Which Tyre Lever Do I Need?
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Quick answer: Melco tyre levers are chosen by the vehicle and wheel you're working on, and they're always used in pairs. Short 7–12″ levers suit motorcycles, groundcare and small wheels; flat and spoon levers cover cars down to bikes; the 30–39″ commercial TTL range handles truck, bus and agricultural tyres; and specialist split-rim and earth-mover bars suit quarry, plant and locking-ring wheels. Start with your vehicle in the first table, then use the sections below to choose the exact pattern and length.
Start here: find your lever by what you're working on
| What you're working on | Best starting point | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Motorcycle & bicycle | Motorcycle Lever (7″/12″), TL/85 | Short, smooth paddle ends for soft-wall tyres; use in pairs. |
|
Grounds maintenance & small wheels (ride-on mowers, garden tractors, quads/ATVs, barrows, karts) |
Spoon Levers (9/12/20″), TL/32 short sizes | Loop-handled spoons slip under soft beads without marking the rim. |
| Cars & light vehicles (incl. run-flats) | TCB/3 Run-Flat, TL/38, TL/37 | Modern low-profiles and run-flats sit tight; these work the bead over the safety hump. |
| Vans & 4x4 / light commercial | TL/37, TTL/4 | More leverage for stiffer sidewalls, still bay-friendly. |
| Trucks & commercial (HGV, bus, PSV) | Truck & Commercial Levers — TTL range; TTL/5 best seller | Long forged bars to move a heavy commercial bead. |
| Agricultural (tractor, trailer) | Agricultural Levers — TTL/6, TL/55 | Maximum reach for big, stiff tyres. |
| Earthmover & plant | TL/105, TL/100 | The heavy end — thick bar and incisor blade for the biggest wheels. |
| Tyre-bay / machine work | Tyre-Bay Tools — TCB/1, TCB/2, PBL Pry Bar | Bars shaped to seat into mount/demount machine heads. |
Browse everything in the Tyre Levers collection.
Full suitability table by model
A tick shows the tyre lever suits that vehicle group. Many levers are universal; the "Best for" column gives the primary use. Levers are used in pairs.
| Model | Size | Motorbikes | Garden Machinery | Cars | Light Commercial | Heavy Commercial | Agriculture | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TL/65 / TL/70 | 7–12″ | ✓ | Motorcycle tyres | |||||
| TL/85 | 9″ | ✓ | Bicycle & motorcycle | |||||
| TL/88 / 90 / 95 (Spoon) | 9–20″ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Small wheels – barrows, mowers, karts | |||
| TL/32 | 10–24″ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Multi-purpose agricultural flat | ||
| TL/37 | 12–24″ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | General-purpose flat lever | ||
| TCB/3 | 300mm | ✓ | Run-flat performance car (machine) | |||||
| TCB/2/20 / 24 | 20–24″ | ✓ | ✓ | Car tyres on changing machines | ||||
| TL/38 | 21″ | ✓ | ✓ | Face / hump lever | ||||
| TL/55 | 14½″ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Best-selling bead breaker + lever | |||
| TL/50 | 24″ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Bead breaker + lever, larger vehicles | |||
| TTL/1 | 34″ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Universal commercial; MOT bar | |||
| TTL/2 / TTL/3 | 30″ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Agricultural all-rounders | |||
| TTL/4 | 30–34″ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Halte / Michelin pattern | |||
| TTL/5 | 37½″ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Super singles & heavy commercial (best seller) | |||
| TTL/6 | 39″ | ✓ | ✓ | Longest lever – toughest beads | ||||
| TL/40 / TL/45 / TL/81A | 19–21½″ | ✓ | ✓ | Split rim / locking rings | ||||
| TCB/1 | 41″ | ✓ | ✓ | Older walk-round changing machines | ||||
| TL/100 | 30″ | ✓ | ✓ | Earth mover / quarry split rims | ||||
| TL/105 | Heavy duty | ✓ | ✓ | Heavy earth mover / quarry |
Understanding the lever patterns
Most jobs come down to one of a handful of patterns. Recognise these and the choice gets simple.
Spoon levers
A forged loop handle with a smooth, paddle-shaped end. The spoon slides under a soft bead and lifts it without marking the rim — the go-to for motorcycle, groundcare and small-wheel work. See the Spoon Tyre Lever.
Flat levers
Radius-edged flat bar with a tapered push end — a general-purpose tubeless lever that won't cut the rim. The TL/37 (spring steel) and wider TL/32 (carbon steel) cover small wheels up to light commercial, in several lengths.
Face / hump levers
A flat lever with a large looped end, made to lift the bead over the safety hump on modern tubeless rims. The TL/38 is our equivalent of the Michelin face lever.
Split-rim levers
For multi-piece and split-rim wheels on older trucks and plant. A hooked or squared end catches the locking ring and prizes it open — the hooked TL/40, straight TL/45, or longer TL/81A.
Bead-breaker levers
A cranked chisel one end to pop the bead free, with a lever at the other. The TL/55 is our single biggest seller; the TL/50 is the longer, heavier version.
Machine bars
Shaped to seat into the mount/demount head of a tyre-changing machine — the TCB/1 walk-round bar for older manual machines, the TCB/2 for modern changers, and the narrow TCB/3 for tight run-flats.
Getting the length right
Length is leverage. As a rule of thumb:
- Short (7–14″) — motorcycles, small groundcare wheels, tight run-flats, confined spaces.
- Medium (18–30″) — cars, vans, 4x4s and light commercial.
- Long (30–39″+) — trucks, buses, tractors and plant, where a big, stiff bead needs real reach.
Between sizes, the longer lever gives more leverage but is heavier in a confined bay. Many fitters keep two or three lengths to hand.
Don't forget the bead
Before any lever goes in, the bead has to be broken from the rim. Working by hand rather than on a machine? Pair your levers with a bead breaker — the BB/0 with rim guard or BB/1 slide-hammer — and a BW/1 bead wedge to stop the bead re-seating while you work.
Frequently asked questions
Which tyre lever do I need for motorcycle tyres?
For motorcycle, classic and small-wheel tyres choose a short lever: the TL/65 (7″) for classic and small motorcycle tyres, the TL/70 (12″) where you need more leverage, or the TL/85 (9″) which also suits bicycles. The TL/38 is a hump lever made specifically for motocross and off-road bikes.
Which tyre lever is best for truck and HGV tyres?
The TTL/5 (37½″) is our best seller for super singles and heavy commercial tyres. The TTL/1 (34″) is a universal commercial lever and doubles as an MOT bar, and the TTL/6 (39″) is the longest lever for the toughest beads.
Which tyre lever suits agricultural tyres?
The TTL/2 and TTL/3 (both 30″) are agricultural all-rounders, while the TL/55 is a best-selling combined bead breaker and lever for agricultural work.
What do I use for split rims and earth-mover wheels?
Use a hooked or straight split-rim lever — the TL/40 (hooked) or TL/45 (straight) for locking rings, and the TL/100 or TL/105 for earth-mover and quarry split rims.
Do I need one tyre lever or two?
Always use tyre levers in pairs. One lever holds the bead while the other works the tyre around the rim.
