Tyre Changing Equipment - Portable

KERMIT1200

KERMIT1200

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Worcester,UK
Hi all, Does anyone have experience of owing / using portable tyre changing equipment.
May be in the market later in the year , so looking for recommendations .

Thanks,Andy
 
I carry two Yato YT-0811 tire spoons and a tire tamer with me on long trips.
Spare inner tube and small portable compressor fits in the bike luggage as well.

HTH
Gerald
 
A mate of mine went crazy and got a genuine Rabaconda. I watched him use it at the track and it only took him about twice as long as the advert. Pretty impressive 👍
 
I used to use a valve spring compressor as a bead breaker ..... basically a G -clamp ......( with the " cup " which fits over the valve spring retaining collar removed ) ........ then a couple of Melco 12 " tyre levers ........ Not to mention lots of talcum powder and washing up liquid ............ :censored: ...............

All these items were definitely portable .........

An hour and a half multiplied by 30 equals a total of nearly four days of my life spent changing Laverda tyres this way ........ and that`s just the rear....... add in the front as well , and that`s probably the best part of a week spent on my knees staring at / struggling with a FLAM wheel .rim .........

Found this above mentioned Laverda tyre changing " kit " during a clear out yesterday ......... straight in the bin ...................



PS ....... Also found a triple primary drive locking tool as well ...... will stick a picture of it up sometime soon , if anyone`s interested ..........
 
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I’ve been looking at manual tyre changers, the YouTube videos show them fitting a soft rear slick on a wide rim- easiest tyre of all.
If you’re running a slimmer rim with a stiffer carcass tyre it might well be a problem. Breaking the bead is the big headache- if I were going racing I might buy a portable bead breaker ( not too big) and some levers and rim protectors. Best of the manual machines are about £250 and come from Germany but can’t find any decent UK based reviews. Still going to take up room in your van, suppose spare wheels is not an option?
 
Since I’ve been using proper tyre grease instead of detergent I’ve been finding bead-breaking a lot easier. Also leaving wheels and tyres in the sun for an hour helps immensely.
 
I thought most circuits had those mobile tyre fitting blokes in their trucks at race meets with people queuing up to get tyres changed, or is that only with big events? A mate bought one of those manual machines, and it worked well. My first and last attempt at a home change with levers involved something called a 6 Ply Michelin Enduro tyre in winter, a cold and extremely stiff sidewall that resulted in multiple pinched tubes. So it's shops and big machines for me.
 
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Late 70's at Hartley Motorcycles, we did it all by hand, skinny steel and alu rims, tyres like Avon Roadrunners and Dunlop Red Arrows ... long tyre levers and a rubber mallet - that's all I can remember about it. 1975, I did get a flat 100km east of Mt Isa, travelling alone mid-wet season to Darwin. My short std BMW toolkit levers and a mini-pump. I do recall not having a lot of fun with it.
 
I'm along way away from shops with tyre changing machines and the closest is 120 kays away. If your after a nobby for your dirt bike or 17" sports/touring tyres in a limited selection then no probs. Try getting a set of 150/18 radials forget it. Sol I brought a set of 3 tyre levers and rim protectors.
Yesterday I ordered 2 sets of tyres, Road smartIV for the Motodd and BT46s for the SFC, on line for a lot cheaper than any Perth shops can supply after having to order them beforehand and co-ordinate it with a trip to Perth, 450kays, which is rare for me these days. I'll make a static balance stand and polish up my tyre changing skills that I haven't used since the 70s. Where I live if you can't do it yourself your fucked and that goes with most things in life living remotely.
 
I have fixed a few dirt bike flats on rides, just not tyres. One of the biggest helps is heavy work boots to stamp and brake beads. And plenty of sunlight, Hot tyres are way softer than cold ones. No centre stand on the Atlas was a worry till I bought this.
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Andy said:
Since I’ve been using proper tyre grease instead of detergent I’ve been finding bead-breaking a lot easier. Also leaving wheels and tyres in the sun for an hour helps immensely.
Click to expand...
I will try the tyre grease idea, agree that breaking the bead can be the biggedt problem (as well as trying to get the new bead to "pop" into place without scary high pressure. Warm tyres help in both cases, in winter I put the tyre warmers on them,
I have a bead breaker lever and base apparatus as sold by most places, a bit big but I remove the arm for storage. Otherwise it is long tyre levers and a big rubber mallet, plastic rim protectors. A valve core wire puller thingo if fitting a tube.
The best help is practicing fitting technique.
 
I once watched Shane Watts change 2 bib moose in well less than 10 minutes with probably 10 levers, 600mm long tyre levers in the parc furma of the 6 day. They must practice for weeks.
 
Exmoor beast said:
I’ve been looking at manual tyre changers, the YouTube videos show them fitting a soft rear slick on a wide rim- easiest tyre of all.
If you’re running a slimmer rim with a stiffer carcass tyre it might well be a problem. Breaking the bead is the big headache- if I were going racing I might buy a portable bead breaker ( not too big) and some levers and rim protectors. Best of the manual machines are about £250 and come from Germany but can’t find any decent UK based reviews. Still going to take up room in your van, suppose spare wheels is not an option?
Click to expand...
Carry spare set of wheels with wets on!
Reason for looking - Local tyre dealers are unable or can not buy in the racing tyres I require , for instance currently have Michelin Power GP2 tyres.
Secondly they are not happy about putting tyres on they don't supply, due to insurance .
Where as in this country, the majority of racing events have someone supplying/fitting tyres in France for instance it appears not from my experience. Also even if there is doesn't mean they will have the tyre you require.
Tyre levers I've used in the past, but should be used to a minimum to save damaging rims etc on wheels costing thousands.
My reasoning on buying in a portable system covers both objectives, also with such a system I can leave the responsibility to changing tyres to some one else in the team.
Andy
 
I've done well over 2000 track kays on the road smart 4. Running low pressures they have been fantastic. Still a heap of tread left, have a few road kays coming up after which I'll replace for the next track day.
 
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