Dual Tire Changer

Dual Tire Changer TIRES/WHEELS Handling 8-4-6 "It allows one person to move a dual tractor tire safely, turn it exactly for mounting and tighten it securely," says Darrell Toutge, De Graff, Minn., designer of Wheel Assist, which works on tires of all sizes. "An advantage to my design," says Toutge, "is that it works on all the different styles and types of rims since it grabs the tire, not the rim." To use the Wheel Assist, Toutge first drives the tractor's inside tires on blocks. Next, he pushes the Wheel Assist, which rides on 4 pivoting wheels for maneuverability, up against the tire. Two wheel rollers, one on each side of the tire, fit up against the tread. Each wheel roller has a small hydraulic cylinder which raises the roller ùand the wheel ù up to 12 in. high. The cylinders, from a Deere bean header, raise and lower via a hand pump. To make it easy to spin the tire to align lug bolt holes, Toutge welded metal rods on the unit's bottom framework to act as braces for using a lever to turn the tire. For ease of tightening/ loosening the lug nuts, an adjustable height rack provides a leverage point for holding the wrench. Toutge says it cost about $400 to assemble the Wheel Assist. He's interested in talking to manufacturers about producing the unit. For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Darrell Toutge, R.R. 1, Box 9, De Graff, Minn. 56233 (ph 612 875-2943).

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