Iowa Mold Tooling Co. Inc. (IMT) offers a new and improved lineup of TireHand tire manipulators that enable customers to efficiently and safely install and rotate the massive tires on mining and construction equipment.
IMT has added two new TireHand models and redesigned previous offerings to meet customer needs for more capacity options, increased productivity and improved operator safety.
Available in loader or forklift truck-mounted options, the IMT TireHand tire manipulator lineup provides maximum capacities ranging from 5,500 lb. (2,495 kg) to 36,000 lb. (16,329 kg) – including new models with 20,000 lb. (9,072 kg) and 36,000 lb. of capacity. Important new features of the lineup include extended capacity, optimized design and standard hydraulic fallback protection.
“Since introducing our first TireHand tire manipulators in the early 1970s, IMT has been committed to meeting the evolving tire-handling needs of our mining and construction customers,” said John Field, product manager of material handling at IMT.
“The newly revamped TireHand lineup enables our customers to perform big tire-changing jobs more efficiently and safely than ever in demanding environments.”
Developed in response to customer demand, the 20,000- and 36,000-lb. capacities fill niches in the TireHand lineup. The 5,500- and 15,000-lb. capacities are increased over previous models, while the 10,000- and 25,000-lb. capacities have been maintained.
“The new spectrum of TireHand capacities enables customers to choose the capacity that is right for their application while minimizing the size and cost of their loader or forklift,” Field said. “The new 36,000-lb.-capacity model is capable of handling loader tires with chains, while the 20,000-lb. TireHand is designed for customers who need more capacity than our 15,000-lb. unit, but do not require our 25,000-lb. capacity.”
In addition to new and increased capacity, the new TireHand lineup offers numerous design enhancements that will increase
efficiency:
■ Optimized pad design.
Featuring a redesigned grip pattern and new tapering on the pad, TireHand tire manipulators maintain their grip on the tire without damage and handle rim flange hardware with ease.
■ Increased arm length.
Longer arms allow TireHand models to reach the back flange on wheels.
■ Minimized arm profile.
The TireHand arms have been narrowed to minimize interference with chassis components during tire handling
operations.
■ Dual pinion pad rotation.
The pad rotation on new TireHand models utilizes two motors and two pinions, reducing pinion stress and extending pinion life.
■ 100-degree cylinder body rotation.
Reduced body rotation on new TireHand models meets tire-handling needs while moving the center of gravity closer to the machine, minimizing the size of the loader or forklift required.
Iowa Mold Tooling Co., www.imt.com