Changing tires with zip ties

[bryanwny]

Thanks to whoever originally posted a thread some place on here about pinching the beads together with zip/cable ties. :thumbup: Bigger props to whoever came up with the idea!

I've never changed a tire on anything in my life; don't even own any tire irons/spoons or rim protectors. After watching some videos and doing a bit of reading, I decided to give it a go since it was Sunday and nothing was open. Had to work Saturday, Monday is a holiday, and I picked something up in my rear tire a few days ago. I was getting close to needing new tires on both the front+back and already had a new set of PR2's on hand.

I screwed (4) pcs of 2x4 together to form a box to keep the rim/rotors up off the ground. Used a long section of 2x4 to act as a lever along with a shorter piece to pop the beads (after I removed the valve cores to get all the air out). Wrestled with trying to get the back tire off the rim. Swore more than a few times. Said "I'm smarter than this stupid tire!" and cut all the way around the sidewall on both sides with a utility knife (which is actually pretty easy after you scribe it a few times in the same spot to sink the blade all the way in) and watched the tire fall right off; leaving just the sidewalls to easily stretch over the rim. lol. Someone will get a laugh out of those when I drop them off to get disposed of I'm sure! :Flip:

I put (8) 24" long zip ties loosely around the new tire. Put it on the ground, knelt on it, snugged all the zip ties up until the beads were touching. Cleaned the insides of the rim. Sprayed a bit of windex on the beads+rim. Knees + hands + weight + bit of muscle == SUCCESS! Both the front and back tires went on the rim in MAYBE one minute, without using any tools to pry on it. Pulled the zip ties off to re-use on the front. Set the beads, sprayed a bit of windex around and checked for bubbles. Found 2 tiny spots on the rear about an inch or two from each other that were leaking a tiny bit. Bounced the tire on the ground a bit and tried again; fixed. Put the core back in and inflated to proper PSI. Repeat for front. Cleaned the rims up and installed them back on the bike.

I will probably never pay anyone to change my motorcycle tires again! I love the internet :rockon: Pics attached. The yellow bungees were just on there because I was going to take it some place to have the tire mounted and I was trying to keep sprocket/spacers in place.

 

[motojoe122]

Thats awesome! But what about balancing?

 

[bryanwny]

I skipped that part. I don't do a lot of high speed riding anyways. I just left the existing wheel weights on in the same spot, for now anyways. I'll just take them off and get them balanced at my mechanics shop if I get any noticeable vibrations out of it.

You could rig something up with a leveled rod inserted through the rim and into 2 bearings and find the heavy spot that will drop to the bottom of the rotation each time, and add weights to the top to counter it. Or buy a cheap balancer. I will probably go the dyna bead route next time, I just didn't have any.

 

[FB400]

What an awesome idea. My next set will go on this way and if as easy and successful as reported here I would consider selling my harbor freight machine /mojo blocks/mojo lever

 

[Tailgate]

You say you "pulled" the zip ties off and re-used them? I didn't realize you could pull them back out and re-use. Good thread.

 

[QwickFliCk]

that is pretty cool..never seen it done that way. looks like i could use this in an emergency situation if i had to.:thumbup:

for the past couple of years ive been going to a goodyear near me early in the morning with just the rims and tires and they change my tires for free. i just give them a $10 tip to buy them some lunch. the workers there told me its ok for them to change the tires as long as they r not on the bike. they dont allow them to work on motorcycles.

i bought a harbor freight motorcycle wheel balancer for $35 and do it myself. if you dont want to go that route u can always use Dynabeads.

 

[red_rock_beetle]

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Tire-Balancer-Sealant-Manufacturer-Ride-On/dp/B00CR5CPFE/ref=sr_1_4?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1369682170&sr=1-4&keywords=ride+on+tire+sealant"]this works for balancing[/ame]

 

[FB400]

this works for balancing

LOL dude. it's $151.36 in the link you gave. :disapprove:

thinking this fine product should sell for less than $20

 

[bryanwny]

You say you "pulled" the zip ties off and re-used them? I didn't realize you could pull them back out and re-use. Good thread.

Yeah, there's a little tab that you can wedge a tiny straight/slot/flat screwdriver in and pull it back off. If you don't break the tab, you can reuse it

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Mounting video:

How to mount motorcycle tire with zipties - YouTube


Dismounting video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=TZTSdokVEIs


:Sport:

 

[bryanwny]

Townsend: Yep, those were the first two videos I had seen on it. If my tires are junk, I'd still cut the sidewalls off though because it was pretty easy with a fresh razor blade. I think it'd be faster than trying to slide zip ties between the tire and rim too. Maybe it was just the PR2, but that thing was actually pretty snug on the rim even with the beads broken on both sides. Whatever works though, right?! I stood the tire up on the floor, kept it between my knees/shins as I leaned over with the utility knife facing 'upside down' (like the opposite of holding a hammer) with the blade end of it underneath my fist/grip, with the blade facing towards me. I just kept stepping ahead and rolling the tire on the floor so i wasn't pulling the blade towards me really to cut, just keeping it stationary. Watch out for objects (like a table saw extension wing) in front of you, lol.

