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Frequently Asked Questions
Once you've made sure the tire is the right size and the rim is OK, mount the tire safely. NEVER, ever put any part of your body over the tire when you're inflating it. If a tire does explode, it will go straight up. You don't want to be over the tire if that happens. Also, never inflate a tire beyond 40 psi to seat the bead. If the tire hasn't seated at 40 psi, something's wrong. Deflate the tire and check it and the rim again.
Take a look at the following situations and how you should handle them:
 Problem: Damaged bead or beads
Cause: Improper mounting, defective tire, shipping damage or accidental
damage during removal of protective wrapper.
Solution: Mark tire as damaged and set it aside. Mount a new, undamaged tire.
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 Problem: Rusty wheel (particularly in the bead seat area)
Cause: Excessive moisture during operation, normal aging.
Solution: Thoroughly wire brush or sandblast all surfaces and apply a
protective finish. If deep pitting is present, discard wheel and replace.
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 Problem: Bent or cracked wheels
Cause: Vehicle collision damage, curb damage, improper dismounting or
extreme age.
Solution: Discard bent or cracked wheel and replace. Do not attempt repair.
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 Problem: Mismatch: 16 inch tire on a 16.5 inch rim.
Cause: A 16 inch tire will go onto a 16.5 inch rim, but the beads will not seat
during the inflation process. If you keep trying to air up the tire, it will explode.
Solution: Read the new tire size and read the size stamped on the wheel. The tire size and the wheel size must always match. Have another operator or your shop manager check if you're not sure. Make sure everybody knows to watch out for this problem.
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 Problem: Mismatch: 16.5 inch tire on a 16 inch rim.
Cause: A 16.5 inch tire will go onto the 16 inch rim, but the beads won't seat at all, or they will seat too high during the inflation process. If you don't see this, the tire will explode.
Solution: Read the new tire size and read the size stamped on the wheel. The tire size and the wheel size must always match. Have another operator or your shop manager check if you're not sure. Make sure everybody knows to watch out for this problem.
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 Problem: Customer brings in tire and wants it mounted on his bare rim.
Cause: Do-it-yourself car projects. Customer is unaware of tire/wheel
condition or tire sizes.
Solution: Mount only after a thorough inspection. Always read the tire size
and the wheel size. Also inspect the condition of the tire and wheel. When in doubt, do not mount.
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 Problem: Back injuries.
Cause: Improper lifting technique, using the back instead of leg power.
Solution: Lift with your legs from a squatting position instead of bending over.
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 Problem: Hand or finger injuries.
Cause: Operator unaware of hand position, distractions.
Solution: Keep hands out of bead area. Once bead seal is established, move
your entire body back from tire before continuing inflation. Avoid being distracted.
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 Problem: Putting any part of your body over the tire changer during inflation.
Cause: Improper technique, or investigating a bead that will not seat.
Solution: Never place head over the machine. If bead will not seat, deflate and inspect again.
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 Problem: Beads will not seat at 40 PSI.
Cause: Rusty rim, lack of tire lubricant, old brittle tire, or wrong size tire.
Solution: Deflate and remove tire from wheel. Reinspect wheel and tire for proper size or other damage.
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 Problem: Over inflation or improper inflation.
Cause: Operator attempting to get stuck beads to seat, or inflating tire from
an unregulated shop air hose pig tail.
Solution: If beads do not seat with 40 psi, remove and inspect the tire & wheel. Never use unregulated pig tail for inflation, use a clip- on air chuck that allows
you to stand clear of an inflating tire.
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