Change Tube and Tire on Rim of a Motocross Bike

Any motorbike owner should know how to change the inner tubes and tires. The process is not too difficult, especially when handling the front wheel, but it does require patience and caution. If you encounter a problem you do not understand, seek experienced help before risking your life on a guess.

Steps

Changing the Front Tube and Tire

Part 1: Removing the Front Tire

1. Set your bike on a stand. A motorcycle tire change stand is the safest option and the easiest to work with. As a last resort, you can prop the bike up on a cinder block. Cover the cinder block with a rubber mat or thick cloth to prevent damage to the front forks, as they will rest directly on the block.
   • Ideally, ask an assistant to help steady the bike as you work.
2. Remove the front axle cotter pin if present. Some models hold in the front axle nut with a cotter pin, two-tined fastener bent to keep the nut in place. If yours has one, bend the tines back with needle-nose pliers and pull it out.
3. Remove the nut. The size of the nut varies between models, but usually falls between 18 and 24mm. A set of metric sockets in this range should include the correct size.
4. Tap the axle bolt with a rubber mallet. This will push the axle back through both front forks and the wheel assembly, until it no longer holds the wheel assembly in place.
5. Remove front wheel cables if present. If your motorcycle has a speedometer or odometer cable on the front wheel, you may need to remove them before removing the wheel. These are usually seated on the opposite side as the disc brake rotor, and can be removed easily by hand.
6. Take off the wheel. Carefully place the front wheel on a clear, hard surface, flat with the disc brakes facing down. This position will help keep the wheel stable when you apply pressure to the tire rim.
   • Do not place the wheel on dirt or grass. These can get inside the wheel assembly and prevent smooth axle bolt insertion.
7. Let the air out of the inner tube. Unscrew the valve stem core (for inflating the tire) with a valve stem core removal tool. Let all the air out of the inner tube.
8. Work a wide, flat tool in between the tire and wheel rim. Insert a tire iron or large, flathead screwdriver into the small crack between the rubber tire edge and the metal wheel rim. Wiggle the tool back and forth while applying downward pressure until the wide tip pushes in under the tire edge.
   • The longer the screwdriver, the more leverage you'll have. A 12–14 inch (30–36cm) handle is recommended.
9. Lever the tire away from the rim. Once your tire iron or screwdriver is inserted, push down on the handle, toward the center of the wheel. This movement should force the edge of the tire to pop loose from the metal wheel edge. Keep the tool in place to hold this tire edge over the wheel rim.
10. Loosen the rest of the tire with a second tool. Move over a short distance and insert a second tire iron or screwdriver just as you did the first. Once you have popped the tire loose here, move the second tool around the entire edge of the tire, breaking it loose from the wheel. Once you reach the first tool again, the tire edge should be completely loose and above the metal wheel rim.
11. Loosen the opposite side of the tire. Flip the entire wheel over, so the disc brake rotor is now facing up. You can remove this side by hand: just press down firmly with your palm on the tire edge and it will break free from the rim. Continue to press around the edge of the tire until it is completely loose. You do not need to pull this side above the rim.
    • Both sides of the tire must be completely loose in order to change the tube without damage. You should be able to move the tire freely around the wheel rim without turning the wheel.

Part 2: Replacing the Front Inner Tube

1. Remove the valve stem nuts. Now that the tire is loose, you'll need to remove the inner tube. The first step of this process is to remove one or more nuts holding the valve stem in place. These retaining nuts may be different sizes, so use a small, adjustable wrench or set of small open-ended wrenches.
2. Push the valve stem onto the inside of the wheel. Once the nuts are removed, push the valve stem toward the inside of the wheel with your finger and thumb. This will allow free movement of the inner tube.
3. Pull out the inner tube. Reach into the tire with your fingers to grab the inner tube. You should be able to pull it out relatively easily, if the tire was loosened properly.
4. Start installing the new inner tube at the valve stem. Align the tube on the outside of the tire, so the valve stem is in line with the valve stem hole in the wheel assembly. Carefully start to push the tube into the tire next to the valve stem. At the same time, push the valve stem back inside the wheel and in through the valve stem hole in the wheel.
   • Caution — Make sure the new inner tube is perfectly flat with no kinks, pinches, or twists. If it is not flat while inserted, the tube will not air up properly.
5. Screw in a valve stem nut by hand. Just add one of the valve stem nuts for now and screw it on four or five turns. There's no need to tighten it; the nut is only here to prevent the stem from falling back through the hole.
6. Insert the rest of the inner tube. Work your way clockwise around the tire inserting the inner tube inside the tire. Again, make sure the inner tube has no twists or kinks as you insert it.

