AG Tire BEST Mounting Practices

AG TIRE TALK KEY TAKEAWAYS

MAXAM: “Improper mounting is one of the most common causes of bead damage and subsequent incorrect tire seating which can lead to…tires developing sidewall cracking or bead failures with subsequent overheating leading to premature tire casing failure.”

BKT: “There are many types of lubricants on the market for use on tire beads when mounting and dismounting. Do not use silicone, petroleum, antifreeze, or solvent-based lubricants. These can damage the rubber on the tire.”

YOKOHAMA TWS: “Tire fitting and removal procedures can be dangerous and should only be performed by trained and qualified staff, using the appropriate tools and procedures. Failure to comply with these procedures may result in the tire being incorrectly seated on the rim and could cause a rapid deflation, potentially leading to serious physical injury or death.”

ASCENSO: “One thing I see on a regular basis that concerns me is how tires are handled- technicians often use bead hooks to lift and position tires, and sometimes even tow truck hooks to pull tires off wheels. It’s much better to cradle the tire with a sling or use equipment that’s designed to lift it properly.”

 

BKT USA, Inc.
Dave Paulk:  Manager Field Technical Services

When it comes to mounting an agricultural tire, there are two options: choose a mounting machine in a shop or use manual pry bars. The first option can be easier and less challenging, but both methods require high precision and knowledge to minimize the risk of damaging the tire, especially the bead.

In fact, if the bead is kinked or broken, the tire is unusable. Also, if the bead rubber is torn, a tire may not seat properly on the wheel, thus resulting in leaking around the bead. This can be a cause of sidewall separation, with air getting under the tire’s inner liner.

Shop-mounted machines are easy to use once a person is familiar with the controls. They take much of the heavy lifting out of the equation. These machines make breaking the bead easy and dismounting the tire simple, as the tire is lifted into a position that is easy to work on. Although these machines are easy to operate, care must be taken when mounting or dismounting tires to ensure the beads aren’t broken or kinked during operation. Tires with heavy beads, such as sprayer tires, require extreme care. The last 8-12” of the tire bead may need the help of a flat bar to get the bead over the rim. The beads can get into a bind if one is not careful. Using a clamp to hold the bead in place when mounting provides a good starting point. Especially for wide/stiff beads, it is very important to let the bead inside the rim well to ease the fitment and to reduce the risk of abnormal stress over the bead area. A good lubricant must be used on the beads and the flange area of the rim to ensure the tire bead goes over the flange lip easily. This prevents the rubber in the bead from tearing.

Tire bars are most often used to dismount and remount agricultural tires because they are less expensive than in-shop mounting machines. Also, they can be used in the shop and in the field. Usually, tire bars and manual procedures are used in the field in case of need, where shop-mounted machines cannot be used.

Boom trucks and mini booms help with the heavy lifting. The booms can be used to break the bead from the rim, or a hammer must be used. Hydraulic bead breakers are also recommended for breaking the bead. Radial tires are generally much easier to work with because the beads and sidewalls are more flexible than those on bias tires. If bias tires have tubes, they can be difficult to break. Once the bead is broken from the rim, start with a bar to lift the bead over the rim flange. Using a specific lubricant on the tire bead makes this job much easier. Use a second bar to take smaller bites to continue getting the bead over the rim flange. When remounting a tire, lubricate the bead and the rim well to make it easier to get it over the rim flange. Use bars to get the tire back on the wheel. A C-bar is useful with radial tires on a single-drop wheel. Sometimes there isn’t much room to work, and the C-bar gives a little more room to work. Tire irons can be used to dismount and remount the tire. Spoon bars are helpful when the bead is tight, and care is needed to make sure the bead isn’t damaged.

To ensure this process is done safely and properly, there are some training courses available from multiple sources: TIA offers a training course several times a year for different tire categories; the US Tire Manufacturers Association provides a step-by-step guide with illustrations for mounting and dismounting ag tires; and other sources are also available. Similarly, companies like Tip-Top or Schrader can offer professional training in Europe.

