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I know people are going to queue up to tell me this is easy and they could do it with one hand whilst the other is tied behind their back / standing on one leg / blind folded but I always find fitting tyres with a rimpact (normal - not the pro) tough.
My successes have been with getting 2.6” quite flimsy tyres onto 25mm internal and 30 internal dt Swiss rims (xm421 and xm481 and Spec Slaughter Grid / Maxxis Recon exo+ / maxxis Forekaster exo).
My only failure was with a 2.4” Dissector exo onto a 25mm internal xm421 rim.
Now the weather has gone biblical I’m going to swap out my 2.6” rekon (xm481 rim) and put on a 2.3” dhr2 exo. I’ve previously run this dhr2 without an insert as I’ve thought it’s tougher than the flimsier tyres mentioned above that I thought I should run with an insert. But considering just leaving the insert in for low pressures in the mud.
I’ve ordered a cushcore bead dropper lever to help - but I don’t want to be too brutal with the tyre as I’ve had 2 maxxis tyres go wonky after fitting (at least I think this is what made them go wonky).
So far I’ve read get one side on, insert in, then try to work the tyre into the middle well of the rim so it’s less tight.
I’ve always tried to pull the tyre on initially whilst kind of lifting the insert to pull the tyre underneath it. Always had to resort to tyre levers to get the last bit of the tyre on.
Am I missing something or have I just got to accept I’ve got girly pathetic hands and should give up while I’m ahead?
Getting the bead into the centre of the rim seems to be the key. I fitted a dhr2 onto a rim with nukeproof ard recently without a huge amount of fuss but found rimpacts more difficult. I think they have more volume than the ard.
Good luck!
Ive definitely seen maxxis tyres go wobbly after pulling them onto the rim too hard too.
One thing i found to help was inflating and seating the tyre without the insert. then pop the bead off on one side only and get the insert in that way. it leaves a lot more space for you to shove the bead under the insert.
Keep shoving the tyre under and working your way round multiple times it takes a bit of patience and a few goes round to get it in enough, but i did manage to get a 2.4 dhr2 onto a Hope fortus 30 without leavers. getting it off on the other had was a pain in the ****.
This video helped for a bit of hand rolling technique too.
Never really had trouble with that combo of rim, tyre and insert myself. Maybe put the the tyre on first at 40psi and leave for a night before throwing the insert in the next day? Should be very easy to do with just your hands then.
I swear by those tyre lever plier things though if you're just going to go straight for the kill.. never use old school levers anymore tbh.
Warm tyres generally help with everything tubeless related. And with Rimpacts, not doing the usual seating one bead first but getting the bead right down into the lowest part of the rim well. Obviously the valve gets in the way so that’s the last bit of Rimpact and other bead to deal with.
Using a bin / tub and soapy water was a revelation for me + working the bead under for several passes.
I did it recently for the first time.
The first one was surprisingly easy but the second one, holy moly. I was seriously questioning my life choices.
Follow their instructions, to the letter, and you’ll be ok ime. Not necessarily easy, but should be ok
@sharkattack - the latter experience of yours was what I had with the dissector 🤣
I tried those tyre scissor type things and found them utterly useless with mtb tyres. Seemed like the ones I had would have worked ok with narrow road tyres but couldn’t see how they’d work with mtb ones.
I’ve not tried inflating the tyre to pop the beads on then just undoing one side - may give that a try first effort.
“I’ve not tried inflating the tyre to pop the beads on then just undoing one side – may give that a try first effort.”
DO NOT DO THAT!
For tubeless alone it’s a great way to do things. For fitting inserts it makes the job almost impossible.
Oh right - in which case I won’t do that
/\/\ That's how I've always done it and not failed yet. Using normal Rimpact and Pros, which are a bit harder to do.
I went through the full range of emotions doing mine, despair, pain, tears, then elation and reflection….
https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/rimpact-on-dt-xm481-help-please-help/
Haha, the last comment was mine about failing with the dissector 🤣
My cushcore lever has arrived at the Amazon locker so I may have a go tonight if I’m feeling like I need some abuse from an inanimate object.
Also need to bleed my front brake and need to put together new tubes on the bleed kit as the old ones perished. Can add that in for extra disappointment and frustration.
Bah, exo casing?!
Try it with a supergravity casing then report back! 🤣
The cushcore bead dropper is excellent, it's most useful for me as a really tough tyre lever that won't snap.
DO NOT DO THAT!
Works great for me. Why wouldn't it work? What problem does it create?
In my mind and experience it moves the other bead out of the way of both the insert and the bead your working with.
I found the Cushcore video technique more help than the Rimpact method.
I’ve done four. First was a nightmare that I had to walk away from. Came back a couple hours later and it popped on no bother. Next two were fine, fourth was tougher. Some tyres are just worse than others.
You need to get away from the traditional idea of lifting the bead over the rim. Key to it is pushing the bead under the insert in a kind of stabby punching motion. Cushcore tool brilliant for this. One part WILL keep popping off repeatedly, this is just a sign you need to do a few more rotations. When the bead is properly in the rim well it will all go on easily. I found I went wrong trying to do it too quickly.
Cool - I’ve got the tool now - but lack the enthusiasm to have a go tonight. Seems like a sturdy bit of kit.
Warm tyre really helped for me. It does mean you need to turn the heating on though...
Dustbin method worked for me.
Use a spray bottle with soapy water inside to help.
The Rimpact Pro is a bastard to fit when new. I even contacted the manufacturer to check that there wasn't an issue my one and that I wouldn't break it when installing.
Good luck 🤞
I expected it to be difficult fitting the rimpact pros, turned out to be one of the easiest jobs I’ve done. My rear was nukeproof rim and DHR. Seated the tyre without the insert. Popped off one side. Took my time, gently and repeatedly feeding the insert in, went round several times and it went from feeling like it wouldn’t going in to just popping in easily. Went round and fed the the tyre in and that was that. I do use straps to stop things popping out when I’m part way through… good luck 🙂