Advanced DIY tire mounting....THE GOOTBLATT MANEUVER

I recieved my new tires for the VFR yesterday. The front tire is about like my old-timey bike rear tires (120/70/17). I changed it last night and it went very well. This morning, while I was hanging around the "office" waiting for calls, I attacked the rear tire. It's slightly larger (170/60/17). What a hunk of meat!

I really had no problem with it due to "THE GOOTBLATT MANEUVER", which I also employed on the front wheel. Of course, this was pioneered by a good friend, and passed on to me. It's a procedure not unlike Jeff's bikes; not pretty perhaps, but it works!

There are four steps to the Gootblatt maneuver (which I will refer to as the GM from here on).

Step 1) locate a large, heavy vehicle with sufficient ground clearance, a bottle-type hydraulic jack, and two large tire irons. I used a 1995 Jeep Cherokee, which resides in my driveway, and occassionally pulls trailers.

Step 2) Place the subject tire under the heavy vehicle, and using a standard 2X4 under the rim for protection, locate the bottle jack as shown in figure 1.




Step 3) Jack up the vehicle! Continue this process around the edge of the rim, keeping the jack base as close to the rim as possible until the bead is free all around. Soapy water is quite helpful. See figure 2.



Once one bead is free, go ahead and lever it off, then turn the wheel over, and repeat step three.

Step 4) Lever the remaining side of the tire off.

Simple, right? You may scoff, but judge for yourself. See figure 3.



After completing the "GM", mount the new tire in the normal way with tire levers. It's not any harder than any other tire.

Be safe out there!


Lane

 

Do you balance your tires, too?
What do you use for bead?

 

I haven't balanced these. I'll ride it and if I can feel a problem I'll have to let a shop do that. My older bikes I balance by putting the axle in my vise and letting the tire spin until it settles. Then mark it and do it again. I add weight to the light side until it doesn't stop in the same place. That didn't work with the VFR front wheel because the wheel is so much lighter, and smaller diameter than my old bikes. Not enough "moment of inertia" for that method, I guess.

What do you mean by "use for bead?"


Lane

 

Is there a sealer that sticks the tire to the wheel? What keeps the air from leaking out? I know, dumb questions, just never done it myself.

 

that is by far the most amazing DIY method I have seen in recent history. I also have no idea how the tire seals to the rim. Do tell...

What a great idea!

 

There's a safety bead on the inner part of the rim that holds to tire up to the side of the rim and the air pressure inside the tire keeps it there. If you run too low of a pressure, the tire can move past that bead and come off the rim.

 

Rednecks:biggrin: Thanks, I think I'll just stick the local shop that only charges $15 per wheel to mount and balance. Or I have a buddy who owns a tire and wheel place and do it for free too.

 

Rednecks?? I'll have you know I was born and raised in Mississippi! We'uns ain't payin' nobody nuthin' to do whut we'uns can do ourownselves. So there!

Seriously;
The shops around here all charge $50.00 and up, to mount a tire if you didn't buy it from them. That's if you only bring the wheel. If they'd mount mine for $15.00, I'd let them do it, but it pisses me off to pay somebody $15-$20 per minute to do a job. I have the time, so I do it myself.


Lane

 

And holding air? The beads seat against the rim so tightly, that they seal themselves. No sealer is required. It's the same for all tubeless tires. That's why it's so difficult to break the bead.

Lane

 

LOL!

Lane that is one of the best DIY things I have ever seen.

BZ

 

I'd like to add my .02 to do it yourself tire mounting. First, this product works perfect - you just throw some beads into the tire prior to mounting and the tires are perfectly balanced.
http://www.innovativebalancing.com/?gclid=CM7k5PzKwZECFQiaPAod-DVVDA
Second, there's alot easier way to break the bead than jacking up a car. Just use a short board between the tire edge and a long board positioned under a car door. Pull down on the other end and the bead breaks.
Third, I'm not sure I can emphasis how big a pain it is to use tire irons on a motorcycle tire. Even with rim savers and pledge and/or soapy water you WILL scratch/ gouge the shit out of them, and you WILL cuss profusely (especially on the rear).
I gave this my best shot and ended up spending lots of time sanding/repainting the rims and swearing never to try it again - let the guys with the machine change the tires.