Triumph NTC-950-1 Single Assist Arm Tire Changer, 16–28" Clamping
What wheels and tires it fits
Clamping range is what decides whether a wheel fits, so start there. The NTC-950-1 clamps 16 to 28 inches from the inside and 14 to 26 inches from the outside. It takes wheels up to 15 inches wide and tires up to 43 inches in overall diameter. That range covers almost any passenger and light-truck tire a commercial shop sees in a normal week, from small economy-car wheels at the bottom of the outside range to large-diameter truck and SUV wheels at the top of the inside range. Measure the rim diameter of the largest wheel you expect to service and confirm it lands inside 16–28 inches on the inside clamp before you order, since that is the number that limits the machine.
How the assist arm handles run-flats
Run-flat and low-profile tires are what slow down most swing-arm changers. The stiff sidewall of a run-flat and the short sidewall of a low-profile tire both resist being pushed down into the drop center, and without help the bead fights you the whole way around the rim. On the NTC-950-1 the tower-mounted swing arm carries the mount/demount head over the wheel, and the single assist arm presses and holds the bead through the change so the tire stays seated in the drop center instead of climbing back out. That is the difference that makes run-flat and short-sidewall work manageable on this class of machine rather than a two-person job.
Bead breaking and bead seating
Two separate jobs, two separate systems on this machine. The bead breaker delivers 5,500 lbs of force to break seized and stubborn beads on passenger-car and light-truck wheels, which is the part of the change that punishes an underpowered changer, especially on older wheels that have been on the vehicle for years. On the other end of the job, the built-in bead blast seating system delivers a burst of air to pop the bead onto the rim during inflation. Bead blast is the feature that saves you on wide, low-profile tires that will not seal against the rim on shop air alone. Both are standard on the NTC-950-1, not add-on options.
Power, air, delivery and warranty
The NTC-950-1 plugs into a standard 110V single-phase outlet and runs a 1.5 HP motor, so no three-phase service or special electrical hookup is required. You also need shop air, up to 120 PSI, to feed the bead blast seating system. It ships crated on an LTL freight carrier with liftgate service: the driver lowers it to the ground at the back of the truck but does not move it inside or assemble it. You schedule the delivery appointment with the carrier directly, or hold it at the nearest terminal for pickup. Triumph backs the machine with a 1-year parts warranty, parts only with no labor coverage, and it is also offered as a shop package with the Triumph NTB-550 or NTB-800 wheel balancer.
Key features
Single assist arm — presses and holds the bead through the change, which is what makes run-flat and low-profile tires manageable on a swing-arm machine.
5,500 lb bead breaker — breaks seized and stubborn beads on passenger-car and light-truck wheels.
Bead blast seating system — a burst of air seats the bead onto the rim during inflation.
16–28" inside clamping, 14–26" outside — covers almost any passenger and light-truck wheel a commercial shop handles.
Handles wheels up to 15" wide and tires up to 43" in diameter.
110V single-phase, 1.5 HP — plugs into a standard outlet, no three-phase service required.
Available as a shop package with the Triumph NTB-550 or NTB-800 wheel balancer.