Mounting C/Ts

[Valkansas]

Anyone else have trouble finding someone to mount a C/T on your MC?

[R J]

Everyone does.

The shops are afraid that if ya have an accident that they say is due to a C/T, that they will be sued.

Best thing to do is find a fellow VRCC'er that has a tire machine and is willing to assist ya in the installation of a C/T.

[Tundra]

Tell them it's for your trike, sidecar rig or custom trailer.

[Bone]

I use our independant motorcycle shop. Every day I go by a family owned car tire shop the guys wave. One sunny day I rode right up to their garage door and parked. Couple of the guys walked up and I pointed at my rear tire (GYTT). They huddled around and I asked if they would mount the next tire when I need one. Told them I live 1/2 a mile away and will bring the wheel and new tire (different brand than they sell). They showed me their tire changer and said they would give it try. Oh I told them I would balance it too they had asked about balancing.

[DarkSideR]

Some advice - Take the rear wheel off yourself and only take the wheel to the shop. Try to find a small Mom-N-Pop Motorcycle shop to do the work. If they look at you like you have 2 heads tell them your bike has a sidecar.

Still no luck? Find a local VRCC guy in your area who has tire changing tools and work with him.

[mustang071965]

my local goodyear does mine. they have 2 techs that ride. just check your local shops. most will if you buy the tire from them.

[MP]

My local Honda MC dealer does mine.  I take them the wheel, and a new tire.  No problem. Mine know it is a regular MC, and I have a sidecar rig. Did mine before I got sidecar too.

I would suggest NOT telling them what it is on.  If they ask, tell them a sidecar rig.

MP

[fudgie]

I had a HD mechanic do mine at his small local shop till he died.  Now I take it to another independent shop. He's done 2 for me and some for other Valks.

[PAVALKER]

You would be surprised if you got some tire irons at your local Harbor Freight and tried it yourself.  I think the CT sidewall is easier to mount than a MT.

[Valkansas]

Thanks for all the comments

[Gryphon Rider]

You would be surprised if you got some tire irons at your local Harbor Freight and tried it yourself.  I think the CT sidewall is easier to mount than a MT.

Ahem...you'd be surprised what a huge pain-in-the-backside it is to mount any tire with tire irons, at least Valkyrie-sized tires.  PAVALKER, I'd love to see your video of you mounting or removing a tire using tire irons.

[old2soon]

You would be surprised if you got some tire irons at your local Harbor Freight and tried it yourself.  I think the CT sidewall is easier to mount than a MT.

Ahem...you'd be surprised what a huge pain-in-the-backside it is to mount any tire with tire irons, at least Valkyrie-sized tires.  PAVALKER, I'd love to see your video of you mounting or removing a tire using tire irons.

      And on the flip side of that when I lived and worked in Colorado I drove and wrenched in the shop. We did 24.5 truck wheels(tubeless)with tire irons and bead hammers on and off. Bit of a chore BUT it kept me out of the bars and away from women of questionable repute!!  RIDE SAFE.

[fudgie]

You would be surprised if you got some tire irons at your local Harbor Freight and tried it yourself.  I think the CT sidewall is easier to mount than a MT.

My HD guy told me it was a bitch mounting my 1st car tire.

[The emperor has no clothes]

You would be surprised if you got some tire irons at your local Harbor Freight and tried it yourself.  I think the CT sidewall is easier to mount than a MT.

Ahem...you'd be surprised what a huge pain-in-the-backside it is to mount any tire with tire irons, at least Valkyrie-sized tires.  PAVALKER, I'd love to see your video of you mounting or removing a tire using tire irons.

It is a pain, but with the proper setup it's doable. Been doing it for 3 years now, I think 5 or 6 tires. There is a link in shoptalk for a setup.

[vanagon40]

I'm with PAVALKER on this one.  It is not that difficult with a few cheap tools.  I made the rim holder below for very little money, and it mounts to my old Black & Decker WorkMate.  A couple of Motion Pro tire irons, and I can probably change a tire in about the same time as it would take me to drive to a shop and wait while the tire was being changed.  It helps if the tires have been sitting in the sun on a warm day.  Also need to make sure the tire beads on the opposite side of the wheel are in the bottom of the wheel rim.  (Balancing is a different story, but the subject is about as subjective as a discussion on oil.)

[That said, I have been removing and mounting tires since before I can remember (starting with bicycle tires).  I have used some nice tire changers (manual, not automatic), cheap tire changers, and also driven over car and truck wheels to break the bead, removed and remounted the tires with crow bars and large screwdrivers, and balanced tires with a static balance using the front wheel bearings with the brake calipers pried apart (or an old bubble balancer or driven with no balance at all).]

Copied this tire changer from someone else's design:

[signart]

I'm with PAVALKER on this one.  It is not that difficult with a few cheap tools.  I made the rim holder below for very little money, and it mounts to my old Black & Decker WorkMate.  A couple of Motion Pro tire irons, and I can probably change a tire in about the same time as it would take me to drive to a shop and wait while the tire was being changed.  It helps if the tires have been sitting in the sun on a warm day.  Also need to make sure the tire beads on the opposite side of the wheel are in the bottom of the wheel rim.  (Balancing is a different story, but the subject is about as subjective as a discussion on oil.)

