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Help with 1st tire change please

AndyRV7

Well Known Member
I want to flip my tires because the outsides are treadless at this point. Can I get some instruction on how to go about it?

I presume I will use my new axle jack to lift the wheel after removing the pants.

I am guessing the brake is on the inboard side of the wheel, on its own disk, separate from the wheel (but I might be wrong).

Take off the castle nut (should be loosened on the ground first).

Pull the wheel and deflate.

I planned to use a large screwdriver to pop the tire over the rim lip and work my way around. Repeat for the other wall.

Flip the tire and reverse the process.

Is there anything I am missing, any trouble spots, any grease or maintenance that needs doing, some critical torque spec on the castle nut?

Thanks!! Andy
 
First off, do you have stock Vans supplied wheels/brakes??

And, are you the builder??
 
Oops...

I believe they are the stock Vans Clevelands. It is an RV-7. I am not the builder.
 
Tire Change

Supplies needed:

Tire talc or baby powder to coat inside tire and tube
New cotter pin for axle nut
Safety wire to reinstall brakes to wheels

A schrader valve remover tool (Bike shop item) is handy to remove the valve on the tube.

The tire rims split. Be sure the air is out of the tubes. 7/16 deep socket helps.

My brother was killed by a jet tire exploding because a mechanic was trying to split a rim without letting the 200 psi out of it. Careful!!!

See thread this site on flats.
http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=120639

(OSHA requires a tire cage for split rims)

A tire iron may be needed to get the old tire off the rim halves. You may have to bang on the tire to get it free of the rim or use a special tool.
 
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OK, here is how I do it. Others may have different procedures, but this works for me.

First off , jack up and safely support the plane, and remove the wheel pants, then split the brake caliper half----should be a couple bolts that will let the caliper come apart. Remove the cotter pin, and the wheel nut, and slide the wheel assembly off the axle.

LET THE AIR OUT!!!! This is critical, and is a safety issue. Remove the valve core.

Now, remove the three nuts/bolts holding the wheel halves together, make notes of how they go together if you need to. Mark one bolt hole on each side, and the brake disc, so you can get the wheel halves back together with the same orientation.

After you get the brake disc off, lay the wheel down, valve stem side up, and stand on the tire to brake it loose from the rim. Careful, dont fall, helps to do this next to a wall so you can brace yourself. You will probably need to move around a bit to get it loose. Resist the temptation to use the screwdriver as a prybar-------too easy to put a hole in the tube like that.

Then, take off the wheel half and remove the tube carefully. Carefully...

Next, I put the wheel back on the floor and use a block of wood to space the second wheel half up enough to stand on the tire, and break it loose from the inner wheel half.

Reassemble in the reverse order, be sure to clean things well, use talc inside the tire to allow the tube to slide around and find its favorite position. Inflate the tube just a bit to help the stem stay in place while bolting the two halfs together, but do not inflate it so much you end up pinching the tube.

After the bolts are reinstalled-----along with the brake disc, inflate and deflate a couple times to remove any possible folds in the tube. Then install the core, and inflate to correct pressure.

Inspect and replace the brake pads if needed, clean and grease the bearings, and put it all back together. Good luck with that cotter pin................

Also, while you have the wheel off, inspect and tighten if needed the nut/bolts that hold the pant bracket and any others in that area.

Good luck, think safety.
 
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OK, thanks. It sounds like I need a few more supplies first. Are there any torque specs I need to adhere too?

Thanks!
 
Are there any torque specs I need to adhere too?

Yes, wheel halves bolts, brake caliper half bolts, for sure. Hopefully you have the plans. Or, maybe someone here has the specs for your plane.

The axle nut-----------run it down until solid drag on the wheel as you spin it, then bump the tire a few times on the sidewall just in case-----and rotate again to see if it changed when you bumped it. After it is seated back off the nut just enough to relieve the drag on the spinning tire, and insert the cotter pin.
 
Would be great if you have someone nearby with experience with these wheels to coach you the first time. Otherwise, it is very likely you will have a difficult time breaking the bead and also preventing a tube pinch when you reassemble the wheels. Also note there is a notch in the wheel halves for the tube stem.

Don't forget to safety wire the caliper bolts when you put everything back together. Use a new cotter pin on the axle nut. The pin may need a slight curve in it so you can feed it through the holes in the axle.

This job can be frustrating the first time but after some help it will be much easier next time.

Harbor Freight has an inexpensive bead breaker that works like a charm on our tires:

http://www.harborfreight.com/motorcycle-bead-breaker-98875.html

image_25634.jpg
 
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.....Sequence????

