Tightwad Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 I am looking at spooning on my own tires for the first time. I figured that a couple of tire changes will pay for my tool investment…and when have I ever said no to new tools (look in my garage to see how that plays out…) As I don’t have the funds to buy everything at once, I plan to invest in a good mount/demount bar (oh how I hate spoons)…the Mojo bar has my respect because it has good acclaim, and is a home brew…power to the inventive type. I also read his website and love his process and ingenuity around all he has done. This will use most of this installments “tool money”, so I will handle balancing and bead breaking with home remedies. My question now is….where do I get Valve Stems? What is the right size? I know some people have had problems with the 90 degree type, so they should be avoided? I would love to her suggestions from fellow DIYers. For the record, weights seem most economical from JCWhitney, at ~$5.33 per pound, in ¼ increments…love to find a better price on them as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Rice Posted May 21, 2008 Member Contributer Share Posted May 21, 2008 I don't know where to get them, but as a fellow home tire changer, I can say that you don't really need to change valve stems every time you change tires. They last for years w/o any issues. I'd google "VFR valve stems" for starters. Here's some on ebay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tightwad Posted May 21, 2008 Author Share Posted May 21, 2008 I don't know where to get them, but as a fellow home tire changer, I can say that you don't really need to change valve stems every time you change tires. They last for years w/o any issues. I'd google "VFR valve stems" for starters. Here's some on ebay The ones that were supposedly "new" with my last set of tires leak from the valve core. I am not impressed and prefer to change them, but I have no reservations to rubber ones, just didn't know if they were a different size. Unfortunantly, Ebay is blocked by my work filter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer cruzinaz Posted May 21, 2008 Member Contributer Share Posted May 21, 2008 How soon are you going to mount them? We use short chrome ones, I'll send you some if theres time :lurk: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Rice Posted May 21, 2008 Member Contributer Share Posted May 21, 2008 Unfortunantly, Ebay is blocked by my work filter. That's because you should be working - Not wasting your company's time on ebay :lurk: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: You can waste all the time you want on VFRD though :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer dude Posted May 21, 2008 Member Contributer Share Posted May 21, 2008 I got mine from ahem the local HD dealer. Get the shorties as the longer ones at most tire shops could interfer with your rear caliper. :lurk: I paid $2.00 for 2 :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Bling Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 90° valve stems work just fine, if you get the correct ones. Here's what veefer800cancuuk uses: http://www.motowheels.com/italian/myProduc...;categoryID=405 And, here's a link to Oyama's thread about 90° valve stems: http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/index.p...st&p=474019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer cruzinaz Posted May 21, 2008 Member Contributer Share Posted May 21, 2008 I got mine from ahem the local HD dealer. Get the shorties as the longer ones at most tire shops could interfer with your rear caliper. :laugh: I paid $2.00 for 2 :laugh: Thats a good price from a dealer, our local Honda dealer sells em for 5.95 ea!! they cost .59, not a bad mark up :lurk: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tightwad Posted May 21, 2008 Author Share Posted May 21, 2008 How soon are you going to mount them? We use short chrome ones, I'll send you some if theres time :lurk: Not a huge rush...probably mounting them in 2-3 weeks as time permits...and when tools arrive. Are they just the standard .453 hole that is used? