I used to own & operate a Ford Tractor dealership. Naturally, we got into all sizes of tractor & trailer tires. The hardest part of any job is getting the tires set back on the bead. On small to medium tires it can often be done by wrapping a smaller chain around the tire and twisting it just a bit to compress the tire so it spreads out. Add just a little air pressure, release the chain tension and finish filling the tire.

 

I swapped my D402 rear tire for a new one over the winter, and will be putting a new rear D402 on a buddy's bike this weekend. With patience, some soapy water for lubricant, and a few small tire irons you can do it. After you do your bike, you can decide if you want to do the car too.

For the bike:

1) Make sure you get a rear tire for the rear, and a front for the front. They're not the same. Don't put a front tire on back, or a back tire on front, even if both are Dunlop D402s.

2) Tires have arrows on them to indicate direction they are to roll forward. Don't put them on the rim backwards.

3) Put a new tire stem on while you have the tire off. Just cut the old one off, soap up the new one, and push it thru from the inside 'till it seats. New tire stems are cheap, and your old tire stems are old. Be sure to get the right diameter stems, and be sure they are very short in length so they don't hit the caliper as they swing past.

4) Tires have a yellow dot on them. Put the tire on the rim so the dot is at the tire stem. The stem doesn't have to be on the same side of the wheel as the yellow dot.

5) When the tire is on the rim, inflate the tire to seat the bead - you'll hear it pop.

6) Now with the bead seated, let all the air out of the tire again.

7) Unscrew the valve stem core with a core remover (cheap $). Make a funnel out of a sheet of writing paper and some tape, and cut the pointy end just large/small enough to sit inside the valve stem. Pour 2oz of Dyna Beads into the tire via your paper funnel, then gently screw the core back into the tire stem. (With the tire bead properly seated in step 6, you don't have to worry about Dyna Beads getting caught in the bead of the tire and screwing up the seal).

8) Pull any old tire weights off the wheel. With Dyna Beads, you'll never have to worry about wheel weights flying off again.

Good Luck!
JR

 

I've done mine myself many times, If you line up the balancing dot with the valve stem, it will be real close. I don't have the time anymore to do it myself, so I pull the wheel, drop it off on my way to work and pick it up at the end of the day. They only charge me $15 to mount and balance.

You will notice a front tire being out of balance, but not so much on the rear tire.

 

Update: a local indy is quoting me $135 for the tire, mount, and balance, if I remove the wheel and take it in. I appreciate all the help, but I'm going to go this route for a few reasons: I am in desperate need of room in my garage and the addition of new tools, even small ones, doesn't help. Also, I'd rather not do my girlfriend's car because if anything happens, I don't want to be responsible Also, to buy the tools and tire will cost me way more than $135, so I'm just going with that!

 

That's a good way to go, too. I've thought about changing tires myself but haven't done it yet. My tire guy charges $20 if I bring him the new tire and wheel.

Cecil