Tire Inflation Cages

The types of cage in this category

Bar cages, 2 through 7 bars

Horizontal restraining bars welded between uprights on a steel base. Bar count runs from 2 (Branick 2220, AME 24420, AME 24425, ESCO 90408, Martins MIC-2WB and MIC-2OSFA) to 7 (ESCO 90415). More bars means tighter spacing and a longer base, so the cage takes more floor and weighs more. Four bars is the most common configuration in this category for truck and bus work, and shops after a 4 bar tire inflation cage kit land on the Martins MIC-4-KIT, which pairs the MIC-4 cage with an automatic inflator.

Portable and folding cages for service trucks

Three models fold flat for road service: the Martins MIC-2OSFA to a depth of 7-1/8 in. at 59 lb net, the Martins MIC-2WB to 7 in. at 74 lb net with a wide base so a super single rolls in without lifting, and the ESCO 90408 to 7 in. at 72 lb net. Branick's 2220 does not fold but is a narrow 2-bar unit, only 17 in. deep, made to mount to a service truck.

Short cages for passenger work, tall cages for semi truck work

If the shop only sees passenger, light truck and run-flat tires, a full-height cage is wasted ceiling: the Branick 2130 stands 40 in. tall for tires up to 34 in. diameter, and the Martins MIC-PCR is a dedicated passenger and SUV cage at 26 x 22 x 40 in., taking up to a 35 in. OD by 12-1/2 in. wide tire, with foam cushions to prevent scratches on the wheel. Commercial work needs height: Branick's 2200 series (2220, 2230, 2240, 2250) stands 60 in. for tires up to 54 in. diameter, the Martins MIC-3, MIC-4 and MIC-5 stand 57-1/2 in. for up to 47 in. OD by 19 in. wide, and the AME 24430, 24440 and 24450 stand 57 in. for up to 54 in. OD by 20 in. wide.

OTR, earthmover and enclosed automatic cages

The Martins MIC-OTR is a 5-bar cage with added reinforcement plates for tires up to 62 in. OD by 33 in. wide, and the AME 24455 matches that capacity. The ESCO 90415 is a 7-bar unit rated by tire spec rather than dimensions: it fits up to a 29.5R25 L-3 earthmover tire. The AME 24456 is listed only by overall size, 48 in. x 72 in. x 89 in., with no published tire capacity. Above those sit the three Martins MIC-AUHD models, enclosed in steel wire mesh with a safety system on both doors and a built-in inflator, so the operator never reaches into a pressurized cage: the MIC-AUHD-52 up to 50 in. OD by 19 in. wide at 195 psi, the highest rating here and nitrogen compatible; the MIC-AUHD-78 up to 76 in. OD by 35 in. wide at 145 psi; the MIC-AUHD-82 up to 78 in. OD by 50 in. wide.

Drive-on barriers and utility cages

The two Martins MITB units are not cages you roll a wheel into. The vehicle drives onto the platform, the wheel is aligned with the angles, and the tire is inflated on the truck, which takes the dismount and remount out of routine fleet maintenance: MITB-48 for tires up to 47 in. OD by 35 in. wide at 130 psi, MITB-80 for up to 80 in. OD by 39 in. wide at 145 psi. Both have fork guides for lift truck handling. At the other extreme, the Branick 2010 is a small enclosed cage for golf cart, lawn, garden, ATV and scooter tires up to 20.5 in. diameter and 16 in. wide at 100 psi, using slots rather than bars to contain small debris.

A note on width

Width is the specification buyers skip, and the one that stops a wheel at the door. A large diameter rating does not imply a wide one: the MIC-2OSFA accepts a 50 in. tire but only 16 in. of width, while its stablemate the MIC-2WB takes a 2 in. smaller tire at 48 in. OD and clears 21 in. of width. Two portable 2-bar cages, and only one of them takes your super single. The AME 24430 makes the same point at truck scale: it is rated for a 54 in. tire but stops at 20 in. of width, so a 54 in. assembly on a 21 in. section will not enter.