Part 3: Reinstalling the Tire

1. Place the tire inside the rim again. The tire (or its new replacement) must go entirely inside the metal rim again so it forms a tight seal when the tube is inflated. Pull back the edge of the tire with one of the tire irons or large flathead screwdrivers. Press down on the tire with your palms to force the edge down under the rim. Repeat around the edge of the tire on both sides.
   • Caution — Take care not to pierce the inner tube with your tool.
   • If you are installing a new tire, check the instructions to orient the treads correctly.
2. Air up the tube slowly. Inflate the new tube slowly at first. Listen closely for a whistle or other unusual sound. If you hear it, stop and check the tube for pinches or kinks. If the tube sounds normal, continue to inflate and listen for a sharp pop. This pop tells you that the tire has formed an airtight bead (seal) around the rim. Now check your tube and tire instructions and inflate until you reach the suggested pressure.
   • If you do not hear a pop, stop inflating and check that the tube is flat and the tire is completely under the metal rim.
3. Check-for-Air-Leaks-in-Your-Tire. Find a glass cleaning spray or fill a spray bottle with soapy water. Spray along the whole tire perimeter, where it forms a seal on the metal rim. If air bubbles consistently break and reform over one spot, you have an air leak. You must push the tire into place before you continue. If you see no significant air bubbles, move on to the next step.

Part 4: Reinstalling the Wheel Assembly

1. Reattach the cables if necessary. If you removed the speedometer or odometer cable assembly from the wheel, return it to its original location.
2. Clean and re-grease the axle bolt. Clean the axle to remove all old grease and debris, so you have nothing left but a nice sparkling clean axle bolt! Parts cleaner-degreaser usually works great. Once you have it clean, put a thick layer of axle grease on the entire length of the axle bolt. Take care not to grease the bolt threads or the head of the bolt.
   • WARNING — Do not get the grease anywhere near the brake assembly, or the brakes may become nonfunctional.
3. Insert the axle bolt back through the forks and wheel. Have an assistant hold the front wheel assembly in place between the two front forks. Insert the axle bolt back through one fork and the wheel. Align it with the far fork and lightly tap the bolt head with a hard rubber mallet until the axle is through the far fork.
4. Reinstall and tighten the nut onto the axle. If you have a torque wrench, tighten to 58lbs. torque or the recommended torque shown in your owner's manual. Take care that the holes in the nut align with the holes in the axle, so you can reinstall the cotter pin.
   • Caution — Always use a torque wrench to tighten this nut. Eyeballing the correct torque increases the risk that the nut works its way loose while you are riding.
5. Insert a cotter pin if required. If your model uses a cotter pin (split pin), insert one into the axle nut and bolt. Pull out the two split sides of the cotter pin to lock it into place.
   • While not mandatory, replacing the cotter pin each time you remove the axle is a good idea. The cotter pin becomes a little weaker each time you remove and install it.
6. Remove the nut from the valve stem. The loose nut on the valve stem can now be removed and left off the bike. Most experienced riders do not use these nuts, as they reduce flexibility of the tube and make it more vulnerable to damage.

