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FWIW RuGlyde is $16.99 a gallon at Advance Auto and $19.99 at NAPA and I suggest investing an a $0.99 spray bottle as an applicator. Make's it easy to effectively apply the tire lube w/o overdoing it. The idea is to not to se who can apply the most. A simply misting of the wheel and tire beads are typically all that is needed. Use in the proper amounts you'll be able to change 250+ tires per gallon. Its readily available, inexpensive enough @ about $0.07 cents per tire adn designed for this exact use so why even use anything else?

 

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If you're trapped in a cabin in the woods or something, a weak solution of Murphy's Oil Soap or saddle soap is probably a decent substitute
I tried your "cabin solution", and now I'm all itchy...and walk funny :oops::ROFLMAO:
 

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I suspect a big reason guys who do their own tire changes don't use Ruglyde (or some other tire specific lubricant) is that they don't know about it. If your source of "how to" info is something like Uncle Joe the backyard mechanic, or Youtube, or motorcycle forums, you see and read about a lot of guys using everything from dish soap to Windex to WD-40 (??), but very few ever seem to advocate an actual tire lube. I first learned of it about a decade ago when Greywolf talked about how dish detergent could be corrosive to rims, and was a poor choice. I had immense respect for his motorcycle knowledge, so Ruglyde is what I began using. I've tried other things like dish soap and Windex (though never WD-40!) before I was aware of Ruglyde, and Ruglyde just works better.

I can envision a person who's just starting out with his own tire changing, looking at a gallon of lubricant and saying "man, I'm never gonna use all that, and I have Windex under the sink, and ScreamingBiker69 on Youtube said it was perfectly ok to use", so that's what they go with.

A good rule of thumb for changing motorcycle tires by hand, using hand tools, is "if you can't get the tire on, you're doing it wrong".
 

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I was reading a local motorcycle forum and a poster was having trouble breaking the bead on his tire. He had a slow leak that he pinpointed to the bead/wheel. I offered to break the bead for him as I have an automatic tire machine. He came over and I broke the bead in a few minutes. I looked over the wheel and the inside was bubbled and badly corroded so I removed the tire off the wheel for him. It was going to need some serious work. Whoever was changing tires on the bike was not using a proper tire lube.
 

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No argument ru-glyde or the equivalent is the preferred choice. I've been through a couple gallons over the years, plus a gallon or two of a homemade version (the ingredients are printed on the package after all, or at least they once were), as well as other tire lube specific products. But I'm not going to lose sleep over the fact that I've used Windex over the years either. I haven't found a definitive answer whether it's harmful to aluminum, but I'm not going to doubt the personal experience of someone. I do wonder if perhaps the composition and treatment of alloys on vintage bikes makes it more of a problem there.
 

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The coatings in the past were probably not as good as powder coating nowadays. If I look at my 2007 KLR rim, that had really no coating on the inside.
Fighting with tire irons often leaves nasty scratches in the powder coating of the rim, a good start for ongoing corrosion and ultimately a rim leak, if not cleaned up.
 

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No argument ru-glyde or the equivalent is the preferred choice. I've been through a couple gallons over the years, plus a gallon or two of a homemade version (the ingredients are printed on the package after all, or at least they once were), as well as other tire lube specific products. But I'm not going to lose sleep over the fact that I've used Windex over the years either. I haven't found a definitive answer whether it's harmful to aluminum, but I'm not going to doubt the personal experience of someone. I do wonder if perhaps the composition and treatment of alloys on vintage bikes makes it more of a problem there.
The definitive answer is Windex contains ammonia and ammonia reacts with aluminum/aluminum alloys so there's that!
 

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These work nice too for keeping tire in drop. Came with my rabaconda changer, can be had cheap on Amazon
Tire Wheel Bicycle tire Automotive tire Motor vehicle

Sutekus 2PC Set Tire Changer Tire Bead Clamp Drop Center Tool Amazon.com
 
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So according to the chart, that's listed as good compatibility; not excellent, just good. I realize that chart is for "shop aluminum". In any case, pretty sure that won't be a problem on aluminum rims once or twice a year.

Look, I'll let it go, I've managed to sidetrack this thread, apologies to the OP. Use good lube, plenty of it, and get the opposite side on the center of the rim. ;)



Ammonium Hydroxide
 

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I've always used Ruglyde, which is made specifically for tire changing. It's around $20.00 for a gallon at places like NAPA. On a per ounce basis, it's about the same price as Windex.
Ruglyde is absolutely the best and a gallon will last at least two or three generations of riders. Get a gallon between you and 3 of your friends for $5 each.
 

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It's been about 22-23 years since I started changing my own tires, and I started my second bottle of Ru-Glyde about four years back.

Then again, I've changed a LOT of OPT (Other People's Tires) and I never skimp on the lube. If you only change your own tires, then yeah, a gallon very well could be a lifetime supply.

I keep Ru-Glyde in a spray bottle, and spray it onto a little cotton "mop" for tire mounting lube for application to the bead. I also squirt it into the gap when breaking beads so it'll run down inside and make removal easier. Just dry the inside of the wheel with paper towels before adding the tire so as not to trap too much moisture.

Oh, and on my KLR (tube tires, so dealing with a puncture is a far more elaborate undertaking) I carry a teensy-weensy lil' bottle of Ru-Glyde and another with talc tucked into the spare tubes bag. These take up only a tiny space, yet make the roadside tire-'rasslin experience downright posh, as long as you can arrange to have your flat in a place with a little shade.
 
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All good stuff, here. Just stay away from water based lubricants.
Ru-Glyde is specially formulated for tire changing and will not harm either the tire or the wheels.
 

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I am really glad you found the right technique and I have about the same issue. I usually change tires out BUT I got a super deal on a rear Mitas E10 and as soon as it came I knew I was headed for a shop and a machine. I’m pretty sure the sidewalls are stronger than my irons! I love the tire but it has to be done right so I do not mind the shop guys popping it on. I knew they were stiff but even at my advanced age where not much surprises me-the stiffness of this thing is amazing! I can probably run it until the tread is gone and get another 3 thousand out of just the sidewalls! Traction may be iffy and it would be easy to follow my track. Anyway, calling the shop tomorrow. Stay safe out there ya’ll!!
 

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I read many times (even on tyre manufacturers websites), how it's critical to "Warm up" the new tyre before mounting it... however every shop is just mounting new tyres at room temperatures (or even colder) :rolleyes: effectively stressing the new tyre
 
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