Changing tires +++

[George]

Took some pictures yesterday while changing out ReSTored's front tire. A couple comparison shots between a Dunlop D205, 110/80/18 and a Michelin Macadam 50 110/80/18. This illustrates a point I mentioned the other day about the relative width between the beads between nominally the same size tires.

Dunlop 205 - - - - - -- - - - Michelin Macadam 50


side by side inside = = = = =side by side outside


Believe me, there's a _big_ diff when trying to seat the beads. MotoMac gave me a hand mounting the Michelin. We had to pack the crevice between the rim and one side of the tire with mounting lube to build up enuff pressure to get those beads to spread.

Sorry I didn't get pics, but when the beads _did_ spread, the lube flew off the wheel like a custard pie headed for the target. The target? Oh, yeah, Mac had just donned a fresh t-shirt. LOL!!! I was crying! :lol::lol::lol: (Sorry, Mac, it was funny! )

Can you say Karma? I knew you could. After getting the tire mounted, I was closing down the compressor when the regulator fell apart in my hands. Ugh! New one sourced this evening for $26.

So, before applying the new tire, we had to break down the new tire. Wanted to try a technique I saw demonstrated at CampSTOC 2008. Will broke down Landon's tire using only tire irons. I've tried it before without success but thought this was a good opportunity to try again. Mac took some snaps as I struggled with the wheel.

So, basically, we pushed the bead of the old tire all the way round to make a little room


Then, we applied a little soapy water to act as lubricant


Now, put the point of the tar arn _point side down_ and lift _up_ to push the bead down into the well,


and use the second iron as needed to add a little more leverage.


Once the bead is broken down, reverse the wheel and do the other side.


All else is per normal, pry the tar off and replace with the new one.

Why do this when I have a perfectly good HF tar changer stacked in the corner? Cause I'm more likely to change tars in the field as I am at home. Hard to pack an HF compared to a set of tar arns.

First lesson, tho, is the width of the beads. I do believe I can seat the beads of that D-205 using my 12 V compressor. The Michelin required hi-volume air at 120 lbs, with extra "goop" applied to provide a seal. There are big diffs in tires and we're all still learning.

I'll let y'all know about setting beads using a 12 V compressor when I install the Dunlop on STick's front wheel in a couple months. The current Avon still has a ways to go.

 

[Mellow]

Cool pics.. what kinda lube do you use? Do you ever balance the tires?

 

[BigTom]

Hey. Nice pics, George.

I just happen to know that the bed on my new STorm seated at 25#. I checked. It went pretty easy.

George, I use a C clamp and a piece of 2x4 to break down the bead, with the irons to hold it...I gotta tell you, it's a lot, lot easier on Bob's tire machine.

Joe. I've never balanced one that I've done on the porch, I have added Ride On, long as the tire has a dot. The STorms don't have a dot, it didn't take too much to balance Thursday night....

 

[Grizzley]

George, for seating the bead in a situation like the Michelin, one thing that would help is to "squeeze" the center of the tire with a strap, you could use a ratcheting tie-down strap. That forces the beads towards the outside, or seating position.
Another tip would be on the lubricant you use, soapy water isn't the best; at the Hunter training school, the mantra is: Lube is your friend (of course, they mean for mounting and demounting tires, but I know of a few more situations when that is also true). Hunter Engineering's part number RP6-3784 mounting paste is best you can find. Here is the link to find a Hunter rep and techs by Zip code: http://www.hunter.com/pub/company/findrep.htm
You can find accessories through these fellows too, like mounting tools, bead levers, etc.
JD

 

[Outlaws]

Great pics.

The Dunlop 205 is a radial & the Michelin Macadam 50 is a bias ply tire if I'm not mistaken?

Don't mean to hijack the thread but I'm thinking about a set of Michelin Pilot Road 2s for my 1100.

http://www.webbikeworld.com/Motorcycle-tires/michelin-pilot-road-2/

Amy thoughts???

 

[George]

Lots of good points here.

Joe, I don't balance but I do use the "beads." Seems to work at normal speeds.

JD, I use the soapy water just to help on breaking down the bead. seems to "soak in" better than mounting lube. For mounting, I have a 8 lb bucket of Camel Tire Mounting "Stuf" (their name.) Nice thick paste with rust inhibitor. The strap-around-the-center doesn't work with this tire, tried it. I learned the pack-the-bead-with-paste trick from some pro truck tire guys. First time I ever tried it and it worked, despite Mac's view on the subject.

Outlaws, yes the D205 is radial and the Macadam is bias. Both are approved fitments for our 3.0" front rim. The D205 is gonna be a lot easier to mount.

I still have fond memories of the old Dunlop K591. The rear is still available (Harley branded only) but the front is not.

Tom, 25 lbs sounds about right, once the beads spread. I always pump the tire to full pressure (41 in the case of the Michelin) then let'em deflate, install the core, and reinflate.

Anyone ever use starter fluid (ether) to "blow" the bead onto the rim? I've seen it done with big truck tars.

 

[Carl_T]

Hey George, I have mounted Metz Macadams on both my wife's and son's 250 Ninjas (good tire on those bikes by the way). So far I've put 4 on and never had one with the bead looking like that. The front on them is 110x70x16. All of them started with minimal air pressure. Perhaps it was the way yours was stored before you purchased it.

If you have the occasional tire like that, often you can bounce the tire (not too crazy hard, but hard enough) on the ground around it's circumference (bounce turn tire nearly a quarter turn, bounce again, turn, bounce etc.) and the bead spreads and catches just enough to get air in there.

 

[Raven]

Looks like even though the sidewall numbers are the same, it's possible that these tires were made for different rim widths. Do you know what the recommended rim width is for the Macadam? How does the profile look once they're mounted?

 

[Paul]

No picture of Mac's t shirt?

 

[George]

Missed the pic of the Stuf hitting Mac's shirt, but it was like custard splashing off the counter top! Priceless.

Dace, the Macadam is spec'ed for the 3.0 rim as is the D-205 Dunlop. I think each is also spec'ed for a half inch in opposite directions. Once mounted, the profile on the Michelin looks good, and the handling and mileage are within reason. I'd ride it anywhere (and prolly will.)

Carl, this is the second Macadam 50 110/80/18 I've installed on this wheel. The manufacture dates are 6 months different and they were purchased from different vendors.
Same "problem" on both.