[Tigers] Tire Changer - there is a difference

[Sandy]

I had similar issues for some 3 piece rims for my Mustang years back. I 
hate tire guys they are brutal to your rims. My solution to the problem 
was on that next bonus check to buy a tire machine and balancer.  I hate 
tire guys like that.

First off their is no such thing as a no touch machine, any machine has 
to clamp the rim to the device and how that goes is from not much touch 
to metal gouging the back side of your rim. Some clamp the rim edge some 
clamp the inside with the spiked fingers leaving a pattern stamped in 
the rim.  Mine came with plastic protectors for the rim grabbing feature.

What I can say is that mounting tires with the `no touch` machine that I 
have still required a good amount of operator care.  I have not tried 
the super latest ones but they looks better the the single head style.

The other side of the no-touch machine is the head and it can be set to 
not touch the rim after you touch it to the rim for measurement! It has 
a nice piece of protective plastic that keeps things safe, that is if it 
is still on the machine in good shape. Most tire places don't care so 
it's not ever kept in good shape.

Mounting of the tire is usually not to bad, but at some point the bead 
will always tear over a portion of the rim edge. Set expectations 
accordingly.

Removal of the tire is where I have seen the most damage, the metal pry 
bar is usually the problem. Again a tire guy doesn't really care it's 
not his and doing tire work is a dirty thankless job ask him about it :)

Blue tape on the rim edge can help and give a clue to be careful, but 
bad use of a pry bar and tires bead can make of short order of it.

And never ask the tire dealer to align the Goodyear Blue Dot on the 
sidewall to the valve stem, they will look at you with a question mark 
floating over their head and mutter something under their breath ;)

Sandy