Mounting & balancing tires yourself: Difference between revisions

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Along the same lines is something that you might already have in your toolbox: a bar clamp or two. They work really easily. If you're buying one of these specifically for this, note that the cheaper versions have a plastic locking piece inside them. Make sure you buy clamps with a steel lock.

~~Our home mechanic made a~~ couple comments on the picture below. Don't put the clamps quite so close together if you use two of them. Also ~~note that~~ you really don't need to force the tire over very far with the clamps, as it may seem looking at the picture. Once the bead breaks, the side that you're breaking will tend to drop into the middle of the rim by itself.

A couple comments on the picture below: Don't put the clamps quite so close together if you use two of them. Also, you really don't need to force the tire over very far with the clamps, as it may seem when looking at the picture. Once the bead breaks, the side that you're breaking will tend to drop into the middle of the rim by itself.

[[image:100_1418.jpg|150px]]

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[[Image:mount balance 6.JPG|150px]]

To remove the tire, you need to push the ''opposite side'' (still on the top, just on the other side of the tire than the one you're currently working on) of the tire into the drop center of the rim. This is the narrow part of the rim in the middle, before it steps up to the bead. Doing this allows the tire to shift enough for the bead to slip off with the tire iron. If you leave the opposite side up on the ~~bead seat~~ part of the rim it will be much harder to remove the tire, and much easier to cause damage to your wheel. Once you have the first bit over, it's just a matter of repeating the process with the other irons. Make sure you don't try to take too big of a bite, as this is where you get into trouble wanting to use extra strength, ~~and~~ the rim ~~will bend~~.

To remove the tire, you need to push the ''opposite side'' (still on the top, just on the other side of the tire than the one you're currently working on) of the tire into the drop center of the rim. This is the narrow part of the rim in the middle, before it steps up to the bead. Doing this allows the tire to shift enough for the bead to slip off with the tire iron. If you leave the opposite side up on the top part of the rim it will be much harder to remove the tire, and much easier to cause damage to your wheel. Once you have the first bit over, it's just a matter of repeating the process with the other irons. Make sure you don't try to take too big of a bite, as this is where you can get into trouble wanting to use extra strength, which could bend the rim.

[[Image:mount balance 7.JPG|150px]]

After you make it about ~~half-way~~ around, you should be able to just pull the bead off the rest of the way with your hand.

After you make it about halfway around, you should be able to just pull the bead off the rest of the way with your hand.

[[Image:mount balance 8.JPG|150px]]

@@ Line 54: / Line 54: @@
 Along the same lines is something that you might already have in your toolbox: a bar clamp or two. They work really easily. If you're buying one of these specifically for this, note that the cheaper versions have a plastic locking piece inside them. Make sure you buy clamps with a steel lock.
-Our home mechanic made a couple comments on the picture below. Don't put the clamps quite so close together if you use two of them. Also note that you really don't need to force the tire over very far with the clamps, as it may seem looking at the picture. Once the bead breaks, the side that you're breaking will tend to drop into the middle of the rim by itself.
+A couple comments on the picture below: Don't put the clamps quite so close together if you use two of them. Also, you really don't need to force the tire over very far with the clamps, as it may seem when looking at the picture. Once the bead breaks, the side that you're breaking will tend to drop into the middle of the rim by itself.
 [[image:100_1418.jpg|150px]]
@@ Line 69: / Line 69: @@
 [[Image:mount balance 6.JPG|150px]]
-To remove the tire, you need to push the ''opposite side'' (still on the top, just on the other side of the tire than the one you're currently working on) of the tire into the drop center of the rim. This is the narrow part of the rim in the middle, before it steps up to the bead. Doing this allows the tire to shift enough for the bead to slip off with the tire iron. If you leave the opposite side up on the bead seat part of the rim it will be much harder to remove the tire, and much easier to cause damage to your wheel. Once you have the first bit over, it's just a matter of repeating the process with the other irons. Make sure you don't try to take too big of a bite, as this is where you get into trouble wanting to use extra strength, and the rim will bend.
+To remove the tire, you need to push the ''opposite side'' (still on the top, just on the other side of the tire than the one you're currently working on) of the tire into the drop center of the rim. This is the narrow part of the rim in the middle, before it steps up to the bead. Doing this allows the tire to shift enough for the bead to slip off with the tire iron. If you leave the opposite side up on the top part of the rim it will be much harder to remove the tire, and much easier to cause damage to your wheel. Once you have the first bit over, it's just a matter of repeating the process with the other irons. Make sure you don't try to take too big of a bite, as this is where you can get into trouble wanting to use extra strength, which could bend the rim.
 [[Image:mount balance 7.JPG|150px]]
-After you make it about half-way around, you should be able to just pull the bead off the rest of the way with your hand.
+After you make it about halfway around, you should be able to just pull the bead off the rest of the way with your hand.
 [[Image:mount balance 8.JPG|150px]]