Details for Tire Repairers and Changers
Description
Repair and replace tires.
Tasks
- Place wheels on balancing machines to determine counterweights required to balance wheels.
- Raise vehicles, using hydraulic jacks.
- Remount wheels onto vehicles.
- Locate punctures in tubeless tires by visual inspection or by immersing inflated tires in water baths and observing air bubbles.
- Reassemble tires onto wheels.
- Replace valve stems and remove puncturing objects.
- Hammer required counterweights onto rims of wheels.
- Rotate tires to different positions on vehicles, using hand tools.
- Inspect tire casings for defects, such as holes or tears.
- Seal punctures in tubeless tires by inserting adhesive material and expanding rubber plugs into punctures, using hand tools.
- Glue tire patches over ruptures in tire casings, using rubber cement.
- Separate tubed tires from wheels, using rubber mallets and metal bars or mechanical tire changers.
- Patch tubes with adhesive rubber patches or seal rubber patches to tubes, using hot vulcanizing plates.
- Inflate inner tubes and immerse them in water to locate leaks.
- Clean sides of whitewall tires.
- Apply rubber cement to buffed tire casings prior to vulcanization process.
- Drive automobile or service trucks to industrial sites to provide services or respond to emergency calls.
- Prepare rims and wheel drums for reassembly by scraping, grinding, or sandblasting.
- Order replacements for tires or tubes.
- Buff defective areas of inner tubes, using scrapers.
- Unbolt and remove wheels from vehicles, using lug wrenches or other hand or power tools.
- Identify tire size and ply and inflate tires accordingly.
- Assist mechanics and perform various mechanical duties, such as changing oil or checking and replacing batteries.
- Clean and tidy up the shop.
- Roll new rubber treads, known as camelbacks, over tire casings and mold the semi-raw rubber treads onto the buffed casings.
- Place tire casings and tread rubber assemblies in tire molds for the vulcanization process and exert pressure to ensure good adhesion.
Interests
- Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
- Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Education, training, experience
- Education - These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
- Training - Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
- Experience - Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
Knowledge
- Mechanical -Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Skills
None found.
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