Tire Repairers and Changers

Also called: Alignment Technician, Automotive Tire Worker (Auto Tire Worker), Lube Technician, Maintenance Technician, Service Technician

Tire Repairers and Changers

Varies

estimated salary

Tire Repairers and changers repair and replace tires.

  • 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.
Work Context

Work Context information for this career will be available soon.

Work Activities
  • 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.
  • Handling and Moving Objects — Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • 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.
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Detailed Work Activities
  • Remove parts or components from vehicles.
  • Service vehicles to maintain functionality.
  • Service vehicles to maintain functionality.
  • Clean work areas.
  • Repair tires.
  • Repair tires.
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Knowledge

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.

Skills

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.
Speaking
  • Talking to others to convey information effectively.
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.
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Abilities

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

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Achievement/Effort
  • Persistence
  • Initiative
  • Leadership
  • Cooperation
  • Concern for Others
  • Social Orientation
  • Self Control
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Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Spreadsheet software
  • Microsoft Excel Hot Technology
Word processing software
  • Microsoft Word Hot Technology
Accounting software
  • Accounting software
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