Hofmann MONTY 1620 Swing-Arm Tire Changer testThe clamping table on the monty 1620 is solid steel, 1/2" thick. That is the specification to hold on to when you are comparing swing-arm tire changers on a spreadsheet, because it is the one that decides whether the machine is still square in its tenth year. Under that table sit two pneumatic clamping cylinders rather than one, driving all four jaws together.This is a tire changer for high-volume tire shops, multi-bay repair shops and car dealerships — assemblies found on cars and light trucks, up to a 50" tire diameter and a 15" wheel width, on a chassis that is reinforced with steel rather than pressed to a price.Dual clamping cylinders, and why one is not the sameA single-cylinder chuck moves the jaws through more linkage and holds them with whatever force is left at the end of it. The monty 1620 uses two pneumatic cylinders to control all four clamping jaws, and the reason it matters is slippage: a jaw that lets go a few degrees into a stiff bead is a jaw that drags across the rim flange. On a steel wheel that is a scratch. On a customer’s painted alloy it is a bill. Holding all four jaws at a consistent clamping force is how that damage is designed out rather than apologised for.What it will clamp, and the range that opens upThe four-jaw chuck is self-centering and clamps either 24" inner or 21" outer diameter. Outer-wheel clamping runs to 21" as standard, and reaches 26" with the optional adapters — which is the upgrade to think about now rather than later, because 26" outer clamping is what brings modern large-diameter truck and SUV wheels into range. Overall clamping range is 10-24" (254-610 mm), with an inside range of 12-24" (305-610 mm) and an outside range of 10-21" (254-533 mm).Tire diameter capacity is 50" and maximum wheel width is 15". Between those two figures sits most of what an American light-truck and passenger bay sees in a week.The bead breakerHofmann rates the bead shovel at 6,000 lbs of power, working across a range up to 15 3/8" wide, driven by a two-stage pneumatic cylinder and toggled from the foot pedal. Two-stage matters more than the headline number: it means the operator can feed power in progressively rather than hitting a stiff sidewall with everything the cylinder has. The stiffest run-flat and the softest passenger sidewall are handled with the same tool and a different pedal touch.Inflation, and the built-to-last detailsTire inflation is a foot-pedal-operated air blast, with each moveable jaw set precisely under the wheel so the bead seals. Around it, the machine is specified for a working life rather than a warranty period: the 1/2" thick steel clamping table, a steel-reinforced chassis, rust-proof air cylinders and valves, and an on-board compressed air lubricator and regulator so the air reaching those cylinders is conditioned rather than whatever the shop line happens to deliver that day.Upgrading it laterThe 1620 accepts Hofmann’s patented EasyMont Pro, a three-piece assist with a top roller, pressing foot and lifting disc. Each piece does a separate job, and together they let one operator mount and demount extra-stiff, low-profile, high-performance and run-flat tires without a second pair of hands. Optional wheel protectors are also available, which is the accessory that pays for itself the first time an expensive alloy goes back to a customer unmarked.Will it fit your bay?The machine stands 72" x 68" x 85" and weighs 600 lbs. The swing arm is the part that dictates the layout: it swings clear to the side, so the working envelope in use is wider than the cabinet footprint suggests, and the tower needs headroom to 85".Power is 115 VAC, single phase, 50/60 Hz. It also needs shop compressed air; confirm your compressor keeps up with a tire bay’s duty cycle before you order. Measuring the bay, the doorway a 600 lbs crate has to pass through, and the air and power available at that spot is the buyer’s responsibility — but it is a five-minute job and we would rather you did it than discovered a problem on delivery day.SpecificationsTower technologySwing armClamping systemTurntable and clamping jawsClamping range10-24" (254-610 mm)Inside clamping12-24" (305-610 mm)Outside clamping10-21" (254-533 mm), 26" with optional adaptersMax. tire diameter50"Max. wheel width15"Bead loosening power6,000 lbsBead breaker rangeup to 15 3/8" widePower supply115 VAC, 1 ph, 50/60 HzDimensions (LxWxH)72" x 68" x 85"Weight600 lbsOne row on the manufacturer’s specification table reads “Capability 70 Kg” with nothing to say what it measures. We are not going to guess — if that figure is decisive for you, ask us and we will have it confirmed rather than publish an assumption.Perfect ForHigh-volume tire shops where clamping repeatability protects both the rim and the clock.Multi-bay repair shops that change tires alongside everything else and need one machine to cover cars and light trucks.Car dealerships handling customer alloys, where cosmetic damage is a service-department problem long before it is a mechanical one.Shops planning ahead: the EasyMont Pro and wheel-protector options mean the machine can grow into low-profile and run-flat work.What is included, and what is notEasyMont Pro is listed as optional, as are the wheel protectors and the adapters that take outer clamping to 26". Our product data does not itemise the standard accessory set beyond that, so if a particular cone, adapter or protector set is part of your buying decision, ask us to confirm what actually ships before you order rather than after.Certification, stated plainlyOur data for this tire changer records no third-party safety listing, and we will not imply one. Some insurers and some municipal inspection regimes ask to see that powered shop equipment carries an independent laboratory listing. If that applies to you, raise it with us before you buy and we will request the manufacturer’s compliance paperwork in writing so you can check it against your own r