Hey, lots of much wiser guys on here, but shouldn't you let the air out BEFORE removing the main axle nut?
I was told, if the rim has cracked or sheared the bolts, (however unlikely) ......this large nut is actually holding the pressure.

please correct if I'm mistaken.

also, there is an opportunity to match the heavy mark on the tire ( if marked with a dot), the valve stem, and balance the whole assembly at some point. I found the Michelin or Goodyear aviation tire guide online, and it makes for some good reading!
 
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Separating the tire from the rim is always the toughest part. Standing on the tire, blocks of wood, trying to use screwdrivers etc. has never proved successful for me.

I suggest getting (buying/borrowing) a simple bead breaker tool (go to HarborFreight.com and search for Bead Breaker). Turns the job from frustrating to simple.

Also, for safety, don't fully inflate until the wheel is back on the gear and the big nut is screwed on (unless you have a tire cage). The nut is put on snug, but not tight - the alignment of the holes for the cotter pin will be your guide.

It is a good time to repack your wheel bearings and check the brake pads, while everything is apart.
 
I have the plans (and my original preview plans). I need some grease and a way to break the bead if standing on the tire doesn't work. I have a beautiful new vise but I think I read someplace that it was not to be used for breaking tire beads. I could use a valve tool, maybe a heavy rubber mallet, a brake lining tool, a few other things.

I don't have a neighbor to help but at some point working comfortably in my own hangar, with my own tools, and at my own pace is going to be more productive than flying to where I can get help. For what it's worth, everything has been frustrating so far but very satisfying once complete. My first oil change was 7.5 hours, most of which was getting the cowl on and off. ;)

I always take pictures of EVERYTHING, every inch of the way so I can go back and see what it looked like when I took it apart. I also lay out all the hardware in a way I can get it back in the same place. I'm sure it is not going to be pleasant but you guys have already given me a good head start, and a couple of topics to research further on the web.

Thanks. I'll be back with more questions at some point. :D
 
Andy, the comments about not inflating or deflating without being on the axle and with the big nut in place are good ones, you might want to consider doing it that way-------------I posted how I do it, not saying it is right or ?? In fact, I will probably add the big nut stuff to my routine as a precaution.

Thanks to those who mentioned this.
 
The best way I have found to break the bead is a drill press! Put a wood block between the chuck and rubber tyre, then press down as required. Simple, controlled and safe.

Also, when assembling the tyre and rim halves, before setting the second rim in place 'inflate' or puff the tube up inside the tyre. Do this without the valve - it guarantees that the tube has no folds and reduces the risk of clamping the tube between the rim halves.

If you have ever seriously ridden a pushbike you already have 90% of the skill set required.
 
Andy,

If you are turning your tires around to use all the tread, just mark the position of the valve stem on the tire and put it back on in the same clock position. If you have felt some vibration on takeoff or landing that you suspect is a tire out-of balance, then look in the thread topics for help. I have never had any tire vibration. When you put new tires on they will have a round red mark on the sidewall. Line that mark up with the valve stem. Also, after you fill the tire the initial time, let all the air out, then reinflate the last time. This will allow the tube to slide into the correct position. As you reassemble the wheel halves, put the wheel on the workbench with one edge overhanging, so you can insert the bolt. You should hear metal on metal as the halves clank together. Don't let them apart or the tube may get between the halves and pinch it.

Jim
 
Most Cleveland wheels have the thru-bolt torque specs stamped on them.

As others have said, do not use a screw driver to pry on the tires to break the bead. You will bend the rim and trash your expensive wheel. I've found the "jumping on them" method works pretty well.

This bears repeating. LET THE AIR OUT FIRST, ADD IT LAST.
 
A screwdriver, Noooooooooo. Buy two Irwin squeeze bar clamps to compress the tire and deflated tube. The tire will slip off both hubs with ease.
 
off topic

Perry Y.
C-FINT RV-9a
West Kelowna, BC
.....trying to donate for 2015, but it ain't workin'!....

You can double the 2014 amount and call it good for 2015.
Works for me and if you accidentally do it again in 2015, the error
will be in Doug's Favor.:)
Back to tires.
 
Just looked at all three videos--------none of them released the air before removing the wheel from the axle........................
 
As for breaking the bead, I've

1) stood on it
2) used a bead breaking gizmo
3) used an arbor press
4) very carefully used the weight of the aircraft with axle positioned over the tire and let the wing jack down slowly

Depends on what you have and how obstinate the tire is.

Don
 
Just looked at all three videos--------none of them released the air before removing the wheel from the axle........................

Can't say I've ever heard of that step either and in the flight schools we changed a heck of a lot of tires. :D
 
Letting the air out before removing from aircraft, comes from larger aircraft wheels. I work on Blackhawk helicopters and we must let the air out before removing the axle nut and it does not go back in until it is back on and there are a lot of bolts holding those wheel halfes together.