Pressure ratings, and why the cage rating governs

Branick lists a maximum inflation pressure of 120 psi on its nine bar cages, and 100 psi on the utility 2010; the 210 roller accessory publishes none. Martins rates its bar cages, the MIC-OTR, the MIC-PCR and the MITB-48 as certified to 130 psi; the MIC-AUHD-78, MIC-AUHD-82 and MITB-80 at 145 psi; and the MIC-AUHD-52 at 195 psi. The AME 24455 states it is certified and burst tested at 157 psi (10.8 bar). The remaining AME, ESCO and Ranger listings publish no pressure rating, so request the model's certification document before committing.

One trap worth naming: the MIC-4-KIT includes a Flatematic Single (MW-60) inflator rated 145 psi, but the MIC-4 cage in that kit is certified to 130 psi. A more capable inflator does not raise the cage rating, and the same applies to the MIC-6HD-KIT. Work to the cage number.

Space, air supply and delivery

Cages here stand from 24.5 in. (Branick 2010) up to 89 in. (AME 24456), with the MIC-AUHD-82 next at 82 in.; allow clearance above that to lower an assembly in. Footprints run from 20 x 20 in. (Branick 2010) up to 84 x 56 in. for the MIC-AUHD-82 and 48 x 72 in. for the AME 24456, and the MITB-80 drive-on barrier takes the most floor of anything here at 80 x 70 in. Read the dimension order carefully, because Branick publishes W x D x H, Martins and ESCO publish L x W x H, and AME publishes three unlabeled figures. A 5-bar Branick 2250 is 28 in. wide but 36 in. deep, so it needs a bay, not a corner.

Compressed air is required and is not included: seven Martins listings state "Air compressor required: Yes," two adding that it is sold separately. Where a hose ships with the cage the listing gives a length, from 52 in. with a closed chuck on the MIC-6HD to 25 ft. on the MIC-AUHD-52 and 10 ft. with an OTR chuck on the MIC-AUHD-78 and -82. No listing here specifies an electrical supply requirement; ask for the manual if you need that. The MIC-6HD specifies four anchor holes.

Plan the delivery. Weights climb fast: 40 lb shipping for the Branick 2010, then 485 lb net for the ESCO 90415, 904 lb net for the MITB-80 and 1,288 lb net for the MIC-AUHD-82, which crates at 91 x 67 x 89 in. Net and shipping weight are not the same figure and not every listing publishes both, so confirm the crated weight and size with us before you book the dock. The Ranger RIC-4716 listing states it is the buyer's responsibility to unload the freight, so have a forklift or liftgate arranged. Four listings here are flagged for free shipping: Ranger RIC-4716, Martins MIC-2WB and MIC-ROLLER, and AME 24456.

What these listings declare about OSHA 29 CFR 1910.177

Buyers searching tire inflation cage requirements want to know whether the cage satisfies the OSHA standard for servicing rim wheels. What these listings claim, in their own words:

• Nine of the eleven Branick listings state "Meets OSHA Standard CFR 1910.177," citing high yield strength steel and an arch design for energy displacement; eight of those also state "Made in the USA." The two exceptions are the 2010 Utility cage and the 210 roller kit, whose listings make no OSHA claim at all - the 2010 cites a sloped roof, debris-containing slots, roll-out lips and solid steel construction instead. If OSHA language is a purchasing requirement on the 2010, request documentation for that model specifically.
• Every Martins Industries cage carries the spec line "Meets OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.177: Yes," most describing the design as exceeding it, and each also lists a CE certification.
• The four ESCO listings state they follow OSHA regulation 29-CFR Part 1910.177 for medium and heavy-duty truck, OTR, tractor and super single tires. Each publishes an Inflation Cage Certification document and is described as 100 percent made in the USA.
• The AME listings state the cages meet or exceed OSHA standard 29 CFR 1910.177; the 24455 adds that it is certified and burst tested at 157 psi.
• The Ranger RIC-4716 listing declares no OSHA standard. It cites 2-3/8 in. high-yield seamless steel tubing, 4-bar welded construction, a solid steel base and a full-width angle-iron wheel cradle. If OSHA language is a purchasing requirement, request documentation on this model specifically.

