TC229 + WB11: the Beadblaster pairing for cars and light trucks

If you are choosing between the Atlas changer-and-balancer packages, the question is which half you want the money in. This one puts it in the changer. The TC229 carries the built-in Beadblaster, and the WB11 is the straightforward, well-specified spin balancer that does the other half of the job without adding cost you do not need.

That is the right split for a shop whose difficulty is getting tyres on, not weighing them. Both machines run from a standard 110volt outlet, both are CE approved, and both carry the 1 year parts only warranty.

Why the Beadblaster is the line item that matters

Fitting a tyre is two problems. Getting it off the rim is a force problem, and a 5,500 LB bead breaker solves it. Getting it to seal on the way back is a flow problem, and force is no help at all. A stiff sidewall, a cold tyre, or one that has taken a set standing in a rack sits away from the rim flange, and air leaks out around it faster than the inflator can put it in — so the tyre never begins to inflate, no matter how long you stand there.

The Beadblaster attacks that directly. It stores and releases a large volume of air in a single burst, physically pushing both beads outward against the flanges. The gap closes, the seal forms, and the inflator finally has something to work against. It is built into the TC229's column rather than being a separate tank you fetch, and on a busy day it converts the job everyone dreads into a routine one. If you have ever ratchet-strapped a tyre's circumference to seat it, this is the feature you are buying.

Three clamping positions, and why the range is really three ranges

The rim-clamp turntable's jaws are not fixed. They relocate to three mounting positions along the slide, which shifts the whole clamping window rather than just widening it. Externally that gives 9 3/4" to 21 5/8" in the first position, 10 3/4" to 22 1/2" in the second and 11 5/8" to 23 1/4" in the third; internally, 11 5/8" to 23 1/4", 12 5/8" to 24 1/4" and 13 1/2" to 25 1/4".

The practical point is that you should set the jaws for the wheels you actually run, not leave them wherever they arrived. A rim clamped near the middle of a jaw's travel is held far better than one clamped at the extreme of its range, and clamping internally — gripping inside the barrel instead of on the outer flange — is how a polished or painted face stays unmarked. Between that, the large plastic jaw covers and the replaceable plastic inserts in the mount/demount head, the machine is built to work on wheels a customer cares about. It accepts steel, aluminium and alloy rims to 39" maximum tyre diameter and 13" maximum wheel width at the bead breaker, with 885 ft/lbs of turntable torque from a 1 HP motor.

The WB11 balancer

Computer-controlled and motorised, with static and dynamic modes, a rapid optimisation routine, and self-diagnosis and self-calibration so it is not a machine you have to send away to be trued up. It resolves to 1 gram with a weight position resolution of 1.4 degrees, spins at 150 RPM, takes a 40mm shaft and a maximum wheel weight of 150 lbs, and covers rim sizes of 10" to 32" with widths from 1 1/2" to 20". Readouts switch between grams and ounces and between millimetres and inches. The hood starts and stops the spin automatically, and there is an automatic and pedal-operated brake. Crucially it needs no anchor-down installation — it sits on the floor, so nothing in this package is drilled into your slab.

What you must supply: compressed air

The changer's jaws and bead breaker are air operated, and the air supply is required and not included. Feed it 90-110 PSI, and never exceed 140 PSI. A compressor that drops its pressure the moment the bead breaker moves is the most common reason a new tyre bay underperforms, and it is not something the machine can compensate for. A filter/regulator/lubricator comes with the changer; the compressor does not.

Perfect For

• Car and light-truck work where stiff sidewalls and seating problems are the daily frustration.
• Small commercial garages bringing tyre work in-house rather than subletting it.
• Well-equipped home shops doing seasonal changeovers and their own alloys.
• ATV and motorcycle dealers handling car wheels too — adapters for MC tyres are sold separately here.

What's in the Box

Changer: column-mounted inflator box with gauge, filter/regulator/lubricator, a 20" tyre tool, lube bucket with brush, a set of large plastic jaw covers, a plastic cover for the bead breaker shovel, and multiple replacement plastic inserts for the mount/demount head. Balancer: plastic quick-release nut, 4 centering cones, wheel weight pliers and measuring calipers. Not included: an air compressor, wheel weights, and motorcycle or ATV adapters.

Specifications

Certification, honestly

Both machines carry CE approval, and we will state that and stop there. CE is the manufacturer declaring conformity with the applicable European directives. It is a real regulatory instrument, and it is a self-declaration rather than a test-and-audit programme run by an independent body. North America has that second kind of scheme, and some insurers, fleet operators and municipal inspectors require workshop equipment to carry it. That requirement belongs to your policy or your jurisdiction, not to the machine, so ask them what they expect before you order. Tell us the answer and we will tell you honestly whether this package meets it.

Shipping and delivery

Freight to the lower 48, two crated machines on pallets, delivered to the curb. You need a way to unload: forklift, dock and pallet truck, or a terminal pickup you collect with your own equipment. Warehouse pickup is offered at the locations shown on this page. Deliveries to residential addresses attract an additional fee, applied once per brand on the order rather than per machine. Before you sign, inspect both crates — column, turntable and breaker on the changer; shaft, hood and display on the balancer — and record any damage on the bill of lading with the driver standing there. After a clean signature, a freight claim becomes very difficult.

Warranty

Both machines are covered for 1 year, parts only. Parts are covered; the labour to install them is not. If something fails, take the machine out of service and photograph it before touching anything — opening an assembly before the claim is registered is usually treated as an inspection you performed and can void the cover. Wear items and replacement parts for the changer are held in stock, which is what keeps a tyre bay working. Claims start at our warranty claims page.