Tire service equipment manufacturers have developed new products specifically geared for working with difficult tire/wheel combinations — and doing it with ease.
Here are products new to the market designed with your service technicians’ safety and productivity in mind.
Bosch TC 526 THP tire changer
The TC 526 THP, a high-end, manual tilt-tower tire changer, is designed to provide outside clamping from 10 inches up to 26 inches. Replacement plastic inserts protect the rim surface from metal contact and standard jaw protectors lock into place for added rim protection.
The heavy tower and cabinet also help prevent tire damage by eliminating tower flex. The 750-pound unit is six-foot high, and features a three-position bead breaker with telescoping adjustment; non-opposing adjustable jaws; and a dual-cylinder, pneumatic “mounting helper system” (which is not included with the Model TC 526 T tire changer).
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The non-opposing jaws have built-in inflation jets that help ensure correct positioning, according to the company. They combine with the unit’s Safety Restraint System to provide “maximum safety” when inflating tires.
Bosch says the high performance tire changer is “ideal for servicing tire pressure monitoring systems.” It also is “PAX capable” with the addition of the PAX accessory kit.
Robert Bosch LLC, (800) 551-2228, www.boschdiagnostics.com
Corghi Artiglio 500 tire changer
Corghi’s Artiglio 500 is the company’s newest automatic tire changer with second generation “leva la leva” (without lever) technology for cars, SUVs and commercial vehicle wheels up to 32 inches in diameter. Features include a dynamic bead breaking device with a dual bead breaker disc, a newly designed head group, more performing wheel support plate clamping, a reinforced structure, great attention to ergonomics and control availability.
The unit offers fast operating speeds without risks to the operator and the rims, even during the most critical phases, the company says. It is simple to use and offers “universality.”
Corghi USA Inc., (800) 260-0968, www.corghiusa.us
Coats 1250 Series tire balancers
The Coats 1250 Series tire balancers (the 1250-2D, 1250-3D and 1250-3DV) feature 1.5 hp direct drive motors and eight balancing modes. The units have laser-guided operation that eliminate error by pinpointing the exact Tape-A-Weight placement and behind-the-spoke weight placement locations. They also feature auto start hoods and five second (average) balancing cycles and have weight storage systems with the weight bins laid out logically so the weights are at your fingertips. Static on-screen display offers simultaneous display of static and dynamic data that identifies any excess residual static imbalance, Hennessy says.
Coats ProGuard Leverless tire changer
Coats has developed a fast, easy-to-use tire changer specifically engineered for oversized, run-flat and low profile applications. The Coats ProGuard Leverless tire changer reduces the risk of tire or rim damage associated with changing low profile and run-flat tires.
In addition to leverless operation, it has built-in features that take the strain out of tire changing. Lifting, prepping, bead loosening, mounting and demounting can all be done with easy-to-use controls from a single operator location, says Hennessy.
Hennessy Industries Inc., (800) 688-6496, www.ammcoats.com
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Hunter Engineering Auto34 tire changer
Hunter’s Auto34 tire changer easily services the toughest wheel combinations with effortless operation, the company says.
Features include leverless operation, automated functions and a high-torque motor to service wheels up to 34 inches safely and easily.
The Auto34’s patented tool head automatically slips between the rim and tire sidewall and lifts the bead over the rim edge without the use of bead levers, reducing tension and potential damage to beads. The motor exerts over 850 ft.-lbs. of torque to mount even the most stubborn beads. The variable-speed drive gives the technician the control to service a tire at the most efficient speed and prevent damage.
Demount/mount aids like the hydraulic bead-loosening roller system gently roll the tire off or on the rim under complete command of the operator. Only three switches and one foot pedal control virtually all tire changing operations, says Hunter, ensuring the same simple operation on all ties and wheels regardless of the size, design or fitment.
Hunter Road Force GSP9700 balancer
The Road Force GSP9700 tire balancer performs a simulated road test on the wheel assembly to diagnose and eliminate vibration and tire-related pull problems. Hunter’s “road roller” applies up to 1,250 pounds of pressure to find subtle changes in tire uniformity.
Road Force software then pinpoints the stiff or high area on a tire and the low spot on a rim to be matched together to cancel vibration. The roller also measures lateral forces in tires that cause pulls and drifts.
Using the measurements of all four tires, StraightTrak LFM software calculates a tire placement plan to produce the least amount of net lateral force, eliminating the problem.
Also, the unit’s SmartWeight balancing technology minimizes weight usage, maximizes productivity and reduces wheel weight costs 30% to 40%, saving time with more single-spin balances and providing a better overall balance.
Hunter also offers a built-in TPMS reset information database, weight placement lasers and an integrated wheel lift.
Hunter Engineering Corp., (314) 731-3020, www.hunter.com
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Quadriga ATC 1000 tire changer
The John Bean Quadriga ATC 1000 is designed for high-volume tire shops handling a wide variety of wheel types, according to Snap-on Inc.
Using a single paddle switch and foot pedals, the unit features automatic wheel lifting, hydraulic clamping and laser-guided bead breaking and tire demounting.
The premium tire changer requires less operator intervention and no “tool-to-wheel contact” to break beads or to mount and demount tires from the wheel. Its “intelligent wheel lift” automatically measures tire diameter and positions the turntable at the wheel’s center while it is being raised.
The hydraulically controlled clamp then applies optimal clamping force at the wheel center.
Finally, the patent-pending laser guidance system automatically identifies the wheel’s edge, and relies on computer-controlled, robotic bead removal tools to separate the tire from the wheel.
Snap-on Inc., (877) 482-4866, www.snaponequipment.com ■
