Kawasaki Concours Forum

Mish mash => Open Forum => Topic started by: Awaz on July 05, 2013, 09:41:43 AM

Title: Tire bead seating
Post by: Awaz on July 05, 2013, 09:41:43 AM

I decided to make a new topic on this - hopefully that is ok. I finally put my tire on and aired it up. I noticed that there is like 1/8th or so gap between the edge of the rim and the tire. I know the bead sat because there was two loud pops and I am not losing any air. I deflated it twice and inflated and still the small gap persist. Do not think I have seen these on any of the four tires I have mounted so far. Want to find out if this normal. The gap is all around uniformly on both sides.

Edit: did some search and found that some tires come with a rim protection feature that makes the bead seat a bit below the lip of the rim. I did not quite find if this particular tire has that feature, but gonna assume that is the case.

Title: Re: Tire bead seating
Post by: GeeBeav on July 05, 2013, 01:17:05 PM

 :popcorn:

Title: Re: Tire bead seating
Post by: Outback_Jon on July 05, 2013, 01:55:28 PM

That absolutely does not look right.  I don't see how that could be a "rim protection feature", either.

I wouldn't ride on it.  At least until I had some sort of professional opinion about it.

Title: Re: Tire bead seating
Post by: T Cro ® on July 05, 2013, 03:03:42 PM

No way.... Rim protective bead I have on our SUV and it amounts to an extra deep profile so that the rim is deeper within the tire itself; this protects the rim from mean curbs...

Title: Re: Tire bead seating
Post by: VirginiaJim on July 05, 2013, 03:41:29 PM

And so it begins..... :popcorn:   Good luck Awaz.  Hopefully it is seated.  If not, it should be by the time you ride on it for awhile. ;)

Title: Re: Tire bead seating
Post by: gPink on July 05, 2013, 03:52:22 PM

Is it the Dunlop Elite 3 ? Bias or Radial? Would there be a bead difference?

Title: Re: Tire bead seating
Post by: VirginiaJim on July 05, 2013, 05:04:14 PM

It's both, but Awaz has the radial version.

Title: Re: Tire bead seating
Post by: gPink on July 05, 2013, 05:09:43 PM

...but should he?

Title: Re: Tire bead seating
Post by: Outback_Jon on July 05, 2013, 06:37:07 PM

Is the gap on both sides?

I'd deflate it, break both beads, spray some tire lube in there, and re-inflate.  Get some good pressure in there, too.

Title: Re: Tire bead seating
Post by: VirginiaJim on July 05, 2013, 08:29:19 PM

Sounds complicated..

Title: Re: Tire bead seating
Post by: ZG on July 05, 2013, 08:38:45 PM

Quote from: Outback_Jon on July 05, 2013, 06:37:07 PM

I'd deflate it, break both beads, spray some tire lube in there, and re-inflate.  Get some good pressure in there, too.

That's what she said...  ;)

Title: Re: Tire bead seating
Post by: stevewfl on July 05, 2013, 09:32:49 PM

great excuse to buy Michelins  8)

Title: Re: Tire bead seating
Post by: Awaz on July 06, 2013, 03:04:32 PM

Talked to Jake Wilson rep and did some research:

http://www.m109riders.com/forums/showthread.php?t=140235 (http://www.m109riders.com/forums/showthread.php?t=140235)

Looks like the darn tire is made for an 8" rim instead of 8.5". Talk about my sucky luck.....