There are many types of lubricants on the market for use on tire beads when mounting and dismounting. The lubricant helps the bead slip over the rim flange more easily and makes mounting and dismounting the tire much easier. If this is attempted with a dry bead, there is a high risk of tearing the bead rubber, especially on old tires where the rubber has become brittle. There are many brands on the market.  Do not use silicone, petroleum, antifreeze, or solvent-based lubricants. These can damage the rubber on the tire. They also don’t evaporate well and can cause tires to spin on the wheel when put under heavy torque.

Using the proper tools and lubricants for mounting and dismounting agricultural tires can reduce many issues. Patience and careful handling make a significant difference.

 

Yokohama TWS
YTWS AG Group: Mike Giordano, Norberto Herbener, Chris Neidert

Tire fitting and removal procedures can be dangerous and should only be performed by trained and qualified staff, using the appropriate tools and procedures. Failure to comply with these procedures may result in the tire being incorrectly seated on the rim and could cause a rapid deflation, potentially leading to serious physical injury or death. Always wear personal protection equipment such as gloves, footwear, eye protection, hearing protection and head gear, when servicing tire and wheels.

Fitting

1. Make sure that the rim, the tire and the tube are compatible.
2. Check that the tire is suitable for the machine. The seat diameter of the rim must be exactly the same as the seat diameter of the tire to be mounted. Use only rims recommended or permitted by the tire manufacturer (see characteristics in the Manufacturer’s data book).
3. Always use the proper specialized equipment and tools, in good condition, not sharp and suitable for the tires and rims.
4. The rim must be clean and in perfect condition. If necessary, clean the rim thoroughly with a wire brush. Never fit a tire onto a rim that shows cracks, significant distortion or evidence of welded repair.
5. Thoroughly inspect the inside as well as the outside of the tire to identify any deterioration or damage which may be present. If the damage or deterioration is considered not repairable, the tire should be appropriately disposed of.
6. For TUBE TYPE tire: always use the correct new tube (and flap if required) for the tire size (see characteristics in the Manufacturer’s data book).
   For TUBELESS tire: always use a new tubeless valve correctly tightened on tubeless rims.
7. Before fitting the tire, apply lubricant to the rim and the beads. See diagram below. Use only a suitable lubricant that will not damage the tire and is suitable for operation. We always say, if you think you put enough lubricant on, put more. For TUBE TYPE tire: always use the correct new tube (and flap if required) for the tire size (see characteristics in the Manufacturer’s data book). For TUBELESS tire: always use a new tubeless valve correctly tightened on tubeless rims. NOTE: never use silicone or petroleum-based products.

8. We recommend vertical fitting. In case of manual horizontal fitting, pay attention to check if the lower bead is correctly seated.
9. Position the valve or valve hole at the bottom, fitting the tire on the rim diametrically opposite to the valve hole.
10. Pay attention to, if present, the rotation direction indicated by the arrows.
11. If there is the low spot marking on the sidewall of the tire, position the tire so that the symbol is as close as possible to the high spot marking on the rim if present. This will optimize the matching between tire and rim.
12. With the help of a suitable lever and with closely repeated applications, get the first bead over the rim flange. Position the slightly inflated tube inside the tire, then locate and secure the valve, tightening the nut moderately (when mounting with an inner tube). Fit the second bead, lever it progressively over the rim flange.
13. Center the tire on the rim and slowly inflate to ensure correct seating of the beads. Ensure that the beads do not pinch the tube.
14. During the tire inflation keep a safe distance and always use a safety cage. If possible, anchor it to the wall and/or the floor, or with retaining chains. If no cage is available, the fitter must ensure that no part of his body is in the possible trajectory of the valve mechanism or the caps during inflation. (See the shaded area shown in figures 1,2,3). It is recommended to use suitable pressure limitation gauges. Use a filter and dehumidifier on the compressed air line to avoid introducing humidity or dirt.

15. Inflate the tire until the beads are seated properly on the rim. Do not exceed the maximum mounting pressure indicated on the sidewall tire pictogram (36 psi – 51 psi −72 psi). Different manufacturer’s use different ways to express the mounting pressure. See below examples. 350 Kpa (kilopascals) equates to 50 psi. 2.5 Bar equates to 36 psi.

 

16. If the beads are not correctly seated, deflate, reapply the lubricant and inflate again. Repeat this process until the beads are correctly seated.
17. When all the previous steps have been correctly followed, refit the valve core. Set the pressure according to appropriate shipment pressure values or service pressure (see tables in technical databook) before removal from the safety device.
18. Make sure the valves do not touch the rims, the brake drums or other fixed mechanical parts. Removal never try to unseat the beads of an inflated tire. Never use tools that could damage the rims or the beads of the tire.

1. Deflate the tire. After deflating, remove the wheel nut and push the valve through the valve hole (for tube type tires).
2. When the tire is completely deflated, place an hydraulic “bead unseating” tool between the tire bead and rim flange and force the bead off the bead seat.
3. Carefully lubricate the tire bead and the rim flange area with an appropriate fitting lubricant. Push the outside bead at the bottom of the wheel into the well. Do not use excessive force. Insert tire lever under the bead at the top of the wheel and carefully pry the bead over the rim flange.

4. Hold that bead section over the flange with a tire lever and use another one to pry the next section over the flange until the complete unseating of the bead.
5. To remove the tire completely from the rim, insert the tire lever under the inside bead. Carefully pry the rest of the inside bead over the rim flange, ensuring that the bead area at the top of the tire is down in the well of the rim.

Use the above “best practices” when mounting your customers ag tires.

 

Maxam Tire International
Greg W. Gilland:  Vice President Global Agriculture

How an agricultural tire is mounted will directly impact how long the tire remains in service. Improper mounting regardless of the method chosen to service the tire is one of the most common causes of bead damage and subsequent incorrect tire seating which can lead to poor air pressure management resulting in the tires developing sidewall cracking or bead failures with subsequent overheating leading to premature tire casing failure. How you mount an agricultural tire is as important as which tire you choose for your agricultural platform. The below MAXAM recommended best practices guide walks through various mounting methods to include the advantages and disadvantages for each type, and specific best practices to ensure safe operations that will protect the tire mounter, the operator of the machinery, and ultimately the tire.  As a general guide, this is not meant to be used as detailed mounting instructions and a mounting standard operating procedure based on established guidelines, such as TIA, should be implemented and followed by the tire mounter.

Does the Mounting Method Actually Matter to an Ag Tire?

The mounting method and technique directly affect bead integrity, casing life, and inflation seal quality. Bead wire damage from excessive force, and bead seat contamination from improper lubrication are often the most common forms of damage resulting in air leakage from the inner chamber of the tire into the sidewall leading to sidewall bubbles and potential casing failures.

Bending or kinking the bead area and bead wire during the mounting process can create a structural weakness that can lead to premature failure when the tire is inflated to operate at the required inflation load. External pollutants like mud, loose dirt, wheel metal rust, or old lubricant residue not cleaned of the rim components can negatively impact how the bead seats against the wheel or rim flange preventing a proper seal resulting in chronic air loss and/or bead slippage when the tire is operating under both load and speed. The impact is that same for all type of Ag tires from Bias to Radial to the new technology VF rated tires.

Automated In-Shop Mounting Machine vs Manual Mounting (Traditional)

Farmers and Growers can shop or choose between two mounting methods:

• Automated Off Site or “In-shop” tire mounting machine with mechanical assist usually by a servicing dealer with site inflation systems.
• The traditional field service manual mounting using pry bar with field air pressure portable or vehicle air pump.
• The above options will be dictated by the availability of fixed, mobile, or site service capabilities.

Advantages to an Automated or On-Site Tire Mounting Equipment:

• Speed of Mounting: Very useful for larger diameter tires and for larger fleet operations.
• Reduced Physical Strain: Reduces service operator upper body effort of needing to manually pry the tires bead and sidewalls of the tires.
• Regulated or Even Mounting Force: An automated or machine-controlled bead breaker and mount head tool can apply consistent as well as more graduated force to seat the beads than manual effort.
• Shop Inflation Control: Shop operated or fixed site inflation systems tend to be better regulated and maintained providing consistent air pressure management during tire inflation and limits manual over or under-inflation risk.
• Lifting or Crane Operated Tools: Most tire shops have the necessary lifting equipment to place the tires on the mounting machinery to include larger swing arm capability required for either wider or larger diameter tires.

Disadvantages to an Automated or On-Site Tire Mounting Equipment:

• Greater Cost of Operation: Agricultural-capacity machines are a large investment and unless used regularly can be an expensive tool for limited-service needs.
• Tires Size Limitations: Some tire shop mounting machinery may not be able to be augmented to handle the larger and growing larger tractor, harvester, grain cart, or sprayer sizes entering the market.
• Mounting Issues or Service Risk: A poor service operator running the wrong-capacity machine to mount a larger tire can potentially damage a tire bead faster than a skilled technician using manual tools and seasoned service experience.

Advantages of Manual Mounting Using Pry Bars:

• Lower Service and Maintenance Costs: No heavy mounting equipment required beyond a a clean set of tire irons, lifting equipment when needed, and required bead lubricant.
• Flexibility and Portability: Manual tools and seasoned service experience works anywhere allowing field service in remote operations, during field breakdowns, and reduces any shop access limitations.
• Field Service Experience: An experienced service technician through repeated service calls can feel the bead position and sidewall resistance directly, often catching a problem before it can result in permanent bead area or sidewall damage during the mounting process.
• Ability to Service Any Size: Manual or field mounting allows the servicing  of any ag tire size, including some sizes that exceed what fixed shop machines cannot handle with the appropriate lift systems.

Disadvantages of Manual Mounting Using Pry Bars:

• Permanent Bead Damage: Incorrect placement or excessive lever force manually can bend the bead area and the inner wire resulting in the most common mounting-related damage for ag tires.
• Service Technician Physical Demands: Ag tires especially larger tires can take real physical effort to achieve correct mounting by hand with fatigue leading to potential error rates when mounting more than one tire in during a given service call.
• Experience and Skills: Sustainable and repeatable good tire mounting can depend heavily on training and experience, therefore, an inexperienced technician using pry bars can do more permanent damage to the tires if using poor techniques.

Recommendations For Safe On-Site Machine Tire Mounting

Even with machine assisted tire mounting, the technique and step followed can determine the best outcome. Below are recommended steps to ensure a safe and damage‑free tire mounting experience:

• Confirm Equipment Rating: Verify that the tire mounter swing arm, bead breaker, and tire mount head are rated for the selected tire diameter and rim seat to be mounted.
• Clean and Inspect the Rim (All Rim Components):  Any debris like Dirt, mud, old lubricant residue, and rust on the bead seat and flanges can cause chronic air loss regardless of how well the tire is mounted afterward by using a wire brush, solvent clean while looking for as well as checking for flange damage before starting the mounting process.
• Use Approved “Non-Oil” Based Mounting Lubricants: Apply a tire mounting lubricant approved for tires that do not degrade rubber on to both the beads and both rim flanges.
• Match the Mount Head to the type of Tire Casing Construction: Higher flexibility sidewall tires like VF and IF require different mounting pressure than standard casing radial or bias ply tires.
• Automated Mounting Machine General Steps: The wheel is rolled onto an automated lift, which raises and centers the rim on a hydraulic chuck. The machine clamps the rim and securely locks it into place, centering it for the mounting tool application. Always follow the machine manufacturer instructions and guidelines for safe operation.
• Use the Wheel or Rim Flange not the Tire Bead: When applying pressure to the bead area use the rim as the lever to push the bead over the flange lip and minimize putting all the pressure on the on the bead itself as the inner bead wire wrapped in the rubber seat is just inside the tire bead heel.
• Never Apply Any Heat to the Rubber or Metal Rim Components: Any heat applied compromises the rubber compound and weakens the bead are or the bead wire bonds. If a tire is fighting you, re‑lubricate the beads and flanges while checking your tool placement before applying more force.
• Confirm Bead Seating Once Inflated: Inspect and Verify that both beads on each side of the mounted tires are sitting evenly and symmetrically around the full circumference before inflating or adjusting the tire up or down to it’s required operating pressure.