The torque for the bolts holding the Cleveland wheel halfs on our RV7's is on a label on the inside edge of the wheels. I don't have the range in frt of me both I torque them to 90 in lbs. The brake caliper tq is on a label on the edge of the brakes, I don't have that TQ handy right now.

Breaking the beads is very hard jumping on the tires but it is how I've been doing it, with a couple small pieces of 2x4. I think I'm going to purchase one of those harbor freight bead breakers next time, should make it much easier. Use a good amount of talc when putting things back together.
 
One more thing I forgot to mention----------while you have the wheel off, it is a good idea to put a small "C" clamp on the brake caliper piston, just to make sure it does not come out...........
 
Harbor Freight has discontinued the bead breaker. They carry a larger version now that might work but costs more and has a much larger section of clamp. I found one at a second store last night but they are a clearance item. Get'um now.
 
Harbor Freight has discontinued the bead breaker. They carry a larger version now that might work but costs more and has a much larger section of clamp. I found one at a second store last night but they are a clearance item. Get'um now.


Sorry to see the inexpensive bead breaker discontinued, it really works nicely on our tires. The larger version also works well as documented on this EAA video:

http://www.eaavideo.org/video.aspx?v=3935013394001

There are several more options. Here is the smaller "Harbor Freight" tool from another source:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Motorcycle-Bead-Breaker-NEW-FREE-Fedex-Use-on-Bicycles-ATVs-etc-also-/161376225208?pt=Race_Car_Parts&hash=item2592c5c7b8&vxp=mtr

And another one:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BEAD-BREAKER-BIKEMASTER-03-171-/121494548182?hash=item1c49a3aed6&item=121494548182&pt=Motors_Automotive_Tools&vxp=mtr

And another one:

http://www.amazon.com/RLV-Tire-Breaker-Diameter-Wheels/dp/B00MBVSMTM/ref=sr_1_24?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1418911331&sr=1-24

This one looks interesting:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Emgo-Tire-Repair-Kit-ATV-Bead-Breaker-99-27921-/130868193514?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Tires&hash=item1e785a28ea&vxp=mtr

A bead breaker tool is so much easier on us and the wheel than trying to stomp the tire off the wheel.
 
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I got one!

I called my Harbor Freight and they had two of the low cost discountined ones left. I was going to go get it after work. Called my RV buddy to see if he wanted the other one, and he did. He said he was going to drive by in just a few minutes and could pick them up. How great is that! We got the last two. If you want to call your local store to see if they have them, they are Item# 98875 got it for $14.97. Great deal!
 
Hmmmm

As someone who made a living out of a tool box for 15 years as an A&P, im crinching my teeth on all the reading. It seems like (no offense) you are not very mechanically inclined and will suggest you pay a pro $ and learn from him the first since there no maintenance manual you must follow in experimental. Another suggestion is, get a copy of chapter 32 of a cessna 172S MM and follow those instructions. They will be pretty much exaclty the same as it will be in your RV. People are very nice to give you tips but there many more issues to consider that are not mentioned so far by any when you work on any MLG tire. The most acurate thing I read in all 3 pages of posts was not to use a screwdriver.

Good luck
 
I called my Harbor Freight and they had two of the low cost discountined ones left. I was going to go get it after work. Called my RV buddy to see if he wanted the other one, and he did. He said he was going to drive by in just a few minutes and could pick them up. How great is that! We got the last two. If you want to call your local store to see if they have them, they are Item# 98875 got it for $14.97. Great deal!

Excellent. Going to pick mine up tonight.
 
I know that there are many frugal flyers here. However, if you're going to do all the work required to change the tires, why not install some new tires & tubes while you're at it?
 
I know that there are many frugal flyers here. However, if you're going to do all the work required to change the tires, why not install some new tires & tubes while you're at it?

Seems like a waste when you are only using half the tire at a time. Do others replace the tube every time they replace a tire?
 
I know that there are many frugal flyers here. However, if you're going to do all the work required to change the tires, why not install some new tires & tubes while you're at it?

Many of us, especially RV-6 owners, have planes that wear the outside of the tire much faster than the inside. We don't want to toss a tire that has 2/3 of its tread intact. Also, the left tire wears faster than the right.

After flipping many tires on my RV-6 the past 16 years, I can do the job in 45 minutes and this includes the wheelpant. This also provides a good opportunity to check the brake pads, wheel pant bracket, brake line and wheel bearings. Spending $$$$s for new tires and tubes every time a tire needs flipping is wasteful for this frugal (practical) flyer. :)

And I reuse the tubes if no abrasion is found.
 
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