A help arm, also called an assist arm or bead press arm, is a pneumatic arm mounted on the tire changer that pushes the tire bead down into the drop centre of the rim while the turntable rotates. On a 16 inch tire with a tall sidewall you will rarely need it. On a low-profile or run-flat tire on a 20 inch wheel it is the difference between a one-person job and a two-person job, and between a clean rim and a scratched one.
Published prices for adding a help arm to a swing-arm machine run from USD 1,150 to USD 2,800 at the manufacturers and up to CAD 4,645 at one Canadian dealer. Two machines in the Canadian market under CAD 3,500 include one: the TMG-TC24A at 3,499 and the HEADLAND TC-26 PRO at 3,295 on Container Run or 3,895 from stock.
What the help arm does
To mount or demount a tire, the bead has to drop into the narrow channel in the centre of the rim on the side opposite the mounting head. On a soft sidewall the bead drops by itself. On a stiff sidewall it does not: it rides up, binds against the mounting head, and either the tire or the rim gives.
Without a help arm the operator holds the bead down with a hand, a knee or a clamp-on bead depressor while operating the turntable pedal. With a help arm a pneumatic roller or cone does the holding, and the operator keeps both hands free and both feet on the ground. A second roller on a double arm presses from the other side as well.
The help arm does not make the machine clamp a larger rim. It makes the rims the machine already clamps easier and safer to work on when the tire is stiff.
When it is not optional
Low-profile tires. The sidewall is short and stiff and does not want to reach the drop centre. These are the standard fitment on 20 inch wheels and up, and roughly 30% of new vehicles in North America now leave the factory on 20 inch wheels or larger.
Run-flat tires. The reinforced sidewall is built not to collapse. Most swing-arm machines without a help arm cannot mount one with a single operator without risk to the rim.
One-person shops. If there is no second pair of hands, the help arm is the second pair of hands.
Peak season. Winter tire use is 100% in Quebec, about 95% in Atlantic Canada and 77% in Ontario. In the mid-November and post-15-March windows, the time saved per stiff tire adds up and the operator is fresher at the end of the day.
If your work is trailers, older vehicles and tall-sidewall truck tires, you can go without one. If 20 inch wheels come through every week, you will want one within the first winter.
Published prices for adding a help arm
As published on 4 October 2026. Manufacturer prices are in US dollars and have not been converted; they do not include shipping, duty or installation.
Source
Item
Published price
Atlas
single help arm
USD 1,150
Atlas
double help arm
USD 2,050
Ranger
help arm
USD 2,800
one Canadian dealer
help arm
CAD 3,995 to 4,645
Major (LC-5810)
help arm, extra cost
not published
TMG Industrial
TMG-TC24A with single arm, against TMG-TC24 without
CAD 3,499 against 2,499, a difference of 1,000
Two observations. First, a retrofit help arm from a professional brand costs as much as or more than a complete entry-level tire changer. Second, the Major is listed with a help arm at extra cost but the price is not published, so you must ask the dealer before you can compare it.
Machines that include a help arm
Machine
Type
Help arm
Internal clamp
Max wheel Ø
Price CAD
HEADLAND TC-26 PRO
tilt-back column
right arm, included
14–26″
45″
3,295 Container Run / 3,895 from stock
TMG-TC24A
swing arm
single, included
12–24″
41″
3,499
On Container Run the TC-26 PRO is CAD 204 below the TMG-TC24A; from stock it is 396 above. The TC-26 PRO also has a tilt-back column rather than a swing arm and a 26 inch internal range rather than 24. The difference between the HEADLAND TC-26 without arm (1,995 / 2,395) and the TC-26 PRO (3,295 / 3,895) is 1,300 on Container Run and 1,500 from stock, and that difference buys both the arm and the tilt-back column, so it is not a pure price for the arm.
Built-in and retrofit arms both do the job. A built-in arm is mounted and plumbed at the factory and is covered by the machine’s warranty as one unit. A retrofit arm is a second purchase, a second shipment and an afternoon of fitting.
Single or double arm
A single arm presses on one side of the tire, which is enough for most low-profile passenger tires. A double arm adds a second press on the far side, for run-flats and the stiffest sidewalls, and for high-volume shops where the second roller saves a repositioning step. Atlas publishes USD 1,150 for a single and USD 2,050 for a double. The HEADLAND TC-26 PRO and the TMG-TC24A are both single-arm machines.
About the figures on this page
Competitor prices are as published by the sellers on 4 October 2026 and may have changed since. Check with the seller before you buy. US dollar prices are shown as published and have not been converted to Canadian dollars. HEADLAND prices are VY Build list prices in Canadian dollars; Container Run is a pre-order with a 30% deposit and delivery from the February 2027 container, from stock is the Charlottetown warehouse, and the two prices are not a discount on each other.
Questions we are asked
What does a help arm on a tire changer do?
It is a pneumatic arm that presses the tire bead into the drop centre of the rim while the turntable turns, so the operator does not have to hold it by hand. It is used on low-profile and run-flat tires, which have stiff sidewalls, and lets one person do a job that otherwise needs two.
How much does it cost to add a help arm to a tire changer?
As published on 4 October 2026: Atlas lists USD 1,150 for a single arm and USD 2,050 for a double, Ranger lists USD 2,800, and one Canadian dealer lists CAD 3,995 to 4,645. Major offers one at extra cost without a published price. Shipping, duty and fitting are extra.
Which tire changers in Canada come with a help arm included?
In the machines compared on 4 October 2026, two: the HEADLAND TC-26 PRO (right arm, tilt-back column, CAD 3,295 on Container Run or 3,895 from stock) and the TMG-TC24A (single arm, swing arm, CAD 3,499).
Do I need a help arm for 20 inch wheels?
For most low-profile tires on 20 inch and larger wheels, and for run-flat tires at any size, a help arm makes the job safer for the rim and possible for one operator. For tall-sidewall tires on trailers, older cars and light trucks it is not needed.
The HEADLAND TC-26 PRO comes with a right-hand help arm and a tilt-back column, at CAD 3,295 on Container Run, or 3,895 from stock in Charlottetown once we are holding one. If you are weighing it against a swing-arm machine plus a retrofit arm, VY Build will put the two totals side by side for you.
About the figures on this page. Competitor prices and specifications are as published by the sellers on 4 October 2026 and may have changed since. Where a seller does not publish a figure it is shown as not published — we do not estimate. Check the current figures with the seller before you buy. All prices in Canadian dollars, before tax and freight. VY Build Inc. is not affiliated with, endorsed by or an authorised dealer for any other company named on this page.
