Mounting & balancing tires yourself: Difference between revisions

This process is not nearly as difficult as it seems and, like most things, it gets easier after the first time you do it. Prices charged for mounting tires at shops are usually not low. You can easily buy all the tools needed to do this for less than what it'll cost to have a shop mount tires for you once.

'''Note:''' See links to other articles at the bottom of the page, and the [[How can I balance the tires by myself?|companion piece]] on balancing your tires.  

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[[Removing/replacing the rear wheel|Follow these instructions]]

After you have the wheel(s) off, if you bought the tire from the bike shop you can take it there to change; they'll probably charge you 20-30 bucks to replace it. Ask how much first.

The first thing you want to do is remove the core from the valve stem, letting all the air out. Next, lay the rim on 2 pieces of 2x4, which act as a cushion from the floor and keep the brake rotor from touching anything.  

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At this point, clean up the rim inside and out. You want to make sure the seat area (which is the flat landing just off the edge of the rim, on the inside) is clean and fairly nick/ding free. Bends, dings, nicks or junk in there can contribute to a slow leak, and who wants to deal with that? You should also check the wheel bearings by just putting a finger in them and spinning. They should rotate smoothly and easily, without any gritty feeling. If they feel gritty, it's time to [[Replacing the wheel bearings|replace them]] before riding again.  

Also notice the DOT code. It's a 4 digit code that lists the week and the year the tire was made. This one is 3205, so the 32nd week of 2005. More than 3~4 years old and tires start to go 'off', get hard, and aren't any fun to ride on (worse than the stock Dunrocks on the 250!). You should also look for a round dot, about the size of a dime, on the tire. This is an indicator of the lightest spot on the tire from the manufacturer, though not all brands have this (this Avon didn't). You'll want to line this up with the heaviest spot on the rim that you noted earlier.  

When it comes time to put the new tire on, you should be able to just walk the first bead over the rim without any tools other than your body weight. If needed, you can use a rim protector, tire lube, and tire iron to help, as was needed here:  

Now, put the core back in the valve stem and fill the tire up. Go a little over what you normally run until you get it back on the bike. It's always easier to let some out than to add some back.

And it's time for a final static balance, the same way as before:  

And with that, you're done mounting and balancing. Time to just put the wheels back on the bike and go for a ride.

Now [[Removing/replacing the rear wheel|reinstall the wheel]] (exact reverse of above). Be sure to use a new cotter pin. Be sure to reattach the brake and use the [[Torque Values|proper torque]] on everything. If the rear wheel gives you trouble, try this:

If you have trouble with the wheel not spinning after the front is back on, check that the speedometer drive is [[Reinstalling the front wheel|installed correctly]].

[[Tire Mounting Hints & Tips]]