taking off the wheels???

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teamhurst
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Posts: 108
Joined: Fri May 04, 2012 6:08 pm
Location: three rivers michigan

taking off the wheels???

Post by teamhurst »

Ok so the blur needs tires. that i have .the local bike shop wants about 120 bucks to mount the new tires. so how hard is it to take off the wheels and is it passable to change the tires my self??
I scoot there for i am
blur 150
buddy pamplona 150
Stella
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babblefish
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Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2007 8:42 am
Location: San Francisco

Post by babblefish »

Removing the front wheel is easy. You just need to be careful because the scooter wants to tilt forward when on the center stand. I made a stand that lifts both front and rear wheels off the ground (the entire scooter, actually) so that made it easier for me. The rear wheel is more involved and requires removal of the brake caliper, right "swingarm", and muffler. The rear can be wedged onto it's spindle/axle if it hasn't been removed in a while and can be a pain to get off. On reassembly, unless you've been wrenching on cars/motorbikes for a while and have a feel for things, definitely use a torque wrench and follow torque specs when tightening all the fasteners.

As far as changing your own tires, it's doable, I did mine. But, it's a pain in the arse even with tire irons (don't be tempted to use screwdrivers), rim protectors, and lubricant. Breaking the bead off the rim can be a challenge (or not), look on YouTube for ideas on how to do it. If your air stem is rubber, replace it with a new one. Better yet, install a metal one. You also have to make sure to have the heavy side of the tire on the opposite side from the air stem in order to make balancing easier. Tires are usually marked as to where the heavy side is, but not always, depending on the manufacturer. Look for a paint dot either on the inside or outside of the sidewall. If not marked, then you can either wing it or find it yourself with a digital scale. Some tires are directional, so look for an arrow on the sidewall so that it's mounted to spin in the correct rotation. Lastly, unless you've changed motorbike tires before, you're probably going to scratch the hell out your wheels. That paint chips easily. You'll need a good supply of air in order to pop the bead onto the rim when filling up. Don't even think about using a hand pump.

My local dealer charges a nominal fee for changing tires if you bring in the wheels/tires without the rest of the scooter. Even though I changed the tires myself, he didn't charge me for balancing when I brought them in (er, ahem, SF Scooter Center). In the future, I'll pay the nominal fee and have them change my tires just to save me the aggravation.

Good luck, and remember, it's your life rolling on those wheels/tires. Do it right or don't do it at all.
Some people can break a crowbar in a sandbox.
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teamhurst
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Posts: 108
Joined: Fri May 04, 2012 6:08 pm
Location: three rivers michigan

Post by teamhurst »

thanks for the input! i know my way around a scoot i have a stella so you know . just been burning through the money this spring and haven't even been riding yet. im sure you know the drill. i did watch some videos and looks do able but a pain like you said so off to the shop i go :wink:
I scoot there for i am
blur 150
buddy pamplona 150
Stella
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