[flyhunter3825]

I kinda thought up a little trick for mounting up these ATV tires. I mounted a Ceros and put a tube in mine, but im sure this will work to better ease the tire onto the rim for those that run tubeless as well. My wheel was powder coated so im sure there was some added thickness and the friction coefficient was probably higher than a clean rim. Anyway, I first tried lubing the heck out of it with tire lube. Didnt wanna go even at 90 psi. I figured there had to be a way to make it easier, with less effort. I looked around to see what I had to keep the tire away from the lip evenly. I spotted a scrap piece of 2Ga wire, about 3/8" around. Perfect. I weasled it between the lip and the tire, putting one end at one edge of where the tire bead stayed under the lip, and ran the other end all the way around and left the tag end hanging out at the other edge of where the tire stayed under the lip. I then started pressurizing the tire, little by little. As this was only an idea, I didnt REALLY think it would work. Theory said it would tho. At about 60psi the bead popped into place. Scared the hell outta me. I did the same to the other side and popped at almost 60psi. Ill post the few pics I took as soon as I can. It worked for me, no modifications or potentially catastrophic pressures. Hopefully itll work for you!

 

[lizrdbrth]

If I understand your description correctly I see your point. It keeps one area from seating before the rest, avoiding the added stress of forcing the unseated side over the lip.



Good thinking. I'll definitely give it a shot next go round.

 

[flyhunter3825]

Precisely. I was hoping I described it where someone would get what I was talking about.

 

[DonBenito]

A trick like this might just be enough to push me over the edge to the ATV tire side! I've been on the fence for awhile now.



Unfortunately, I'm not as good at visualizing your process as certain elder TW statesmen seem to be. Those pics you mentioned would be very much appreciated!





On a side note, I was poking around on one of the FJR1300 forums and it looks like T-dubbers aren't the only ones mounting up funny rear tires! Some of the FJR guys run car tires on the back for the increased longevity. Is this a universal "Team Blue" thing?

Maybe somebody out there has airplane tires on their Vmax, that would be appropriate!

 

[lizrdbrth]

It's been done for decades, to varying degrees of success. More recent "internet age" converts call it "darksiding". There are lots of charts with circles and arrows and stuff in which people report their explosions or lack thereof. The trick is to find the automotive tire that suffers the least destruction during the process.



Same issues as ours. 14" motorcycle beads are slightly larger in diameter than 14" automotive beads in order to discourage the practice.

 

[flyhunter3825]

 

[lizrdbrth]

Man, that cable must be sized to a "T". How lucky is that?



I think you've hit on a significant advancement in dealing with the problem.



Don Benito I'll try to explain it and Flyhunter can correct my screwups.



I'm sure you.ve changed tires before, and when you did you had to work the irons around the tire, leaving the unseated portion as deep in the rim as possible to relieve the tension, and the last 4 or 5 inches are the hardest to spoon on. The only real difference is that we use air pressure rather than tire irons to force the ATV tires onto the rim.



ATV and automotive tire beads are minisculy smaller in inside diameter and a lot more rigid and "unstretchy" than those of a motorcycle tire, so that last few inches are nearly impossible to seat. The bead has to stretch to accomodate the additional diameter. To add to the problem if you seat 80% of the bead then the opposite unseated side has even further to stretch before it can climb out of the rim to seat. This the point where most guys' impatience either gets them hurt or invisibly destroys the integrity of the tire by pushing the pressure upwards of 100 psi or more. Most of these tires have a max listed pressure of under 30 pounds to begin with and 60 is really pushing things as it is. Until now I've always preached time, sunlight, patience and low pressure to accomplish the same thing. Fly's method may take all the fun out of that

If that makes any flippin' sense at all, Fly's method keeps any part of the bead from fully seating until that last 20% is already ramped up to the same level on the rim. Once that happens you just pull the ripcord and everything is centered. Less bead stretch, less seating air pressure and less chance of a bead ripping, carcass damage or personal injury.



That sound about right, Fly?

 

[flyhunter3825]

You nailed it! I did get lucky. That stuff is so thick, but im sure anything about that diameter will work. Extension cord, tubing/large fuel line, a piece of rope, anything just to get that tire a little off that rim. I do wanna stress, however, pressures may vary. I may have gotten lucky at about 60psi, so dont be surprised if it surpasses that. Good luck!

 

[DonBenito]

I've actually shied away from mounting my own MC tires up until now, as my only tire mounting experience was in high school auto shop with all of the hydraulic machinery that I just don't have here at home.



I do have a basic understanding of what's involved, so this makes some kind of sense to me.



I think I have a solid mental picture of this process now, but there's still something that scares the hell out of me being close enough to a tire inflated to double capacity when it comes time to pull that wire/cord/whatever.



My rear stocker still has a lot of life left in it, but after comparing the prices of TW rear tires and workable ATV alternatives I'm seriously tempted to cross over before the stocker gets worn out. I'm thinking one of those 110f+ days here in Tucson coming up in a few months might let me get away with using this method at a PSI closer to the safe pressure zone.

 

[flyhunter3825]

Well, your not gonna pull the cord while theres that much pressure in there. I couldnt, it was squeezed in there pretty tight. After you get the bead popped at the spot between where the cord comes out, you will have to let out air, JUST enough to where you can start pulling it out. Make sure you use something strong enough to pull on, like big gauge wire, or possibly a long length of reinforced fuel line. AND use tire lube, and make it more concentrated. Mine said to mix the pouch with a gallon of water, but I mixed it 50/50 in an old dish soap bottle. Goober the cord and bead generously and dont miss any spots, itll get hung up there.

I put together a regulator/hose with an end that clamped onto the valve stem and was able to ramp up the pressure from a few feet away. WEAR SAFETY GLASSES, just in case. You can see the bead start to lift if you are watching closely. At that point, it should or should be close to popping. Then lower your pressure and pull out. You may have to try it a few times. Try have the opening in a new position on the tire.

 

[flyhunter3825]

Oh, AND make sure your tire is on the right way. Sucks to have to take off again. Big time.

 

[xdac]

Once you have a atv tire on the back...your stock tw tire will feel like a pedal bike tire. Its just frustrating when mine has been sitting 8 months at 70 psi and hasnt popped. I keep pushing it aside waiting for the head to do my work, but i might just go buy a new bighorn and try this trick

 

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FINALLY!! THANK YOU FORUM and Flyhunter3825. This is the solution I have been trying to develop for some time and it's been on the Forum for over two years! I've been convinced that spacing the bead away from the rim lip 360 degrees to prevent the bead cocking action, while allowing it to seat uniformly maybe 1/4 inch at a time, and if required using an decreasing width spacer, is the SAFEST method I have seen so far and will require the least psi. I also plan to use Freon judiciously to shrink the rim diameter if needed. This could possibly reduce or eliminate the need to trim the bead. BIG PLUS.

Now I believe that I too can safely have a Duro just like the big boys!

Bob