I have watched numerous "instructional" videos on how to change a tire and a huge mistake I'm seeing - and it's shockingly common - is either ignoring the location of the valve stem or misunderstanding its importance in determining where to start dismounting or mounting a tire. The goal is to not have the tire bead trying to occupy the center well in the location of the valve stem - the tube is fixed in place by the stem, and can't move out of the way. The correct procedure is to start at the valve stem while dismounting a tire and work both ways around to the opposite side. Start opposite the stem and work your way around to it when mounting a tire. Following this protocol will dramatically reduce the odds of a tube pinch or tear during tire dismounting/mounting.
Valve stem location during tire change
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You are 100% correct.
I change m/c tires on top of an automotive wheel/tire assembly on the shop floor. This gives me some elevation to put my knees on the cycle tire and protects the disc from bending. I encourage my customers to watch me change their tires.
Dismount from the valve stem to our knees (or body if working on an up-right stand). Remount from our knees (or our body) to the valve stem. Always keeping the engaged portion of the bead Down in the drop-center.
Remove the valve core, loosen the nut to the top of the threads, if bead locked loosen its nut to the top of its threads and dis-lodge the bead lock from the beads.
Break down the beads on both sides.
With disc facing down in the auto wheel, with my knees on top of m/c tire opposite of the valve (or one could insert a Bead Buddy to hold bead down), insert the hooked end of two tire irons into the beads about 2 inches apart, one on Each side of the valve stem.
Using a third iron (or even 4 irons), alternate removing only another 2-3 inches of bead at a time from LH side / RH side, moving the 2 hooked irons closer to the still engaged portion of the bead. Working towards my knees.
Installation with usually a single flat tipped iron (the iron should only be inserted about 1/4 - 3/8 inch past the edge of the rim) is performed from my knees, alternating sides back towards the valve stem. Moving my knees as I work towards the valve stem. Keeping the bead compressed into the drop-center of the rim. Push the valve stem with nut attached to only its tip into the tire as we install the final 2-3 inches of bead.
I’ve read a few tire threads, and I will throw a little something in that works for me. In training retrievers I built a few tools. One such tool is an old motorcycle tire with same diameter 1/2” plywood platform bolted to the sidewall of the tire. So it created about a 5” tall round platform. For the dog to sit on. When working a tire, I grab this set up and place it plywood down tire up. This gives me a nice working surface that your disc and hub are free hanging in side that old tire. It’s ridged and protected. Just an idea.
Works just as well on bicycle tires.
Like Mr. Westman said. Follow those instructions. Mr. Westman says change tire on a car tire on the floor, so you can use your knees to press bead down into wheel-rim center depression while using your hands to lever on the opposite side. Its tempting to change tire on a bench or stand-up stand. But then it will be REAL difficult to use your knees to press the bead down into the wheel-rim center.
Also important is your tire irons. Not too thick, and not too long. If you need a tire iron (spoon) longer than about 8~10 inches, you are doing something wrong and generating that much force on the end of a pry is going to bend the rim.
If theres a very shallow but defined hook in the very end of your iron, its harder to hook the tube levering off. Theres just not enough lever sticking out to get both the bead of the tire and the tube. Tire levers with no hook make you stick in too far and you end up getting the tube while levering on. For me, the hook in the end of the motion-pro levers is too far from the end.
I carved my own combination-levers from combination wrenches; a 3/4" for the front and a 1-1/16" for the rear. Grinding down the open end to a spoon, leaving the box end for the axle nuts. I did more fine-grinding and smoothing after photos and making sure I liked the shape. Cost a couple bucks for each wrench from a flea-market, and about a quarter of a stone on my bench grinder. Being made from real steel, they are much heavier than the high-strength alloy combination spoons from motion-pro. For those counting grams of their total load on their epic journey, steel versus alloy may be an issue. Maybe if I eat three fewer cheeseburgers....
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Also important is your tire irons. Not too thick, and not too long. If you need a tire iron (spoon) longer than about 8~10 inches, you are doing something wrong and generating that much force on the end of a pry is going to bend the rim.
If theres a very shallow but defined hook in the very end of your iron, its harder to hook the tube levering off. Theres just not enough lever sticking out to get both the bead of the tire and the tube. Tire levers with no hook make you stick in too far and you end up getting the tube while levering on. For me, the hook in the end of the motion-pro levers is too far from the end.
I carved my own combination-levers from combination wrenches; a 3/4" for the front and a 1-1/16" for the rear. Grinding down the open end to a spoon, leaving the box end for the axle nuts. I did more fine-grinding and smoothing after photos and making sure I liked the shape. Cost a couple bucks for each wrench from a flea-market, and about a quarter of a stone on my bench grinder. Being made from real steel, they are much heavier than the high-strength alloy combination spoons from motion-pro. For those counting grams of their total load on their epic journey, steel versus alloy may be an issue. Maybe if I eat three fewer cheeseburgers....
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Is it possible when seating a bead that it doesn't make a popping noise like the instructional videos show? I'm fighting my way through my first tire change and can't get it to do that
Yes. No popping required.
Some tires have a mold line between the bead and sidewall that is visible/felt that rides just outside the edge of the rim, so it can be obvious, some don't though.
Many tube type tires have loose enough fitting beads that they simply slip over the raised safety rib of the rear rim with no noise.
As DrewNJ suggested look at the exterior of the tire. Is it evenly seated? If so it's good to go.
What Exact brand and model of tire are you installing? Front or rear?
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