Aftermarket October 2022

M ark Berryman, Managing Director of ISN Garage Assist commented: “There are many good reasons to get into the tyre market and really not so many to put you off the idea. Granted, there’s the initial investment to consider but finance packages are still very cost- effective despite recent interest rises and if you choose the right equipment and get your marketing right then you can make decent money and raise the profile of your garage at the same time.” He continued: “It’s entirely possible to offer a tyre service using a trolley jack and a couple of axle stands but it’s not exactly time efficient. A wheel-free lift is a must and most workshops already have a 2 Post lift for brake and suspension work. However, if you’re going to take tyres really seriously, mid-rise scissor lifts are perfect, but surface-mounted scissors are just as effective. We even offer a mobile, fully-portable version which is ideal for a garage that needs the flexibility of a lift that can be easily relocated around the workshop or even outside. Once the wheels are off you need to consider the tyre changing machinery. One thing we often hear is ‘I only need a cheap machine, I’m not going to be doing that many tyres.’ 15 years ago that was fine, the number of tyres you’d be changing was the main decision criteria when choosing tyre equipment but, tyres and rims have changed.” Mark added: “We’re perfectly placed to recommend a reasonably priced machine with all the features necessary for a particular service.” For more information, visit: www.garage-assist.com As we have seen, when it comes to tyres, garages need to have the equipment. MAHA UK Workshop Equipment Specialist, Louis Tunmore said: “The MAHA UK DUO CM scissor lift could be the perfect starting point.” What else might be needed? Louis explained: “Typically, we’ll specify a wheel-free jack, which will lift all four wheels off the platform simultaneously. This would allow the technician to lower the vehicle onto sliding plates and turn-plates without any load in the suspension components. The technician could also lower the vehicle onto a set of corner-weight scales, to conduct a precise ‘set-up’ of the vehicle they’re working on, particularly useful for racing cars. We also advise installing LED illumination for under the vehicle, so the technician can see the components without wearing a head torch, holding a torch or placing a lamp under the vehicle – it helps both safety and efficiency. Mechanical locks also ensure the vehicle is secured into an exactly level position – absolute precision.” “For an in-ground installation specifically, there is the 46 AFTERMARKET OCTOBER 2022 TYRES AND TYRE BAY www.aftermarketonline.net AN ALL-ROUND OPPORTUNITY Offering tyre services allows you to open up a valuable income stream, and get into a new market option of automatic roll-off protection. Instead of having flaps at the end of the lift that hinge up as the lift comes out of the ground, the lift has an automatic vertical rising end-stop that comes up. When the lift goes all the way down, the plate lowers, and the vehicle can roll on and off. This feature enables the entire length of the platform to be utilised. The DUO CM is available in either 4.2 tonne or 5.5 tonne versions. Both are delivered in grey as standard, but customers are able to choose an alternative colour scheme to either complement their own livery or comply with a manufacturer’s dealership CI requirements.” For more information about MAHA UK’s scissor lifts, visit: www.maha.co.uk/en/products/lifting-technology/scissors- lift~t2413 Package To celebrate their centenary, Tecalemit Garage Equipment has produced a new tyre bay package. A spokesman observed: “Available through Tecalemit distributors and building on the proven TIRO machines, these new TIRO PLUS models are packed full of features often only found on more expensive equipment. Tecalemit’s new TIRO PLUS tyre changer benefits from a clamping range of 10” - 26” to allow it to handle most tyre and wheel combinations. The tyre changer also features an assist system with three operating arms. It also benefits from a wheel data memory to store common tyre and wheel combinations. The TIRO PLUS wheel balancer includes automatic wheel rotation and positioning via One-touch operation for faster weight placement. This new TIRO PLUS tyre bay package from Tecalemit is ideal for any garage or workshop looking for affordable equipment with premium features.” For more information, visit: www.tecalemit.co.uk Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) are now commonplace on vehicles, and garages need to be Above: Bridgestone Turanza 6 will available in the UK in the early part of next year