Part two of two
A recent www.moderntiredealer.com Web poll asked, "Do you plan to purchase tire service equipment for your tire dealership or dealerships in the next 12 months?" More than one third of respondents answered, "Yes."
Our February issue ran part one of our listing of tire mounting and balancing equipment for those of you in the market for products capable of safely and efficiently handling larger diameter tires, run-flats and custom wheels. Here are some additional choices.
Accu Industries Inc. 1650 VCD Vibration Control Diagnostic System Tire Balancer, (800) 551-2228, www.accu-turn.com
* The 3D Automatic Parameter Entry measures tire radial run-out and rim eccentricity.
* A user-friendly raised flat LCD monitor provides a variety of screens, procedures and suggestions.
* An optional printer provides “customizable” feedback including tire position, run-out measurement, correctional information and more.
* The standard foot brake locks the shaft to eliminate accidental tire roll while applying weights.
* The Accu-stik parameter entry arm holds the weight while the screen shows the technician where to place it.
* An automatic run-out system tests every wheel for run-out and eccentricity.
* Large, easy-to-use customizable screens give the technician a choice in how information is displayed.
* Rim width is automatically entered as the hood is lowered. The software program splits the inside weight and places the correction amounts behind the spokes, ensuring the most attractive balance while still maintaining the balance accuracy required.
* It has a rim capacity up to 30 inches and handles a maximum wheel weight of 165 pounds. Cycle time is only six seconds.
* The unit offers a multiple operator (up to four) function.
* It has a PAX balancing mode.
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Beissbarth USA MS 65-OR-RAC Tire Changer, (888) 255-8665, www.beissbarth.com
* The tire changer’s square rotary table together with roller bed allows easy bead breaking on large tires.
* It offers external clamping on 10- to 26-inch rims.
* It has an electric turntable and pneumatic tilting tower that offers short setup times and pneumatic locking of the mounting head.
* The MS 65-OR-RAC handles wheel widths to 14 inches and has an electrical forward/reverse table.
* Its Technoroller SL helping arm aids in mounting/demounting low-profile, run-flat and off-road tires.
* Additional optional following arm keeps pressure on the sidewall to ease the bead into drop center through the rotation.
* A pneumatic rim release ensures gentle handling of the rim.
Beissbarth USA MT-845 AD Wheel Balancer
* Accurate attachment of concealed adhesive weights is easy with the balancer’s electronic easyfix data arm, the company says. When it is placed against the desired balancing point on the wheel rim, the easyfix data arm memorizes both positions, either with a time delay or by operating a pedal, and confirms this with an acoustic signal. After the wheel has been turned to the balancing position following the measuring run, the easyfix data arm containing the balance weight is simply moved to the previously memorized position. The easyfix data arm locks into position when it reaches the correct point.
* An operator guidance screen on the color monitor guides the technician on the proper placement of the weight.
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* Electronic sensing arms measure wheel rim distance, width and diameter.
* Nine modes are available, including three alloy programs for concealed external adhesive weights on the inside of the rim and match mount.
* The unit handles rim diameters of 10 to 26 inches and rim widths of one inch to 20 inches.
* It has multi-user programs.
Bend-Pak Inc./Ranger Products DST-2500 Balancer, (805) 933-9970, www.bendpak.com
* The DST-2500 balancer with Digital-Sensor Technology has a quick, highly accurate sensor system that increases productivity.
* A direct-axis drive system is accurate to within hundredths of an ounce to ensure wheels are balanced vibration-free.
* The DST-2500 has dynamic, static and performance alloy capability combined with a six-second cycle time and automatic braking, gram/ounce selection with automatic round-off and millimeter/inch selection.
* It has a top-dead-center weight position indicator and split weight indicator for hiding weights.
* It offers manual start or automatic start when the hood is lowered, six different balancing modes and a self-calibration program.
* A high-volume top weight tray and ample side shelf storage gives you room to inventory a wide variety of wheel weights and tools.
* A precision-machined, hardened-steel 36 mm shaft comes standard with a quick-release hub nut to reduce set-up times. It is equipped with a side-positioning pedal to hold wheels at precisely 12-o'clock for proper weight placement.
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Hunter Engineering Co. TCX550 Automatic Swing-Arm Tire Changer, (314) 731-3020, www.hunter.com
* Designed for continuous heavy use, the TCX550 changes a large variety of tire/wheel combinations from steel wheels to low-profile and run-flats.
* A wheel-centered Bead Press System (BPS) aids in blocking and pressing stiff, low-profile tire beads into deep drop-center wheels and provides assistance in mounting and demounting stiff sidewall tires up to 28 inches in diameter.
* Tapered rollers assist in bead lubrication and bead lever placement to ease demounting. A bottom roller disc assists in reloosening tire beads and lifting the tire up the wheel barrel during demounting.
* An automatic swing-arm column saves time by eliminating repositioning. With the push of a single button, the swing arm locks the preset wheel diameter and width.
* Standard features include an enhanced clamping table to handle oversize wheels. The radiused table design allows easy bottom bead access while ensuring rigidity for large diameter wheels. Four self-centering clamps are actuated by heavy-duty pneumatic cylinders driving dual frame heavy-duty linkage. Chuck slides are nickel-plated for long life and rim protection.
* The TCX550 offers internal clamping for steel wheels as well as external clamping for alloy wheels. Nylon inserts protect alloy wheels.
* An adjustable clamping table with two work positions helps service narrow and super-wide wheels and adjusts for short or tall operators.
