A lift to facilitate changing of a tire and wheel assembly on an automobile, small truck or trailer in the field. The lift includes an elongated rod with a U-shaped socket having a slot and aligned flat to facilitate seating and pivoting of the socket on a lug bolt on an axle-spindle of the vehicle when passed through one of the bolt holes in the tire rim. A handle is provided on the opposite end of the elongated rod by which an operator may lift the tire using the lever principle while rotating the assembly such that the bolt holes in the rim align with the lug bolts. A slide on the elongated rod serves as a stop to control sliding of the tire and wheel assembly towards the operator during the lifting operation.

A wheel detailing stand that provides for 3-point contact with a wheel mounted thereon is disclosed. The wheel detailing stand includes a base frame having a bottom frame member and a back frame member extending upwardly from the bottom frame member, a pair of bottom rollers attached to the bottom frame member where the pair of rollers are arranged in parallel and spaced apart from one another, and a back roller attached to the back frame member and oriented generally orthogonally to the pair of bottom rollers. The pair of bottom rollers and the back roller provide 3-point contact with a wheel positioned on the wheel detailing stand.

A method for removing a coating of a surface of a wheel. The wheel is provided with screw channels and with a centrally positioned hub opening. Each of the screw channels and the central opening is delimited by an area from which the coating is to be removed. Each of the areas extends annularly around one of the screw channels or around the hub opening. The method is implemented using a laser beam generated by a laser source. The method comprises the steps of positioning an extraction opening directly beneath a center of one of the screw channels or the central opening surrounded by the area, moving the laser beam over the area without masking the area (7) from which the coating is to be removed, and extracting gases and particles produced during the step of removing the coating directly through one of the screw channels or the central opening.

A method for removing a coating of a surface of a wheel. The wheel is provided with screw channels and with a centrally positioned hub opening. Each of the screw channels and the central opening is delimited by an area from which the coating is to be removed. Each of the areas extends annularly around one of the screw channels or around the hub opening. The method is implemented using a laser beam generated by a laser source. The method comprises the steps of positioning an extraction opening directly beneath a center of one of the screw channels or the central opening surrounded by the area, moving the laser beam over the area without masking the area (7) from which the coating is to be removed, and extracting gases and particles produced during the step of removing the coating directly through one of the screw channels or the central opening.

A holding device includes a pair of holding members positioned to be spaced apart from each other in a first direction, and a moving part that moves at least one of the pair of holding members to change a distance between the pair of holding members in the first direction. Each of the holding members is formed with a support face that supports the flange of the wheel, and an engaging portion that is located on an end portion side that is on an opposite side from the other holding member, and is able to engage with the flange of the wheel supported by the support face, from the radially outer side of the wheel. The installation space for a tire mounted on a wheel on the radially outer side of a flange of the wheel is prevented from varying due to the magnitude of the diameter of the wheel.

A holding device includes a pair of holding members positioned to be spaced apart from each other in a first direction, and a moving part that moves at least one of the pair of holding members to change a distance between the pair of holding members in the first direction. Each of the holding members is formed with a support face that supports the flange of the wheel, and an engaging portion that is located on an end portion side that is on an opposite side from the other holding member, and is able to engage with the flange of the wheel supported by the support face, from the radially outer side of the wheel. The installation space for a tire mounted on a wheel on the radially outer side of a flange of the wheel is prevented from varying due to the magnitude of the diameter of the wheel.

Disclosed in the present disclosure is a wheel locating surface correction device, comprising a frame, a correction ring and a correction plate. The correction plate is provided above a wheel blank. The structure can correct the roundness of the radial positioning surface of the blank, and the flatness of the axial positioning surface of the blank before machining to improve the roundness of the blank rim, improving the wheel yield and the processing quality.

A robotic wheel gripper unit that is configured for gripping and transporting a wheel to a predetermined position during an assembly operation with a tire is disclosed. The robotic wheel gripper unit comprises a selectively moveable arm that includes a gripper tool connected thereto. The gripper tool further includes a plurality of gripper fingers and at least one sensor. The gripper fingers are configured for selectively engaging a portion of a wheel. The sensor is configured to detect a predetermined element on the wheel, such as a TPMS valve stem, to assist in placement of the wheel during an assembly operation.

A robotic wheel gripper unit that is configured for gripping and transporting a wheel to a predetermined position during an assembly operation with a tire is disclosed. The robotic wheel gripper unit comprises a selectively moveable arm that includes a gripper tool connected thereto. The gripper tool further includes a plurality of gripper fingers and at least one sensor. The gripper fingers are configured for selectively engaging a portion of a wheel. The sensor is configured to detect a predetermined element on the wheel, such as a TPMS valve stem, to assist in placement of the wheel during an assembly operation.

Wheel machining equipment is provided, including a first-stage turning system used for carrying out first-stage turning of a wheel, a high-precision connection system used for carrying out high-precision positioning conversion from first-stage turning to second-stage turning, and a second-stage turning system used for carrying out second-stage turning of the wheel. A wheel machining method is also provided.