fitting own tyres - how tricky?

Post by **Alec** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 5:03 pm

Hello all,

just a point to clarify BMCE's post, leave the valve CORE out. I know what he meant when he said leave the valve out but if you've never done tyres before it may puzzle you?

Alec

Post by **bmcecosse** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 9:59 pm

It would indeed be difficult if the whole valve was removed - yes - just the core removed.

Post by **eastona** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 9:01 pm

the difficult bit is removing the old ones.

a "few" years ago before I could drive legally I regularly used to help my father change tyres. We used to take the valve core out, then (very slowly) drive a van onto the tyre (obviously placed flat!), turning the van steering wheel so the van road wheel ran around the tyre, pushing it off the rim.

Then reverse off the tyre, rotate tyre, and repeat until all of that side bead is broken, turn the tyre over, and repeat until the other side bead is broken. It did used to work, (and improves a 13 year old's clutch control

)

(probably not a very good explanation, but it does work)

Andrew

Post by **bmcecosse** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 11:03 pm

Yes - it sometimes does need brute force - that method only really useful if the old tyre is scrap! It's also possible to drive up and down with the valve core out (on private ground) and that will surely get the tyre off the bead - and terminally damage it too! If you want to use the tyre again - you just have to work round and round with a lever gently easing the bead away from the wheel edge - some soapy water squirted into the bead area helps - a little !

Ratbag · Post by **Ratbag** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 12:57 pm

You can break a bead by using a small bottle jack & a heavy vehicle.... put the rim under the vehicle and jack between them (carefully, it may slip).

Phil.