Learned something yesterday - Tire replacement

[dave_wells]

Needed a rear tire replaced

 

I take a ride over to the dealer I use and like

Talking about tires I use the Metzler 880

He has one in stock which he never does

 

 

I asked can you do it today turns out he is short handed and does not have the time

his helper has been out sick all week and he has 3 things to get done

 

So I ask what if I help ya get the bike you are working on done and then put my bike on the lift and I can take it apart I will learn something and you get your other stuff done

 

Well he agreed

 

I learned how to change out my rear wheel

 

Now I want a lift

That was nice and made the job much easier for sure

 

[Jayceesfolly]

HF has their lifts on sale for $329.

 

http://www.harborfreight.com/1000-lb-capacity-motorcycle-lift-68892-8495.html?ccdenc=eyJjb2RlIjoiNjgyNjQ0NDciLCJza3UiOiI2ODg5MiIsImlzIjoiMzI5Ljk5IiwicHJvZHVjdF9p%0D%0AZCI6Ijg0OTUifQ%3D%3D%0D%0A

 

http://www.harborfreight.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_21230.jpg

 

 

Jim

 

 

[djh3]

WOW with the way liabilty and litagation things ae I'm suprised they even let you in the back of the shop. Its allways nice to learna little bit about what your riding aint it? Did you lube the drive pins while you had it apart?

[timgray]

What kind of lift did he have? all the ones I see are useless for tire changing as they lift it by the tires.

[MiCarl]

What kind of lift did he have? all the ones I see are useless for tire changing as they lift it by the tires.

 

With table lifts you either jack up the end you are working on or put it on the center stand. Many table lifts have a panel or section that removes to drop the rear wheel through.

 

The challenge with the Harbor Freight lifts is the panel removes but there is a bar across the back so you have to lower the wheel through the hole. That's especially tricky with the Ventures because the wheel needs to come forward to clear the bar.

 

I use one of THESE in my shop. Those folks have a location in Kentwood which isn't too far from you. Very easy to do rear tires on the Ventures because the whole tail of the lift removes (the tail and ramp are removed in the picture).

 

The big drawback to it is it's made in China, so I had to re-drill some holes and chip away some welding spatter for it to work right. The L shaped clamp makes it easy to load the bike without a helper but keeps you from putting anything with bags or long, low pipes on backward.

 

They also have a product called the "blackjack". It's a pretty good jack for the money.

[Wade 2000]

Needed a rear tire replaced

 

I take a ride over to the dealer I use and like

Talking about tires I use the Metzler 880

He has one in stock which he never does

 

 

I asked can you do it today turns out he is short handed and does not have the time

his helper has been out sick all week and he has 3 things to get done

 

So I ask what if I help ya get the bike you are working on done and then put my bike on the lift and I can take it apart I will learn something and you get your other stuff done

 

Well he agreed

 

I learned how to change out my rear wheel

 

Now I want a lift

That was nice and made the job much easier for sure

 

 

That's pretty cool for a dealer to let you do that. Very rare, you must know him pretty well. Be carefully though he might hire you:thumbsup2:

[TwoStars]

Needed a rear tire replaced

 

So I ask what if I help ya get the bike you are working on done and then put my bike on the lift and I can take it apart I will learn something and you get your other stuff done

 

Well he agreed

 

I learned how to change out my rear wheel

 

 

That's certainly a nice arrangement. It's nice to have access to all that experience when you get stuck. I've replaced my tires a couple of different ways. I've used a local bike shop who completely botched the balancing - must have used 10 ounces of weights. They got it right after I took the bike back. The next time I put the RSV on my Carbon One stand, pulled the wheels, and mounted/balanced them at a buddies house who's well equipped for that sort of thing. It cost me a 6-pack of 60 minute Dogfish Head. Last week I picked up a nail in the rear tire. My buddy's out of town so I took the wheel and new tire to the local Harley dealer. They'll mount, balance, and add ride-on for $70. I'll find out how that goes tomorrow morning. Hopefully I'll be greasing the splines and getting the wheel back on by lunchtime - just in time to dodge a few thunderstorms.

[straycatt]

They'll mount, balance, and add ride-on for $70...

 

Great Ceasers Ghost, I thought $30 to mount/balance at a local indy shop was expensive. I spooned on my new E3 front tire and balanced it, yesterday. $132 for the tire from Motorcycle Superstore and a couple of hours of my time to mount.

 

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/gat803/20130511_143150.jpg

[timgray]

How do you balance your own motorcycle tire install? I would love to do it myself but I cant figure out how to balance them for 70mph.

[Trader]

I balanced my own front tire by mounting the axle on 2 jack stands with the wheel freely rotating.

Then just spun the tire lightly and watched where it bottomed out. Did that a few times to confirm that is the heaviest point.

 

I stuck a 1/2 oz of weight on the opposite side and spun it again.

 

I kept doing that, exchanging heavier weights as necessary until it would stop at a random spot each time....indicating it was in balance.

 

I got it close....still feel's a bit off at 85mph....but then I don't go there very often.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

How do you balance your own motorcycle tire install? I would love to do it myself but I cant figure out how to balance them for 70mph.

 

You can buy small balancing jigs, or use Dyna-Beads.

 

Or, the old fashioned way works too, but its not precise...with the calipers unbolted and not touching the rotor, spin the wheel several times, watch where it stops...weight it where it bottoms out the most often.

 

Repeat until it stops randomly.

 

Like I said, not precise, but if you have a badly out of balance tire, this can make it less un-balanced.

 

The yellow or white dot marked on the tire from the manufacturer will normally go where the valve stem is located on the wheel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[FuzzyRSTD]

HF has their lifts on sale for $329.

 

http://www.harborfreight.com/1000-lb-capacity-motorcycle-lift-68892-8495.html?ccdenc=eyJjb2RlIjoiNjgyNjQ0NDciLCJza3UiOiI2ODg5MiIsImlzIjoiMzI5Ljk5IiwicHJvZHVjdF9p%0D%0AZCI6Ijg0OTUifQ%3D%3D%0D%0A

 

http://www.harborfreight.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_21230.jpg

 

 

Jim

 

 

 

I have that lift. A good lift I think. I paid a lot less though. There is a local here whom buys a lot of HF stuff that has parts missing or a slight shipping damage. He then resales it in a garage store he has. I get the HF stuff for cheap, when he has it.

[Trader]

, watch where it stops...weight it where it bottoms out the most often.

 

you did mean OPPOSITE to where it stops right?