Wednesday, 1 Sep 2010 [57327 miles]
I picked up a rear Heidenau K60 in the proper size for a GS last December, just before they became unobtanium. It’s finally time to put it on the bike.
Time for new rear
Remove left pannier
just in case
I removed the left pannier and, for safety, looped a strap between the front wheel and the center stand.
New tire in sun
Tools for wheel removal
Wash off dust
With the new tire sitting in the hot sun I removed the rear wheel and washed off the dust from the dirt road excursions taken durring the Grandview Campground Campout a few weeks ago.
Remove valve core
Valve core and tool
Break bead
Out comes the valve core before using my bead breaker to pop the bead in one location. Once popped I use tire irons to get the tire bead into the drop center of the wheel around the entire circumference on both sides.
First side off
Working on second side
I never have a problem removing the first side of the tire and always have problems removing the second side. This time wasn’t too bad. Perhaps I’m learning the proper technique. If only I could remember it from tire change to tire change.
At wear bars
Cleaned wheel
The old tire, a Conti Trail Attack, was at the wear bars. This tire has 10,299 miles of wear. Not bad. I really had no complaints about the tire and would use one again. I just wanted to try the K60. While the tire was off the wheel I cleaned the crud.
First side on
dots at the heavy spot
Bead buddy
The K60 was marked with two dots. The dots are usually aligned with the valve stem as that is assumed to be the heave spot of the wheel. My wheel is heaviest opposite the valve stem. But I’ve a tire pressure monitor that again makes the valve stem the heavy spot. To further confuse things I’ve balanced the wheel sans tire. I mounted the K60 with the dots next to my wheel (not tire) balance weights.
Tire mounted
Bead popped here
36 PSI
There were two pops as both sides of the bead settled into place before the tire hit 15 PSI. I continued adding air until at 36 PSI which is where I run my rear wheel. That agrees with my GS owners manual and the sidewall of the tire. My Trail Attack was also kept at 36 PSI.
Balanced
Back on bike
I fubared the photos I took when balancing the tire. The result was removing about 17 grams that had been added for the Trail Attack and then adding back about 14 grams in a different location. Once balanced the wheel went back on the bike, torqued to 60 Nm. The bike is ready to roll.