Best way to break the bead loose from the rim?

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 3:52 am

Anyone know of a good way to break the bead loose from a rim? I tried jumping on it, but I guess I'm not fat enough. And yes, I did release all the air from the tire first. I might try driving over it with my car if all else fails.

KrispyKreme · Post by **KrispyKreme** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 3:54 am

Try this.

sc00ter · Post by **sc00ter** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 4:08 am

I have the Motion Pro motorcycle bead breaker. I looks like a blue plastic concrete trowel that you beat with a hammer. My hatred for doing my own tires means that I have use it only a few times, but it does work as advertised. Once I break the bead loose I cut the tire from side to side with a razor knife as close to the beads as possible then cut the breads with small bolt cutters. Installing tires is a whole 'nother adventure.

Syd · Post by **Syd** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 5:29 am

Got a big screwdriver or cold chisel and a hammer?

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 7:02 am

sc00ter wrote:I have the Motion Pro motorcycle bead breaker. I looks like a blue plastic concrete trowel that you beat with a hammer. My hatred for doing my own tires means that I have use it only a few times, but it does work as advertised. Once I break the bead loose I cut the tire from side to side with a razor knife as close to the beads as possible then cut the breads with small bolt cutters. Installing tires is a whole 'nother adventure.

I assume you're talking about this tool:

I'll have to look for one of these at my local cycle shop if I can't find something in my garage to do the job. Thanks for the tip.

I have the Motion Pro tire iron set so I won't have to cut the tire apart. I just need to get a set of rim protectors so I don't tear up the rim and paint.

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 7:15 am

I just found this YouTube video on popping a bead. Great idea. Physics, gotta love it!

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Qaom3dHtVNU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Tocsik · Post by **Tocsik** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 2:07 pm

That vid posted above is a great method.
Another good tool is a couple big "C" clamps and a couple small scraps of wood. You can get "C" clamps pretty cheap at Harbor Freight. That's one of the tools that's OK to buy from them. Not all.

avescoots1134 · Post by **avescoots1134** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 2:17 pm

You can use the kickstand from another bike

charlie55 · Post by **charlie55** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 2:49 pm

I second the C-clamp approach. Basically catch one end of each clamp under the edge of a workbench, and the other end (with the wood scraps in place to protect the tire) near the bead. Then start tightening them alternately a few turns at a time in order to keep them from slipping.

I tried that lever approach a couple of times. When it works, it works well. When it doesn't work (i.e., stuff slips out of place) either your back or your knuckles pay the price.

scootERIK · Post by **scootERIK** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 3:08 pm

I do it kind of like how they do it in the video below. I take a 2x4 and place it on the tire then I stand on it, often I will place some thin wood pieces below the tire(just the rubber, not the rim) on the ground for a better squeeze. Usually that works, if not I find another person to add some weight. Also, I have a water bottle filled with soapy water nearby that I pure on the tire as soon as the bead comes loose so it stays loose.

Extra tip- get as much air out of the tire as possible. If the tire is worn out I will poke a hole in it to get all the air out.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/72KmOlSETnQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Tazio · Post by **Tazio** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 9:34 pm

The bead breaker on my HF Tire Changer works fine.

jrsjr · Post by **jrsjr** » Tue Jun 09, 2015 11:26 pm

charlie55 wrote:I second the C-clamp approach. Basically catch one end of each clamp under the edge of a workbench, and the other end (with the wood scraps in place to protect the tire) near the bead. Then start tightening them alternately a few turns at a time in order to keep them from slipping.

I tried that lever approach a couple of times. When it works, it works well. When it doesn't work (i.e., stuff slips out of place) either your back or your knuckles pay the price.

Agreed on all counts. I notice that the Youtube videos never show the moment when the lever slips and somebody busts their knuckles.

DrScoot · Post by **DrScoot** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 2:50 am

I third the c-clamp approach. When I did it I only had one clamp and just pinched the tire wall to opposite tire wall and removed and did it on the other side. Once you get one side broken you can usually walk around it then and it should break nicely. But good god getting the tire off and new one on with just a single tire spoon made me question life and the meaning of existence.

It also helps to remove the valve stem first.

viney266 · Post by **viney266** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 4:43 am

I gotta ask...Do you guys hate your local shop that much? We charge $20 to change a tire.
I do it every day and would HATE to have to do it by hand. That crazy $4000 machine we have is awesome.

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 7:42 am

viney266 wrote:I gotta ask...Do you guys hate your local shop that much? We charge $20 to change a tire.
I do it every day and would HATE to have to do it by hand. That crazy $4000 machine we have is awesome.

