09/23/2025
Hey everyone! I got a tire machine I want to teach you about, and if you have any tires that need to be fixed, call me!
A tire machine, or tire changer, mechanically removes and installs tires on car rims by separating the tire's "bead" from the wheel rim, then using a "duck-head" tool and turntable to dismount the old tire and mount a new one. The process involves deflating the tire, breaking the bead to free it from the rim, clamping the wheel to the machine, using specialized tools to carefully remove the old tire, and then lubricating and mounting the new tire onto the rim.
The process for removing and installing a tire with a tire machine:
Prepare the wheel assembly: The wheel and tire assembly are removed from the vehicle and placed on the tire machine's turntable.
Deflate the tire: The valve stem is removed to release all air from the tire.
Break the bead: The bead breaker arm on the machine is used to push the tire's edge away from the rim, breaking the seal.
Secure the wheel: The wheel clamps on the turntable are activated to securely hold the rim in place.
Mount the new tire: Lubricant is applied to the new tire's beads, and the "duck-head" tool is used to guide the new tire onto the rim as the turntable rotates.
Inflate the tire: The new tire is inflated, often with a tool that seats the bead properly.
Re-install on the vehicle: The newly mounted and inflated tire is then balanced, and the wheel is reinstalled on the vehicle.
Key Components of a Tire Changer:
Turntable: The platform that rotates the wheel and tire assembly.
Bead Breaker: A tool that separates the tire's bead from the rim.
Duck-Head Tool: A lever or arm that helps the technician carefully pry the old tire off the rim and guide the new one onto it.
Wheel Clamps: Jaws that secure the wheel to the turntable.
Pedals: Control the clamps, bead breaker, and turntable rotation.
