Career summary

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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