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Honda Z50R Change Out Rear Tube

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8.9K views 13 replies 10 participants last post by  Darrie  
#1 ·
Hi All,

My rear tire went flat and I purchased a new tube. Can I pull the tire over the rim, pull the old tube out and push the new tube in? Or will I need to separate the left and right rim? I've heard that separating the rim can be a chore, so I was hoping I could avoid it. Thanks.

-Escapee
 
#2 · (Edited)
You cant pull the tyre over the rim unfortunately. The zed tyres tend to stick to the rims at the bead. However i have been able to put a new tube in easily enough in the past using this method.
Unbolt the hub off the rim.
Undo the 4 sets of nuts and bolts holding the rim halves together.
Then i get 4 large sockets from my socket set that are the same height (about an inch or so)
Pull the rim halves apart and place the 4 sockets evenly spaced (90° apart)between the halves so the hold the rim halves apart about an inch or so
Then take out 1 socket and pull the tube out of that section of the tyre, then replace the socket and repeat until you have the tube out.
The get the new tube, take out the socket nearest the valve hole and feed in the tubes valve through the rims valve hole. Put some talcom powder inside the tyre at this point as it is a good insurance to allow the tube to settle when fully inflated. A bit of thin wire fed through the valve hole and wrapped around the valve on the tube makes it easier to get the valve located.
Once the valve is through the rim replace the socket, remove the next and keep insertting the tube into the tyre. Repeat until the new tube is inside the tyre.
Now inflate the tube just enough that it holds its shape, remove the sockets/spacers then you can bolt the rim halves together taking care to make sure the tube isn't pinched between the halves.
It's a bit fiddly but easier than seperating a tyre and rim.
 
#5 ·
I usually use a hacksaw to make a cut in through the tire and tube right to the rim, then make a second cut about 6" away from the first one, again, to the rim. I then make a cut parallel with the rim edge to connect the two cuts. After pulling the old tube out of the way I use a 4" hand-held grinder to cut through the beads of the sidewall on both inside halves of the rim.
 
#7 ·
@dirtbkr188 you are a wizard
 
#8 ·
Here are the tricks I have learned doing this job many times: Place the tire in a vice with the jaws only on the tire, but pushed as close as possible to the rim. As you clamp down the vice, push down on the tire from above, keeping the edge of the vice as close as possible to the rim. Use a propane torch or other medium heat to warm the wheel halves. If you keep your torch moving, there will be no damage to the paint. As soon as you smell burning rubber, stop and spray a lubricant in the crevice between the rim and tire.Starting as close as you can to the clamped portion of the tire, use a tire spoon and separate the halves using the curved tip of the spoon pointed to the tire side. This last detail is the most important part of the process, as the tip pointed toward the wheel side seems like the natural way to do it, and the way most everyone tries. The reason it works so much better with the tip down is that it allows you to push as close to the rim as possible, right on top of the bead (doing it the other way, you are pushing it a way back from the rim,) and you are trying only to push down a small segment of flexible tire opposed to trying to force up the entire rim. The other benefit is that the inside of the wheel rim does not get as gouged up. Works every time. I have tried the other ways mentioned, but prefer this one as the fastest and least messy.
 
#11 ·
Lol ! I had the same problem only a few months ago. Gave up breaking the bead after trying heaps of tricks. I wasn't gentle either as I was replacing the rim, so wasn't concerned about vices, heavy hammer etc but still it wouldn't budge. So took the rim complete (centres bolted but centre removed) to a tire shop. Was so quick on his bead breaker he didn't charge me.

I plastered the new rim in a chain wax I use that sets hard - will see how that goes on the next tube replacement.

Never, ever again will I spend hours trying to separate the bead from the rim !
 
#14 ·
Think the one piece alloy is less likely to bend but more likely break. Steel wheels with minimal paint coating & steel wire in the tire beads I think causes the binding issue … you might have better luck with alloy rims as the tire bead wont rust to the rim.