Home-Made Tire Spoons (Quick Project + Pics)

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Goodmorning, everyone!!So, here's a quick little job that I just thought I'd share...Last weekend, I picked up a low-milage 2006 Kawasaki KLR650 for a song, but part of the reason that the bike was so cheap, was that the tires and brakes were pretty much worn out...So, I ordered up a set of Shinko 705's, and some EBC brake pads, and set about showing this bike some love...Now, I'd never installed a tire (I'd sliced a few with a saw-zall to scrap the rims they were on, tho, haha), so I called up my mechanic friend Danny...He said he'd changed a ton of them, and it wouldn't be a problem at all... I just needed some tire-spoons and a valve core tool... That worked out really well, I weld stuff up for him all the time, and he helps me out with projects like this...Anyway, I knew the Tractor Supply store where I used to work (loved it there, but I quit when I started school) sold Tire-Spoons, so a quick stop was all I needed, right?Nope... I got to the tire isle, and saw that these simple little steel devices were THIRTY FRIGGIN' DOLLARS a PIECE!! And I needed three of them... Come to think of it, in the nine months I worked at that place, I honestly dont think I ever sold or stocked a tire spoon... Guess I know why, now I stood there in the isle for a minute thinking about what I could do now... I knew there were a couple of auto-parts stores about 15 miles away that would *probably* be open on a saturday, but I didn't really want to make that trip, and time is (as always) of the essence... I stay pretty busy now, but I like it that way...Anyway, I knew I'd better think of something...I could just heat and beat some 1" round stock I knew I had until it was spoon-shaped, but that would just be mild steel, and I was afraid I'd bend and/or break the tip off of it...But then I got another idea...I just wandered over to the tool isle and bought three pry-bars for $6 and $7 a piece, and prayed they weren't just hardened steel...As soon as I got home, I traced out a radius over the ends of them, and hit it real quick with the ForceCut 42i...Then I took an abrasive wheel to them, and as soon as that disc made contact, I knew I wasnt working with mild steel...The sparks were bright and had a lot of flair, indicating they were tool steel!! For a change, something turned out just like I hoped it would I took an 80-grit flap disc and went over everything to remove those tube-slicing burrs, and called it a day...Danny showed up, we lifted up half the bike at a time with a chain-lift, and had those tires off and on in no time... Last edited by Lanse; 02-17-2013 at 11:09 AM.[Account Abandoned 8/8/16 Please Do Not Attempt Contact Or Expect A Reply]. See you on YouTube! -ChuckE2009
Reply:I still maintain that front tire is on there bass-ack-wards, but we installed it according to the "ROTATION" arrow, so I guess all is well After switching out brake pads, we put everything back together and called it a night...I saved roughly $50 versus having the tires mounted, got a lesson in installing tube-type motorcycle tires, and got a set of home-made tools I'll use well into the future... So, I'm pretty thrilled...What would I have done differently? Well, They were a little on the "thick" side... I think I'm going to grind some of the "meat" off the back of the "spoons" so they're a little easier to get between the bead, and the rim...But the bike is in MUCH better shape now, and I'm pretty happy... Doesnt take much Haha...I just thought I'd share, hopefully this can help someone else save a few bucks on tire spoons....Thanks for reading, everyone, and have an awesome weekend!! [Account Abandoned 8/8/16 Please Do Not Attempt Contact Or Expect A Reply]. See you on YouTube! -ChuckE2009
Reply:Cool bananas I hate being bi-polar it's awsomeMy Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys
Reply:Nice work Lanse. $30 a piece sounds hi. Chapparal motorsports has good prices but since you made your own, I would braze the tips with brass or bronze. Its easier on the rims.I think your rite about the front tire, the sipes siping? looks backwards.I havnt changed a tire in a while but, I run duct tape around the inside of the rim and then spread baby powder on the inside of the tire before I put the tube in. It seems to help. Once the tire is all the way on, I fill the tube up and then drain it then refill. It sounds anal but my tubes last longer that way. What do you use that cut up air tank for?
Reply:Hell yeah. 3 tools for less than the cost of one, cant beat that!Tires are one of those things I just dont mess with anymore. It is worth it (to me) to just pay the few bucks and take them to a shop. I have hand changed way too many over the years, everything from motorcycle tires to semi truck tires. Did a full change on a pete and flat bed trailer one day for my uncle, steer tires and all, 18 friggen tires, that sucked. As for the directional front tire. I ran into the same thing on my old KZ650 rat bike. I put a brand new set of tires on, back looked fine, front I was like "no way that is right" So being they were cheap knock off tires I thought maybe the arrow is wrong. I took it off and swapped it around. Got it back on the bike and took it for a ride. HOLY CRAP!!!  It felt like the thing was gonna shake its self apart!! And being a rat bike (with some VERY questionable "home engineering" ) that was not a good thing.So back off it came and switched it again. Another ride and smooth as glass. I ended up making a sticker and put on the front fender that said "Its NOT backwards, its Japanese" If you cant fix it with a hammer, it must be an electrical problem."Boy, everyone starts with a full bag of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience before the bag of luck is empty."-Grandad circa 1990ish
Reply:Good thinking on the prybars..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Originally Posted by weldermikeCool bananas
Reply:Originally Posted by InsanerideI havnt changed a tire in a while but, I run duct tape around the inside of the rim and then spread baby powder on the inside of the tire before I put the tube in. It seems to help. Once the tire is all the way on, I fill the tube up and then drain it then refill. It sounds anal but my tubes last longer that way.
Reply:Originally Posted by LanseI still maintain that front tire is on there bass-ack-wards, but we installed it according to the "ROTATION" arrow, so I guess all is well
Reply:I might have to try it. It is possible that it would be even better than a standard iron since flex would be less. It might be good, it might be bad.I am not a fan of that tire though.
Reply:I bought the exact same bike brand new in 2006. It's pretty much bulletproof, with the exception of one fatal flaw. It has to do with the balance shaft drive chain tensioner assembly, located behind the flywheel. the spring and slotted adjuster cam are made from inferior materials and WILL fail if not replaced. Do a search online for KLR650 doohickey (I'm not kidding, that's what it's called) and you'll find all the info you will need on how to fix it. It was a good bike otherwise, I got rid of it because it wasn't very comfortable after about an hour on it, and that was with a Corbin seat. Wasn't very good at highway speeds either.Miller Thunderbolt AC/DC (Sold)Miller Dialarc 250HFMiller MM251Miller MM200 (Sold)Miller MM130Miller Spot WelderVictor O/A rigMiller Spoolmatic 1 (Sold)
Reply:Welcome to the KLR family, Lanse! There are several good forums for the KLR... I'm on KLRforum.com and advrider.com. I'm having a blast on my 2012, and I'm sure you will too. Enjoy the ride...Last edited by Maverik; 02-19-2013 at 06:36 PM.Reason: typo"The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it." - Thomas Jefferson If the Lights are a Flashin', STAY OFF the tracks!!! It might be me at the Throttle...