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TRAC Tire Jack And Roller Plate Accessory
The TRAC Tire Jack with Roller Plate Accessory caught my eye in the New Product Showcase at the 2023 SEMA Show, and in my TDR123 coverage I mentioned that I’d like to evaluate one. The manufacturer obliged, and here we are just one issue later.
Gaither Tool Company was founded in 1988. I had seen their display at the SEMA Show for years, and I knew that my friend and fellow TDR writer Moses Ludel uses their products, but this was the first time I gave them more than a passing glance. Gaither is focused on the tire and trucking industry and I am a guy who plays with tires more than most writers or enthusiasts. Receiving the TRAC and Roller Plate Accessory in early 2024 was perfect timing, as I both purchased a new set of tires and was supplied a set by a manufacturer for long-term reviews.
Packaging And Instructions
The TRAC and Roller Plate were packed well with the box taped and stapled, with straps around the circumference. A double-sided sheet of paper explained the TRAC’s usefulnesses on one side (but not specifically how to use it), with a replacement parts list on the other. Nothing was included about how to attach the Roller Plate, possibly because it was just introduced. There is just one bolt to secure the Roller Plate to the TRAC, but I admit doing it incorrectly the first time before referring to my photographs from the SEMA Show. One 3/16 hex bit is all that's required to marry the two pieces.
The QR code on the bottom of the TRAC took me to a 15-second video showing it in use. There's really no need for lengthly instructions, and watching videos of the TRAC being used is easier than reading how to operate the tool. Something that did not sink in after watching this brief video the first time was that the TRAC and Roller Plate work better if not stuffed completely under the tire. Like anything new there is a bit of a learning curve, but below are my initial impressions while actively using the TRAC.
Removal
“Wow, pulling and removing the right-front wheel for the first time… it works easily and well. I am impressed.”
My first use involved removing a set of worn LT285/75R18 and replacing them with bigger, LT295/65R20. My axle needed to be a bit higher than usual to slide the Roller Plate under a tire before lifting with the TRAC. After pushing down on the end of the jack closest to me, it lifted the 100-pound tire and wheel off the studs, and was easily rolled away from the chassis over the smooth concrete shop floor. Some strength was needed to leverage the heavy tire and wheel off the axle, but using the TRAC shouldn’t be a problem for reasonably strong folks who do their own work.
Before the TRAC, historically I've used two methods to remove and replace wheels. Sometimes I will lean over and grab the wheel spokes from above and lift it off the studs and pull it away from the axle. However, usually I sit on the floor and use the inside of my lower legs to lift the tire at 4-and-7 o'clock, then pull it to me. This is almost always the method I use to put them back onto an axle. Sometimes I use jack stands to support the axle(s) during a rotation, but not always. Even though I am not completely crawling under the truck, my feet and part of my legs certainly are vulnerable. The TRAC adds a measure of safety, allowing one to kneel in front of a wheel and keep extremities outside the fenders.
Replace
Before my first attempt sliding a wheel onto the studs I experimented with a couple of hand and foot positions to get the rubber on the plate. A typical brawn-not-brains shadetree technique would be to lift the wheel onto the TRAC, but the purpose of this tool is to reduce lifting, use leverage, and have more control.
What I discovered with a bit of experimentation was that leaning the top of the tire away from myself, then feeding about half of the Roller Plate under the tread facilitated more maneuverability while still providing enough leverage for lifting.
TRAC Without Roller Plate?
Before doing the second at the left-front, I decided to try the TRAC solo and removed the Roller Plate. Removing the rim was easy, everything was lined-up. When I tried to remount a wheel to the axle I was not lined-up with the studs, and there was really no way to make it right without pulling the wheel back out and manhandling the tire on the TRAC.
Even with my lack of experience using the TRAC, it was obvious that using the Roller Plate with the TRAC is preferred, and with practice my technique would get better. I put the plate back on. It was after the second installation of the Roller Plate that I realized that placing too much of the tread on the rollers made the tire more difficult to spin, which was a bit counterintuitive.
Third Time Is The Charm
At the left-rear for number three I adjusted my floor jack up and down a bit to find the sweet spot. The initial slide-in showed the wheel holes were misaligned, so I pulled the TRAC back out and was able to move the tire on the rollers more easily than if the studs were just lightly touching the back of the wheel. After this correction I slid the wheel back onto the studs with ease.
Number Four And Ready To Rock
By the time I reached the fourth at the right-rear, I realized that part of my inefficiency using the TRAC and Roller Plate was that sometimes I was not lining-up the hub with the center of the wheel as I lifted the assembly, or was leaning the wheel too much instead of trying to keep it closer to vertical. Both stud and hub alignment matter. Even if the hub was centered, if the studs and holes were too far off, it was better to pull the tire away from the chassis, make adjustments on the plate, then move forward again for the bolt-up.
Second R&R
LT295/65R20 To LT255/85R17
One month after the first use of the TRAC I needed to remove and replace the Toyos with a new set from Mickey Thompson that arrived for evaluation. It sure seemed like things went much more smoothly the second time. Again, it became clear that having the vehicle/axle high enough, but not too high, particularly during the mounting, made the TRAC easier to use.
Sliding the first Mickey Thompson A/T onto the passenger front went impressively well. Was that because the holes were closely lined up and I did not need much correction? Or was it easier because of the narrower and slightly lighter rubber on a 17-inch rim?
Then the second tire went onto the driver’s side front more smoothly than a month ago. Was this because the front axle and hub rotate freely? I wondered, “How will things go on the rear axle with the transmission in-gear and the parking brake applied?”
For the rear, the studs were not close to the holes when sliding-in for the bolt-up. Leaning on the end of the TRAC with my right hand, and directing the top of the tire with my left, with a little up-and-down jiggle and a slight roll on the plate, I had the studs aligned quickly and easily. Practice makes better.
You Be The Judge
The new Gaither TRAC Roller Accessory Plate is an innovative and handy device. Good enough for Gaither to win runner up in the tools and equipment product category at the 2023 SEMA Show.
The TRAC Tire Jack is small and lightweight and for folks with smaller garages or handling smaller rubber, this could be a real back saver. I plan to continue using the TRAC ($150) and Roller Plate Accessory ($85) for my frequent rotations and wheels swaps; it’s safer and less demanding than what I’ve been doing. But a little surfing on Gaither’s website had me interested in another Gaither product.
Gaither makes a large Wheel Dolly ($276) that they advertise as the easiest and safest way to install an uninstalled tires and wheels on commercial vehicles, all the way up to 24.5-inch semi-truck tires, though it works for wheels as small as 6.5-inches too. This Wheel Dolly sounds like the perfect luxury hand truck for the 110-pound LT295/65R20 tires and wheels I’ve got under my 2017 Hallmark Camper rig. Gaither Tool Company has a new fan, and I’m considering one of their floor jacks too.
Drive diesel and tell ‘em you saw it in the TDR!
James Langan
TDR Writer
www.RoadTraveler.net
Instagram: @RoadTraveler
YouTube: RoadTravelerNet
Resource:
Gaither Tool: gaithertool.com
