Dismount Tires on i180 Wheels
From SegwaySocial
by Glen Denning
I recently purchased some Extra Traction Tires for my Segway i180 HT. The tires came mounted on the old-style rims, so I decided to dismount the tires and put them on my newer i180 rims.
I've read several posts in Segway Chat where people recommend that you take Segway wheels to a motorcycle shop to mount or dismount the tires. I've mounted automobile and bicycle tires by hand for many years, so I decided to document how I dismounted the Segway tires for those who may be thinking about doing their own Segway tire work.
The steps I describe in the following web pages will help you dismount a tire from a Segway plastic rim as well as avoid damaging the tire and wheel.
Contents |
Tools
Although it is possible to dismount Segway tires with other tools, I recommend these items specifically:
- A valve core tool.
- Plastic bicycle tire levers.
- Soapy water and a small brush for application.
Remove the valve core
The valve core tool is used to remove the valve core from the tire valve (turn counter-clockwise to remove). This will allow air to pass freely in and out of the tire as you work to free the tire bead from the rim (commonly referred to as "breaking the bead").
Although you might be tempted to skip this tool, do not! Removing the valve core makes breaking the bead much easier. These tools are available inexpensively at bicycle shops, and there really isn't a good substitute in most toolboxes.
Tire Levers
Tire levers are use to help pull the tire bead over the wheel rim. I prefer plastic tire levers because they make it much easier to avoid damaging the tire and wheel.
Resist the temptation to substitute a screwdriver — you're very likely to cut a tire or scrape a rim with a screwdriver.
Each of the tire levers shown here are an AC International Quik Stik. They are made of nylon and measure six inches long. I purchased these for about $4.00 each at a bicycle shop.
Breaking the Bead
Use Your Hands
Remove the valve core from the tire valve and allow all the air to escape. Lay the tire and wheel flat, outside face down, on a clean surface that won't scratch the tire or wheel.
Now push the sidewall of the tire away from the wheel rim with your hands. Work back and forth across a section about 12" long. At first, you might think you're not getting anywhere, but just keep pushing the tire with your hands. Make it easier by using your body weight to bear down on the sidewall right next to the wheel rim.
Having Trouble
If you have trouble breaking the bead as described above, here are several suggestions you can try:
- Push down on the sidewall right next to the rim with something fairly small and smooth, like the end of a plastic tire lever or the round end of a smooth tool handle.
- Place the sidewalls of the tire in the jaws of a bench vise covered with a rag. Ensure the vise jaws do not touch the wheel rim. Gently squeeze the sidewalls towards each other to pull the bead away from the rim. Do not crush the tire sidewalls all the way together . . . this will likely damage the casing.
- Use a tire lever to carefully pry the bead down and away from the rim.
- Do not use a hammer or a rubber mallet to strike the tire while attempting to break the bead. This can damage the tire casing, or worse yet, the wheel! However you proceed, remember that the tire bead must form an air tight seal against the
wheel rim. If you damage the wheel rim or tire bead with a rough object or excessive force, they may no longer be useful.
- jgbackes I have had luck using a bench vise, just make sure the jaws are right up to the edge of the wheel but not touching it.
Continue
Allow several minutes to break the bead . . . don't rush this part. Once the 12" section you are working on is free, you'll be able to easily push the rest of the tire bead away from the rim by working all the way around the wheel.
The next step is to flip the wheel over and break the bead on the other side using the same technique described above.
Soapy Water
With the bead broken free on both sides of the wheel, the tire will be loose on the rim and there will be a gap between the wheel and the tire. Use a small brush or a rag to apply some soapy water to the tire bead and the rim. This will help reduce friction between the tire, the tire lever, and the rim as you remove the tire.
Reposition the Tire
The first picture shows a Segway wheel without a tire. The depression in the middle of the wheel is called the dropwell. When mounting or dismounting a tire on a solid rim, one side of the tire is moved into the dropwell, while the other side is pulled over the rim.
To prepare the Segway tire for removal, pinch the sidewalls together as shown in the second picture and push them in to the dropwell. Continue to do this until half the circumference of the tire bead is in the dropwell. Note that both sidewalls are inserted into the dropwell.
Insert Tire Levers
Two Levers
Although this step can be done with just one tire lever, it is much easier with two. Push the tire levers between the tire bead and the wheel so that the hook on the lever catches the tire bead. It will be easier to insert the lever if you first push the tire bead down towards the dropwell.
Over the Rim
The next step is to work the tire levers and the bead over the edge of the rim. The inner rim of a Segway wheel is stronger than the outer rim, so we're going to pull the bead over the inner rim.
This operation doesn't take a lot of force — maybe 10 pounds of force on the lever. The trick is to make sure the tire bead opposite the lever is deep into the dropwell. Work back and forth between pinching the tire into the dropwell (again) and pulling on the lever. Keeping tension on the lever will help retain the progress you've made working the opposite bead into the dropwell. Patience is the key here, not force.
Slide a Lever
Once you have both levers over the rim, make sure there is still some soapy water along the perimeter of the rim. Then slide one of the levers along the rim (see the yellow arrow in the second photo). This action will lift the tire bead over the rim as the lever moves along. Once you are about halfway around the rim, the tire will become very loose and you'll be able to finish with just your hands.
One Side Off
The hard part is all done. This is what the tire will look like after the inside tire bead has been pulled over the rim.
The Tire Comes Off
Unlike the first bead, this step is very easy to do. Simply place one side of the tire bead in the dropwell, then push the opposite side of the tire off the wheel until the two parts are free of each other. This step is easily accomplished without any tools.
Finished
To finish up, use a damp rag to remove any remaining soap solution from the tire and wheel.
This page completes the first feature in a two-part series on mounting and dismounting Segway tires. The series continues with how to mount a tire.
