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Post by walkingwolf on Jan 18, 2009 20:46:18 GMT -5
well, i managed to get my front tire on...by CUTTING the old one off. i didn't have the proper tools for the job. this is my first uneducated attempt at changing a tubeless tire. i started a cut with a hacksaw, then continued with tin snips to cut a large "v" shape with the point below the rim of the wheel. then, if you have them, use small bolt cutters to snip the wire filled rim, or do like me and use a dremel. had no pry tool till Firegut mentioned tire iron. i disassembled my channel locks and used the straighter jaw with the teeth against the wheel to pry the new tire back on. with some effort it went on. i think i'm right when i say i believe that only a gas station air pump will mount them on the rims. a bike pump's pressure is too slow to move the tire's slightly smaller diameter than the wheel diameter up on the rims where they should be to make them not leak. i'll have to hike them to my nearest g.s. Now for the warning. your REAR WHEEL NUT. depending on i don't know what...riding conditions/habits/environment, it may decide to FUSE ITSELF TO THE  BOLT! :-/like when you use c-clamp looking vise grips to put on another pair of large vise grips. and then vise grip your vise grips for a SUPER strong hold. (i'm thinking that this pressure would not be so great as to squeeze the nut on the bolt tighter. i could be wrong.)  and then when you hit the pliers with a 2 lb. sledge, you scrape off a 1/64 '' layer of steel. at which point you then have to turn to mr. dremel again and mr. cold chisel and cut the bugger on both sides to get it off, carefully so as not to damage the bolt threads. i hope and pray none of you have to go thru this. i've got to walk a ways to catch the city bus to go buy a ratchet socket for the muffler bolt next to the radiator, which HAS to be removed before you can take the wheel off. one more hassle! AND get a friend to take me back to the dealer to get a new nut. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! on the bright side i'm learning something new and after all the work and trouble i can step back and say with great satisfaction that i did it myself, and have a great story to tell. as some of you might possibly have the opportunity/joy to do. which i hope you don't. you can risk this scenario or just take it in for the change. little more money, less torment and time. just thought i'd contribute this for anyone nearing a tire change. your welcome. ride safe fellers!  |
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Post by chanito on Jan 19, 2009 7:28:36 GMT -5
 Nice story and thanks for the advice
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Post by walkingwolf on Jan 19, 2009 18:47:06 GMT -5
thanks. so, a friend went by a scooter repair shop and came back with a free nut. he took the tires by a filling station to inflate them but they refused to even with water on the rims.  anybody got any advice? i tried with small auto air compressor/jumper rolling the tires back and forth with a tad of honing oil on the rims to catch that critical moment when rubber meets metal all the way around and begin to hold air. didn't work, like i thought it probably wouldn't but i took the chance. I WANNA HEER DA HUM ON DEM NEW >:(TARS !!! unless any one has any ideas other than taking them to a shop where the pros can do it, then that's what i'll do. once again i must utter at the risk of spraining my lungs: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH! NONETHELESS...i can say i did it myself (mostly) and feel 8-)proud with what i accomplished. |
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Post by walkingwolf on Jan 20, 2009 3:50:41 GMT -5
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Post by walkingwolf on Jan 20, 2009 3:54:40 GMT -5
8-)on the bright side i still gots the baddest  battlescooter in ruckdom. |
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Post by Kami no Chiizu on Jan 20, 2009 21:30:26 GMT -5
Yes, at least your Ruckus still looks awesome.
Hope your headaches come to an end, soon.
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Post by walkingwolf on Jan 21, 2009 18:27:16 GMT -5
yeah, thanks man. i can't do anything with the inflation part. my advice to anyone wanting to change out their own tires is this: LET THE PROS DO IT. more money but less vexation. in the meantime my only camera battery is dead/unrechargable so i'll have to borrow one to upload pics. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH! |
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Post by chanito on Jan 21, 2009 21:04:51 GMT -5
 What have you done to get luck to turn her back on you?
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Post by walkingwolf on Jan 22, 2009 1:44:18 GMT -5
nuttin' dude! it's just the most unfortunate set of circumstances that's preventing me from getting the job done. in other respects of my life, things are getting a lot better. the ruck problem is the balance. i'll git'er done soon enough. she looks so sad on just the stand and a coupla bricks under the forks. when i get them knobby babies on i'm gonna ride the $#!+ out of her. all these other scooter dudes buzzing up and down the street outside is makin' me jealous! i gotta get my ruck runnin' and ragin' down da road! i'll make it happen. |
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Post by Dandy Dan on Jan 23, 2009 1:52:57 GMT -5
to get your tires inflated, you can try using a compressor and also using tie straps to squeeze the tire on tighter.
