Mounting & balancing tires yourself: Difference between revisions

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Get the shortest stem you can find. Angled ones are a bad idea (need to be replaced more often) and the screw-together metal stems can be a PITA to get to fit correctly, and to remove later when they eventually fail. It's best to just change the valve stem every 3 or 4 sets of tires. The stem is the same standard size as those used by cars. You should be able to get one at any tire retailer. They may just give it to you. Tireflies and other heavy caps will lead to premature stem failure. If you run anything but plastic caps, you'll likely be doing valve stem replacements a lot sooner.

At this point, check the static balance of just the rim (without the tire on it), as the valve stem never seems to be the heavy point any more. You can do this on the cheap, with the axle and a couple of jack stands. You can spend lots more money to do the same thing and never feel a difference. Don't spin the wheel; that'll just take more time to slow down. Instead, rotate the wheel 90* and let go. Do this a couple times; the heavy spot will always fall. If there isn't a heavy spot, then it won't rotate from where you let go.

==Sidewall information==

~~[[Image~~:~~mount balance 12.JPG|150px]]~~

It's important to note that tires are directional, due to how they're constructed. The arrow is plainly shown on the side of the tire, like this (to the left):

~~Make note, or mark on the inside of the wheel, where the heavy spot is located. As you can see above, the valve stem is off to the right, and very much ''not'' the heavy spot~~.

[[Image:mount balance 13.JPG|150px]]

It's ~~important to note~~ that ~~tires are directional, due to how they're constructed~~. ~~The arrow~~ is ~~plainly shown on~~ the ~~side~~ of ~~the tire~~, ~~like this~~ (to the ~~left~~):

Also notice the DOT code. It's a 4-digit code that lists the week and the year the tire was made. This one is 3205, so the 32nd week of 2005. More than 3 or 4 years old and tires start to go 'off', get hard, and aren't any fun to ride on (worse than the stock Dunrocks on the 250!).

~~[[Image:mount balance 13.JPG|150px]]~~

==Find the wheel's heavy point==

~~Also notice the DOT code. It's a 4-digit code that lists the week and the year~~ the tire ~~was made. This one is 3205, so~~ the ~~32nd week of 2005. More than 3 or 4 years old and tires start to go 'off'~~, ~~get hard, and aren't any fun~~ to ~~ride on (worse than~~ the ~~stock Dunrocks on the 250!)~~. You ~~should also look~~ for ~~a round dot, about~~ the ~~size~~ of ~~a dime, on~~ the ~~tire~~. ~~This is an indicator of~~ the ~~lightest spot on the tire from~~ the ~~manufacturer, though not all brands have this (this Avon didn't). You'll want~~ to ~~line this up with~~ the ~~heaviest spot~~ on the ~~rim that you noted earlier~~.

Before you put the tire on the rim, you need to find the wheel's heavy point. You only need to do this once for the lifetime of each wheel. Go to [[How can I balance the tires by myself?]] and do that part now. It will also tell you how to use the factory's paint mark to find the correct point to mount the tire on the wheel.

==Mounting the new tire==

Make sure you have read the balancing article and put the "light point" mark on the tire at the heavy point of the wheel.

When it comes time to put the new tire on, you should be able to just walk the first bead over the rim without any tools other than your body weight. If needed, you can use a rim protector, tire lube, and tire iron to help, as was needed here:

@@ Line 99: / Line 99: @@
 Get the shortest stem you can find. Angled ones are a bad idea (need to be replaced more often) and the screw-together metal stems can be a PITA to get to fit correctly, and to remove later when they eventually fail. It's best to just change the valve stem every 3 or 4 sets of tires. The stem is the same standard size as those used by cars. You should be able to get one at any tire retailer. They may just give it to you. Tireflies and other heavy caps will lead to premature stem failure. If you run anything but plastic caps, you'll likely be doing valve stem replacements a lot sooner.
-At this point, check the static balance of just the rim (without the tire on it), as the valve stem never seems to be the heavy point any more. You can do this on the cheap, with the axle and a couple of jack stands. You can spend lots more money to do the same thing and never feel a difference. Don't spin the wheel; that'll just take more time to slow down. Instead, rotate the wheel 90* and let go. Do this a couple times; the heavy spot will always fall. If there isn't a heavy spot, then it won't rotate from where you let go.
+==Sidewall information==
-[[Image:mount balance 12.JPG|150px]]
+It's important to note that tires are directional, due to how they're constructed. The arrow is plainly shown on the side of the tire, like this (to the left):
-Make note, or mark on the inside of the wheel, where the heavy spot is located. As you can see above, the valve stem is off to the right, and very much ''not'' the heavy spot.
+[[Image:mount balance 13.JPG|150px]]
-It's important to note that tires are directional, due to how they're constructed. The arrow is plainly shown on the side of the tire, like this (to the left):
+Also notice the DOT code. It's a 4-digit code that lists the week and the year the tire was made. This one is 3205, so the 32nd week of 2005. More than 3 or 4 years old and tires start to go 'off', get hard, and aren't any fun to ride on (worse than the stock Dunrocks on the 250!).
-[[Image:mount balance 13.JPG|150px]]
+==Find the wheel's heavy point==
-Also notice the DOT code. It's a 4-digit code that lists the week and the year the tire was made. This one is 3205, so the 32nd week of 2005. More than 3 or 4 years old and tires start to go 'off', get hard, and aren't any fun to ride on (worse than the stock Dunrocks on the 250!). You should also look for a round dot, about the size of a dime, on the tire. This is an indicator of the lightest spot on the tire from the manufacturer, though not all brands have this (this Avon didn't). You'll want to line this up with the heaviest spot on the rim that you noted earlier.
+Before you put the tire on the rim, you need to find the wheel's heavy point. You only need to do this once for the lifetime of each wheel. Go to [[How can I balance the tires by myself?]] and do that part now. It will also tell you how to use the factory's paint mark to find the correct point to mount the tire on the wheel.
 ==Mounting the new tire==
+Make sure you have read the balancing article and put the "light point" mark on the tire at the heavy point of the wheel.
 When it comes time to put the new tire on, you should be able to just walk the first bead over the rim without any tools other than your body weight. If needed, you can use a rim protector, tire lube, and tire iron to help, as was needed here: