A Guide To Using A Wheel Clamp Tire Changer
Many of our customers who purchase an Atlas® Tire Changer are not familiar with many of the features that a wheel clamp tire changer has to offer. After you assemble your Atlas® wheel clamp tire changer, please take the time to completely read the manual that comes with each tire changer.
Remember; practice makes perfect. Practice on a standard tire/wheel assembly. (15"/16" tire mounted on a steel rim is an excellent choice) You do not want to "learn" about your new tire changer by mounting the most expensive tire/rim combination in your shop. Your Atlas® tire changer is very powerful, and can cause rim or tire damage if not operated properly. The more times you use your Atlas® wheel clamp tire changers, the better skills you will acquire and your confidence will increase with each new wheel.
NOTE: Changing a tire is not an extremely complex process, but if done incorrectly it can cause damage to your tire, rim, and/or machine….or cause personal injury.
DISCLAIMER: At Greg Smith Equipment Sales, we understand that reading a "how to" guide is not the same as reviewing pictures of the process. We have assembled this step by step pictorial guide to illustrate common procedures associated with changing tires on a wheel clamp tire changer. It is important to note, this guide’s ONLY purpose is to illustrate certain functions of the tire changer. Many wheel and tire combinations require special mounting and demounting techniques that are not illustrated in this pictorial guide. If you are unsure about the correct procedure for changing any wheel/tire combination, please obtain detailed instructions from the manufacturers of the wheel or tire. Our pictorial guide is for general information only and is not to be considered an instruction manual for tire service.
We have divided the pictorial guide into three major parts – Breaking the Bead, Demounting the Tire, and Mounting the Tire.
Breaking The Bead:
STEP 1: Removing The Valve Core
Before breaking the bead, make sure you remove the valve core to completely deflate the tire.
Valve core remover.
Valve core removed from the valve stem. Once air is completely out of the tire, then you can start the bead breaking process.
STEP 2: Breaking Down The Bead
Bead breaking blade (shovel).
Place the blade between the lip of the rim and the tire. Make sure the bead breaker is NOT contacting the rim. Depress the bead breaker pedal. Repeat process to break the bead on the back side of the tire.
Shown after the bead has been broken down off of the rim.
Demounting A Tire:
STEP 1: Clamp The Tire To The Table
Jaws in outer clamping position. For more information on the outer clamping position.
Jaws in inner clamping position. For more information on the inner clamping position.
For this guide, the outer clamping method is being used.
STEP 2: Position The Mount/Demount Head
Mount/demount head up.
Carefully position the mount/demount head against the rim. Lock into position.
Positioning screw is adjusted to secure correct swing arm position.
STEP 3: Pulling The Top Bead Over The Mount/Demount Head
Place the mount/demount head against the rim. Plastic inserts under metal head prevent wheel damage.
Place the tire tool between the tire and mount/demount head.
*DO NOT PUT THE TIRE TOOL ON THE RIM*
Exert pressure to the top of the tire tool to pull the bead over the mount/demount head. Then depress the table rotation foot pedal rotating the turntable clockwise. The tire tool does not touch the rim, it rests on the mount/demount head.
STEP 4: Raising The Tire
When using a tire changer with an assist arm, place the lifting disc underneath the tire, lift it until the bottom bead hits the lip of the rim. Assist arm is needed for stiff sidewall and low profile tires.
When the tire is in lifted position, manually lift the right side of the tire until the bottom bead hits the lip of the rim.
If using a tire changer without an assist arm, manually lift the lower tire bead to the mount/demount head.
STEP 5: Pulling The Bottom Bead Over This Mount/Demount Head
When the tire is in lifted position, place the tire tool in between the mount/demount head and tire bead. The tire tool does not touch the rim, it rests on the mount/demount head.
Once the tire tool is in position, depress the table rotation foot pedal turning the table clockwise to demount the tire. The tire tool does not touch the rim, it rests on the mount/demount head.
Mounting A Tire:
STEP 1: Applying The Tire Lube
Lube bucket. Tire lube helps to prevent bead damage, and also helps seal the bead to the rim.
Lube the tire on both sides and all the way around liberally before mounting any tire.
STEP 2: Positioning The Tire To Mount
When mounting the tire on the rim as shown, always rotate the table clockwise.
Move the tire so that the bead passes below the front section of the mounting head and is brought up against the edge of the rear section of the mounting head. Keep the tire bead pressed down into the wheel rim channel with your hands.
The mount/demount head will force the bead of the tire under the lip of the rim.
Once the bead of the tire is under the mount/demount head, place the assist arm on the tire as shown to keep the tire bead pressed down into the wheel rim channel. If your machine is not equipped with an assist arm, use your hands to exert pressure.
(Be careful!)
STEP 3: Seating The Bead/Inflating The Tire *Does not apply to Atlas® TC221.
Attach the inflation hose to the valve stem without the valve core installed. Ensure that the rim is still clamped to the table.
Press all the way down on the air inflation pedal to initiate the bead blaster, while pulling up on the tire, to hold the top and bottom bead in place. Jaws should be in position and rim should still be clamped. Air flows through the hose when the inflation pedal is slightly depressed and keeps air flowing after the bead is seated.
Once the tire is inflated, remove the pressure hose and unclamp the rim. Inflate the tire only to the recommended air pressure.