Changing the Rear Tube or Tire

Part 1: Removing the Wheel Assembly

1. Place your motorbike on a secure stand. A proper motorcycle tire change stand makes this job easier and reduces the risk of bike damage and personal injury. Place the stand on solid concrete, never dirt or grass.
   • If you're using a built-in center stand, place a large block under the motor just in case.
2. Remove the cotter pin. If your model uses a cotter pin (split pin), remove it from the rear axle with needle-nose pliers. The cotter pin is a fastener attached to the axle nut and bolt, with two tines bent apart to keep the nut in place.
3. Remove the axle nut. The required socket size varies with the make and model, but typically falls between 18 and 27 mm.
4. Examine the brakes. Identify the brakes with the help of the advice below or your owner's manual. Adjust them depending on the type of brake mechanism:
   • If your rear wheel has drum brakes, they are enclosed inside a container ("drum") on the wheel. Find the nut attached to the adjustment bolt on the drum lever, then loosen and remove it. This will allow you to push the rear wheel slightly forward for the next step.
   • If your rear wheel has disc brakes, they are housed in a caliper mechanism. In most cases, the discs will slide out without a problem when you remove the wheel. Check your owner's manual if you think adjustment may be necessary.
5. Loosen and remove the chain or belt adjustment nut. This nut is usually on the right hand side of the rear wheel, attached to a stationary rod. Remove this nut and set it aside until the end of this process.
6. Remove the chain or belt. Now that the nut is off, you can push the rear wheel forward a short distance. Stop pushing when the chain or belt is hanging loose enough to remove easily. Lift the upper side of the chain or belt and pull slightly back and upward. It should now be clear of the sprocket or pulley; move it left to detach it completely.
7. Remove the rear axle. Tap the axle bolt with a rubber mallet to push the axle slightly inward, just to loosen its position in the rear frame. Ask an assistant to help you lift the tire out of the rear frame and hold it steady. Tap the axle bolt until it is flush with the frame on the right side. You should be able to use your hand to wiggle the bolt from the bolt head on the left side. Wiggle with a twisting back and forth motion while pulling towards you, until the axle bolt is removed.
8. Place the wheel flat on a clear, hard surface. Place the wheel brake-side-down, on a flat, concrete floor or other clear surface. Do not place it on dirt, grass, or any surface that might dirty the greased area where the axle bolt slides in.

Part 2: Removing the Tire and Inner Tube

1. Remove the valve stem core. Find the valve stem core (inflating valve) on the rear tire. Unscrew it with a valve stem core removal tool to let out all the air in the inner tube. Any air remaining in the inner tube will make be quite difficult to remove.
2. Break the tire bead seal on one side. Insert one long tire iron or flathead screwdriver into the small crease where the edge of the rubber tire meets the metal wheel rim. Once you've worked the wide tip into this gap, push the long handle back down toward the wheel center to pop the tire out above the metal rim. Leave this tool in place to hold it there while you use a second tool to work your way around the tire. Continue levering the tire out until this entire side is above the metal rim.
3. Break the tire bead seal on the other side. Flip the entire wheel over — if your bike has disc brakes, they will now be face up. You should be able to loosen this side of the tire just by pressing down firmly on the tire edge with your palm. Work around the tire until it is completely loose.
   • Unlike the first side, this side of the tire does not need to be over the rim. As long as you can freely rotate the tire around the rim, you are ready to continue.
4. Remove the valve stem retaining nuts. Find the stem where you inflate the tire, and remove the nut or nuts holding it in place. You may need an adjustable wrench, or several small wrenches of different sizes.
5. Push the stem back into the wheel. Grab the valve stem and push it back into the inside of the wheel. Make sure it won't catch onto anything as you remove the inner tube.
6. Pull out the inner tube. Reach into the tire and grab hold of the inner tube. Pull it out of the tire.
   • If you are having trouble pulling it out, confirm that the tire is completely loose.

Part 3: Installing the New Inner Tube and/or Tire

1. Position the new inner tube in line with the valve stem hole. Make sure the new tube is perfectly flat, with no kinks, pinches, or twists. Align the valve stem with the matching hole in the wheel assembly, then carefully push part of the inner tube into this area of the tire. At the same time, push the valve stem back inside the wheel and in through the valve stem hole.
2. Loosely install one of the valve stem retaining nuts. You only need one nut, rotated about five times, to make sure the stem does not fall out of the hole. Do not tighten this nut further.
3. Install the inner tube. Work your way around the tire, inserting the inner tube until it is inside the tire. Take care to avoid kinks and twists during insertion.
4. Return the tire under the wheel rim. Press down on the tire with your palms while forcing the edge inside the rim with a tire iron or large flathead screwdriver. Repeat around the tire edge until it is completely under the wheel rim.
   • Take special care to avoid puncturing the inner tube as you do this!
   • If you are replacing this with a new tire, make sure the treads are pointing in the correct direction.
5. Inflate the inner tube slowly. Listen for a whistle or strange noise that could indicate a kink in the tube, and correct if necessary. If all is well, you will eventually hear a pop as the tire forms an airtight seal against the rim. Continue filling until you reach the pressure recommended by your tire/tube manufacturer.
6. Check for air leaks. Spray soapy water or glass cleaner around the tire perimeter, along the metal rim. Look closely for air bubbles escaping from between the rim and tire. If the bubbles continue forming in the same spot, it is not airtight. Force the tire back under the rim and check for a puncture.

