? Seating Tires With A Portable Electric Air Pump ?

[Harry Dresden PI]

Have a slime electric air pump bump and looking for suggestions as to which if any (better) brands / models of Portable Electric Air Pumps are strong enough to seat tubeless motorcycle tires?

I travel often in interstate riding groups and want one pump that can seat both there S10 sized tires and larger Touring bike tubeless tires.

Thanks

 

[Checkswrecks]

I've only been able to get a little low flow pump like that to seat a bead a couple of times, and those took a LOT of effort. I had to wind a strap around the diameter of the tire and twist the strap tight. Usually though, even that trick won't work. It takes a higher flow pump.

After seeing Magic's post, I'll add that the model of tire makes a big difference.

Yes, I'm aware of using alcohol or starting fluid, but that looks like something I'll save for trying in an emergency situation.

 

[magic]

I have almost always changed my own tires at home in my garage. On my S10 the tire changes have gone really well. I try to use the same tools that I would have on the road. I have used a Slime and similar small compressors to seat the bead without even resorting to the tie down trick. I think the secret is to use lots of lubrication. With plenty of good lube it takes less than 30psi to get the bead seated. I use bead goop from Best Rest Products. I also use their bead breaker with excellent results. After mounting the tires they seem to fit up against the rim well enough to create a decent seal without using the tie down trick. I am surprised at how easily the bead seats with this lubricant. Now, the big touring bikes might be a different story. I really wouldn't want to try changing a tire on a Gold Wing or an Electra Glide on the side of the road. I'm sure it can be done, but it wouldn't be much fun. Hopefully you can plug these tires and get to a dealer. Try it at home first to make sure you can do it while on the road. Good luck.

 

[gunner]

I carry a small spray can of throttle body/air intake cleaner in the event a case or oil pan needs repair. It can also be used to seat a tire bead. Just be careful, a little bit goes a long way.

 

[Sierra1]

BMW supplies, or used to supply, a patch kit with co2 cartridges. I never used them, although it made sense to me. Anybody here have any success with them?

 

[WJBertrand]

I've never had any luck seating a tire with a 12V air pump, just not enough volume to carry the bead up into place. I tried rope tourniquets, tie downs, you name it. I doubt CO2 cartridges would work either, though I have had success using them to re-inflate a flat tire where the bead stayed on.


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[Dogdaze]

BMW supplies, or used to supply, a patch kit with co2 cartridges. I never used them, although it made sense to me. Anybody here have any success with them?

Won't work for reseating, pressure is good but just not enough air volume, only good for re-inflating. You would need a can about the size of a 1L bottle to be of any use. I have thought about that though..............

 

[trikepilot]

Ditto .... Slime branded pump will not seat the bead.

On the plus side... if you like running the 3-ply dakar knobbies - their heavy carcass is essentially a run flat tire at moderate speed.

DAMHIK!!!

 

[EricV]

I have only had to re-seat a bead once on a flat tire that came off the bead, (using the mini compressor). A couple of tips that help, but won't guarantee success. 1. A HOT tire is a lot easier to get to seat/seal up against the bead enough to inflate the tire. A ratchet strap helps a lot to give you the necessary force to spread the tire carcass out against the bead more. I carry a short ratchet strap with a large handle just for this purpose. And running on a flat tire will get it plenty hot, btw.

 

[magic]

I've only been able to get a little low flow pump like that to seat a bead a couple of times, and those took a LOT of effort. I had to wind a strap around the diameter of the tire and twist the strap tight. Usually though, even that trick won't work. It takes a higher flow pump.

After seeing Magic's post, I'll add that the model of tire makes a big difference.

Yes, I'm aware of using alcohol or starting fluid, but that looks like something I'll save for trying in an emergency situation.

I agree the brand of tire can make a difference. I have only ran the OEM Battlewings and some K60s on my S10. The Dakar E07 or TKC80s may be more challenging. Last week I put on a new Battlewing front tire. The bead seated very easily with a Slime 12volt compressor. After seating the bead, I checked the pressure in the tire, the gauge read 15psi. The beads on these tires seem to spread outwards against the rim making a decent seal. I really think this tire goop stuff makes a huge difference. This stuff is almost like a gel and probably helps to create a seal between the tire and the rim. I bought the bead breaker from Best Rest and it came with a small bottle of bead goop. After I tried it, I bought a 16oz bottle. Prior to using bead goop, I used the usual dish soap and some tire mounting lube from NAPA with not so good results. I have also used a Harley Davidson branded 12v compressor with good results.

 

[Dirt_Dad]

On the plus side... if you like running the 3-ply dakar knobbies - their heavy carcass is essentially a run flat tire at moderate speed.

Just changed both bikes over to Dakar E07s for the trip. I had a challenge with a 26 gallon, 150lb compressor getting the front to seat even with plenty of lube on it. That tire is the absolute stiffest I've ever installed. Can't imagine doing it was any 12v little pump.

On the flip side the E07 non-Dakar is about the least stiff tire I've ever done. I suspect my Best Rest 12v pump would have little problem with that.

 

[RCinNC]

My experience with seating the bead on a tire is only with Shinkos and Battlewings, but yes, you can seat the beat with a 12 volt compressor. I've done it with both a Slime compressor I carry on my bike, and a 35 year old 12 volt compressor I've been carrying in my car since my Army days.

Like Eric said, the heat of the tire is a major factor; if the tire's cold, you can spend forever trying to get the bead to seat and it's not going to happen with a small compressor. The second big factor is lubrication; the easier the tire can move along the rim on its way to the bead channel, the easier it'll be for the bead to seat. I gave up on things like dish soap and finally started using RuGlide, and it really did make a difference.

The times I've been defeated in seating a bead, it's been because (I believe) it was just too cold out and the tire wouldn't warm up enough. Last weekend I changed both the front and back tires on the S10 with just spoons, a Motion Pro Bead Popper, and that old 12 volt compressor in about 3 hours. I did have to use the ratchet strap on the rear tire, and bounce it a few times, but it seated.

I haven't been successful every time; a couple times I had to take a tire down to the garage and have them seat the bead. But the more I've practiced at it, the more successful it's been.

If you're trying to mount a really stiff walled tire, cut some chunks of 2x4 the width of the rim, and jam them into the tire to push the sidewalls apart, and then leave it in the sun for an hour. The heat plus the pressure pushing the sidewalls should give you that extra expansion of the tire to make seating the bead easier. The whole point is to get enough of the tire pushed against the rim to form a seal; once the seal forms, you don't need 150 psi to set the bead.