Adjusting clamping force on tire changer machine

[Relax]

No mention of this in my Ranger manual, but found this blurb in a Coats manual:

Prior to placing the wheel on the table top to clamp, observe the style and strength of the wheel and adjust the clamp pressure as necessary using the
pressure regulator and gauge. Thin spun aluminum rims sometimes used on ATV and motorcycle are sometimes delicate and a reduced air pressure should
be considered verses cast aluminum and steel wheels that can support more clamping force.

I'll be doing some spoked aluminum motorcycle wheels. Anyone know how to do this on a Ranger R980? They can't mean the main input regulator, because that would affect the bead breaker operation too, right?

 

[Relax]

I couldn't find a regulator just for the clamps in the parts diagrams, so I guess I do need to use the main regulator after all, which seems like a pain - break the bead, crank it down to clamp the wheels, then crank it back up to seat the beads. I guess that's the difference between a lower-end and higher-end machine.

 

[Superbec]

I would say don't do it .. if clamp force is not big enough and the old tires are very old you could spin the wheel in the clamp and damgae the rims.. there's more chances to scratch them using less pressure than damaging from too much force .

 

[Relax]

I never even thought of this "concern" until I saw it in the Coats manual. I got brand new plastic jaw covers, and I can spin the turntable slowly, but you have a point.

 

[Superbec]

I didn't think either .. I scratched 1 or 2 wheels that way.

Too much clamping force would be a concern with carbon wheels .

I even had a bicycle wheel clamped once, no problem.

 

[Relax]

Funny how the answer that eluded you for so long sometimes falls into your lap once you've given up (just change the input pressure):

I had actually planned on doing my carbon wheels by hand thinking they're too soft, but it's good to know that I can do them safely on this machine as well.