How To Replace Tire Components

This article will tell you how to remove a tire from a wheel, tube, tire and insert and how to replace these components.

Tools needed:

• A pump with Schrader valve and pressure gauge,
• At least two tire levers
• Any replacement parts you know you will need, which may include a replacement tube, tire, and/or a rim strip,
• A small Allen wrench or similar object to release air pressure from the tire

Remove the Tire and Inner Tube From the Wheel

1. Unscrew the valve cap on the Schrader valve.
2. Release air from the tire. Push the valve core in to release air from the tire (you can use a very small Allen wrench or something similar). Squeeze your tire to get out as much air as you can
3. Loosen the tire from the rim. Go around the tire, squeezing it along the base near the rim and pulling it away from the rim to loosen it. You want to see the bead pulling away from the rim.
4. Position the wheel so the valve is at the bottom.
5. Insert the tire levers. At the top of the wheel, at a spot that lines up with one of the spokes on the side facing you, insert the tire lever into the rim so that its scoop side faces up, and can wrap around the tire bead. Insert another tire lever near the first one.
6. Push both levers toward the center of the wheel to begin lifting the tire bead up over the rim.
7. Anchor one of the levers to a spoke. Begin pulling the other lever away from the first, along the rim, to release that side of the tire.
8. Opposite the Schrader valve, grasp the tube and begin pulling it out of the tire. If that’s too difficult, you might need to release more air from the tube.
9. Push the valve through the wheel and then pull out the rest of the tube and insert.
10. Pull the tire off of the wheel.

Inspect the Tube and Tire

If your inspection of the rim strip reveals that it was faulty and not covering the spoke holes, assume that your tube may have been damaged by rubbing against the spoke holes and that your tube needs to be replaced. If your rim strip was fine, check the tube and tire anyway.

1. Carefully inspect the tube for damage, especially if you suspect a flat tire. If you find any holes, you’ll need a patch kit or a replacement inner tube. If you are patching your tube, follow the directions that came with your patch kit.
2. Carefully inspect the tire. If you notice excessive wear on your tire, bulges, bald spots, or cracks, you must replace it. If you’ve had a flat, check the tire for any embedded objects and remove them.

Reinstall the Tube and Tire

1. Inflate your tube slightly until it’s just stiff enough to begin holding a round-ish shape. Set it aside.
2. Align your tire with the wheel. Make sure the rotation direction marked on the tire matches the rotation direction marked on the brake rotor.
3. Put one side of the tire onto the wheel rim. Starting on the side of your wheel without the brake rotor, push one side of your tire onto the wheel rim. The other side of the tire will still be off the wheel.
4. Insert the tube’s valve into the wheel. Find the valve hole on the wheel. Working from the side of the wheel without the brake rotor, insert the portion of your tube with the valve into the tire. Feed the valve through the valve hole.
5. Gently tuck the rest of the tube into the cavity of the tire, which will be sticking out from the rim.
6. Push the tire toward the center of the wheel rim to get the tube nestled into the wheel rim. You’ll still have one side of the tire not yet fitted into the insert.
7. Starting next to the valve, begin pinching the loose side of the tire onto the rim. You may be able to get the entire wheel fully onto the rim of the wheel by hand.
8. If the last bit is too difficult to get on by hand, you’ll need to use a tire lever to finish. This process requires great care to prevent the lever from pinching and damaging the tube. Insert the tire lever in with its scoop side facing down, hugging the wheel’s rim to avoid catching the tube. Then lift up to pop a portion of the tire onto the rim. Complete until the entire tire is fully mounted onto the rim. You may find it helpful to prop your wheel between some sturdy surfaces.
9. Since your tube is not yet inflated, you can still squeeze your tire to inspect the rim strip positioning under the tube. Make sure it hasn’t shifted, exposing any of the spoke holes.
10. Inspect your tire sidewalls to make sure both sides of the tire are fully inside the rim.

Inflate the Tire

1. Begin slowly reinflating your tire. When pressure is starting to display on your pressure gauge (at about 10 PSI), double check that the bead of your tire is still fully within the rim on both sides of the tire.
2. Inflate your tire according to the pressure recommendation on the tire sidewalls. You’ll find this expressed as a PSI (pounds per square inch), or a “bar” value. Do not confuse with the TPI (threads per inch) value or other specifications.

   All tires have a maximum pressure value listed on the sidewalls. DO NOT EXCEED THIS VALUE. Many tires also list a minimum tire pressure on the sidewalls. Whether or not your tires list a specific minimum value, check your tires visually before riding to make sure they are not underinflated.
   

3. When you reach your target pressure, put the valve cap back on and do one more inspection on both sides of the wheel to ensure your tires are evenly seated all the way around. If the tire isn’t evenly seated, your options are to deflate and try again, or try again after lightly spraying the tire with some soapy water.

Insert Installation Guide

Tire insert offers extra protection for your tires and rims to prevent puncture flats so you can keep riding Rad! Follow the steps below to install tire insert on your KG4.

1. Get the bike ready. Turn off the bike, remove the battery, and press and hold MODE (or the power button) to discharge remaining power.
2. Remove the front or rear wheel that will hold the insert. Check to learn how to remove the wheel.
3. Inflate the tube slightly.
4. Install First Bead of Tire and insert – Place one side of the tire over the bead of the rim. Insert one side of the armour inside the tire and over the rim.
5. Insert Tube – Insert the tube valve through the rim valve hole. Place the tube inside the insert. Make sure the insert wings are not folded.
6. Mount insert Onto Rim – Place the remaining exposed insert flap over the rim under the bead.
7. Finish, Check, and Inflate – Secure the remaining side of the tire beading into the rim using a tire lever if needed.

   Check that the tire has been installed correctly before inflating to the recommended PSI. Make sure the tire is not pinching the tube or the insert between the tire bead and rim.