Recommendations For Safe Manual Tire Mounting Using Pry Bars:

Manual tire mounting requires precision, time, and the right tools. Below are recommend steps to ensure tires are both mounted safely and effectively:

• Select and Use Properly Sized Tire Irons for Agricultural Tires: Using the wrong size tool like more common automotive pry bars are too short and too narrow to ensure the needed leverage for large the larger bead profiles of agricultural tires and well result in excessive point pressure exactly where you cannot afford it that will either damage the tire or potentially injure the mounter.
• Clean and Inspect the Rim (All Rim Components):  Any debris like Dirt, mud, old lubricant residue, and rust on the bead seat and flanges can cause chronic air loss regardless of how well the tire is mounted afterward by using a wire brush, solvent clean while looking for as well as checking for flange damage before starting the mounting process.
• Use Approved “Non-Oil” Based Mounting Lubricants: Apply a tire mounting lubricant approved for tires that do not degrade rubber on to both the beads and both rim flanges.
• Use the Wheel or Rim Flange not the Tire Bead: When applying pressure to the bead area use the rim as the lever to push the bead over the flange lip and minimize putting all the pressure on the on the bead itself.
• Work in Small Increments: Mounting an Ag tire is not always a fast exercise, work in small increments and measure your progress by checking the bead seating around the circumference of the rim or wheel outer flanges. Poor sitting is the leading cause of a tire’s early removal or potential failure.
• Never Apply Any Heat to the Rubber or Metal Rim Components: Any heat applied compromises the rubber compound and weakens the bead are or the bead wire bonds. If a tire is fighting you, re‑lubricate the beads and flanges while checking your tool placement before applying more force.

Key Tire Inflation Reminders:

• Do Not Exceed Air Pressure Seating Limit. Inflate only to the pressure required to seat the bead, generally in the 25 to 35 PSI range depending on the tire and manufacturer. Then verify that the tire is properly seated before adjusting the tire up or down to its required operating pressure for a give axle load and required speed.
• Always Inflate the Tire Safely: Never inflate a tire with the drop center zone, or wheel rim components (whether vertically standing on its tread or laying on its wheel) where the mounter is in the path or in the range of the rim components trajectory in case of sudden deflation or release of the metal parts.

Selecting the Best Mounting Method:

• On-Site Tire Mounting Equipment:  Generally used by larger operations such as OEM tire mounters that conduct high-volume repeated daily mounting orders allowing smaller and mid-range tire sizes to be mounted more efficiently within the mounting machine’s capacity thus limiting physical fatigue when confronted with multiple orders and reducing the risk of poor technique.
• Manual Mounting: Generally speaking, what most farmers or servicing tire dealers tend to prefer where the field work or site work has no access to tire mounting machine type services and tend to be scheduled on an as needed basis. As tires sizes continue to grow in diameter the need to manually mount larger tire sizes is outpacing automated machine’s size capacity limitations unless the equipment is redesigned to adjust to larger tires. In general, a seasoned and well-trained servicing dealer tire mounter can manually mount most Ag tires using the right tools with right techniques.
• Either mounting method can fail or have problems if the above fundamentals related to rim inspection, cleaning, correct lubrication, bead seating, and proper inflation are not diligently reviewed or followed. If you skip any of these, cut corners you can end up with the same result: a damaged bead or a failed tire air pressure seal resulting in a permanently damage tire that must be removed from service.

