Tire Clamp
00 · About this guide
Contents.
This guide covers setup, the 6-step install, magnetic-adapter mounting, and leg selection for the ASWL470 Tire Wheel Clamp. The clamp grips the tire sidewall, so leg selection and tightness discipline matter. Read the notes below before first use.
- 01Anatomy & specs01
- 026-step install02
- 03Adapter plate · Magnetic mount03
- 04Leg selection · Tire range04
- 05Troubleshooting · Care · Warranty05
!Read first
- This clamp grips the tire sidewall with three legs. Grip is friction-based. Confirm all three legs are evenly tightened and the retention pins are fully seated before loading a gauge.
- Never attach a magnetic gauge until the clamp is torqued, level-confirmed, and stable under hand pressure. A clamp that slips on the sidewall rotates around the tire under gauge weight. The gauge can swing into the fender, the ground, or you.
- Re-check clamp tightness after the vehicle is bumped, after 10 minutes of heat soak in direct sun, or before any second measurement on the same wheel.
- Set tire pressure to the door-placard spec before mounting. A soft tire flexes and lets the legs walk.
- Chock the rear wheels. Engine off. Parking brake on.
01 · Anatomy
Know the clamp.
Parts
- Main body. Central hub holding the rotary expansion wheel, the bubble level, the adapter plate socket and its turn knob.
- Three legs. Swappable between short and long. A retention pin locks each leg in place.
- Retention pin (×3). Spring-loaded pin on each leg slot. Pull, slide, release to lock.
- Rotary expansion wheel. Spreads the three legs apart or pulls them in. Counterclockwise to open, clockwise to tighten.
- Bubble level. One, on the main body. Read it to confirm the clamp sits flat on the wheel.
- Magnetic adapter plate. Mounting surface for magnetic camber and caster gauges. The same plate fits the ASWG001 and ASWG001TC rim clamps, so one plate moves between tools.
- Adapter plate socket, slots, and turn knob. A 1.6 cm socket takes the plate's shaft. Three slots ring the socket and take the plate's anti-rotation pin. Loosen the turn knob to reposition the plate, tighten to lock.
Tech specs
| Tire range | 18.5-43.3 in / 47-110 cm |
| Legs in box | 6 (3 short + 3 long) |
| Adapter plate mount | 0.63 in / 1.6 cm socket for a 0.627 in / 15.93 mm shaft, 3 anti-rotation slots |
| Magnetic adapter plate | 4 in / 10.2 cm diameter |
| Body material | Aluminum, plastic housing |
| Bubble level | One, on the main body |
What’s in the box
- 1× ASWL470 Main Body with magnetic adapter plate and turn knob installed
- 3× Short Legs for tires 18.5-28.3 in / 47-72 cm
- 3× Long Legs for tires 23.2 in / 59 cm and above, three mounting positions
02 · Install
Mount in 6 steps.
Six moves to a level, torqued clamp. Pre-expand the legs to roughly tire size before you bring the clamp to the wheel. Level while you take the final half-turn of tightness, not after. See page 04 for which legs to use.
Pin · Slide · Release
Pull the spring pin on each slot, slide the chosen leg in, release the pin. Confirm all three are seated.
Open to tire size
Turn the rotary wheel counterclockwise on the ground until the legs sit roughly at tire diameter. Easier than fighting it on the wheel.
Rest on sidewall
Lift the clamp onto the tire. Let the three legs rest evenly on the tread shoulder around the sidewall. Center the body over the hub.
Tighten until snug
Rotate the rotary wheel clockwise until all three legs make light contact with the tire. Stop short of full torque.
Center the level · Final turn
Read the level on the main body. Nudge the clamp until the level is centered. Take the final tightening turn while it stays centered.
Push-test then load
Push the clamp body with hand pressure. If it does not rotate or tilt, attach the magnetic gauge to the adapter plate.
03 · Accessories
Set the adapter.
The magnetic adapter plate is the surface your camber and caster gauges attach to. The plate's shaft sits in a socket in the main body, with its anti-rotation pin in one of the three slots around that socket. Loosen the turn knob to reposition. Tighten to lock.
Loosen the turn knob
Insert the plate
Position the plate
Lock the knob
Attach a magnetic gauge
Verify magnetic grip
04 · Reference
Which legs?
The box ships with 3 short legs and 3 long legs. The long leg mounts in three positions, giving four working configurations total. Pick by tire outer diameter (not rim diameter). Measure from the top of the tire to the ground.
| Tire OD | Config | Typical fitment |
|---|---|---|
| 18.5-28.3 in 47-72 cm | A · Short legs | Compact / sedan / small SUV. 14-17 in rim with stock tire. |
| 23.2-33.3 in 59-85 cm | B · Long, pos 1 | Sedan / SUV / light truck. 15-18 in rim with stock or all-terrain tire. |
| 28.3-38.4 in 72-97 cm | C · Long, pos 2 | Full-size SUV / truck / mid-lifted. 17-18 in rim with all-terrain or mud-terrain tire. |
| 33.8-43.3 in 86-110 cm | D · Long, pos 3 | Lifted truck / 4x4 / off-road. 17 in rim with 35 in tire, or larger. |
Measure the tire
Read the sidewall code. A tire stamped P265/70R17 has section width 265 mm, aspect 70%, rim 17 in. Outer diameter is rim diameter plus twice the sidewall height. The 265/70R17 above works out to about 31.6 in / 80 cm OD. That fits both Config B and Config C. Configs overlap, so when a tire fits two, use the larger config. Here that is Config C.
Or measure it directly with the tire on the ground. The distance from the top of the tread to the ground is the outer diameter.
Tip: If a tire fits two configs (say 27.5 in, inside both A and B), use the larger config. Legs that span slightly wide on a smaller tire still grip. Legs that don’t reach won’t.
05 · Troubleshooting
Won’t hold?
Clamp slips or rotates on the tire
Sidewall grip is friction. Most common cause: rotary wheel not torqued to final tightness. Re-tighten while the level stays centered. Second cause: soft tire. Inflate to door-placard spec.
The level will not center
One leg is sitting on a tread lug or a sidewall bulge, not flush. Loosen, rotate the clamp 30 degrees on the tire, re-seat all three legs on smoother shoulder, re-tighten.
Legs won’t span the tire
Wrong leg config. See page 04. Move from short to long, or move the long legs to the next position out. Don’t force.
Retention pin won’t engage
Pin is jammed by dirt or grit. Lift the pin, blow out the slot, add a single drop of light machine oil on the pin shaft. Cycle the pin five times.
Adapter plate wobbles
Turn knob is loose. Tighten clockwise until the plate is held without play. If wobble continues, the screw that holds the plate to its shaft may have worked loose. Tighten it.
Reading drifts mid-job
Heat soak in sun, or the vehicle was bumped. Re-check rotary tightness and level centering before any second measurement on the same wheel.
Care & storage
- Wipe the magnetic plate face clean after each use. Metal swarf on the magnet pulls the gauge off-square.
- Store the clamp with legs detached. Saves space and stops the retention pins from corroding into the slots.
- Avoid solvents on the bubble level. Mild soap and water for the body. Air-dry before storage.
- Replacement short or long legs are available from autosolotools.com.
1-year replacement warranty
AutoSolo warrants the ASWL470 against manufacturing defects for one year from original retail purchase. Non-transferable. Coverage excludes abuse, modification, shipping damage, and use outside the 18.5 to 43.3 inch tire range. Email support@autosolotools.com with proof of purchase and photos of the defect within 30 days of discovery. This warranty does not affect your statutory rights.