If a shop opts to balance tires off of the vehicle, the technician will need to demount each tire. This can be physically demanding for the technician. Here are a few pieces of advice to help improve the technician’s working conditions:
- Use a wheel dolly: Without a wheel dolly, operators carry and roll the wheels manually. Designed to be a sturdy and handy assembly aid of heavy vehicles, the use of wheel dollies allows easy removal and installation of tire/wheel assemblies, and can help avoid operator injuries.
- Choose a torque wrench power tool: Whether cordless or pneumatic, torque wrench power tools, or nutrunners, can tighten wheels with better accuracy. Nutrunners are specifically designed with a very low (close to zero) vibration transmission and a low noise level.
- Finish with a calibrated torque wrench hand tool to ensure proper torquing of each tire and wheel assembly. Refer to manufacturer guidelines for the proper torque measurements.
When truck wheels are mounted and tightened properly, it ensures the safety of drivers and can reduce road accidents. Proper wheel maintenance and the use of proper tools can also help eliminate dangerous wheel offs and loose wheels.
Information provided by: Chicago Pneumatic