In summary the mounting method matters less than mounting technique, a skilled technician with pry bars and the right lubricant can cause less damage than an untrained operator running an automated tire mounting machine. If you have any mounting or service concerns reach out to your authorized MAXAM dealer on tire mounting guidance on any tire but specifically on next generation IF, VF, or large-diameter radial tires in our product offer. As always getting the right technique and using the right tools to mount the tire will ensure your tire can meet the job’s needs.

 

Ascenso Tires North America
Robert Bender: Product Manager & Tech Support—Off-Highway Tires

This is a great topic and really falls within my wheelhouse. Spending over twenty years in the retail tire industry I have mounted and serviced thousands of tires during that time. Everything from passenger cars and pickups to farm equipment, construction equipment and earth-mover tires. I’ve used tire bars for most of my career, but I’ve also spent time using tire machines (for passenger and light truck tires machines standard practice, but I’m talking specifically about ag and OTR here).

If I’m working in a shop that’s set up with a good tire machine, I’m probably using the machine. However, I still think every tire technician should learn how to properly mount and dismount a tire with bars. There are going to be times when you’re out in the field; the machine isn’t available, or something breaks. If you don’t know the basics of tire bars, you’re going to have a long day.

Before getting into mounting methods though, I think we need to talk about something that’s even more important—safety.

With social media being what it is today, there are videos everywhere of people changing tires.  Some are great teaching tools. Others make experienced technicians cringe.  The problem is it’s not always easy for a newer tech to tell the difference – and bad habits picked up early are hard to break.  I’ve learned a few things the hard way over the years, and that experience taught me something that should be true for every technician: your number one job, above everything else, is to go home safe.

That starts with the basics.

• Wear your PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)
• Inspect the service area, (is it a safe spot to perform the task at hand)
• Lock out/Tag out Equipment and service area (includes wheel chocks)
• A hydraulic jack is for lifting only, not for supporting the load while you’re working on it
• Crib/support equipment properly
• During service of dual wheels deflate both (even if one is to be serviced)
• Handle the tires the best way (lifting straps, chain sling, tire manipulator)
• Use proper inflation devices to stay out of the tire trajectory.

It sounds simple, but it’s amazing how often these basics get overlooked.

“It frustrates me to hear ‘we can’t afford that’ when it comes to composite cribbing, rated jack stands, and tire handling tools. The cost is real — but so is the risk. Skipping this equipment puts a price on safety, and our technicians are worth a lot more than the equipment.

I’d also highly encourage every dealer to invest in training. There are great programs out there through the Tire Industry Association covering farm, earthmover, truck and even passenger tire service. Our industry has always relied on the tribal knowledge of older technicians teaching the next generation, and there’s a lot of good knowledge that gets passed along. But not everything we’ve always done is necessarily the best way to do it.

People see someone who’s been changing tires for years and think, “That doesn’t look too hard.” Then they grab a couple of tire bars and find out pretty quickly there’s a lot more to it than they thought. It’s a lot of technique. Once you understand how to work the bead into the drop center and let the tire work with you instead of against you, the job gets a whole lot easier.

Most of my career was spent using tire bars, so they’re still my preferred method simply because that’s what I’m comfortable with. I also used my mini-boom as a third hand more times than I can count. Having a mini-boom or tire manipulator is a huge help when you’re handling large ag tires or earthmover tires. The important part is using it the right way.

One thing I see on a regular basis that concerns me is how tires are handled. Technicians using bead hooks to lift and position tires, and sometimes even tow truck hooks to pull tires off wheels.  I understand why they do it. I’ve done it too. But after learning more about tire construction over the years, it’s not something I’d recommend anymore.  Bead hooks should be reserved for scrap tires only, ones that are being removed from service.

