mounting tires

[Ruby Soho]

i bought some kenda klaw xc fronts for my 99 400ex. i have some friends that say its very hard to get the stock tire off with the bead etc... but it has to be possible. how do i go about doing this process?

[northwest Texas]

You need a bead breaker. Never done one w/out but I've heard of guys using a 2x4 and driving up it to break the bead. I wouldn't do that though.

[400exrider707]

Originally posted by northwest Texas
You need a bead breaker. Never done one w/out but I've heard of guys using a 2x4 and driving up it to break the bead. I wouldn't do that though.

Thats what I do, very simple and not all that dangerous.

This helps to have a buddy standing on the tire too. Get a board, a buddy, and a truck. Place the rim tire flat on the ground. Then put the board as close as possible to the edge of the rim and the other end on the ground so its like a little ramp. Drive up the board. Have your buddy stand on the opposite side of the wheel so that it doesn't just force it to stand up. Should push the tire down past the bead. Very easy to do.

[1fst400]

I have a 4 foot pry bar that I stick on the bead of the tire and drive up the pry bar with my tractor or truck. It takes me about 7 mintues per tire. And I ruined a set of itp wheels this way.


Unless im in a super rush, there is a local consignment shop that has a car style tire machine. He charges about 15$ to dismount your old tire and mount your new one, or about 5$ just to break the bead.


If you dont want your old tires for nothing then I have heard of some people using a sawzal to cut them off.

I just let all the air out and push my knee on the tire to get as much air out. Then i just jack my quad up and put the tire under it and line it up under the hub and let it down and repeat a couple times around the tire and the bead will eb seperated. Have to do both sides.

[Ruby Soho]

thanks guys.

[400exrider707]

Originally posted by 1fst400
I have a 4 foot pry bar that I stick on the bead of the tire and drive up the pry bar with my tractor or truck. It takes me about 7 mintues per tire. And I ruined a set of itp wheels this way.


Unless im in a super rush, there is a local consignment shop that has a car style tire machine. He charges about 15$ to dismount your old tire and mount your new one, or about 5$ just to break the bead.


If you dont want your old tires for nothing then I have heard of some people using a sawzal to cut them off.


This is why your supposed to use wood instead of a metal pry bar, so if by some chance it does hit the rim it has much less chance of damaging it.:macho

[brianr134]

Personally, I'd try to find someone that has a bead breaker that you could borrow for a few minutes to pop all your beads. I've damaged a few rims due to trying to drive over them (all when it was cold).
If you do want to drive over them, it helps a lot when it is rather warm out so the metal bands in the tire are not quite as contracted. Another method, is to use a bumper/hi-lift jack and go from the receiver of a pickup onto the tire near the bead and slowly jack it up.

[1fst400]

Originally posted by 400exrider707
This is why your supposed to use wood instead of a metal pry bar, so if by some chance it does hit the rim it has much less chance of damaging it.:macho

who said I damaged that part of the wheel? What it did was it collapsed the rim before the bead broke.

[interceptorz28]

When I put the razr2 on the front I went to a mechanic that had a regular car wheel machine thing. THe stockers had been on for years and were very hard to break the bead. The guy ended up bending my rim a bit and I had to hammer it to fix it. If they are really on there, dont use the machine thing.

[86 Quad R]

my labor is valuable besides, the older ya get the more ya come up with less troublesome ways of doing things. i simply carry my tires to the local shop and pay the 2 bux each to get the beads broke. :blah:

[ckasper18]

Do the back side of the rim first the bead is bigger and harder to get broke here is a little secret i work at a honda dealership annd change thousands of atv tires each year leave about one pound of air in tire this gives the tire a little strength tire is not so flexibale and bead pops much easier.The truck and board method does work try leaving a shot of air 10 times quicker and easier just unmounted 8 tires i prefer using a tire machine

[ckasper18]

Originally posted by interceptorz28
When I put the razr2 on the front I went to a mechanic that had a regular car wheel machine thing. THe stockers had been on for years and were very hard to break the bead. The guy ended up bending my rim a bit and I had to hammer it to fix it. If they are really on there, dont use the machine thing. He apparently was not doing it right never had that problem again leave a little air in tire with a tire machine walla bead is off no bent rims

[400exrider707]

Originally posted by 1fst400
who said I damaged that part of the wheel? What it did was it collapsed the rim before the bead broke.

My bad... what kind of rim was it just out of curiosity?