Modern Vespa

Just about to strip and clean some wheels on a VBB - original 8"

Can I get the tyres off and remount them myself or does it need to go to a tyre place? If I can do it, how? Levers?

What was the original finish on 8" wheels? Are they painted or lacquered bare metal? Chromed?

Many thanks,

Charlie

On a 1960 bike the wheels were still the same color as the main paint shade.

Witness - 1960 VBB from the technica : http://www.vespaclub.com/tecnica/vespa-56-64/1961-150-high.jpg


You can split them on your own. They were invented as such to be serviceable by a woman on the roadside, with limited strength and limited tools.

The hardest part is breaking the bead that the rubber has formed over the rim ...particularly if it's original because often times the rim is rusted in there and sticks to the rubber.

Great, thanks. Shouldn't be too bad as the tyres were only put on recently.

Charlie

i always grab a rag towel, a ratchet, socket and a big screwdriver and do them on the floor in my living room. i just lay out the big towel so i do not get my carpet dirty. it is not too hot or too cold like my garage always seems to be that way. you can just chill out and do them. i can do them in like 15 minutes or so each.

I just went through this last night. I finally wound up cutting the tire off the rim with a carpet knife. The rims are too rusted to reuse.

Now here is my question. My 64 GL with a 79 P125 motor came with 3.00x10 tires. I hated the rims, (Faco get dirty in a second ones) so I bought new rims and tires. 3.5 x 10. The 3x10 rear came right off but the 3.5x10 was a bear to get on there.

I ran into the same thing with my GT last night. That had 3.5x10s on it. I had to drop the exhaust and monkey the snot out of the old one to get it off the hub and had even a worse time getteng the new one on. I had to let the air out to get it in there.

Does mounting a newer motor in an older frame reduce the clearance for changing the rear wheel and tire?

Should I just go to 3.00x10s? If I get a rear flat with the 3.5s Im screwed, even with a spare tube and pump.

Thanks all!

on my smallstate, pre-kitting, i could get my wheels off in about a couple minutes or less. since i changed from the factory exhaust to a polini exhaust, it is not so straight forward. now, when i do the back wheel, i have to loosen the bolt that holds my exhaust to the frame and pull it way from the wheel a bit before i can remove the wheel. you will need to work out your protocol and carry the tools you need to do it. you will get used to it. and a RIGHT way will always reveal itself. an example on my smallstate would be that if i had a flat, like i said loosen the bolt and pull the exhaust away a bit WITHOUT taking the exhaust spring off. taking the spring off would make this job go from easy to a pain in the ass (unless you are strong as hell, and carry a spring hook).

No matter what put new tubes in there. Any time you take a wheel apart put a new tube on. And when you put the rim 1/2s back together be careful not to pinch the tube.

And before you start restoring beat or rusty wheels you can buy gray painted wheels or chrome wheels for less than $40 each. This might save you some headache.

I don't know ANYONE who runs 3.0x10"s on a bike ( largeframe ) which were all designed for 3.5x10"s

Only smallframes run 3.0x10

That's what I thought. That was one of the reasons I changed it over to 3.50s.

I wasn't sure if it was supposed to be that much of a pain in the ass to get the rear on and off.

The rims I took of I'm trashing. Just wayyy too much rust to make it worth while, and have peace of mind!

I gotta think of something to do with these old useless parts.