ZEN AND THE ART OF TIRE CHANGING

[CDNRatMan]

   Yup tire machine...that is the answer, remember the days of changing tires in the feild on 5 and ten ton trucks with split rims and the work involved, TIRE SHOP yes sir.......

now for the use of tires ..awesome uses.....really like #3 and #8 but think 8 would have you arrested for making your children better people.....and fit.

[pcarrell]

Yeah, these guys won't steer ya wrong, that's for sure!

[ChilliDrift]

Good stuff. LOL I appreciate the advice and I think I will take it and let my guy change all I can. Im also taking Trolls advice and investing in some better tires. The kendas were nice for about 7-8k miles. Im going to pick up some of the Michelin CMDR 2's Troll is testing. I got my rounded tire irons, and rim protectors in the mail and think I will just hang them on the wall for when I get bored one of these days.  As usual my new found brothers on here are saving me time, money, stress and improving my overall Drifter experience.

[greenbarn]

Tips:  Do you have much experience changing tires?  If not, then the $15 ea your neighbor wants is a bargain.  I have an auto repair and tire shop, and even so, changing tires by hand is not fun.  It's not impossible, though - if you end up doing it yourself:
1) take your time and be VERY CAREFUL not to pinch the inner tube - or you get to practice doing it again.
2) Find a way to hold the wheel.  This makes it a LOT easier.
3) make sure the bead goes down in the drop center on the opposite side of where you are working, taking the bead on or off.
4) take one bead off, then take the tube out, then take the other bead off.
5) If you've never done it before, I imagine there's probably a youtube vid on how to - might be helpful.

Top 10 uses for old bike tires:
1) tire swing for skinny-butt people
2) weed ring for garden- plant a plant in the middle
3) hang several on chains, and use for quiet wind chimes
4) ring-the-tire-on-the-post game (similar to horse-shoes)
5) along with a broomstick, used for a roll-the-bike-tire game
6) target holder - tape target over center of tire
7) "Keep Out" sign - paint "Keep"  "Out" on the tire, hang tire on fence post
8 ) Use in back yard for obstacle course, make the kids run through the tires.
9) use them to put around the base of your trash can to keep them from blowing away - similar to the orange barrels...

10) and the best one - make an election sign for your front yard, hung on the tire, which is stuck on a post, that says:  "We're TIRED of HOPE AND CHANGE.  Fire the bum".

[ChilliDrift]

I am getting ready to change my tires.  I decided to change them myslef this time. Guy down the road changes and ballances them for 30 bucks for the two. I figured I could buy a couple of decent tire tools, and some weights for about the same cost. If I can fashion a level wheel stand to hold the axle true I figure I should be able to save myself some money in the long run.  Any tips? Stick on weights, crimp on or reusable?  Also tire disposal is an issue. Have you all found any good uses for old tires or places to get rid of tires at a resonable price. Tire shops want 5 bucks a tire around here. Thought about quartering them with a recipri-saw  and just putting them in trash bags to be sent to the dump. I dont figure its any worse than other things I send there. I reuse cardboard pizza boxes as floor covering when working on the cars and bike to catch oil drips, contain parts, tools and those dropped fasteners seem to not bounce across the floor as bad and the sides of the box help contain them as well.  Thanks for your tips.