You've seen the internet how-to's on changing your own tires. You've heard the stories about how the shop will scratch your rims. You want to save a couple bucks. How hard can it be, right? Well here's a step by step from the bunny that might point out a couple things the other articles don't tell you:
- spend one hour building cool tire changing stuff you saw on the internet. start to realize what a half assed setup this is turning out to be.
- spend half an hour trying to remove front axle nut with homemade hex tool. break two grade 8 bolts in the process.
- spend 2 hours running to sears and various auto parts stores looking for elusive 14mm hex socket to remove front axle nut the right way.
- give up and start with back tire.
- get back tire off bike with relative ease and lull myself into a false sense of confidence.
- have newfound confidence immediately put to the test while trying to break rear bead.
- explain to wife that wedging a 2x4 under the truck frame and rocking it violently from side to side is not gonna hurt anything.
- teach 4 year old "helper" some colorful new phrases until bead finally gives way.
- manage to get tire off rim without injuring myself or the rim.
- put first bead over rim without too much trouble.
- start on second bead and spend the next hour teaching "helper" even more colorful phrases becuase the @#$%* bead keeps 'chasing' around the rim!!!!! :cursing
- scream with joy when bead finally goes over!
- scream, cry and quit for the night when I realize that I forgot to check the rotation direction and put the friggin thing on backwards. :crying
- get rear tire on the right way and balanced.
- attempt to put rear tire back on bike only to find out 4 year old "helper" has lost my rear axle nut.
- spend half hour searching for lost nut.
- put rear tire back on and wonder if I *really* need that new front?
- resign myself to more pain and suffering and finally get front off.
- you thought the rear bead was tough? kawi must have chemically fused the rubber to the front. :banghead
- briefly consider using explosives, seriously consider using power tools to cut the fuggin thing off.
- spend almost an hour levering bead until it gives. have fleeting moment of happiness until I realize I have to flip it over and break the other side. :dissapointed
- get the rest of the front tire done without much drama.
- reinstall tire and inflate, forgetting to roll bike forward and check bead seat on both sides ALL the way around.
- sit on bike to pump forks and seat axle, have that hidden part of the bead under the fender finally decide to seat itself resulting in a bang like a blasting cap echoing thru the garage and causing me to nearly shit my pants.
hmy
- tighten, torque, and finish up knowing there is NO WAY IN HELL this is worth the money I saved by not taking it to the shop.
- think about how to improve setup for next time cause I'm too damn dumb to learn from this. :wacko
- spend one hour building cool tire changing stuff you saw on the internet. start to realize what a half assed setup this is turning out to be.
- spend half an hour trying to remove front axle nut with homemade hex tool. break two grade 8 bolts in the process.
- spend 2 hours running to sears and various auto parts stores looking for elusive 14mm hex socket to remove front axle nut the right way.
- give up and start with back tire.
- get back tire off bike with relative ease and lull myself into a false sense of confidence.
- have newfound confidence immediately put to the test while trying to break rear bead.
- explain to wife that wedging a 2x4 under the truck frame and rocking it violently from side to side is not gonna hurt anything.
- teach 4 year old "helper" some colorful new phrases until bead finally gives way.
- manage to get tire off rim without injuring myself or the rim.
- put first bead over rim without too much trouble.
- start on second bead and spend the next hour teaching "helper" even more colorful phrases becuase the @#$%* bead keeps 'chasing' around the rim!!!!! :cursing
- scream with joy when bead finally goes over!
- scream, cry and quit for the night when I realize that I forgot to check the rotation direction and put the friggin thing on backwards. :crying
- get rear tire on the right way and balanced.
- attempt to put rear tire back on bike only to find out 4 year old "helper" has lost my rear axle nut.
- spend half hour searching for lost nut.
- put rear tire back on and wonder if I *really* need that new front?
- resign myself to more pain and suffering and finally get front off.
- you thought the rear bead was tough? kawi must have chemically fused the rubber to the front. :banghead
- briefly consider using explosives, seriously consider using power tools to cut the fuggin thing off.
- spend almost an hour levering bead until it gives. have fleeting moment of happiness until I realize I have to flip it over and break the other side. :dissapointed
- get the rest of the front tire done without much drama.
- reinstall tire and inflate, forgetting to roll bike forward and check bead seat on both sides ALL the way around.
- sit on bike to pump forks and seat axle, have that hidden part of the bead under the fender finally decide to seat itself resulting in a bang like a blasting cap echoing thru the garage and causing me to nearly shit my pants.
hmy- tighten, torque, and finish up knowing there is NO WAY IN HELL this is worth the money I saved by not taking it to the shop.
- think about how to improve setup for next time cause I'm too damn dumb to learn from this. :wacko