really though, the ultimate way to inflate your tires is with a can of starter fluid, a few paper towels and a match. I'm serious about this....I've done it and it works amazing. What you need to do is twist the paper towel into a long roll (so it burns slower), then light the paper towel on fire and then spray some starter fluid into the tire between the tire and the rim. then poke the burning end of the paper towel near the tire and the starter fluid will ignite and hopefully blast the tire onto the rim. Start off small by just spraying a little starter fluid into the tire and then gradually go bigger until the bang is enough to seat the bead. You want to start off small do you learn how much is needed. the first time I did this it took me 4 or 5 tries. when I got it, it was incredible. there's just a loud pop and your tire is on. don't be dumb and spray fluid everywhere and you'll be fine. this isn't something I thought up....lots of pros use this for difficult tires. To actually get the tire on, you probably need a good 5 second blast of starter fluid.
regarding the rear axle nut....don't you have a 22mm socket? Use one of these (preferably 1/2" drive) and then grab a long metal tube or something to act as a handle extension (aka cheater bar). To prevent the rear wheel from spinning you can apply the rear brake or just toss something (like a hockey stick) through the rear rim and it'll stop the wheel from spinning when it hits the swingarm.
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Post by walkingwolf on Jan 25, 2009 0:17:47 GMT -5
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Post by Dandy Dan on Jan 28, 2009 20:05:15 GMT -5
nice work finding the camera battery....now you need to get that paint job done and post some pics!
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Post by walkingwolf on Jan 30, 2009 10:16:56 GMT -5
i'm getting close to it! |
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Post by walkingwolf on Jan 30, 2009 12:01:36 GMT -5
so, i got the new nut for my rear tire. it was too hard to put on by hand so i let a shop down the road do it with a pneumatic impact wrench. it stripped the threads on the bolt a bit but the nut is on DANG tight. i'll probably have to cut this one off as well 16 months from now and use a threader to recut the bolt threads but at least i'm on the road again. what the heck is up with that nut? is my bolt too big? i don't get it! i did Chanito's muffler mod half way. all i did was install a piece of 2 1/2 in. iron pipe into the hole i made. and the slightly deeper purr of the new muffler combined with the lighter hum/whine of my new pirelli sl60 tires makes a very satisfying sound i can't really describe. well, exotic maybe. the ride is smoother and i feel like i'm gripping the road better. and i feel a little more acceleration due to the flatter tread pattern. but i can go faster around corners now as the treads extend farther down the side of the wheel. gonna post pics soon. gonna tweak the paint job. she's gonna be beautiful. i truly wish i could make it to a meet. i'd love to cruise down the road with a hundred rucks around me. one day maybe. peace. |
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Post by Dandy Dan on Feb 3, 2009 15:18:21 GMT -5
You couldn't put it on by hand You should be able to spin it on most of the way until the locking flange hits the threads. Then I just crank it about as tight as I can get it with a 22mm socket and a 1/2" drive handle. I hold the rear brake on to keep the wheel from spinning. Nice work on the new tires and exhuast mod. Once you get the paint work done I'd love to see pics. |
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Post by walkingwolf on Feb 3, 2009 16:11:29 GMT -5
i told the honda dude my ruck was an '06. but it was an '07. all i can think of is that they had a different vendor for the wheel bolt in '07. so, the tpi is different. i'll have to re-thread the bolt and tap a square nut i'll have to make myself so the tpi will be the same. it SHOULD have been able to get on by hand. but the original nut wouldn't come off either. i had to cut it off. the threads were stripped pretty bad on the bolt and i thought the nut was really on there but when i was spinning the wheel to paint it i noticed there was a 1/16'' bit of play. so i re-tightened it and put the old nut behind it with super glue around both. if there's any more play i'll just have to get a tap and die. argh! she's woodland camo now. pretty tough looking. but i'm thinking of re-doing it in the spring. more military with od drab background with brown, black, and grey blotches. will post pics real soon. |
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Post by Dandy Dan on Feb 16, 2009 16:22:19 GMT -5
I'm looking forward too the pics.....your real axle may have been pooched from the first fiasco and now the nut wont' thread on correctly. Replacing the rear axle takes a couple hours since you need to take the final drive apart.
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Post by jshizzywizzy on Feb 26, 2009 19:51:11 GMT -5
When it comes to rusted on or "fused" nuts and bolts, use a product called PB Blaster. Its a penetrating catalyst that works every time, and I mean every time. never force anything and always use the right tools for the job!
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jp
n00b Ruckster
Posts: 11
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Post by jp on Feb 28, 2009 11:39:38 GMT -5
I just put a set of Pirelli SL26 tires on my ruckus rims. They were a bit of a "edit profanity" to remove the old tires but patience is the key. As far as setting the bead I just wrapped a rachet strap around the tire and filled the tire without the valve core removed. Bead popped on very easy. Removed the strap and replaced the valve and filled it up. No problemo.
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jp
n00b Ruckster
Posts: 11
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Post by jp on Feb 28, 2009 11:42:19 GMT -5
Oh, By the way, an impact gun is your best bet for the rear nut.
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