Think about it this way.  Some of the largest ag tires can weigh up to 800lbs or more and when you hang one from a bead hook, all that weight is hanging on one small section of the bead bundle. Is it going to damage every tire? Probably not. But why take the chance? It’s much better to cradle the tire with a sling or use equipment that’s designed to lift it properly.

The same thing goes for using the boom to force a tire onto the rim, it’s easy to roll the bead damaging the bead bundle or damage a sidewall from pushing the tire on, the same with pulling a tire off the rim with a bead hook, increases risk of tire damage.

Then we’re right back to safety again.

If you’re using the boom to pull or push on a tire while the equipment is sitting on only a jack, you’re putting side loads on the equipment that the jack was never designed for. I’ve had equipment shift before, and it scared the heck out of me. Fortunately, nobody got hurt, but it sure got my attention.  And I learned quickly the importance of properly using jackstands/cribbing every time, no matter what I was working on or how simple the job was.

Shortly before I left the dealership, we installed a large tire machine that would handle just about every ag tire we worked on, and honestly it was one of the best investments we made. Besides making the job easier, it saved a lot of wear and tear on the technicians. After wrestling tractor tires for years, your shoulders and your back know it. Tire machines make life easier. That’s just a fact.

They also make the job more consistent. Less fighting the tire usually means less chance of damaging a bead, scratching a wheel or damaging something because you got in a hurry.

Another advantage with a tire machine is bringing difficult assemblies back to the shop instead of spending half a day fighting them in the field. Especially if you’ve got a newer technician or the weather isn’t cooperating, sometimes that’s just the smarter option.

Personally, I’m a fan of Fuller Brothers products. Tire Cream, Lubezit, White Lightning, and TireLife are all products that I used extensively.

The reason is simple. These products (Tire Cream, Lube-Zite and White Lightening) do a great job lubricating the tire and rim while you’re dismounting and mounting the tire, but then they evaporate. That’s important to reduce the risk of the tire indexing on the rim under high torque applications but still gives you enough lubrication to ensure the beads seat properly.  There are plenty of other lube products that work too. I’m not saying they’re bad. I’ve just seen several situations where they never really dried out. I’ve gone back months later, and the bead and rim still had that slick film on them.  Combine Fuller Brothers lubricant with Tire Life casing conditioner to help reduce rust, improve air retention, and make future tire service easier.

Just as important as to what lubricant you use is where you put the lube; it needs to be applied to both the tire bead and rim. Always clean and inspect the wheel first. Lubricate the bead seats and don’t forget the steps/transition of the drop center. If those areas aren’t cleaned and lubricated properly, the bead may not fully seat where it belongs. If the bead gets hung up in the drop center and someone keeps adding air trying to get it to seat, there’s a real risk of a catastrophic failure when that bead finally snaps into place.

When it really comes down to it, I don’t think there’s a right or wrong answer when it comes to tire bars versus tire machines. A good technician can use either one, it really depends on what works best in the situation or for the technician.

What separates a good technician from a great one isn’t the equipment. It’s understanding the proper technique, taking your time, respecting the tire and wheel/rim components, and not taking shortcuts just to save a few minutes.

If there’s one piece of advice that I could give a new or even seasoned technician, it’s this: just because you see someone do something on YouTube, Facebook, or TikTok doesn’t make it the right way.  Keep learning. Ask questions and take advantage of training when it’s available.

At the end of the day, the tire can always be replaced. You can’t.

 

All information is provided in this blog solely to provoke thought. All deductions made from information on this site must be confirmed by Certified Ag Tire / Track Dealer & Tire/Track Manufacturer before use. Ag Tire/Track Talk does not recommend anyone conduct tire service work with exception of Certified Ag Tire/Track Dealer Professionals.