DRZ.

[Repsol a095]

Wow. I have a tire machine and in would have gladly helped if I would have known.

[Frankie675]

Wow...take that money and buy yourself a set of motorcycle stands....that is pretty ghetto using 2x4's and straps :eek:

I have stands...but I left the front one in storage in the springs, and picking up another one in FC seemed to be impossible.

I'm not sure why ya'll are against getting your hands dirty? I actually brought the daytona to Northern Colo Euro to see about getting the new hypermotard. They said their biggest concern was that I never had my 6000 mile dealer service done. I just laughed and asked them why I would pay someone, who doesn't give a flying shit about my motorcycle, a retarded amount of money to do things I can do in my garage for free. They agreed and offered me a very nice amount...about as much as I thought I could sell it for myself..I'm just not sold on paying full price + bullshit fee's, for a bike that isn't proven yet.


But at the same time I am currently an unemployed college student who enjoys the triumphs, ducs, apes, and anything that costs a lot of money to maintain if you use a dealer. I accepted the fact that no matter what I would take care of my triumph myself, and if i get a duc then I will sure as shit be doing everything myself.

Either way I'm selling the triumph so someone is getting brand new tires....damnit lol

[bulldog]

I have stands...but I left the front one in storage in the springs, and picking up another one in FC seemed to be impossible.

I'm not sure why ya'll are against getting your hands dirty? I actually brought the daytona to Northern Colo Euro to see about getting the new hypermotard. They said their biggest concern was that I never had my 6000 mile dealer service done. I just laughed and asked them why I would pay someone, who doesn't give a flying shit about my motorcycle, a retarded amount of money to do things I can do in my garage for free. They agreed and offered me a very nice amount...about as much as I thought I could sell it for myself..I'm just not sold on paying full price + bullshit fee's, for a bike that isn't proven yet.


But at the same time I am currently an unemployed college student who enjoys the triumphs, ducs, apes, and anything that costs a lot of money to maintain if you use a dealer. I accepted the fact that no matter what I would take care of my triumph myself, and if i get a duc then I will sure as shit be doing everything myself.

Either way I'm selling the triumph so someone is getting brand new tires....damnit lol You should have just posted up here; I have stands and I am sure others would let you use them too.

Really I do commend you for doing your own work; I think a lot of us do it for the same reason; satisfaction and to save money. Anyone can spend money to get work done, but a better man can do his own work and learn from it! I think this is just a new one for most of us since it really all boils down to the right tools for a job like this; when it comes to tools I don't have (that are expensive) is when I take it elsewhere because it can turn a 20 minute job into a 8 hour job without the proper tools; or mess it up worse.

Plus I don't think these dynabeads have been around or used all that long so I always thought even if I got the tire on I would still have to take it somewhere to get balanced.

You got it done so good for you and you learned way more than a person sitting in a motorcycle waiting room. :up: I just had to give you a hard time because of the 2x4's

[Frankie675]

Yeah I had a couple members offer up their stands for use but we had a hard time working out the logistics. I'll be getting my front stand this week so that will make everything easier next time.