Changing your own tyres

[UK Bike Forum Member]

Ok then , the last time i bought a new rear the tyre cost £135 fitted and i had to take the loose wheel to the shop and collect it at the end of the day.

so i thought right then I can do this myself, i bought the tyre online £82 delivered got meself a bead breaker and some levers rang steve cardiff up to come and help and what a fuckin bastard of a job. The abba bead breaker is great and makes breaking the bead effortless ( i must mention at this time that Steve cardiff has made his own breaker with some 4 by 2  and a wall anchor which although doesnt look trick it does the job).

The levers supplied with the bead breaker were shit , well one of them was as it was about 6 inches long !!

Anyway after loads of sweating and swearing and cursing and almost taking up smoking again the new tyre was on. Time to balance it now with my wheel balancer which was supplied with 2.5g and 5g weights !!! off to kwick fit and blagged some free 10g weights and will be balancing it later.It is satisfying doing it yourself but not a job for the lighthearted.

A professional machine and balancer costs about £2k so i can see why dealers charge so much for it.

It was my first attempt so i suppose it'll get easier . if i do 4 of my own tyres it'll pay for the bead breaker and balancer and anything after that is money saved 

Rim protectors are a must but get the nylon ones as Steve has rubber ones which were shredded after one tyre change

[UK Bike Forum Member]

if you have a bead breaker its a five minute job and if you line the yellow dot up with the valve you shouldn't need to balance it

[UK Bike Forum Member]

Bollox to that mark at MG's can do mine every time 

[UK Bike Forum Member]

Nice one mate, its always satisfying knowing that you've done it yourself and saved a bit of cash! If you need more practice you can do mine for me if you like!!

:thumbsupl

[UK Bike Forum Member]

if you have a bead breaker its a five minute job and if you line the yellow dot up with the valve you shouldn't need to balance it

no yellow dots on an Avon viper sport 

[Pope]

road tyres have dots but the stickier stuff doesn't.

I've watched Steve do it and it's an absolute bastard of a job.  Especially when you get the tyre on the wrong way 

If someone could find a 2nd hand hydraulic machine knocking about and stick it in their garage it'd probably pay for itself within a year if you started charging small amounts to do other peoples tyres on the weekends etc

[UK Bike Forum Member]

I cant be arsed with all that effort garage for me every time 

[UK Bike Forum Member]

Is there anyone around swansea area that will fit your own tyres ?
Last time i bought tyres for the m3 online i had problems getting someone to fit tyres not supplied by themselves, seeing as theres fewer places doing bike tyres i guess it would be worse

[UK Bike Forum Member]

nice one DHD 

[UK Bike Forum Member]

Is there anyone around swansea area that will fit your own tyres ?
Last time i bought tyres for the m3 online i had problems getting someone to fit tyres not supplied by themselves, seeing as theres fewer places doing bike tyres i guess it would be worse

I had the same problem could not get anyone to fit tyre after i bought it so sought out a blancer £20 and made my own bead breaker £7 for rim protecter job done

[UK Bike Forum Member]

Front tyres are much easier to do than rears, they just seem to ease off and on the wheel much better. And it makes a massive difference if the tyres are warmed in the sun/airing cupboard for a while. Popes tyres are a piece of piss to do cos they don't get the chance to cool down 

Yellow dot (if it's got one) signifies the lightest part of the tyre so should be placed adjacent to the valve. However, i've never had a tyre that didn't need balancing even with the dot lined up correctly.

And my bead breaker is far superior and quicker than yours Dave, and cost fook all 

[UK Bike Forum Member]

Only because i have all the gear to do it,it is a 5 min front,5min rear really its that easy,

[UK Bike Forum Member]

And my bead breaker is far superior and quicker than yours Dave, and cost fook all 

quicker , yes , but not superior an angle grinder would be quicker but not superior and your bead breaker is made of wood so may have cost you fook all but what about the tree eh, yes the poor trees!