Shopping for tire equipment is more complex than one might think. Warranties, return on investment calculations, and maintenance… There are many parameters to keep in mind before making a purchase.

When it’s time for a shop to buy new equipment, they need to be well-informed to make the best possible choice. After all, the equipment and tools used in the tire sector today can cost tens of thousands of dollars, and making the wrong choice can be very expensive for a business.

What are the essential pieces of equipment for shops that need to follow this rule? Tire changers, puncture repair kits, TPMS tools, wheel balancers, and aligners.

But when should a shop replace its tire equipment or buy new ones? According to former seasoned technician and current representative at automotive tool and equipment distributor ISN Canada, Dominique Proulx, a shop should consider replacing its tire equipment when machines start showing signs of wear that affect their performance.

“If tire service volumes have increased significantly in a shop, and the equipment used is slowing down the turnover, it’s a good idea to change it. There’s also the evolution of technologies. With the more advanced TPMS systems of 2024 and the market trend towards using ever-larger, more complex, and more fragile rims, new adapted equipment is needed.”

Thus, choosing the right time to acquire new tire equipment is a crucial first step for shops.

Return on investment

Any shop can easily invest tens of thousands of dollars in high-quality tire equipment with all possible options. However, it’s important to ensure it’s profitable, as explained by trainer at Snap-On Equipment, Zack Christman: “Logically, a shop that only does tires will invest much more on average in its equipment than a general repair shop. Some shops with low volume will still opt for high-end equipment simply because it makes the work much easier and less strenuous.”

According to Mr. Christman, recouping the initial investment on the purchase of this equipment can take anywhere from a few months to several years. Consequently, to minimize this delay and improve shop profitability, it’s crucial to calculate the return on investment (ROI).

When calculating ROI, it’s important to keep in mind that in Quebec, the tire market is seasonal, as reminded by the Vice President of Sales at ISN Canada, Benoît Noёl. “If we spend more than $100,000 on a high-end aligner, and it’s not used much for nine months of the year before and after winter, it’s difficult to recover your money.”

As Noёl also points out, the high level of assistance and safety offered by the support arms and assist arms of high-end equipment helps reduce technician fatigue and injury risk. And the less technicians get injured, the less they’re absent, and the better the performance in the shops.

Everything is in the maintenance

Once tire equipment is purchased, it’s imperative to properly maintain it to maximize its lifespan, but most importantly to ensure it’s operational during intense tire change periods. What could be more frustrating than a balancer failing during the autumn rush, right?

According to Noёl, it’s therefore important to be diligent and perform preventive maintenance on this equipment: “People who maintain their machines will see their lifespan greatly extended,” he says. “These are solid pieces of equipment that don’t break down often, provided we make sure to keep them clean, well-lubricated, and check that the air pressures are correct.”

Suppliers offer their customers access to networks of technicians specialized in the maintenance of these machines, to teach them how to properly maintain them. And it’s also somewhat similar when it comes to training, as Christman from Snap-On explains.

“After the purchase of tire equipment, we’ll do a small demonstration at the customer’s location to teach technicians how to use them. Some machines are more complex than others, but generally, technicians have little difficulty mastering them,” he explains.

In addition to assisting shops with training, manufacturers typically offer a basic one-year warranty on tire equipment, with the option to extend it. However, with good preventive maintenance, this equipment can provide many years of trouble-free service.

All in all, effective management of tire equipment relies on proper selection and rigorous preventive maintenance. Investing in quality equipment is certainly essential, but it’s equally crucial to ensure that this equipment is well-suited to one’s needs and well-maintained to maximize its efficiency and lifespan.