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Tire Changing Issues.

7K views 92 replies 5 participants last post by  Yaatri 
#1 ·
I am in the process of changing tires on my 2012 Rebel. Got the rear wheel off. There was enough room on the right side of the bike so that I marked the right collar with an arrow pointing inward. The left collar was not visible until it fell off when I pulled the axle bolt out. It's evident from the picture that the right collar goes in with the broader side (with a lip) pointing inboard.
Right Collar
Wood Wall Gas Electric blue Liquid

What about the left collar? It looks like it would also go with the broad side
Musical instrument Gas Automotive tire Nickel Automotive exterior
pointing inboard.
 
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#2 · (Edited)
I think that they'll only fit one way. The broad end towards the outside. The narrow end fits into the wheel hub.
At least that's how mine were always installed.
That's also exactly what my manual shows.
Also looking at the Grease on the collar you can tell that it went inside the center of the sprocket.
 
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#3 ·
Thanks Emil. Rear wheel parts diagram at bike bandit shows the right collar broadside pointing towards outside. 2012 Honda Rebel 250 Rear Wheel Assembly I marked the right collar precisely to avoid a screwup. It seems the screwup had happened before. This is rather unnerving. I also found that the left adjuster nut on the wheel was closer to the end of the threaded rod than the right adjuster nut. This could be because the right collar was put backwards? I find this rather unnverving as the PO said he always had the bike serviced every year. The tires are OEM. Unless he had brake shoes, or sprocket replaced (and possibly a closed loop chain, there is no need to remove the axle bolt. So both collars should be oriented with broad side pointing out! That's why I don't like to have others work on my vehicles if I can help it. You have no way of knowing if the person made a mistake in the rush to get the job done. I have had too many botched jobs done by shops. Of course not every mechanic is incompetent.
 
#4 ·
Check for uneven wear on your tire. I had that happen once & had to replace the tire early. Only got 10000 miles out of that 1.
 
#5 ·
Tires are barely worn so it's hard to discern any uneven wear. I am changing the tires because of dry rot. Unable to break the bead on the rear tire. I haven't got the strength I had 30 years ago. I think the front tire should be easier as it's narrower and has a larger diameter.
 
#6 · (Edited)
Tires that have been on for a long time are really stiff and hard to remove. Use a C-clamp to break a bead, then lever one side off the rim. May have to use a short block of wood under the clamp to break the bead. I use a hack saw to cut the steel bands in the bead, placing something under the bead so the rim isn't damaged. Will probably have to repeat on the other side.
 
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#7 ·
Oh wow. My wife suggested using a hack saw to get the tire off the rim when I was unable to take it off after I broke the bead with a vise. I thought of using an angle grinder

Well, I was able to break the bead with a vise but was unable to remove the tire off the rim. I was able to insert two tire irons about 4 or 5 inches apart and pull the bead over the rim but could not make any progress beyond that. Then I moved 180 degrees across and tried it at that end forgetting that was the end with the valve stem. I pinched the tube between the tire iron and the bead a few inches near the stem. I thought of using an angle grinder to gut the bead off. Is it easier or more difficult to put the tire on than to take it off? If putting it on is as difficult as or more difficult than putting it on, I don't think I can do it myself.
 
#8 ·
If I had a power tool that would cut through the bead, that's what I would use, just don't mar the rim in the process. Just pulling the bead over the rim is enough for me to saw through the bead.

Putting a new tire on is much easier than removing an old one!
 
#9 ·
I'll assume you know the bead you are working on needs to be pressed into center well/depression of rim at the same time you are working the tire bead off 180° across the rim..

I've never had much of a problem even with very old tires..
you ought to hand dismount/mount tube type semi tires, now that's fun..
 
#10 ·
I'll assume you know the bead you are working on needs to be pressed into center well/depression of rim at the same time you are working the tire bead off 180° across the rim..

I've never had much of a problem even with very old tires..
you ought to hand dismount/mount tube type semi tires, now that's fun..
No, I did not know that but it makes sense. I should have thought of that. Both beads should be broken all the way around to accomplish that. It turns out bead only on one side was broken. That's why I had trouble getting the tire over the rim. I did not nick the tube where I thought I had nicked but at a different spot. I inserted two tire irons about 4 inches apart to pull the bad over the rim and a third one in between, I used the angle grinder over the middle tire iron. I made a good nick in the middle tire iron too. But it was a cheap 11,5 inch iron. My good ones are are 24 inches long.
 
