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Stubborn sonofa&^%$ Dunlop bead!

By cowboyona426,
in YZ400F/426F/450F/450FX

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Grand Master

cowboyona426

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I bought a new Dunlop 952 rear tire for my bike last fall but due to too many honey-do's I haven't had time to mess with getting it mounted up until late last week. Got the tire on without pinching the tube and started my standard ritual of air it up without the valve stem to help seat the bead, let the air out, then air it up to about 25 lbs and let it sit overnight to check for leaks and I was having a helluva time getting the bead to seat on both sides of the tire. I finally got one side to seat by airing up to 35lbs and letting it sit overnight but one side is still being a stubborn SOB. I've aired it up to 40lbs, left it sit, bounced the wheel about a bajillion times, aired it down and bounced it, baby powder on the rim, etc and still no love. Anybody have some good tips for a REALLY stubborn bead other than yank the tire off and put a different one on?

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Grand Master

schrode

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i'll sometimes use a tire spoon to hook onto the top of the bead and lever it up a bit with the tire deflated. it will sometimes help get the bead closer to where it needs to be. it seems that if you get the upper portion of the bead above the rim then when you put the high pressure to it it pops onto the bead easier.

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Grand Master

cowboyona426

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...and, be certain the opposite side isn't being held up higher than the bead seat by the valve grommet or rim lock, etc. Don't be afraid of 60 psi or so, either.

The other side looks fine. I tried using a tire iron to pull the spot that isn't seating out, re-aired to 40lbs and all I accomplished was moving the spot that wouldn't seat to a different spot. I'll hit it with air again when I get home... if 60psi won't seat it then I don't know what will.

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Grand Master

ThumperKid250F

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The other side looks fine. I tried using a tire iron to pull the spot that isn't seating out, re-aired to 40lbs and all I accomplished was moving the spot that wouldn't seat to a different spot. I'll hit it with air again when I get home... if 60psi won't seat it then I don't know what will.

make sure you let all the air out and push down on the tire so it gets off the rim. then put some Wd40 around the whole beed on both sides then fill it up..

that should do the trick

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Grand Master

grayracer513

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make sure you let all the air out and push down on the tire so it gets off the rim. then put some Wd40 around the whole beed on both sides then fill it up..

that should do the trick

Don't use oil based lubes on tire beads.

  1. It attacks the rubber, and although the tire may wear out before it does any real damage, the tube and rim strip may not.
  2. It stays oily long after it's applied, and can contribute to the tire slipping on the rim, even with a lock in place.

Soaps are much better because they do neither of these things, and in fact actually turn into an adhesive of sorts once they dry.

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Grand Master

schrode

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Don't use oil based lubes on tire beads.

  1. It attacks the rubber, and although the tire may wear out before it does any real damage, the tube and rim strip may not.
  2. It stays oily long after it's applied, and can contribute to the tire slipping on the rim, even with a lock in place.

Soaps are much better because they do neither of these things, and in fact actually turn into an adhesive of sorts once they dry.

i have a similar opinion of wd-40 but it seems that quite a few people have been using it to mount up tires. reminds me of the father in "my big fat greek wedding" and his bottle of windex. before anybody jabs me for seeing that movie all i can say is, sometimes you make sacrifices for the ones you love.

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ThumperKid250F

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Don't use oil based lubes on tire beads.

  1. It attacks the rubber, and although the tire may wear out before it does any real damage, the tube and rim strip may not.
  2. It stays oily long after it's applied, and can contribute to the tire slipping on the rim, even with a lock in place.

Soaps are much better because they do neither of these things, and in fact actually turn into an adhesive of sorts once they dry.

yes i do agree with you on that, me i use soap and water to mount mine up but if its not working for him then a little wd40 wont hurt it..

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Grand Master

FinchFan194

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i have a similar opinion of wd-40 but it seems that quite a few people have been using it to mount up tires. reminds me of the father in "my big fat greek wedding" and his bottle of windex. before anybody jabs me for seeing that movie all i can say is, sometimes you make sacrifices for the ones you love.

?

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tek_01

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Windex, 60 PSI, POP! You will get an adrenaline rush the first time you hear it pop at 60. After a few times you get used to it.

Thats exactly what i did on my last tire

no way it would seat without the windex even going over 60psi

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Veteran

Polar_Bus

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To seat a stubborn bead, i'll goose the pressure right up to 70 psi, and start bouncing the tire off a hard concrete floor severall times. Always got the bead to seat. I always like to work with a warm tire (let it sit in the hot sun if possible) or place the tire near your heater furnace. Dunlops are the worst as far as stiff sidewalls.... well, maybe not as bad as old skool Trelleborg ice tires !!

(I also like Armor All as a bead lubricant, but some say AA attacks the rubber as well. I've never had issues)

Edited by Polar_Bus
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Grand Master

cowboyona426

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I showed that piece of rubber who was boss last night! ? Let the air out again and squirted some dish soap on the bead in the trouble spot. Aired up to 40psi and watched as the bead slowly crept into place. Aired it up to 65 lbs to fully seat it and I'm going to leave it that way for a few days so it has a chance to set in real nice. Never have I had a tire be so dang stubborn.

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