tire mounting questions

[teleskier]

I recently mounted my first rear tire myself. After mounting and balancing I took the tire to a dealer who spun it for me to double check my first effort and it was spot on. That made me feel good. Now my two questions:

1. When I inflated the tire, it did not go, Pop Pop as the edges seated as I was using low pressure air from a compressor mounted in my jeep but it appears seated well and even all the way around on both sides and is holding air fine. Am I ok?

2. When I go to mount the front, I need to remove the old tire. How do I break the bead at home without damaging my polished rim?

[jeremy556]

I recently mounted my first rear tire myself.  After mounting and balancing I took the tire to a dealer who spun it for me to double check my first effort and it was spot on. That made me feel good. Now my two questions:

1. When I inflated the tire, it did not go, Pop Pop as the edges seated as I was using low pressure air from a compressor mounted in my jeep but it appears seated well and even all the way around on both sides and is holding air fine. Am I ok?

2. When I go to mount the front, I need to remove the old tire. How do I break the bead at home without damaging my polished rim?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

When you go to mount the front, use a vice or c clamp, I have heard those work pretty well. I would also remove both discs for your first few changes; I know I would have chewed mine up had I not removed them.

[VFR FLYER]

I recently mounted my first rear tire myself.  After mounting and balancing I took the tire to a dealer who spun it for me to double check my first effort and it was spot on. That made me feel good. Now my two questions:

1. When I inflated the tire, it did not go, Pop Pop as the edges seated as I was using low pressure air from a compressor mounted in my jeep but it appears seated well and even all the way around on both sides and is holding air fine. Am I ok?

2. When I go to mount the front, I need to remove the old tire. How do I break the bead at home without damaging my polished rim?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i think i would lay a clean rag across the vise and insert tire for break down. while spooning you might try a new or clean plastic trash can to support the wheel by the outer spoke areas with the disc rotors hanging free. notice the arrow on the spoke next to the rim. notice the arrow on the tire and hopefully there is a blue red or yellow dot at the bead of the tire. this is the light spot that should be aligned with the valve stem. best wishes!

[teleskier]

actually when I balanced the rear, I balanced the rim only first and found the valve stem was NOT the heavy spot of the rim. I did it three times to verify and it stopped in the same place each time.

Pilot Powers do not have markings. It is assumed from other threads that the bar code is the light spot. that is how I mounted it and it took less than an ounce of weight.

I set up a 20 gallon metal can with heater hose around the rim and towels on top of that to lay my rim on. It worked great.

[jeremy556]

actually when I balanced the rear, I balanced the rim only first and found the valve stem was NOT the heavy spot of the rim. I did it three times to verify and it stopped in the same place each time.

Pilot Powers do not have markings. It is assumed from other threads that the bar code is the light spot. that is how I mounted it and it took less than an ounce of weight.

I set up a 20 gallon metal can with heater hose around the rim and towels on top of that to lay my rim on. It worked great.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Modern sport rubber is ging to be very close to balanced, and the heavy spot is unlikely going to be the valve stem.

[teleskier]

any more ideas on bead breaking

[teleskier]

bump for more input on both questions

[johne]

Before I had the Harbor Freight set up I would lay an old tire on the ground to protect the rim, take a car scissors jack and place the base of the jack on the bead and the top of the jack under the car bumper. Crank the jack until the bead breaks. Rinse and repeat. Caveman style but it works! :beer:

[mq105]

bump for more input on both questions

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Check out this topic: http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/index.p...topic=18386&hl=

[teleskier]

I found a real easy way to break the bead on the tires, hi-lift jack and the rock sliders on my Jeep. Works like a champ.

[ULEWZ]

A Parallel clamp works.

[fuldogg]

For a front tire with a rim width of 3.5" or so, a shop vise works fine for bead breaking. And yes, I have found that the heavy spot on a bare rim with valve installed is often not at the valve stem.