Tire Repairer or Changer

Other Titles

Alignment Technician, Lube Technician, Service Technician, Tire Shop Mechanic, Tire Technician

Repair and replace tires. Tire Repairers and Changers are responsible for repairing damaged tires or replacing them with new tires. In doing so, they make use of a wide range of tools including wrenches and jacks. In this role, they use hydraulic jacks under vehicles to lift them suitably. They then use wrenches to unbolt the tires and remove them from vehicles. Once the tires are repaired, they mount them on to the vehicles once again. A part of their job is to examine the damaged tires carefully and remove any puncturing materials. They also use specialised equipment to seal punctures and apply patches to casing ruptures.

Raise vehicles, using hydraulic jacks.

Remount wheels onto vehicles.

Unbolt and remove wheels from vehicles, using lug wrenches or other hand or power tools.

Place wheels on balancing machines to determine counterweights required to balance wheels.

Identify tire size and ply and inflate tires accordingly.

Replace valve stems and remove puncturing objects.

Hammer required counterweights onto rims of wheels.

Reassemble tires onto wheels.

Seal punctures in tubeless tires by inserting adhesive material and expanding rubber plugs into punctures, using hand tools.

Inspect tire casings for defects, such as holes or tears.

Locate punctures in tubeless tires by visual inspection or by immersing inflated tires in water baths and observing air bubbles.

Glue tire patches over ruptures in tire casings, using rubber cement.

Assist mechanics and perform various mechanical duties, such as changing oil or checking and replacing batteries.

Rotate tires to different positions on vehicles, using hand tools.

Clean and tidy up the shop.

Buff defective areas of inner tubes, using scrapers.

Order replacements for tires or tubes.

Separate tubed tires from wheels, using rubber mallets and metal bars or mechanical tire changers.

Inflate inner tubes and immerse them in water to locate leaks.

Clean sides of whitewall tires.

Roll new rubber treads, known as camelbacks, over tire casings and mold the semi-raw rubber treads onto the buffed casings.

Prepare rims and wheel drums for reassembly by scraping, grinding, or sandblasting.

Apply rubber cement to buffed tire casings prior to vulcanization process.

Patch tubes with adhesive rubber patches or seal rubber patches to tubes, using hot vulcanizing plates.

Place tire casings and tread rubber assemblies in tire molds for the vulcanization process and exert pressure to ensure good adhesion.

Drive automobile or service trucks to industrial sites to provide services or respond to emergency calls.

Active Listening→ Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Critical Thinking→ Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Service Orientation→ Actively looking for ways to help people.

Speaking→ Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Time Management→ Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Getting Information→ Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment→ Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates→ Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Handling and Moving Objects→ Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material→ Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings→ Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Performing General Physical Activities→ Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems→ Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events→ Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information→ Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.

Analyzing Data or Information→ Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.

Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People→ Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

Performing for or Working Directly with the Public→ Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.

Controlling Machines and Processes→ Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles.

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards→ Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

Processing Information→ Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work→ Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Training and Teaching Others→ Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge→ Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment→ Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic principles.

Thinking Creatively→ Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

Coaching and Developing Others→ Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.

Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others→ Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships→ Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Selling or Influencing Others→ Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.

Operate cranes, hoists, or other moving or lifting equipment.

Install vehicle parts or accessories.

Service vehicles to maintain functionality.

Remove parts or components from vehicles.

Test mechanical equipment to ensure proper functioning.

Repair tires.

Assemble mechanical components or machine parts.

Reassemble equipment after repair.

Inspect mechanical components of vehicles to identify problems.

Clean work areas.

Smooth surfaces of objects or equipment.

Order materials, supplies, or equipment.

Disassemble equipment for maintenance or repair.

Drive trucks or other vehicles to or at work sites.

Clean equipment, parts, or tools to repair or maintain them in good working order.

Trunk Strength→ The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without 'giving out' or fatiguing.

Manual Dexterity→ The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

Multilimb Coordination→ The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.

Static Strength→ The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.

Extent Flexibility→ The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.

Near Vision→ The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Problem Sensitivity→ The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

Arm-Hand Steadiness→ The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

Control Precision→ The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.

Deductive Reasoning→ The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Finger Dexterity→ The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

Inductive Reasoning→ The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

Information Ordering→ The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g. , patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

Oral Comprehension→ The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Oral Expression→ The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Speech Clarity→ The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

Mechanical→ Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Customer and Personal Service→ Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Administration and Management→ Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Sales and Marketing→ Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

Accounting software

Database user interface and query software -- Recordkeeping software

Project management software -- Project estimation software

Spreadsheet software -- e.g., Corel Quattro Pro; Microsoft Excel; Google Sheets

Word processing software -- e.g., Corel Wordperfect; Microsoft Word; Google Docs

Adhesive rollers→ Hand rollers for adhesives

Air bags for loading→ Air/steam bags

Awls→ Heavy duty awls; Pricking awls; Tire probing awls

Compressed air gun→ Air spray guns; Tire plug guns

Deburring tool→ Deburring tools

Desktop computers

Engine or vehicle stands→ Tire stands

Expanders→ Bead expanders; Power tire spreaders

Extruders→ Handheld extruders

Hammers→ Tire hammers

Hand reamer→ Heavy duty T-handle reamers; Tire reamers

Hand sprayers→ Airless spray guns; Rubber patch guns

Heater elements→ Electric knife heaters

Height gauges→ Tire tread depth gauges

Hoists→ Power hoists

Hold down clamps→ Holding clamps

Hydraulic pumps

Insertion tool→ Heavy duty T-handle spiral probe cement tools; Insertion tools

Jacks→ Hydraulic jacks

Knife blades→ Cutting blades

Mallets→ Tire knockers

Personal computers

Pneumatic drill→ Air drills

Pneumatic impact wrenches→ Pneumatic wrenches

Power buffers→ Buffers

Power grinders

Power routers→ Regroovers

Protective gloves→ Safety gloves

Pry bars→ Bead seaters; Tire irons; Truck tire spoons

Pullers→ Hub-cap pullers

Rasps→ Hand rasps; Stickleback rasps

Razor knives→ Bail cutting knives; Curved-point scalpel knives; Fast-trim vent knives; Hawk bill knives; Insulated heater knives; Mill knives; Notched-blade trim knives; Square point knives; Taper point knives; Thermocutters

Respirators

Retaining ring pliers→ Truck lock ring removers

Rubber or plastic presses→ Mold presses

Safety glasses→ Eye protection

Safety shoes

Scrapers→ Inner-liner scrapers

Shears→ Scissors; Trimmer shears

Specialty wrenches→ 4-way tire valve tools

Tire changing machines→ Mechanical tire changers; Rim clamp tire changers

Torque wrenches

Utility knives

Vulcanizing machines→ Hot vulcanizing plates

Wedges→ Bead breakers; Duck-billed bead-breaking wedges

Wheel balancing equipment→ Balancing machines; Computerized tire/wheel balancing equipment

Wheel nut or lug wrench→ Lug wrenches

Wire brushes

Workshop cranes

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.

Attention to Detail→ Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

Dependability→ Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

Integrity→ Job requires being honest and ethical.

Independence→ Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.

Self Control→ Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.

Stress Tolerance→ Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.

Adaptability/Flexibility→ Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.

Initiative→ Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

Achievement/Effort→ Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

Cooperation→ Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.

Concern for Others→ Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.

Persistence→ Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.

Innovation→ Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.

Analytical Thinking→ Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.

Leadership→ Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.

Support→ Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.

Relationships→ Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.

Independence→ Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.