Corghi AM500 Artiglio 500 Leverless Tire Changer
Wheel diameters have grown faster than the machines that service them. The AM500 handles wheels from 12 to 32 inches (813 mm), and that upper figure is the reason to read further - it is the size at which a lot of otherwise capable leverless machines stop, and it covers the large-diameter truck, SUV and performance fitments that are now ordinary rather than exotic.
The AM500 is described by Corghi as an evolution of the Artiglio 50 rather than a new design: the same core, with a dual-disc dynamic bead breaker, a redesigned head group, an improved wheel-support plate clamping arrangement and a reinforced structure. That lineage is worth knowing when you are comparing machines, because it means the parts doing the difficult work have been through a previous generation in service.
Will It Fit?
The AM500 stands 83 inches high, 63 inches wide and 67 inches deep at maximum, and weighs 838 lbs. Height is the figure people forget: 83 inches is over the top of most roller doors' clear opening when the machine is crated and on a pallet, so measure the route in as well as the space it lands in. Power is listed as 110 V, single phase, 50 Hz, and it needs compressed air at 130 psi. Two things to settle before you order: whether your compressor genuinely holds 130 psi under load rather than peaking there, and - because the frequency in our record is the European figure - what the correct supply specification is for your location. Ask us and we will get it in writing.
Checking your doorway, your floor and your electrical supply is the customer's responsibility. We can quote and ship, but we cannot survey your building from here, and a machine that cannot get through the door is an expensive lesson.
Two discs, working against each other
The bead breaker is dynamic and uses two mirrored discs, one on each side of the wheel. That arrangement is not just about force - it is about where the force goes. A single-sided bead breaker pushes the whole assembly against its clamping, which is the load path that bends rims and marks faces. Two discs working symmetrically cancel much of that, and the machine can then use the console's dual disc controls for match mounting as well as breaking, since the discs can be positioned individually against the rim and tire.
The turntable produces 811 ft-lb through a motoinverter drive with two speeds, 7 rpm and 18 rpm. The reason both matter: the fast speed is for the routine part of the rotation, the slow speed is for the moment where a bead is fighting and the operator needs time to see it. A machine with one speed makes that choice for you, always in the wrong direction for one of the two jobs.
The leverless head, and what it is for
The demounting procedure uses the same working movements a technician already knows, but the effort comes out of it - the leverless head, which Corghi lists as patent pending, does the work that a tire bar would otherwise do by hand. Two consequences follow. The operator's back stops being the limiting factor late in a shift, and the tire bar stops being anywhere near the rim, which is where bar damage comes from. Clamping is described as safe and universal, and a wheel lifter is fitted as standard for getting assemblies of any type up onto the turntable without a second pair of hands.
Corghi's own summary of the AM500 is that it is built so its features can be used 100% - a claim about universality rather than speed, meaning the machine is not one where half the capability is reserved for ideal wheels. That is the manufacturer's framing, quoted as such; what we can confirm from the data is the range it covers and the tooling included with it.
Perfect For
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Shops servicing large-diameter wheels - the 32 inch capacity is the specification to buy this machine for.
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Truck and SUV specialists where run-flat and off-road assemblies are routine work.
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Established tire shops upgrading from a lever machine that is costing them in rim damage.
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Busy bays where the wheel lifter and the two-speed turntable keep one technician productive through a full day.
What's in the Box
Our data records the Standard Bead Pressing Tool, part number 8-11100221, as supplied with the machine - it is intended for low-profile and run-flat, high-performance and off-road wheel and tire assemblies, which is to say the assemblies that need it most. Also listed as part of the machine rather than as options: the dynamic dual-disc bead breaker, the multifunction control console carrying all the operating controls, the motoinverter drive and the standard wheel lifter. The machine is available in electric only. Anything not on that list, confirm with us before you order.
Specifications
| Wheel diameter |
from 12 to 32 inches (up to 813 mm) |
| Max. tire diameter |
47 inches (1,194 mm) |
| Max. wheel width |
15 inches (381 mm) |
| Turntable torque |
811 ft-lb |
| Turntable speed |
7 rpm / 18 rpm |
| Drive |
motoinverter, two speed |
| Power |
110 V / 1PH / 50 Hz as recorded - see the note above |
| Air requirement |
130 psi |
| Dimensions, maximum |
83 in high x 63 in wide x 67 in deep |
| Weight |
838 lbs |
Certification, stated honestly
No third-party safety listing is recorded against the AM500 in our product data. We are reporting the state of our records rather than making a finding about the machine - the manufacturer may hold approvals that never reached us. What we will not do is imply a certification we cannot produce. If your insurer, your fleet policy or a local inspector requires a specific document, tell us which one before you order and we will get a written answer from the manufacturer instead of leaving it to be discovered at an inspection.
Shipping and delivery
Freight to the lower 48 states, quoted live at checkout rather than estimated, so the figure you see is today's rate. Unloading is on you: a dock, a forklift, or a terminal pickup arranged with the carrier. Residential delivery carries an extra fee, displayed at checkout before payment. When it arrives, inspect the crate before signing anything and note damage on the bill of lading immediately - an 838 lb crate is handled by several carriers between here and your door, and a clean signature is what a claim gets tested against.
Warranty
Warranty terms for the AM500 are not recorded in our product data, so we are not going to summarise them. Our warranty claims page explains how to open a claim with us, and we will confirm the manufacturer's current terms in writing if you ask before ordering. Whatever those terms say: do not disassemble the machine before the claim is filed. Taking a unit apart to find the fault yourself is the single most common reason a warranty claim is refused. Photograph it, call us, and let the claim be opened first.
