Do Your Own Tire Repairs

Do Your Own Tire Repairs TIRES/WHEELS Handling 34-1-39 "So many small-town service stations have gone out of business that there is no place to get a tire fixed after 5 p.m.," notes Bruce Docter at Your Next Tire, which sells discount tires online and recently introduced a line of "affordable" tire changing equipment. "We sell three different tire changer models. The 300 Series will handle rims up to 20 in., the 500 Series handles rims up to 24 in., and the 700 Series handles rims up to 26 in." The 500 and 700 Series have heavy-duty bead breakers. They can handle everything from ATV's to semi trailers. Both also have a larger air tank with an optional bead blaster for seating beads on truck tires. "With more farmers having semis, they need a way to fix the tires when a tire shop isn't open," says Docter. "Our heavy-duty bead breaker will handle them, but users needed a way to seat the bead when finished. We made an attachment for our air tank that will blast air into the truck tire to seat the bead." Unlike bead-setting machines that sell for $350, his attachment does the same job for just $150. The three tire-changing machines sell for $1,200, $1,700 and $1,900, respectively. "The smaller machine is really for lighter tires," says Docter. "We try to discourage farmers from buying it. The $1,700 500 Series is the most popular." Docter also sells spreader attachments for the tire machines, so tires can not only be changed, but fixed as well. The spreader attachment sells for $100. Once a tire has been remounted, it needs to be balanced. Docter sells a $200 precision bubble model and a $1,000 computerized, but hand spun, model where the operator uses a brake to stop it and back up to where a light flashes. He also sells a fully computerized, auto-spin and stop model for $1,500. "We aren't catering to the tire store that does 20 tires a day," says Docter. "Our customers do 30 to 40 tires a year. Getting a tire balanced at a shop can cost $10 each. Our precision bubble machine pays for itself with 20 tires." Docter says he's selling machines to implement dealers and large farmers. In some cases, several farmers buy a machine together. In other cases, buyers have found themselves doing tires for neighbors. The company also sells tire repair parts and supplies. A starter kit includes a buffer/scraper, rollers, patches and glue. "It has everything you need," he says. "We also have a catalog with everything you need for professional tire repair." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Your Next Tire, Box 276, Firth, Neb. 68358 (ph 402 791-2004 or toll free 888 513-8473; yournexttire@hotmail.com; www.yournexttire.com).

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