John Bean Tool Holder

Problem

No convenient place to keep all the frequently used tire installation tools in one spot on the John Bean machine. Tools ended up scattered around the work area, slowing down the workflow.

Tool holder installed on machine with tools

Design

Designed a custom tool holder in SolidWorks that mounts using an existing bolt on the machine — the bolt previously held a simple cover, which was replaced with the holder. The design is a two-part assembly: the main body has a square opening in the center, and a smaller insert piece slides down into it. The bolt clamps both parts to the machine. This way, if the holder is accidentally hit hard enough to break, only the small insert fails — not the entire model — making it easy and cheap to replace.

The holder stores:

• Tire crayon
• Valve core remover tool
• Wheel weight remover
• Rubber valve stem cutter
• Small bowl for valve caps and cores
• Valve stem installation tool

SolidWorks model — two-part assembly with sacrificial insert

Result

• All tools organized in one accessible spot on the machine
• Zero modification — uses existing bolt location
• Sacrificial insert protects the main body from accidental damage
• Adopted and used by techs at the shop

Skills