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Well I got my new tires and tubes. I went the Kenda route to keep the cost down. I don't have tire tools but it seem to me you should be able to use a couple of large flat screwdrivers maybe with vynal tape on them to protect the rims. Any thoughts on this? Anybody know any tips or tricks to make it easier?

Vinny

If you use screwdrivers you need to round the corners and edges so they are smooth so use 2 old ones that you don't ever want to use again.

Don't do it.

Changing/mounting tires is hard enough even WITH basic tools.

Do yourself a huge favor. Buy some tire irons..at least three of 'em. 9" is good.

Buy a bead-buddy or at least have an understanding of where the beads need to be when you're spooning the tires on..and make sure that's where they are. FORCING a bead on when the opposite side of the bead is in the wrong place will:

1. Give you a hernia.
2. Maybe ruin the tire.
3. Make you cuss like a sailor.

Use an approved bead lubricant..unless you know of something that works well (Windex, detergent-n-water, some chain lubes, etc.).

Do NOT try to mount a cold tire. If your tire is sitting in the 30º garage..bring it in the house for a nice overnight stay.

Don't forget the rim locks.

After you inflate the tube to seat the beads, let ALL the air back out and refill to help ensure the tube won't have any kinks or bends in it.

If you haven't changed a tire before...you're in for a fun time!!!

THIS! has nothing to do with dirtbikes...but there are pointers to be had.

Have fun!!

I used to do that and it's doable but what a pain. i recently purchased a set from motion pro: spoon and 2 tire iron (at the local dealership) for 20-30 bucks and man I'll never use anything else, so much easier and faster.
buy somoething good, trust me you won't regret it, and your blood pressure will stay much lower
my .02 $

I pay a highschool age kid in my neighborhood to do it. Best $5 per tire I ever spend. He even thinks he's getting the better end of the deal.

I am 15 years old and I do it with "basic" tools. Vice to break the bead, force it on there.

you can get mcycle tire irons two for about 15 bucks. Screwdrivers are dangerous to use, both for you and the rim - some are hardened and will snap unexpectedly. I've never needed large irons (more than 10" or so) or more than two irons at a time and you may not either, just use your imagination while working. I use one iron to leverage the other to break the bead. A shorter iron can also be "locked" under the spokes while you work the second iron on the tire. You will improve with practice, so your mech skills can grow with your riding skills. You'll need both to fully engage the sport IMO. Don't forget to put some air in the tube before you install it, just enough to hold it in shape so it won't pinch or fold - you can let that air out just as you finalize tucking the bead if necessary. I use windex to lube the tire beads.
There are as many approaches to mounting tires as there are riders...find a safe one though.

oh yeah, use the exposed rim time to clean up the spoke nipples... I wire brush them, wd40 them and seal them with spray paint to keep them from seizing. Most get messed up next to the rim locks and valve stem where the water gets in.

Try this Vinnie, there is even 3 videos to help.

http://www.transworldmotocross.com/mx/h ... 40,00.html

That and more great stuff here.

http://kdxrider.net/forums/viewtopic.ph ... =tyre+tire

I use to do it with screwdrivers back in the 60's. Don't know when I discovered Tire Irons but irons ever since I first use them.

Many saved knuckes, much saved time and tubes. Task sells a decent tire iron for the garage for less than $10 as I recall and they are decent length. A couple of 8 inch irons will get you by out on the trail.

2001 - you ... force the tire on and off the rim by hand force? I've seen that done twice (by the same person) but they finished the rear beads by stomping the bead over the rim. Irons work well IMO.

I just have to get around to buying one. It's a struggle for sure.

It's worth the cost to pay a shop to do it.....IF...........

You prearrange to have them show you how it's done. Nothing like a pro to show you. My shop showed me how to do it on the ground with a piece of cardboard, 1 iron, some windex, a pair of light gloves and tennis shoes!!! He never kneeled down and had that tire off in 3 minutes, and a fresh tube and tire back on in less than 5 minutes. Whew!! I'll never get that good, but it was impressive to see someone who understood how to use the bead into the rim groove. He charges 10 bucks so I usually just let him do it anyway. 1 pinched tube by me and I could have had at least 3 tire changes.

When I first read about using a screwdriver, I thought I'm not gonna even bother with this thread, 'cuz thats just f'n dumb! (if'n you ask me)

One of these days I'll take pics of how I do it, or better yet video!

I have the Harbor Freight Tire Changer, I mosyly use it as a stand to securely hold the rim and it has a bead breaker built in. Makes things go so much smoother, I hardly even cussed last time

My last tire change (on Friday) I tried something I've never thought of. I always put the tube in the tire before I start but this time I pushed the valve stem though the rim just enough to get the nut treaded on to a couple threads, then went ahead and spooned the tire on. It worked soo much better than scraping the **** out of my fat knuckles the other way!

I use 3 Motion Pro levers, one 8.5" and two 11"
http://www.motionpro.com/motorcycle/too ... ire_irons/

A T6 Trail Bead Buddy, keeps the bead from creeping up and out as you spoon on the tire
http://www.motionpro.com/motorcycle/parts/08-0388/

And I have a Tusk knock-off of the Offroad Bead Buddy
http://www.motionpro.com/motorcycle/too ... ead_buddy/

For lube I use whatever is handy, KY works well but I was running short so I used some Armor All Extreme Shine tire stuff, sprayed a lil bit on a rag and wiped it on the bead, inside and out. Not enough too make it slimey just enough to make insertion of the levers easier and to make the bead slip over the rim easier

After I get it all spooned on I spray some windex all around the bead and air it up to around 40-60psi (slowly) to try to seat the bead. I always have one stubborn spot that just won't seat, so I repeat by taking the valvle stem out and break the bead around the stubborn spot and pry the tire down a little with a lever and apply more lube. Then air it back up. This last time it took 3 or 4 tries to finally seat the bead

Last time I put a front tire on my Vstrom, I did it all by hand, never touched a lever, just used my lil' 'Yetti' fingers!

As you can see, there are many ideas, tips, and tricks to be had changing tires.

Things like...one iron will do...so will two. After you do it a few times you realize the closer you get to having the entire bead pried over the rim, the harder it gets to insert a lever..so the third iron (placed while the bead is still relatively loose) saves a lot of time.

Here's another 'tip' I thought of. DON'T take large 'bites' as you lever the tire on. It takes only a litte experimentation to find the 'sweet spot' where the iron fits best. Too far away from the spot where the bead is just over the edge (inside) and it's too hard to move a large length of bead over.

The whole screwdriver idea is a bad idea. Will it work? Yeah. Doesn't make it less stupid. WAY too much chance for damage...to you, the tire, the tube, the screwdriver, and the rim.

I can eat spaghetti with my Puma (that's a handmade knife of German manufacture)...doesn't mean it's not a dumb idea.

canyncarvr wrote:I can eat spaghetti with my Puma (that's a handmade knife of German manufacture)...doesn't mean it's not a dumb idea.

This would be way more interesting to see on video that Wib's tire changing links. Could you prove you can do it by posting on youtube?

..sorry...can't talk right now...I was Puma Practicing...now I have a bunch of red fluid leaking out of my face.......


Gee. I guess that WAS a stoopid idea!!

Just tranny fluid....

KanuckKDX wrote:
This would be way more interesting to see on video that Wib's tire changing links.

Even if I do it in my thong?

dont use screw drivers ! a box cutter and rubber cement will get er done with the same results.

It is way to hard to do it yourself i have tryed with screwdrivers it is much less of a pain to take it to a shop