* The TCX550 has interchangeable, quick-connect mount/demount heads.
* A side-mounted bead loosener has a three-way adjustable shovel angle and enlarged wheel pad to ease service on a wide range of custom wheels.
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Hunter Engineering Co. TC3500 Tire Changer
* The floating three-point articulated mounting arm has no swing arm obstruction when servicing wide wheels and tires.
* A polymer mount/demount head prevents wheel damage.
* A force multiplier and a mechanical bead pusher help with mounting and demounting low-profile tires.
* A spring-loaded wheel centering support ensures the work surface remains at a consistent height regardless of rim width. It lifts the tire to the operator, helping to prevent back injuries. The quick disconnect center support is easily removable, allowing the option of adding a quick disconnect center shaft and other accessories for additional wheel clamping and operator capabilities.
* The tulip wheel clamping system allows the wheel to move in unison with the hydraulic roller forces without the risk of bending or damaging the rim.
* A standard wheel extension kit easily adjusts for internal or external clamping of wheels up to 26 inches. A 28-inch bead depressor "tail" aids in positioning low-profile tires down into the drop-center for mounting and demounting.
* The tilted ergonomic design offers ease of operation with unobstructed lower bead access for lubricating before tire removal. The complete operation, including bead loosening, can be performed from one position, saving time and physical energy.
* The side shovel bead loosener saves time by simplifying the steps required when servicing reverse drop-center wheels.
Kwik-Way Products Inc. 586 Tilt-Tower Tire Changer with Pro-R Kwik-Assist, (800) 553-5953, www.kwik-way.com
* This tire changer has a 28-inch wheel capacity without extensions and a 45-inch tire capacity.
* Its mount/demount head is made from non-flexible, micro-cast steel for long life and is adjustable for wheel radius and tire bead angles.
* It has a self-centering turntable with twin cylinders for high capacity clamping.
* It offers fast, accurate internal and external wheel mounting.
* Jaw-mounted air inflation features twin inflation ports for easy bead seating and rapid inflation through an air flow control valve. It also has a high capacity air inflation tank.
* All pedals in the modular pedal assembly are cast aluminum.
* The unit is PAX tire and wheel adaptable.
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Kwik-Way Products Inc. 576 Ultra-Ride System Electronic Wheel Balancer
* Model 576 Ultra-Ride has a sonar radial runout program that identifies radial runout and graphically displays the severity so the technician can determine what corrective measures to take.
* It has three-dimensional automatic data entry and four-operator data memory.
* A 17-inch LCD full-color display offers three-dimensional graphics.
* The balancer has a pneumatic lock and a low speed for safe, accurate reading.
* The five second cycle time offers maximum productivity.
* An LCD backlit monochrome display has adjustable brightness for easy viewing in any lighting condition.
* Visually guided balancing procedures are easy to follow.
* A plane separation system detects static, “coupled” and dynamic imbalance.
* Multi-ALU programming provides for a wide variety of wheel applications.
* The balancer has Kwik-Clamp mounting with a four-cone set and self-calibration and self-diagnosis programs.
* A match mounting programs offer precision balancing with minimal weights.
Launch Tech (USA) Inc. TWC-612SDB Tire Changer, (877) 528-6249
* The TWC-612SDB tire changer has a square turntable featuring a scale to determine the dimensions of the rim.
* A hexagonal column moves up and down automatically.
* Double supplementary arms make operating on rigid tires and run-flats easy.
* The tire changer offers quick inflation and has external clamping via crawl control.
* Rim clamping diameters are 12 to 26 inches (inner) and 10 to 24 inches (outer).
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McCourt Industries AM26 Artiglio Master Tire Changer,(800) 232-2190, www.mccourtindustries.com
* The Artiglio Master operation is based on a new product principle, the company says, offering electronic wheel diameter selection with automatic tool positioning, and a pneumatic wheel lifter for loading and unloading the wheel.
* The unit has push-button technology and handles 12- to 26-inch rim diameters.
* An automatic tool head eliminates the use of levers and protects against damage.
* It will not damage wheels or tires.
* It is PAX capable with a kit.
Snap-on Equipment's John Bean EHP System V Tire Changer, (877) 482-4866, www.snaponequipment.com
* The tire changer has an automatic tilt tower that handles a wide variety of custom wheel and tire combinations including low-profile tires, over-size wheels, run-flat tires and PAX systems.
* It has outside clamping to 26 inches standard, 30 inches with optional adapters.
* It handles rim widths of 16 inches.
* The standard air-operated pneumatic bead assist provides pneumatic power to ensure technicians can mount and demount low-profile and run-flat tires with ease.
* Dual clamping cylinders offer increased holding power, and the two-position bead breaker has an oversized blade.
* Protective nylon inserts provide protection for expensive wheels.
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Snap-on Equipment's John Bean BFH 1000 Tire Balancer with Balance Force Harmonics
* The John Bean BFH 1000 tire balancer has optical imaging to predict if tire and wheel harmonics will interact with suspension harmonics to create vehicle vibrations.
* Automatic power clamping allows the operator to simply place the cone on the shaft, lift the foot pedal and lower the hood, and the BFH 1000 does all the work.
* Three-dimensional data is obtained from optical cameras. The balancer recommends wheel/tire matching solutions and provides precise, laser-indicated weight placement (even strategically placing weights behind spokes for optimum appearance); an on-screen display of diagnostic data, including tire and rim run-out; and much more.