Part 4: Reinstalling the Wheel Assembly

1. Clean and grease the axle bolt. This is your chance to get your axle bolt debris-free and well greased. Apply parts cleaner-degreaser, then a thick layer of axle grease once clean.
   • Do not grease the bolt threads or head — you do not want that to slip!
   • WARNING — Use an abundance of caution to keep the grease away from the brake assembly. Grease will make the brakes nonfunctional.
2. Reattach the brake assembly if necessary. The next few steps are a two-man job. Ask a friend to hold the rear wheel in place between the two rear forks. If you removed the brake assembly earlier, now's the time to reattach it. Just hand tighten the brake adjustment nut for now.
3. Install the chain or belt. Lift this up over the top edge of the sprocket or pulley, until at least three or four links of the chain are resting on the top. Slowly and gently rotate the rear wheel backward (as if it were in reverse). This should guide the chain or belt into position on the sprocket or pulley as it should be.
4. Hand tighten the axle nut. Next, reinstall the axle nut onto the axle, but leave it loose enough to move the wheel backwards in order to tighten the chain or belt.
5. Confirm the axle is installed safely. Examine the bike frame very close to the hole the axle bolt slides through. Some models have hash marks or slash marks to guide the installation, so you can be sure the axle and rear wheel are installed at a perfect 90º angle to the rear frame. If there are no marks, use a tape measure to confirm the axle is exactly the same distance from the front of the rear frame on both the right and left sides.
   • WARNING — A misaligned axle will cause your rear wheel to wobble. This leads to loss of control or a detached chain or belt. NEVER continue until you are certain you have installed the axle perfectly.
6. Adjust the chain or belt. Refer to your owners' manual for the exact amount of play or slack that should be present in the chain or belt. Reinstall the adjustment nut on the right side of the rear frame and adjust according to manual instructions.
7. Tighten the axle nut firmly with a torque wrench. Tighten this nut to 60-63 lbs. torque or the recommended torque shown in your owner's manual. Do not attempt to estimate the torque without a torque wrench, as a mistake can cause the axle to detach while riding!
   • If your bike uses a cotter pin (split pin) to fasten this nut, align the holes in the nut with the holes in the axle. After tightening, insert the cotter pin and bend its tines apart to fasten the nut in place. Using a new cotter pin each time is ideal due to loss of strength during removal.
8. Confirm that all nuts are secured appropriately. Return to the brake assembly nut that you tightened by hand, and tighten it properly with a wrench. Examine each item you handled one last time to confirm there are no loose nuts or missing pins, especially if your model had additional fasteners not mentioned in this guide.
   • The one exception is the valve stem nuts. These are best left off the bike, as they may cause more harm than good by reducing flexibility of the tube during high speed riding.

Tips

• A little dish soap can help the bead slide back on the rim if the fit is tight.
• Older models can have rear axle nuts up to 36mm across, but this is rare nowadays.

Warning

• In British English, "cotter pin" refers to a different part. Look for a "split pin" instead if you are in the UK.

Things You'll Need

• Assistant
• Motorcycle tire change stand or (last resort) a cinder block and rubber mat
• Metric socket set with extensions (typically 18–24mm for front axle, 18–27mm for rear axle)
• Hard rubber mallet
• Valve stem core removal tool
• 2–3 Tire irons or large, flat head screwdrivers (12–14 inch / 30–36cm handles)
• Adjustable wrench or set of small wrenches
• Parts cleaner-degreaser
• Fresh tube of axle grease

And if axle bolt has a cotter pin:

• Needle nose pliers
• Replacement cotter pin

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