That's what my local shop charges, but I'm a consummate DIY'er with too much time and tools on my hands.

Actually, I'm just a consummate cheapskate, lol

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 8:01 am

I was finally able to break the bead loose by using the method shown in the YouTube video I posted. Easy peasy and took less than a minute to break both beads. It was so easy that I started looking around for other tires to do, lol. None drama, too.

Broke a sweat removing the old tire, but it was easier than the motocross tires that I used to do by hand with tire irons back in the early '70s...and I was a bit younger back then, too.

Thankfully, putting on the new tire was much easier/faster. Such a lovely sound; the pop as the beads seat themselves when the tire is filled for the first time. Best of all, managed to do it without putting a scratch on my rim.

This should be interesting once I get my Blur running again. The original rear tire was a Maxxis 130/60-13 and the new tire is a Michelin Pilot Sport 140/60-13. Looks to be about the same width, but is a bit taller.
I'll be replacing the front Maxxis 120/60-13 with a Michelin Pilot Sport 130/60-13. With the larger diameter, I should be seeing a slightly higher top speed and hopefully, my speedometer will read more true since like most scooters, it reads optimistically high at the moment. The already decent handling should be much improved.
...sure hope my fenders clear the taller tires...

Thanks everyone for all your suggestions.

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Fri Jun 12, 2015 7:53 am

Just a heads up for others who might be doing the same thing, most tires have a small dot, usually in yellow somewhere on the sidewall or inside. This mark designates the light side of the tire and so the tire should be mounted on the rim with this mark on the same side as the valve stem in order to minimize the amount of balancing weight required.

SYMbionic Duo · Post by **SYMbionic Duo** » Fri Jun 19, 2015 11:31 pm

C-clamps are great, but i use a bench vice. Works great.

Also, not everyone has reasonable local shops viney. My main shop charges $50, and i've gone to a motorcycle shop that charged me $70 +shop fees. but recently i've found a local shop that will to it for $20.

One of the reasons that i love the split rims on my Stella and Lammie is i can do the work myself at 3am or on a Sunday if i want, and not have to wait for the shop to open.

RussH · Post by **RussH** » Wed Jun 24, 2015 4:02 am

Just did the 2x4 method. Slick.

ScooterDave · Post by **ScooterDave** » Sat Jun 27, 2015 4:35 pm

I have been using a bench vice for years. Just clamp the tire & bend. The best method in my opinion.

By the time I remove the tire & drive to the shop and drive home, I could have the tire change done myself and I can spend that 20 bucks on beer.

So no, I do not hate dealers. I bought my Buddy from one. I buy spare tires from one. If you are that upset that I do such a simple bit of maintenance myself, you can take that four thousand dollar machine and...... well, you get the idea.

avescoots1134 · Post by **avescoots1134** » Sat Jun 27, 2015 4:43 pm

By choice I still change all tires by hand. Once you do a few dozen you figure out exactly how to manhandle it off and on quickly with ease. A little bit of exercise doesn't hurt either.

There's no tire machine on the side of the road, so it's a good skill to have (if you have a bike with tubes)

k1dude · Post by **k1dude** » Sat Jun 27, 2015 5:26 pm

SYMbionic Duo wrote:Also, not everyone has reasonable local shops viney. My main shop charges $50, and i've gone to a motorcycle shop that charged me $70 +shop fees. but recently i've found a local shop that will to it for $20.

^This^

I finally found a shop that would change a tire for $20 after getting all sorts of ridiculous prices ranging from $40 to $90 from about 10 different places. Ironically, the cheapest shop turned out to be a dealer that sells the most expensive European motorcycles. How often does the luxury dealer have the cheapest price?

charlie55 · Post by **charlie55** » Sat Jun 27, 2015 9:44 pm

k1dude wrote:
SYMbionic Duo wrote:Also, not everyone has reasonable local shops viney. My main shop charges $50, and i've gone to a motorcycle shop that charged me $70 +shop fees. but recently i've found a local shop that will to it for $20.
^This^

I finally found a shop that would change a tire for $20 after getting all sorts of ridiculous prices ranging from $40 to $90 from about 10 different places. Ironically, the cheapest shop turned out to be a dealer that sells the most expensive European motorcycles. How often does the luxury dealer have the cheapest price?

Likely the folks who bought those expensive bikes are unwittingly subsidizing the cost of tire changes on our less than ultra expensive scoots. Ah, the irony.....I love it!

Modern Buddy

Best way to break the bead loose from the rim?

Best way to break the bead loose from the rim?

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