Post by 90GTVert on Feb 14, 2010 21:28:13 GMT -5
Changing A Tire
The first step to changing a tire is to get the wheel and tire off of the scooter. You'll need to start by getting the tire you need to change off of the ground at least enough that it spins freely. I am changing a rear tire in this how to, so I hoisted the rear of my scooter slightly off the ground. You may just be able to use the centerstand. You can hoist your scooter up, use a jack and jackstands, or whatever method works best for you. Always make sure the scooter is secured and stable before attempting to work on it.
Next, you'll need to remove anything in the way of removing the wheel. In my case there is only the exhaust but many scooters have disk brakes, fenders, or other obstructions.
Once you have a clear shot at the wheel and tire, remove the center cap if equipped and the nut that holds the wheel on.
Pull the wheel off of the axle.
Now you need to remove the valve from the valve stem by unscrewing it with a tire vavle tool. This will let the pressure out of the tire.
Next, you have to break the bead loose from the wheel. There are special machines and tools for this and you can find homemade solutions for bead breakers using your favortie search engine. I use a vice to break the bead on small tires like the ones found on most scooters. Put the tire into the vice so you are clamping just below the outer rim of the wheel and crank the vice shut until the bead is free. You may have to rotate and flip the tire around to get both sides loose.
Now you can start prying the tire off of the wheel. I suggest picking up a set of tire irons, but it can be done with prybars and/or screwdrivers. Tire irons make the job much easier.
Start off by inserting a tire iron under the lip as shown and prying the bead upward over the wheel.
Use both tire irons and work your way around until the entire bead is free from the wheel.
Now use the tire irons to begin prying the wheel the rest of the way out of the tire, working your way around as you did before until the wheel and tire are separated.
Before you begin installing your new tire, look for arrows pointing out the direction the new tire should be installed. Not all tires are directional, but lots of scooter and motorcycle tires are. Tires mounted in the wrong direction may not displace water properly and can even be at risk of coming apart. Some tires may also have a balance mark in the form of a white dot on the sidewall. If your tire has a balance dot, make sure you install the tire so the dot lines up with your valve stem .
You may want to coat the lip of the tire with a soapy water solution to help it slip over the wheel easier.
Insert the whell into the tire as far as you can get it. Remember to note the direction.
Use tire irons to work the bead over the rim of the wheel.
Flip the wheel and tire over, coat it with soapy water, and begin to pry the tire to the inside of the wheel.
As the tire gets close to being on it gets harder to work with. Work the tire on in smaller increments to finish it up.
Even though the tire is on the wheel, the bead still needs to be seated. Use an air compressor to pump up the tire with the vavle stem still out. The tire should move to the outer edge of the wheel and seat itself. You'll probably hear a few pops as the tire seats.
Install the valve into the valve stem and inflate the tire. Don't exceed the tire's maximum psi, usually listed on the side of the tire.
Reinstall the wheel and tire and anything you had to remove to get the tire off.
Be careful when you start riding on your new tire. It can be more slick than usual because of a thin coating used as a release agent for molding. It may be wise to go easy on the tire for a bit while you get some heat into it. Begin turning easily and wokrk your way up to turning and leaning as usual.