If I was going to try to dismount a tire with zipties, I would probably still use like 8 of them (pretty cheap, especially if you reuse them), or at least space those 6 closer together towards the spot you want to start from.

When mounting, I'm not sure why he didn't get down and put his knees right on the tire and lean his weight into it more with both hands, and keep inching your knees forward as you go along.

Some might initially think "Oh yeah right, it cant be as easy as it looked on a youtube video!" Well, it is.. I found it to be even easier actually.

red_rock_beetle: Does that stuff actually work as good as they claim? I think it was a different product, but I recall seeing a video of a guy driving down the length of a 2x4/2x6 with a ton of nails sticking up out of it. Not so sure I would try THAT, but have you ever used that stuff and had a puncture? Is it a nasty mess inside the tire/rim when you change it the next time?

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Townsend: Yep, those were the first two videos I had seen on it. If my tires are junk, I'd still cut the sidewalls off though because it was pretty easy with a fresh razor blade. I think it'd be faster than trying to slide zip ties between the tire and rim too. Maybe it was just the PR2, but that thing was actually pretty snug on the rim even with the beads broken on both sides. Whatever works though, right?! I stood the tire up on the floor, kept it between my knees/shins as I leaned over with the utility knife facing 'upside down' (like the opposite of holding a hammer) with the blade end of it underneath my fist/grip, with the blade facing towards me. I just kept stepping ahead and rolling the tire on the floor so i wasn't pulling the blade towards me really to cut, just keeping it stationary. Watch out for objects (like a table saw extension wing) in front of you, lol.

If I was going to try to dismount a tire with zipties, I would probably still use like 8 of them (pretty cheap, especially if you reuse them), or at least space those 6 closer together towards the spot you want to start from.

When mounting, I'm not sure why he didn't get down and put his knees right on the tire and lean his weight into it more with both hands, and keep inching your knees forward as you go along.

Some might initially think "Oh yeah right, it cant be as easy as it looked on a youtube video!" Well, it is.. I found it to be even easier actually.

red_rock_beetle: Does that stuff actually work as good as they claim? I think it was a different product, but I recall seeing a video of a guy driving down the length of a 2x4/2x6 with a ton of nails sticking up out of it. Not so sure I would try THAT, but have you ever used that stuff and had a puncture? Is it a nasty mess inside the tire/rim when you change it the next time?

I was going to try the dismount (no cutting) as I wanted to combo patch/plug it from the inside. I COULD NOT get the bead to break loose from the rim, so I was dead in the water at that point.

A trip to the shop to dismount, did the tire repair in the parking lot (kind of a PIA), grinding the inside smooth.

One thing I noticed in the video and DO NOT RECOMMEND, he was doing both his procedures with the disc downward, ON THE GROUND. Even thou its own some cloth, you can mess up that brake disc...

 

[bryanwny]

I agree on not doing this right on the ground/bench/etc. That's why I built the little 2x4 "box" that was larger than the rotor, but smaller than the rim. I also covered the top side of the 2x4's with an old towel just for some added protection against possible scuffs.

 

[Goop]

You could use 2 x 4's and rig up a bead breaker if you wanted to avoid using a razor blade. Although you might still need some tire spoons to get the tire off of the rim.

Bead Breaker for Motorcycle Tires - webBikeWorld

Edit: Duhhh....you did that, sorry for my misreading. :tard:

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

I have a 20' boat trailer (pretty heavy I beam construction) which I could rig up approx an approx 7/8" bolt to secure the center of a wheel to the top of the frame. I have 2" x 2" steel bar (hollow) to use as a lever and make some brackets with bolts (bolted to the trailer frame) to use as a fulcrum...

I could break the bead bolted to the frame, leave the wheel attached and use the zip ties after that.

I have spoons but won't use them and damage the wheels...


Sounds like this weeks project!!

BTW, how did you release the tie's without cutting them? I know forcing the inner locking tab open will release it but not with tension on it.

 

[bryanwny]

I grabbed a hold of the long part of the zip tie that was hanging out, pulled it down (away from the tab) so i could get a TINY flat screwdriver in between the tab and the teeth/ridges. I kept the screwdriver wedged in there the entire time I slid it off until I made my way to the end where the ziptie is smooth. The end of a needle might work if you don't mind possibly pricking yourself lol. Or even a mechanical pencil tip. They all came right off and I reused them, except the one I managed to break the tab off of. I didn't do anything as far as trying to press the tire together more to relieve any pressure from the zipties either.