#12 ·
Please always replace tubes and rim bands when replacing tires.

Using a hacksaw (bandsaw can be good too) to remove a few inches of the tire, so that it looks like a donut with a bite taken out of it...is another trick. Follow that up with your hacksaw, angle grinder, sharp chisel or bolt cutter to cut both beads and old, hard tires slip right off but be careful of those sharp ends of the bead!

Drive side axle collars...Left on a Rebel, will usually fit against the inner race of the wheel bearing and seat there inside a dust seal.
Drum brake side axle collars do not have a dust seal, and can be put in place either way, on a Rebel one way looks more symmetrical than the other.

To determine equal chain adjuster position, measure with a tape measure from the center of your rear axle bolt to the center of the swingarm pivot bolt, do this on both sides of the bike and adjust both to allow proper chain tension while both measurements are equal.

Before putting on new tires, leave them out in the sun for a few hours to soften them a little more.
 
#13 ·
yes that size split can be patched.. I'd use anywhere from a 15mm to 25mm patch for 3/8" hole
I wouldn't mount on front though, prefer non-patched tubes up front..
if you do patch ruff up the tube real good before applying cement, use a tire patch roller to seal it against tube properly..
you can improvise rather than buy

111101


after patching dip partially inflated tube in water or spray down with soapy water looking for bubbles anywhere on tube...it's a pain to assemble tire only to find another leak..

check for rust under rim bands,, I reuse unless trashed, in a pinch 8 years ago I used electrical tape stretched tightly counter clockwise looking from right side of rim.. rather common hack..
 
#14 ·
yes that size split can be patched.. I'd use anywhere from a 15mm to 25mm patch for 3/8" hole
I wouldn't mount on front though, prefer non-patched tubes up front..
if you do patch ruff up the tube real good before applying cement, use a tire patch roller to seal it against tube properly..
you can improvise rather than buy

View attachment 111101

after patching dip partially inflated tube in water or spray down with soapy water looking for bubbles anywhere on tube...it's a pain to assemble tire only to find another leak..

check for rust under rim bands,, I reuse unless trashed, in a pinch 8 years ago I used electrical tape stretched tightly counter clockwise looking from right side of rim.. rather common hack..
Thanks SK. Any recommendation for patching kit? Having ordered a new tube, I want to order I a patch kit to just in case I nick tit again. I nicked a brand new tube when replacing a punctured tube in 1984, the last time I dismounted and mounted a tire. In those days, you could just walk in to the dealership and buy a tube on the spot. Now, you have to order and wait for it to be delivered. No one, not even dealers carry much inventory.
 
#15 ·
The OEM tubes are beefier than any replacements I've seen, but I haven't ordered replacement tubes from a dealership. I don't mind using a patched tube. I sprinkle and spread baby powder/talc inside the tire. Helps the tube align inside the tire.
 
#16 ·
I ordered mine from Amazon for about $22. The dealer wanted $40 something. I do have the Ride-on sealant? I doubt that it would work without a patch, would it?
 
#17 ·
A lot of replacement tubes are BikeMaster brand. Decent tubes, but again not as heavy as the stock tubes.

Once installed and the bike ridden for about five miles, Ride-on will seal holes in the road wear section of tubeless tires up to 1/4-3/8". It will seal smaller diameter round holes in tubes. I doubt it would seal the pinched tube pictured above as the sealant would leak out before evenly spreading over the entire tube. Ride-on will not seal holes in the sidewall area of tires or tubes.
 
#18 ·
Unrelated to Honda Rebel: I had broken my right humerus 30 years ago when I slipped on ice in my driveway and fell on my right side. It was a clean break. Since I had no physical therapy, I have had increasingly limited range of motion in my right arm. I had sternal restrictions on using my arms for 3 months after my hear surgery. I also had no at home rehab or physical therapy for my shoulders. Consequently I have been in terrible pain in my right shoulder---I am right handed. Chinese physical therapist who had briefly advised me about my neck and shoulders had given me some exercises that have been doing at home with minimal improvement. I was very careful while jacking the bike up, removing the wheel, braking the bead and trying to remove the tire from the wheel as I was afraid of hurting my shoulder even more.

But it feels a bit better today than it did yesterday. So changing tire is also physical therapy? I won;t complain.
 