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer cruzinaz Posted May 21, 2008 Member Contributer Share Posted May 21, 2008 How soon are you going to mount them? We use short chrome ones, I'll send you some if theres time :lurk: Not a huge rush...probably mounting them in 2-3 weeks as time permits...and when tools arrive. Are they just the standard .453 hole that is used? The stem itself is .400, the rubber seal is stepped and makes it .453 We also stock the short rubber ones with chrome sleeves, I'll toss a couple of those in there for you too, but unless you have the tool to pull them in the metal ones are easier. PM me with an address and I'll get them in snail mail to ya :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer VF1000R Posted May 21, 2008 Member Contributer Share Posted May 21, 2008 As I don’t have the funds to buy everything at once, I plan to invest in a good mount/demount bar (oh how I hate spoons)…the Mojo bar has my respect because it has good acclaim, and is a home brew…power to the inventive type. I also read his website and love his process and ingenuity around all he has done. This will use most of this installments “tool money”, so I will handle balancing and bead breaking with home remedies. The Mojolever is awesome. I use it with my Harbor Freight tire changer and it works great. Mojolever + lots of Windex makes getting tires on and off a breeze. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tightwad Posted May 21, 2008 Author Share Posted May 21, 2008 As I don’t have the funds to buy everything at once, I plan to invest in a good mount/demount bar (oh how I hate spoons)…the Mojo bar has my respect because it has good acclaim, and is a home brew…power to the inventive type. I also read his website and love his process and ingenuity around all he has done. This will use most of this installments “tool money”, so I will handle balancing and bead breaking with home remedies. The Mojolever is awesome. I use it with my Harbor Freight tire changer and it works great. Mojolever + lots of Windex makes getting tires on and off a breeze. Windex...good to know. I think the video Tinyminds posted showed using Pledge? I know from the Mojo-Lever guys site about the uselessness of Nitrogen that the amount of excess lube used really screws with the tire pressures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 Don't give up on doing your own tire changes after your first time. :fing02: Why do I say this? For many people (including me) the first time is a huge exercise in frustration, sweat and blood loss. It gets much easier after you have done it a few times, learn a few tricks and get better tools. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tightwad Posted May 21, 2008 Author Share Posted May 21, 2008 Don't give up on doing your own tire changes after your first time. :fing02: Why do I say this? For many people (including me) the first time is a huge exercise in frustration, sweat and blood loss. It gets much easier after you have done it a few times, learn a few tricks and get better tools. I will keep that in mind...I think splurging on a good dismount lever will keep me from getting too pissed off. Luckily it is 20+ miles to the closest MC shop, so I will be stuck doing them myself even if I try to change my mind...should be good for me. Hopefully not using the HF changer won't be too terrible...I nearly bought one but I was on my bike and couldn't have carried it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veefer800Canuck Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 90° valve stems work just fine, if you get the correct ones. Here's what veefer800cancuuk uses: http://www.motowheels.com/italian/myProduc...;categoryID=405 I see the Dark Lord of the Sith has beaten me to the point. All I can add is to make sure that your valvestems are not too long and foul the rear brake caliper. Use short stems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Stéphane Posted May 21, 2008 Member Contributer Share Posted May 21, 2008 Make sure you line up the yellow dot on the sidewall with the stem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer hlf Posted May 21, 2008 Member Contributer Share Posted May 21, 2008 KurveyGirl has metal valve stems (straight and 90 degree) at decent prices, with great service: http://kurveygirl.com/shop/index.php?cPath...925a4d803af2b3d Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tightwad Posted May 21, 2008 Author Share Posted May 21, 2008 All the help here has been appreciated...and remind me that we really need a collective FAQ type....I know there is a link for "How To" posts, but it doesn't seem to work. Would be great to get this topic into something like that, so others can approach it with confidence or apprehension as needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer zx5go Posted May 21, 2008 Member Contributer Share Posted May 21, 2008 KurveyGirl has metal valve stems (straight and 90 degree) at decent prices, with great service: http://kurveygirl.com/shop/index.php?cPath...925a4d803af2b3d +1 for kurveygirl. I'm sure rubber is just fine (they came that way from Honda) but I moved to 90 degree metal. I didn't have any issues using the 90 degree and I think it will help with checking and adding air to the front. My stems came in in 3 days (maybe 2, I don't recall). I will say that you should research how to get the old stems out. I'm sure there is a trick but I ended up using a razor knife on the inside portion to cut away rubber until they pulled out easily. I just changed the tires on my VFR and I splurged on the No-Mar setup (balancer and all)...have your new tires shipped to my house and take a ride to Southwest Missouri and we can change 'em here!! Another "reason" to take a tour! As for weight, I wasn't looking for lowest price, but No-Mar had black weights that matched the wheels so I went that route. They blend right in. I mounted Avon Storms which do not have a paint dot for balance. I ended up dismounting my rear and rotating it 180 to get the amount of required weight down. The front I guess I got lucky on. Each took 21 grams. ...oh, and the No-Mar past lube works great and isn't messy (the liquid is just a diluted version of the paste). As their videos mention, the lube is the key. I skimped on the rear the first time and you can really tell when you're shy on lube. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tightwad Posted May 21, 2008 Author Share Posted May 21, 2008 KurveyGirl has metal valve stems (straight and 90 degree) at decent prices, with great service: http://kurveygirl.com/shop/index.php?cPath...925a4d803af2b3d +1 for kurveygirl. I'm sure rubber is just fine (they came that way from Honda) but I moved to 90 degree metal. I didn't have any issues using the 90 degree and I think it will help with checking and adding air to the front. My stems came in in 3 days (maybe 2, I don't recall). I will say that you should research how to get the old stems out. I'm sure there is a trick buy I ended up using a razor knife on the inside portion to cut away rubber until they pulled out easily. I just changed the tires on my VFR and I splurged on the No-Mar setup (balancer and all)...have your new tires shipped to my house and take a ride to Southwest Missouri and we can change 'em here!! Another "reason" to take a tour! As for weight, I wasn't looking for lowest price, but No-Mar had black weights that matched the wheels so I went that route. They blend right in. I mounted Avon Storms which do not have a paint dot for balance. I ended up dismounting my rear and rotating it 180 to get the amount of required weight down. The front I guess I got lucky on. Each took 21 grams.f I had a hard enough time convincing my wife that I needed to go to Tyler (125 miles) to do it. She saw right through the farce, but would have relented. I just don’t have the time, and need more tools anyway…who doesn’t? I might paint the weights, good thought! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer BonusVFR Posted May 21, 2008 Member Contributer Share Posted May 21, 2008 Don't give up on doing your own tire changes after your first time. :fing02: Why do I say this? For many people (including me) the first time is a huge exercise in frustration, sweat and blood loss. It gets much easier after you have done it a few times, learn a few tricks and get better tools. This statement is absolutely true.....................been there done that with my HF and add on tools etc etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer ki-speed Posted May 21, 2008 Member Contributer Share Posted May 21, 2008 I just removed my weights from the rim each time I took my wheel/tire and new tire (purchased from SWMOTO tire) to the honda dealer to be mounted and balanced. I now how a very large collection of the honda OEM weights that slide on to the center lip. I have taken all the extra weights and painted them black to match the rim color (yes I'm anal). ki-speed (Mark) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum CEO HispanicSlammer Posted May 21, 2008 Forum CEO Share Posted May 21, 2008 How soon are you going to mount them? We use short chrome ones, I'll send you some if theres time :fing02: were did you source those? I found some short 90 degree crome ones but the website seemed like it was a hoax and I did not trust it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum CEO HispanicSlammer Posted May 21, 2008 Forum CEO Share Posted May 21, 2008 ahh Kurvey girl - got some dzus fasteners from her - good stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer cruzinaz Posted May 21, 2008 Member Contributer Share Posted May 21, 2008 Make sure you line up the yellow dot on the sidewall with the stem. In most cases this is true, its the lightest part of the tire, and valve stem is heaviest, rubber valve stems only weigh 11 grams, metal, 27 grams. 7 grams = 1/4 ounce If you want to make sure it is the heaviest part, just check the balance of wheel and stem before the tire is installed, we have seen some chrome rims that had a heavy spoke. the reason to check is only to minimize the total wheel weights, and it takes about a :wheel: to do it :fing02: can ya tell we were bored and had time to kill??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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