[That said, I have been removing and mounting tires since before I can remember (starting with bicycle tires).  I have used some nice tire changers (manual, not automatic), cheap tire changers, and also driven over car and truck wheels to break the bead, removed and remounted the tires with crow bars and large screwdrivers, and balanced tires with a static balance using the front wheel bearings with the brake calipers pried apart (or an old bubble balancer or driven with no balance at all).]

Copied this tire changer from someone else's design:

Course I know, but for those that don't have a clue, could you explain to them how that works?

[sawdustar]

A lot of bikers around here run CT's and many shops have no problems with mounting CT on bike rims. $25 charge for mounting the tire....take off the old tire and mount the new one.

But....my son-in-law has a tire changer for motorcycles.....so I take mine there and get them done for free. 

[vanagon40]

. . . .  Course I know, but for those that don't have a clue, could you explain to them how that works?

All is does is hold the wheel in place, so one is not wrestling it on the driveway or a workbench.  Pull the nut and wooden washer off the top, put the wheel on the car rim (with the all-thread through the axle bearings), and replace and tighten the top nut and wooden washer.  Also protects the brake rotor(s).

[Mildew]

I bought the harbor freight tools and still couldn't do it.   Everyone has been able to change all of my car tires as long as the wheel is off the bike. I've had some say they wouldn't do it over the phone but when i showed up in person, they've mounted it no questions asked. $25 at most places. My rear bias ply dunny just arrived at my front door BTW. I'll be getting it installed in the morning mounted in reverse direction.

[PhredValk]

I looked for days to find a tire or bike shop to do this. Tire shops say their equipment won't work with the rim, bike shops say its unsafe (they want to sell you a tire). I took it to a quad shop, who don't care what tire I want on what rim. And they even sell Ride-On!
Fred.

[Mildew]

Scratch every thing I said on my previous post. Lots of changes on my last 20,000 miles.  Nobody would mount my rear tire on my front with the wheel off the bike today. I guess I'm gonna have to learn how to do it myself.  I'll never do business again with any of those places in Lawrenceville Georgia. Piss on them.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Scratch every thing I said on my previous post. Lots of changes on my last 20,000 miles.  Nobody would mount my rear tire on my front with the wheel off the bike today. I guess I'm gonna have to learn how to do it myself.  I'll never do business again with any of those places in Lawrenceville Georgia. Piss on them.

I know how you feel. I built a tire changer (similar to vanagon's). There is a link in shoptalk about it. It will give you some good info about it. Good luck

[Mildew]

Priciate it from now on my shopping will be done on amazon and nobody touches my bike but me.

[Mildew]

Well I did it. It only took 5 minutes. I left the tire out in the sun and kept the rim inside. Put some soap on the tire and bloop.  Went on with little effort. It was almost scary how easy it was. I used tire tools but it was only to get the last lil section

[The emperor has no clothes]

Well I did it. It only took 5 minutes. I left the tire out in the sun and kept the rim inside. Put some soap on the tire and bloop.  Went on with little effort. It was almost scary how easy it was. I used tire tools but it was only to get the last lil section

, I would also recommend balancing beads instead of tire weights also

[Mildew]

Was gong to throw BBs in there but said  pss on it. I had a unbalaced tire on it before and run it 20k without an issue.

[PAVALKER]

You would be surprised if you got some tire irons at your local Harbor Freight and tried it yourself.  I think the CT sidewall is easier to mount than a MT.

Ahem...you'd be surprised what a huge pain-in-the-backside it is to mount any tire with tire irons, at least Valkyrie-sized tires.  PAVALKER, I'd love to see your video of you mounting or removing a tire using tire irons.

I can't hold the camera, the tire irons and put it on. Sheesh. ...... I have a HF tire changer, but since I don't have it mounted to the floor it's a PITA to use with that big tire bar myself.  And, with my right shoulder torn rotator cuff it is even more difficult as well.  However, I do use the tire changer to hold the rim and two tire irons, and one other bar.  I put on my Austone Taxi Tire that way this past fall.  Bike tires have a much stiffer sidewall and the CTs for bike use that I have seen are much more pliable.  Now I might not  do my truck tires that way... Those are some thick and stiff side walls.  Besides... They don't charge out the azz for car/truck tire mounting on 4 wheeled vehicles like most bikes shops do.

No... No video sorry.    I do have a bike shop that will and has mounted CTs on bike rims, but he is a busy guy and I don't want to waste my time driving down there with the rim and tire, wait for him to get to a point to do it... Cause I won't drop it off to come back again.  And to pay what he wants just to mount it on top of my time to remove the wheel, drive there etc..... I'll do it myself in about the same time as it would take me to deliver, wait and return..... And save the gas and his fee.  When I get to a point where I can't do it.... I am us there are a few shops around that will.  Oh... And around here... Bike shops want a higher fee to mount tires that you didn't buy from them as well......

Well I did it. It only took 5 minutes. I left the tire out in the sun and kept the rim inside. Put some soap on the tire and bloop.  Went on with little effort. It was almost scary how easy it was. I used tire tools but it was only to get the last lil section

Congrats.  Yep.. It was almost scary in how it goes on. Almost gave me second thoughts about the tire and I did pause to make sure the rim and tire diameter were the same.  Thinner pliable side walls I guess.  And the bead seated much easier for me as well.