--- In
DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "thad_carey"
wrote:
> --- In
DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, Don Kime wrote:
> > I've read w/ much interest what has been written here and what I
> can
> > research on changing tubed tires on the go. In my case, the
> interest is
> > not so much on changing a tire, but on patching or changing a
tube
> if
> > necessary.
> >
> > None of this is completely foreign to me, as I've changed all my
> own tires
> > for a number of years. However, I haven't changed a tubed tire
for
> many,
> > many years, and I thought I never would again till this KLR bug
bit!
>
> >
> > My questions: I'm used to using a bench type bead breaker at
> home. What
> > do I need to reliably break a bead in the field - will one of
the
> $15
> > JCWhitney deals work, should I just use a 5" C-clamp, or is
there
> some
> > other recommendation? If I'm using a breaker that clamps over
both
> beads
> > (both sides), and I just compress it down it would seem that
it's
> just dumb
> > luck which side bead will break. Is there a way to "manage"
this?
> I can
> > see a situation where I might want to break just one side or the
> other. If
> > you want both beads broken, how do you break the 2nd? I just
use a
> soap
> > concentrate to seat tires at home, but on the road space and
volume
> are
> > precious. What tire lube/cleaner are folks using and how much
do
> you haul
> > along? The irons that I use at home are steel, about 16" long,
> with a
> > narrow end and compound curve on one end and a gentle curve on
the
> > other. They are great for reaching in and "grabbing" a tubeless
> tire
> > bead. They are definitely not "spoons." Will this cause me
tube
> pinching
> > problems, and do I indeed need a spoon type iron? I hope not,
as I
> always
> > had trouble grabbing the bead w/ a spoon. If I must go to a
spoon,
> whose
> > do you carry? Seems to me I remember partially inflating the
tube
> before
> > prying the 2nd bead onto the wheel to minimize pinching the
tube.
> Is this
> > what you do, and do you have other "technique" tips?
> >
> > I'm going to mount a couple of tires here for practice before I
> head to
> > never-never land. It would be nice to never face the field
> changing issue,
> > but I suspect at some point I will. All tips greatly
appreciated!
> >
> > TIA &
> > Ride safe,
> > Don Kime - VFR750F, GL1500SE, GL1100, KLR 650
> > OH - M/C Safety Instructor/RiderCoach dkime@c...
> >
http://forums.delphiforums.com/MCTourer/
>
> Don, I've never seen a tubed dirt bike tire need a bead
> breaker. I just removed the OEM Dunlops on my bike, and they were
> not hard at all. Just a little "lean-on" with the heels of your
> hands pushes them right in to the rim valley. I've been there
with
> your reference to tubeless tires. They will sometimes get a death
> grip on the rim. Last night I was wresting with a 12" tubeless
> trailer tire. I almost didn't even get the bead loose, even with
my
> giant bench vise. I finally got it off the rim but couldn't get
the
> new one on. I've never seen problems like this with dirt bike
tubed
> tires. Tube tires are usually better suited to the wider spoon-
end
> tire irons. I know most of the ones available are those cheap
little
> pointy type. They will work, but if you can find a wider, rounder
> end, it's safer on the tube and bead. Either at home or on the
> trail, the biggest tip on changing dirt bike tubes is to
constantly
> work the bead of the tire into the valley of the rim. That
applies
> fairly equally for removal or installation. Doing this gives you
> more bead material to work with the tire iron. Don't be tempted
to
> dig the tire iron too deeply into the tire. Keeping the tip of
the
> tire iron as close to the lip of the bead lessens the chances of
tube
> pinching.
> Thad Carey
> A15 (Barbie hate's flat tires)
One of the reasons I don't care for the Bridgestone Trailwing is I
thought I was going to have to use a blow torch to get it off the
rim. Unfortunately, I was living in the country at the time, and
there was no concrete or pavement for assistance. I ran over the
bead with my truck, beat it with a sledge hammer, stuck a five ton
jack between it and a tractor... I forgot what finally did it. The
c-clamp kept slipping to the narrowest point, usually well away from
the bead. Since that time, I've bought, and used, the bead breaker
from JC Whitney. With the exception of the current Kenda on the
back, all of my tires have been tubeless.
Bill- A15 with 19.8K, and 4 front tires, and 5 back tires so far...