 

[FinalImpact]

FWIW: anyone with a trailer hitch on a vehicle, keep in mind you can use the car as mass and with a long 2X4 and carriage bolt make a pivot down to the wheel, cutting to length needed for spacing, can quickly rig a tool to break a bead. Yes, it looks tacky but its cheap and it works. Which fits our needs!

Of course old school bumper jacks work pretty good too. I've used them many times. However, they are rare these days. Use your imagination and many cheap solutions come to mind for bead breaking. I've swapped car tires, trailer tires, very large sand rail tires and bikes tires. The difference is none were cast wheels. Yes, also used starter fluid to seat a bead on a 38" mud tire. Good times!

I've seen this around (zip ties & tie down straps), but never pursued it. Perhaps that front tire will get on there sooner than later.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Ok, its about 95% done, just have to put a slight bend (upwards)in the handle, clean and paint it.

As posted above, I have always had issues popping the bead of the tire from the rim.

After doing some research both here and on-line, I made up, out of steel, the below bead breaker. It slips into a class three hitch receiver and has several adjustments. The actual plate that goes inbetween the wheel and the tire is 3".

Its somewhat a frankenstein of every thing I've found online but made of heavy steel, is extremly sturdy and you don't have to worry about 2x4's slipping, moving, breaking, etc.

You can also add a slightly larger diameter pipe to the handle for even more leverage although the handle is about 2' longer than anything on-line. The main pivot (from the receiver to the lever) is a hardened, 1/2" bolt. The adjustable arm bolt is also a hardened 3/8" bolt and nut. The retainer to the hitch assembly itself uses the stock 5/8" hole and stock pin.

Everything was stick(arc) welded except for the actual 3" x 3" plate which is MIG welded at a 45 degree angle after I rounded the inside of the plate to follow the shape of the rim (looks curved but its just actually cut in some and smoothed out)....

Please feel free to copy what I ended up with, it should look considerably better once cleaned and painted, it is bare, heavy, galvanized pipe, welded with a 2", notched, square stock into the receiver.


And yes, that IS a Hyperlite flashing brake light attached to the underside of the hitch (left over from the last bike)

 

[FinalImpact]

Ok, its about 95% done, just have to put a slight bend (upwards)in the handle, clean and paint it.

As posted above, I have always had issues popping the bead of the tire from the rim.

After doing some research both here and on-line, I made up, out of steel, the below bead breaker. It slips into a class three hitch receiver and has several adjustments. The actual plate that goes inbetween the wheel and the tire is 3".

Its somewhat a frankenstein of every thing I've found online but made of heavy steel, is extremly sturdy and you don't have to worry about 2x4's slipping, moving, breaking, etc. You can also add a slightly larger diameter pipe to the handle for even more leverage althoug the handle is about 2' longer than anything on-line.

Please feel free to copy what I ended up with, it should look considerably better once cleaned and painted, it is bare, heavy, galvanized pipe, welded.

Good Job and way to be creative Scott! That's exactly the type of thinking that gets it done on the cheap! Just don't sell your truck!

Now rig something to hold the wheel and protect the rotor(s) and you're set!

 

[motojoe122]

Ok, its about 95% done, just have to put a slight bend (upwards)in the handle, clean and paint it.

As posted above, I have always had issues popping the bead of the tire from the rim.

After doing some research both here and on-line, I made up, out of steel, the below bead breaker. It slips into a class three hitch receiver and has several adjustments. The actual plate that goes inbetween the wheel and the tire is 3".

Its somewhat a frankenstein of every thing I've found online but made of heavy steel, is extremly sturdy and you don't have to worry about 2x4's slipping, moving, breaking, etc.

You can also add a slightly larger diameter pipe to the handle for even more leverage although the handle is about 2' longer than anything on-line. The main pivot (from the receiver to the lever) is a hardened, 1/2" bolt. The ajustable arm bolt is also a hardened 3/8" bolts and nut. The retainer to the hitch assembly itself uses the stock 5/8" hole and stock pin.

Everything was stick(arc) welded except for the actual 3" x 3" plate which is MIG welded at a 45 degree angle after I rounded the inside of the plate to follow the shape of the rim (looks curved but its just actually cut in some and smoothed out)....

Please feel free to copy what I ended up with, it should look considerably better once cleaned and painted, it is bare, heavy, galvanized pipe, welded with a 2", notched, square stock into the receiver.


And yes, that IS a Hyperlite flashing brake light attached to the underside of the hitch (left over from the last bike)

Scott, can you list the L x W measurements? I have a short day at work tomorrow and I might have time to make this. Thanks much:thumbup: