How To Replace Rear Tire

hey all, just bought a new Dunlop 606 tire and got a noob question. How do you replace one. I'm basicaly just wondering if there is a nice web page out there that kinda shows you what tools you need and what you need to do. I even have a hard time replacing the tire and tubes on my mountain bike, so I'm pretty challenged when it comes to this kinda stuff

Thanks a bunch!

granite4brains wrote:

I even have a hard time replacing the tire and tubes on my mountain bike, so I'm pretty challenged when it comes to this kinda stuff

Thanks a bunch!

Well, if MTB tire really is a problem, don't even think of doing it yourself, I'd suggest.

You will need 3 tire levers and plastic protectors for rim. Valve tool. Liquid soap and brush. Compressor. Working gloves. Repair kit for tube in case you damage it (quite likely for beginner action). You may need a tool to press tire walls into rim bed, but this can most likley be done with your boot.

- use wooden plate when working on tire on the floor to avoid destroying brake disk.
- Open valve, remove air. remove any valve hexnuts to keep valve loosened
- press tire walls into rim bed at both sides with special tool or use your boot or use sidestand of WR
- put soap between tire walls and rim with brush
- lay down wheel, valve located left or right side
- put 3 plastic rim protectors at top section of rim
- arrange tire levers at protected rim section with certain distance to each other (needs experience)
- press lower section of tire wall into rim bed with your knee or whatever, be sure it sticks there
- start to lever out upper tire wall from rim bed with those three levers until upper section of tire wall sticks outside of rim
- take tire upright and with your hands apply same massage to upper section of tire, bending it further outside of rim to completely get this tire wall off rim
- when complete side comes loose, press valve into tire and remove inner tube. Apply some air to check for tube damages

- turn around wheel, apply identical procedure to second tire wall
- now rim lays loose inside of tire
- take rim and wind it outside of tire. This should be possible without big effort

- insert tube into new tire. Check tire for weight mark. In case of a mark being there (color dot), locate it at tube valve
- apply liquid soap at tire walls
- check running direction to mount tire correctly
- insert rim into tire, start at valve position and insert valve into rim hole. Fix lightly with hexnut and take care not to rip off
- carefully check that tube remains inside ot tire at least at this side of it
- start to work around tire, levering tire wall into rim bed manually as far as possible. Start at valce section
- start using levers for final section (90 degrees from valve, make sure other sections remain deeply in rim bed)
- as soon as the complete tire wall is located inside rim bed, the hardest part of the work is done
- you may apply some air pressure now to reorganize tube. Let out air again
- turn around wheel
- lay wheel down, valve at left or right side
- place 3 plastic protectors at upper side
- work around wheel starting at lower side levering tire wall into rim bed. Fix with knee and go on
- always make sure tire wall is deeply in rim bed when working on the final upper section
- it should be not too difficult to get the upper section done although there is quite some tension on it. Use 2 or 3 levers to get last part done
- finally, press tire wall into rim bed again on both sides, check inner tube is laying loose inside
- apply pressure until tire gets seated correctly (listen to snapping noise when applying air)
- once more let go air
- insert inner valve with valve tool
- apply air finally and check pressure

- recheck pressure at later time

DONE
Depending on the tire used, your levers and your experience this may be some effort. Beginners may very well find it impossible to complete at some stage. However, it is possible within quite short time, if experienced.

Regards, Phil

flatboarder wrote:

- turn around wheel, apply identical procedure to second tire wall
- now rim lays loose inside of tire
- take rim and wind it outside of tire. This should be possible without big effort

That's a different technique I will try next time I change my tyres.

I just changed both front & rear this week but I take so long that you wouldn't want to pay me by the hour. I remove one tyre a night & put the new tyre on the next night. It keeps my stress levels down It seems easier to replace tubes on the trail - riding them flat softens up the tyre nicely. Eureka! maybe next tyre change I might ride the old tyres round the block at 3psi

Here's an illustrated link http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50717

Try this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qw0B2gIwbBg&playnext_from=TL&videos=CkKytusR_0Y

Easiest way to learn.

I usually use windex instead of liquid soap for lube as it evaporates rather quickly and makes for a nice way to clean the rims. I change mine with the Neduro method (also shown in the video, more or less) and its pretty easy once you get the hang of it. It takes me about an hour now to do a wheel, from putting the bike in the air to putting it back down with new rubber, less if the bead seats easily. Remember, use the dish and if its hard, you're doing it wrong. I also use the new (and later the old) tire to work on to keep the rim off the ground, and on the rear wheel work with the sprocket side down as those teeth are sharp.

I use an old milk crate to change them out. All the sharp pieces fit inside and gives some stability when your reefing on the bars.

Thanks a bunch guys. The video was very helpful! Going to order those part/tools he recommends and give it a go ...

Was only joking about the mt bike tires - I can do it , just hate to ;-)

The windex is a must. Just be careful when you pull up on the levers cause that shit makes stuff slippery, and with the hard carcass of the tire....ow....actually if you ride it around for a bit to warm up the tire, it goes a lot smoother hot than it does cold. Ask my now healed broken finger.

I have swapped a lot of tires over the years, and can do it myself pretty easily, but there are times when it is best to leave it to the mechanic (or maybe it's just more expedient, depending on how you look at it)

I have 5 tire changes to make before Saturday, so I will likely just drop them off at the Yamaha shop and let them do it

17" Front K270 needs to be removed
17" Front Battle Axe needs reinstalled and balanced
17" Rear K270 needs removed
17" Rear Battle Axe needs reinstalled and balanced
18" Rear Michelin AC-10 needs installed

While I am perfectly capable of doing those swaps, I find I have less and less desire to waste precious riding time to do the time consuming maintenance chores. I still do things like change the Oil, Filter, lubing chains, and things like that which do not take forever, but the laborious stuff I leave to the local Yamaha shop so he can sweat his ass off in the 110°F temps that Memphis sees during late spring. I got better things to do.

Maybe it's just a result of spending 3+ years doing a frame-off restoration of my 1998 YZ250, but I find that I'd rather not waste my weekends doing tire swaps when I could be riding.

clint wrote:

Maybe it's just a result of spending 3+ years doing a frame-off restoration of my 1998 YZ250, but I find that I'd rather not waste my weekends doing tire swaps when I could be riding.

What if tire or tube gets damaged at weekend ride after 5 minutes of riding? I bet, you would not wait until next workday to consult shop for tire change. This would be very frustrating.
And I think it is much less effort (and it is cheaper) changing tires myself than bringing everything to some shop and gather it later, which is very time consuming in my case and I would even have to leave work for this 2 times. And I can purchase/order my tires wherever I like without any considerations (the shop might charge additional money for fitting new tires not purchased there).
Regards, Phil

Has anyone here tried to replace tires on and "X" rim yet? I think they have an internal bead to lock the rim or something.

I've replaced dozens of 18 and 21" dirt bike tires over the years and never had too many problems.

The X however, man...


Bent 1 spoon, used a bigger spoon and it snapped off with all my body weight bouncing on it.

Hand hit the concrete floor really hard, heard and felt an internal "crack" and it made me feel sick.

Yeah you know it. Broken scafoid wrist bone.
That was 6 weeks ago and I'm still in an arm cast till mid June.

My point is, pay a shop or buy good quality tools and recruit friend to give you a hand.
Dirt tires aren't too bad but be careful with the those damn supermoto rims. they'll bite ya!
$1,200 to a hospital and 2 months off your bike is so not worth the $60 a shop charges.

flatboarder wrote:

clint wrote:

Maybe it's just a result of spending 3+ years doing a frame-off restoration of my 1998 YZ250, but I find that I'd rather not waste my weekends doing tire swaps when I could be riding.

What if tire or tube gets damaged at weekend ride after 5 minutes of riding? I bet, you would not wait until next workday to consult shop for tire change. This would be very frustrating.
And I think it is much less effort (and it is cheaper) changing tires myself than bringing everything to some shop and gather it later, which is very time consuming in my case and I would even have to leave work for this 2 times. And I can purchase/order my tires wherever I like without any considerations (the shop might charge additional money for fitting new tires not purchased there).
Regards, Phil

I think if you read my post again, you'll see I specifically don't mention those "Oh Shit. What just happened?" moments.

I have no problem taking care of problems that pop up along the ride, but I let the shop handle the mundane boring tasks. I simply have better things to do with my time. I'm at the age where my time is worth more than the Shop charge for those tasks...

Dana44 wrote:

Has anyone here tried to replace tires on and "X" rim yet? I think they have an internal bead to lock the rim or something.

I've replaced dozens of 18 and 21" dirt bike tires over the years and never had too many problems.

The X however, man...

Yea the X has a rim lip in it that makes breaking the bead difficult. The tubeless tires are made to ride in that groove. If you change to tube tires it might be easier because the bead is different. You have to use techniques for on road tires to break the bead on these rims. Either use a bead breaking tool or 2x4's and alot of leverage. I helped a buddy change the tires on his X and it was a pain but I was prepared because I change my tires on my road bikes.

SheWolf wrote:

Try this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qw0B2gIwbBg&playnext_from=TL&videos=CkKytusR_0Y

Easiest way to learn.

Well, I just replaced my tire with the new D606 and these videos helped tremendously - thank you!

Just a cpl quick questions though - cause I'm hoping I did it right.

1) He keeps mentioning a rim lock, and at one spot he takes it off the rim - I had nothing looking like that on my wheel at all? Is this for a different bike than the WR250R

2) Towards the end of the part 3 video he's talking about last steps like inflating tire, etc. He mentions to not tighten the bolt down too tight that connects to the tube valve. Something about if tire/tube moves, it can rip it off. Mine was pretty tight when I took it off, and tightened it back up like that. Any suggestions on this? Should it be fairly loose on there?

Thanks for the help! This forum is great

g4b

The WR's don't come with the rim lock, that is an aftermarket product ppl get and put on, so they can run low pressure in their tires without spinning the tire on the rim, and shearing off the valve stem. The R does have a plug in the rim if you look (right across from where the valve stem is); that's where you would install the rim lock.

As for the tube nut, I leave mine finger tight AFTER inflating. There is the chance that when you go to inflate the tire, that the tube is cockeyed inside the tire. When you go to inflate it, because it's not straight, you can shear off the valve stem, or even cut thru it due to the angle it's pushing up against the rim.

cool, thanks Shewolf, sounds like I did it alright then. Wasn't nearly as bad as I thought either, but those videos played a big part in that