hgerhardt
Well Known Member
First time using the newer Michelin Pilot tires (5.00-5) on my -6. They are heavier than the typical McCreary's (or whatever they're called now) but they land just fine and definitely do last longer, although not to the extent that I think they're worth the $$ difference. But this thread is not about that:
My tires are about 1/2 worn and time to rotate them, so I pulled the tires off the rims and started to extricate the tubes to swap the fill stem from outside to inside. One tube came out fine; the other was as if the tube was vulcanized to the inside of the tire in one 5" section. After lots of cursing and pulling to the point I thought I'd tear the tube, finally got it free. Upon inspection, found that Michelin had bonded a balance weight to the inside of one of the tires. Looks identical to a tire patch and is installed as such by the factory. Unfortunately Michelin didn't bother to add a release agent to the patch afterward, so this thread is to serve as a warning to
1) inspect for such weight patches, and
2) coat the patch with release agent or at least liberally talcum powder over the top of it. It was not easy to remove that tube, and I had serious doubts it could be removed at all.
My tires are about 1/2 worn and time to rotate them, so I pulled the tires off the rims and started to extricate the tubes to swap the fill stem from outside to inside. One tube came out fine; the other was as if the tube was vulcanized to the inside of the tire in one 5" section. After lots of cursing and pulling to the point I thought I'd tear the tube, finally got it free. Upon inspection, found that Michelin had bonded a balance weight to the inside of one of the tires. Looks identical to a tire patch and is installed as such by the factory. Unfortunately Michelin didn't bother to add a release agent to the patch afterward, so this thread is to serve as a warning to
1) inspect for such weight patches, and
2) coat the patch with release agent or at least liberally talcum powder over the top of it. It was not easy to remove that tube, and I had serious doubts it could be removed at all.
