Mounting a stiff & wide low-profile CT

[MarkT]

Last time I wasn't able to mount a Yokohama 205-55 A048 tire, because it was so stiff I couldn't keep the lower bead in the valley while pulling the upper bead onto the rim.  I have a HF mounter, don't have the other mounting bars I've seen mentioned here - but do have 3 oversize tire irons from HF in addition to the mounting bar provided with the HF mounter & MC adapter.  Have others found a method to mounting stiffies?  (that oughta bait some wisecracks)  I do have bar clamps but they don't have a deep enough jaw.  Really big C-clamps might work, if so how many - 4? 5? 6?  I wound up having the last tire mounted for me - and they had a tough time.  I'd rather do it here if I get a lead on a method that works.  Maybe squeeze it between 2 donut shaped plywood boards pulled together with 3 10" bolts and fender washers?

[Farther]

Years ago (in the '60) I worked at a 24 hour truck stop/full service tire shop.  When we had tires too stiff to get a seal, we used a device like a heavy duty fabric wraped bicycle inner tube that we strung around the circumfrence of the tread and aired up which caused the beads to seat.  Maybe use one of those nylon rachet straps around the tire and tighten down as much as possible.  It may work.

[MarkT]

Years ago (in the '60) I worked at a 24 hour truck stop/full service tire shop.  When we had tires too stiff to get a seal, we used a device like a heavy duty fabric wraped bicycle inner tube that we strung around the circumfrence of the tread and aired up which caused the beads to seat.  Maybe use one of those nylon rachet straps around the tire and tighten down as much as possible.  It may work.

Thanks, but that's not the problem.  I need to bring the beads together to get the tire on the rim.  Airing it up & getting the beads to seat - no problem.  As I said it's a WIDE tire, needs to be narrower while mounting.

[X Ring]

A buddy and I had a helluva tine mounting a Metzler steel belted rear tire.  We eventually made some 2" thick pieces of 2x4 and inserted those between the rim and tire beads as we pulled the tire over the bead to keep the tire in the valley.

Marty

[Dodis]

Can't find the link, if I even saved it, but there was a discussion before about using heavy nylon wire ties to pull the beads together to mount a regular tire without any tools. That might help enough to get the tire on with tools, then just cut the ties and seat the beads.


Mike "Dodis"

[old2soon]

A long long time ago when i worked at a Goodyear tire store i had a similar problem with the racing tires for the formula V cars i worked on. The old manual-versus the newer air operated ones-was drug out of storage and more than once i needed an extra set of hands or two extra sets of hands ond LOTSA soap water to get them mounted. More than once it took 4 yes 4 irons to hold that tire in the center groove and lots of effort pulling the bead down into the wheel groove. And guess who bought the fancy cast wheel if it got broken??   I would hazard a guess you are up against the same circumstances i was BUT i worked out of a fully oufitted tire shop. And i had access to extra bodies as i needed them. Lotsa soap water extra hands and extra irons. Hope this helps ya out. RIDE SAFE.

[justintyper]

Can't find the link, if I even saved it, but there was a discussion before about using heavy nylon wire ties to pull the beads together to mount a regular tire without any tools. That might help enough to get the tire on with tools, then just cut the ties and seat the beads.


Mike "Dodis"

i just read a thread on here a few weeks ago about mounting mc tires without any machine at all by using 5 or 6 small ratchet straps around the tire to hold the beads together and drop right over the wheel....maybe that would help? good luck!

[Gryphon Rider]

Follow this link to read about my experience.  I did manage to get my tire mounted:
http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,31087.0.html
I tried the ratchet strap method and managed to get the two beads squished together, but still couldn't force the tire over the rim.  Heavy zip ties might work better.

[MarkT]

Thx for the ideas.  I don't see how I can wrap the tire with anything (like straps or wire ties) that pass in front of the bead, without that getting in the way of the mount.  I'm going to try squeezing the tire between 2 donut-shaped boards of 1/2"or thicker plywood, and squeeze the tire using long bolts and fender washers, and probably extra-long nuts and deepwell sockets to turn them quickly under power.

If it works I'll take pics and post them.

[Ricky-D]

Here are three threads dealing with the zip tie application.

Don't know if they would work with such a large tough tire as you are dealing with.

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,25294.0.html

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,31087.0.html

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,19676.0.html

I think that tire is the best I've seen yet! 

Prohibitively expensive tho....

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