#19 ·
Anything that I do on the Rebel is therapy! Whether it be riding (best therapy), fixing, maintenance or mods. 😁 🤙
 
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#20 ·
Working on any bike is good for us, perhaps go out to your bike and try to remember some of the positions and moves you used?
Perhaps make some notes and develop a short routine of movement?

It's hard to argue with good results, especially where pain and mobility are involved.
 
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#21 · (Edited)
Well I spoke too soon. I had to listen to my shoulder and take a break. It's feeling a bit better again. I patched the tube and found that there were no leaks. Slipped the first bead of the tire over the rim, put baby power in the tire liberally and also on the tube, slipped the tube in carefully but could not feed the valve stem through the hole in the stem rim . There just isn't enough clearance between the bead (still outside the rim) and the edge of the rim to insert my short stubby fingers to grab and guide the stem through the hole. My CM200T rim must not have had so deep a valley because I can't really having any trouble at all with feeding the valve stem through the rim hole. Any ideas other than buying the fishing tool or about which fishing tool. Some on amazon screw in to the stem, which I doubt would work as the hole might not be big enough for that. What I need is a tool that would screw into the stem. I am searching for one that can be delivered within a couple of days with Amazon Prime but the quickest delivery I have found is a week out.
 
#22 ·
I think that I got my valve stem tool at NAPA. But that was quite a while back. I'm not certain.
 
#24 ·
Thanks Emil. Since I mistyped stem, in place of rim, I am not sure if you understood what I meant. I am not talking about the valve core removing tool but a tool that helps you feed the valve stem of the tube through the hole in the rim, It was my fault for being sloppy about with my typing.
 
#23 ·
you might try tying a string around stem, feeding string through hole pulling while wiggling stem to fish it through
tire shops have a valve stem puller much like this

 
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#25 ·
Thanks SK. I appreciate the quick response. I had seen this one but was still looking for something with faster delivery. I may have to just wait for this one to arrive. I had not imagined that feeding the stem through the rim holes would be so difficult. I had expected removing the tire off the rim to be tough at my age but the feeding the valve stem through the rim. Sliding one side of the tire on the rim was not that difficult.
 
#26 ·
A month ago, I had cut off uppers of my old shoes to use as rim protectors to be used with tire irons. :) but that did not help taking the tire off. Didn't use rim protectors to slide the tire on since the protectors take up precious room. Once I get the tool SK linked too or find some other way of getting by, I would be able to accomplish the tire renewal.
 
#27 ·
I like the one that SK recommends. Mine grips the outside threads but that one grips the inside threads. So it should prove to be smaller than mine.
 
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#30 ·
I have not used it on the motorcycle yet. It is really a valve stem tool for tubless tires . I doubt it would work on the motorcycle situation. I'm planning on buying one like what SK recommended.
P.S. Valve stems are usually made out of brass. So welding would probably not work very well.. Soldering or brazing would be needed.
 
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#32 ·
I have some 60 pound fishing line. That might work too.
 
#33 ·
Thanks Emil for the fishing line idea from and SK for the dental floss idea. I ordered the stem fishing tool from Amazon -- link provided by SK )about $10) and one like Emil has, from Grainger---under $5. 00. I might keep them both.
 
#34 ·
I always carry dental floss in my emergency kit. It can double as fishing line, sewing thread, so many things. And it's quite strong. It also doesn't take up much room at all.
 
#35 · (Edited)
Well, I got two stem fishing tools. The one from Grainger screws on to the stem and would not fit through the hole. The kind that screws in to the stem will go through the hole but I have another problem. Today, I found that the rim strip is broken. It's just as well because I pulled gently along a tear, it continued to rip. I have read here that some people have used tape in place of a rim strip. Is using tape a good idea? The strip that was in the rim is 29-30 mm wide. I see an IRC rim strip for a 15 inch wheel but it's 1" (25-26 mm). I will have to wait another week for it. IS tape adequate substitute, especially considering that the replacement strip I see is about 15% narrower than the OEM strip? If I use tape, what kind of tape would be good?

15" Rim strip at Amazon

I have to make sure whether it's for a 15 inch rim or diameter of the strip is 15", which will make it too big. Seems like it's too narrow at 1 inch.

Plumber's Tape at HomeDepot.


Thanks guys in advance. My saga keeps on going but I am learning too.
 
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