Puncture repair

From BikeNomads

Introduction

This article does not try to explain some fancy way of fixing a punctured tube, but tries to explain the art of replacing tubes. Learn this and it will free you from the worry of getting a flat while touring. It will make you confident and not think of getting some fancy puncture kit shelling a hefty sum of money which does not work when needed.

Basics

Let’s get down to basics of what minimum equipment you need to replace a punctured tube.

(Fig. 1)The Valve Tube Key

(Fig. 2)The Tire Levers

1. A Foot pump (Will cost you around Rs 200, It seems you can get one for Rs 200 these days)
2. Tire removing levers Fig 2 should cost you around Rs 50 to 100
3. Valve tube removing key Fig 1 Rs 5
4. Wheel removing spanners (of course this comes with the standard tool kit)
5. Tube patches and rubber solution, for under Rs. 100.

Where to get these? In Bangalore head to JC road you can find the Foot Pump. For the tire levers and valve tube key, you might find these at some tool shop, or you can ask you friendly neighborhood puncture repair guy, he will get it for you :)

That’s it, you have a complete puncture repair kit for just around Rs 400.

The Procedure

Now lets go step by step on how to replace a punctured tube and replace with a fresh one, Well I will explain how to fix a tube if you do not have a spare new tube, but it is always advisable to carry a new tube along with you while touring.

• Remove the wheel from the motorcycle I believe most of us can do that easily.
  • TIP While removing the rear wheel take care that you don’t lose the cush rubber.
  • TIP Most of the motorcycles require you to remove the break rod and the Stay rod before you remove the wheel, one exception is the old 100cc 2 strokes one could manage to remove the wheel by removing just one nut.
  • TIP Do not forget to put back the split pin on the wheel casle nut, this is very important, though most of the road side mechanics ignore it
  • TIP While removing the front wheel of a Disk Brake equipped motorcycle (NEVER DEPRESS THE FRONT BRAKE WHILE THE WHEEL IS OFF THE CYCLE, This will jam the brakes as the Disk brake does not have a return mechanism)
• Removing the punctured tube

(NOTE for the front with disc brake place the Disc brake end on the floor, or else you won’t be able to use the levers efficiently)

(Fig 3.) Fixed End Lever 1

(Fig 4.) Lever end that we use to insert and remove the tire

1. Unscrew the nut of the valve tube and keep it in a safe place.
2. Place the wheel on some thick paper or some cardboard (horizontally)so that you don’t ruin the wheel
3. Remove the valve tube buy using the key to completely deflate the tube.
4. Particularly on Bullets and on the 100/90s the tire will not deflate completely, making it difficult to insert the tire lever. Use your body weight and stamp on the tire the whole circumference so that you deflate the tube completely.
5. Insert the tire lever with the end shown in the Fig 3, and stand on the other end of the lever on the wheel, maintain the same position till you remove the tire( Keep standing on the lever on the wheel till you remove the tire completely)
6. Now you have just a little of the tire slipping out of the rim. Insert the second lever with the Flat side (not more than a cm) in between the rim and the tire just near to the first lever and push it out ( apply force downwards towards earth) you will notice that a little maybe an inch of the tire has come out.
7. Iterate Process 5 throughout the circumference.
8. NOTE: This process will take you 10mins the first time you do it.
9. Pull the Tube out from just the opposite direction where the valve tube is.
10. Pull out until you reach the valve tube, push the valve tube into the tire and pull out the Tube.

Bingo!! Now you have the punctured tube out..

• Inserting the Fresh/Repaired Tube in the Tire

NOTE: Usually CEAT and MRF tubes comes with 2 nuts on the valve tube, make sure one nut goes inside the rim and other outside the rim.

1. Start from the Valve Tube, (JUST OPPISITE TO THE WAY WE PULLED OUT THE TUBE) Pull the tire towards up (towards the sky  ) and insert the valve tube through the hole in the rim.

TIP: This can get tricky, because when you pull one edge of the tire outwards the other edge will come up and hit the valve tube and the valve tube will refuse to go in. Now you have to use both your hands, push one edge of the tire downwards and use other hand use you two fingers to guide the valve tube into the hole in the rim.

1. Once you get the valve tube in the rim, make sure you put the nut on the valve. Insert the tube completely in the tire.
2. Inserting the tire on the rim.
3. Start from the Valve tube end. Give a firm stamp on the tire so that one end slips in the rim.
4. Use the second lever with the flat end to push the tire into the rim, start from one end and follow the circumference.
   1. NOTE. Bullets and 100/90s will get very hard at the end. When you have just about 5 – 6 inches left. Place the lever at the centre of the remaining tire jutting outside the rim and push it in.
   2. Screw in the valve tube in using the Key (Fig 1)
   3. Inflate the tire put back the wheel on the motorcycle, and enjoy the ride.

• Patching up the Tube if a fresh tube is not available

1. Tube repair patches that are available to fix the puncture. Even though we may not be able to hot stamp it,It holds well under moderate load.
2. Find out the excat spot of the puncthure, clean and make the surface rough by using a sand paper if available or else a clean stone :)
3. Use Rubber solution ONLY to bond the tube and the patch, after applying the rubber solution, please keep it for couple of minutes before sticking the patch.
4. Also in case there is a slight cut in the tyre it would be a better idea to put in a rubber piece (part of old tube? ) in that place to avoid future damage to tube.

[Thanks SKS for the above info]

Happy Touring… --Jsr 23:29, 23 Jul 2006 (MST)

Links

• Punctures !