Archive Article: 2000/10/13
Spare tractor wheels are heavy, awkward loads that are frequently moved, eg when fitting dual wheels or as part of changing between conventional, row-crop and low ground pressure sizes. The effort needed to roll the wheel when it is vertical can be deceptively small but once the wheel starts to lean, it quickly becomes unstable and a major manual handling problem.
The risk of injury is even greater when you have to align wheel studs and can be increased by the ground surface where the wheels are handled. It is tempting for one person to try to do the job alone and often people will leave wheels leaning against a wall when they have finished, making the next move easier but posing a big risk to children.
The solution – use a mechanical wheel handler, either as a free-standing unit or as an attachment on a lift truck. Wheel handlers can lift, carry, rotate and tilt wheels to aid fitting and removal from the tractor.