Bob Freitas wrote:
I think Harvey failed to explain the tire mounting procedure correctly (but I am sure he does it correctly) With one bead of the tire on the rim insert the tube (I put a small amount of air in it so it is not flat) then starting AT THE VALVE push the valve in (you want the round base of the tube up inside the tire)and begin installing the other side(bead) of the tire. This way the valve ends up straight , you install away from the valve on both sides moving towards the other side of the wheel. So repeating you start AT THE VALVE and work away on both sides My Dad showed me this is 1963 or so. Back then we did mainly tubes with rubber stems (Schrader) +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Well, Bob, thanks, and it seems that I repeated Michelin's instructions clearly enough to provoke disagreement. Michelin and I (one of whom is an authority almost equal to your father? :-) ) seat the tube and the valve stem, but then start working the second bead from the point opposite the valve hole. As I said originally, that allows pushing as much of the bead as possible down into the well of the rim, so the tire mounts easily. Nope, I didn't believe at first, so I tried it. And have been doing it that way ever since. Since I work both sides onto the rim equally, it magically turns out that the valve stem winds up nice and perpendicular, almost every time.
Only advantage of the Michelin route is that it's easier to get the bead over the rim, since it's easier to push more of the bead down into the well of the rim.
But, your mileage may vary. And I'll still respect you in the morning. Really.
harvey sachs
mcLean va