Innovation Award Profile: Thexton Manufacturing Tire Wrench Support Stand

Q: What makes this product innovative?

A: This product came from a real-world shop problem — techs handling tire extensions by themselves or having to ask another person. So, this innovation isn't complex; it's just solving a common problem in a clean, straightforward way.

If you look at a lot of our brand, they are simple tools that just get the job done. And that's kind of where the innovation for this one came. Let's just give the guys something that works, that doesn't have a bunch of bells and whistles. It's a stand that has different increments. They can align with different lug nuts when they are doing the job that they do.

Q: What was the inspiration behind creating this product?  

A: We've seen different applications of how people do this. We saw one recently [where] someone was using a forklift to support the extension, [and] we've seen techs balance tools for help or fight leverage for years trying to do this job. This [tool] gives a stable support system to get the job right and in a safe manner, and [techs] don’t have to worry about it slipping off or hurting themselves or having a buddy come over to try to hold that extension for them.

Q: How will this product improve the lives of technicians and shop owners? 

A: In shops, time is money, right? So, time and manpower are always tight. They're always looking to get the jobs done quick and techs to be able to get those jobs done. This lets the tech do the job by himself and not have to go ask someone else to do it. So, he keeps that job moving forward and does not take someone else away from their current job.

Q: What has been the feedback from technicians who’ve purchased this tool? 

A: The feedback has been pretty consistent. It's a simple, sturdy tool, and it just works — that's what they like about it. It's about getting it into the hands of the people who need to use the tool or want to use the tool.

Q: Anything else our readers should know?

A: It's not a flashy tool; it's just an extra hand in the shop. Something that they need when they need it, and it's always there. And the nice thing with this tool [is that] it does compact, so they could store it away if they needed to. It doesn't take up any extra space.