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Dismounting & Remounting the Tire (with the wheel removed)

Tools Needed: Tire irons (3 make it easier), 5 gallon bucket, air pump, valve removal tool (or valve cap), soapy water as lube (optional-I do not use lube).

A few of the tools used in the following; hammer, tire irons (3 makes the job easier), Pin wrench, pin spanner, valve core tool and 5 gallon bucket.

Place the wheel, drum side up on an inverted 5 gallon bucket, using the cap or valve tool, remove the valve stem core and once deflated use the palms of your hands to press down and break the bead.

180 degrees opposite the valve stem, insert the concave side of the spoon (face outward) between the tire bear and rim.

Pull the tire iron toward the center of the hub.

The bead will pop up like so...

 

Insert a the second iron 4" either side of the first and pull it down toward the center also.

 

Now insert the 3rd spoon 4" to either side of the first two spoons and repeat the drill.

Remove the middle spoon.

Insert the free spoon 4" to either side of the other two spoons and pull it down.

You should now be able to run either outside spoon around the rim popping the bead free.

More of the same I guess.

Top bead is now free.

Again, starting 180 degrees opposite the valve stem, lift up the free bead...

...reach in and pull out the deflated valve less tube...

...pulling along each side until you end at the valve stem. Tuck your fingers into the tire to pull the valve back through the rim hole.

The tube is now free. Check condition and replace only if needed. All but one of my tubes are the original Russian tubes and have over 78K km's on them.

Turn the wheel brake lining side up on the bucket. The tire will fall so it is resting on the lower rim. Insert the iron so the convex face is now toward the rim.

Push the tip over the bottom rim lip...

...and push the iron out and down.

Take a second iron, go 4" either side of the first and repeat.

You should now be able to take the palms of both hands at 1 and 11 o'clock and push downward slipping the tire off the rim.

About 10 seconds later. One more little push and the tire will drop to the floor.

Inspect the rim strip and replace as needed. Have a suitable replacement handy as the Russian strips break very easy.

I always remove the rim strip and clean the dirt and rust off the inside rim. It's just a big rubber band and pulls off neatly.

While I have the wheel broke down I usually balance it and check the torque of the spokes. This will be covered later in another section.

Rim strip replaced

To mount the tire, start with the wheel on the bucket brake lining side up.

I balance my rims and "mark" the "heavy spot" with a dot of paint.

Lay the tire on the rim with the  "light spot" on the tire in-line with the "heavy spot" on the rim. Most folks say to match the tire "spot" to the valve hole but this is B.S. I'll cover this more later in the "Balancing the Tire" section below.

Insert the concave face of the spoon between the upper rim and lower tire bead and push the iron out and down. You will need to put your foot or knee on opposite the spoon to keep the tire from lifting up.

Insert a second spoon 4" either side and push out. You should be able to now work both spoons AWAY from each other popping the tire on. In the picture above, I have one spoon hooked through the spokes with my foot holding the rim down while a take a picture...not hard at all!

You may find both tire beads want to go on the rim...let them. It's easy to pop the top bead off again.

Now, lay the deflated CORE LESS tube on the rim with the valve stem lined up with the valve hole in the rim.

See...no valve core.

With one hand lift up on the upper (free) tire bead...with the other hand stuff the tube into the tire with the valve stem in line with the hole in the rim.

Stuffed.

Now the trick! Lift up the tire each side of the valve stem and fold the tube, accordion style, while keeping the valve pretty much in line with the rim hole.

With one hand, reach in BEHIND the tube, behind the valve stem and close your fingers guiding the stem through the hole. You will need to do just a hair of manipulating  to thread the hole, but the folds in the tube will give you plenty of leash.

It takes longer to spin the core tool on than it does to get the stem through the rim. I put the core tool on to prevent the stem from going back into the rim.

Now center the stem in the hole and gently pull the folds in the tube away from the stem. DO NOT allow the stem to cock in the hole. If it does, straighten it out before continuing.

The correct method for inserting the tube into the tire is to begin 180 degrees opposite the valve stem and finish at the stem...Not as pictured here.

Tube is now fully inserted with top bead free.

Remove core tool...

...replace valve core...

...and use tool or cap to seat valve core.

Now fill the tube with enough air to wear it just begins to take shape.

There should be no wrinkles, but it should still be very soft. This will prevent pinch punctures from the tire iron when seating the top bead.

Begin seating the bead 180 degrees opposite the valve stem.

Insert the spoon with the concave surface facing the rim and push out and down.

Should look like this...

 

...continue every 4" with another spoon and do the same...

Take the middle spoon and go 8" or so to the outside of either end spoon. In this picture the middle spoon went to the 10 o'clock position.

You should now be able to take the spoons and work them from the 10 and 2 o'clock positions down toward the valve stem.

At this point it will get a little difficult to get the bead over the rim...

...it is easier to rest your knee or foot opposite the valve stem, lean across the wheel and press down on the spoons...a little difficult to show while taking your own pictures.

If you did your set up work well, the tire "mark" and rim "mark" (or valve stem hole) will still be lined up and...

...the valve stem will be vertical not cocked.

Now put about 20lbs of air pressure in the tire. This will seat the bead.

Remove the valve core to quickly deflate the tube. This pulls the tube away from the tire to prevent pinches. Inspect the rim where the tire contacts it and look for any place where the tube is poking through. There should not be any.

Replace the core...

...inflate to maximum rated p.s.i.

My pumping station.

Tire is now ready to be balanced.

 
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