Two footnotes. The Martins MIC-ROLLER carries the line "Meets OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.177: No" - it is a handling accessory, not a restraining device, and does not change the rating of the cage it sits in. And five listings, the Ranger RIC-4716 and all four ESCO cages, carry a California Proposition 65 warning. No model here declares an ALI, ASME or ETL listing.

Comparison: 10 models across the range

Branick publishes dimensions as W x D x H and Martins Industries and ESCO publish L x W x H; AME publishes three unlabeled figures whose order is not consistent between models, so confirm which is the depth before you measure the bay. Weights are net where the listing says net (Martins, ESCO); Branick and Ranger publish shipping weight, marked ship in the table.

Accessories, kits and rim protection

Rotating a heavy assembly inside a cage to reach the valve is the repetitive task that hurts backs. The Martins MIC-ROLLER weighs 12 lb, handles assemblies up to 450 lb, and its listing confirms compatibility with the MIC-3, MIC-4, MIC-5 and MIC-OTR. The Branick 210 Tire Safety Cage Rollers weigh 9 lb and fit Branick cages other than the 2220 and 2260 carried here.

Two complete kits are listed. The MIC-4-KIT bundles the MIC-4 cage, the MW-STAND inflator stand, the MW-60 Flatematic Single automatic inflator, a 1/4 in. quick coupling and the MIC-ROLLER, at 180 lb net; the MIC-6HD-KIT bundles the same around the MIC-6HD cage, at 311 lb net. Both inflators display psi, bar, kPa and kg/cm2 and read to 0.29 psi. For alloy or coated wheels, the Branick 2240 NM adds rim-saving "No-Mar" poly side strips, and the 2040 NMDM combines those with a double mesh side option.

Where these listings disagree

Four conflicts, so you hear them from us rather than after delivery. On the Branick 2220 the description says a maximum tire width of 22 in. while the spec table says 21.5 in.; take 21.5 in., which matches the rest of the 2200 series. On the Martins MIC-2WB a bullet calls it a 78 lb cage while the table gives 74 lb net, so 78 lb is the gross weight with packaging. On the AME 24425 the listing repeats the AME 24420's weight of 69 lb even though the 24425 is the wider-base cage, and its metric conversion reads 121 mm for a 48 in. tire; treat the AME weights as approximate and ask us to confirm the shipping weight before you book the freight. And the Ranger RIC-4716 listing carries bullets about a 36 mm balancer shaft and centering cones, which belong to a wheel balancer, not this cage; that listing's spec table, giving 16 in. width and 47 in. diameter, is the reliable data.

Frequently asked questions

How many bars do I actually need?

Bar count follows tire size and how completely you want fragments contained, not brand preference. Two bars covers portable and service-truck use and smaller commercial tires. Three to four bars is the working standard for truck and bus tires, and it is the widest choice in this category: nine of the listings here are 4-bar. The full-height ones are the Branick 2240 and 2240 NM, the Martins MIC-4 and MIC-4-KIT, the AME 24440, the ESCO 90410 and the Ranger RIC-4716; the Branick 2040 and 2040 NMDM are the short 4-bar option, 46 in. tall for tires up to 41 in. diameter.

Will a cage rated for a 54 in. tire take my super single?

Only if the width also clears. Seventeen listings here name super singles. The ones that name them in a capacity claim rather than in a general OSHA line are the Branick 2200 series and the 2240 NM, the Martins MIC-2WB, whose wide base lets a super single roll in, the ESCO 90408 (fitting comparable tires up to a 455/55R 22.5 wide super single) and the AME 24425 Super Single. The AME 24420, 24430, 24440, 24450 and 24456 and the ESCO 90410, 90411 and 90415 also state they are designed for super singles, so check the width figure in every case: the AME 24425 clears 15 in. and the MIC-2WB 21 in., the AME 24430, 24440 and 24450 stop at 20 in. of section, the Branick 2260 clears 29 in., and the MIC-OTR and AME 24455 clear 33 in.

Do I need a separate air compressor?

Yes. No cage in this category includes one, and seven Martins listings state "Air compressor required: Yes" outright. Some models do include the hose and chuck that run between the compressor and the tire, and their listings say so.

How do I confirm a specification before ordering?

Almost every model page carries the manufacturer's own spec table, and most link a flyer, manual, spec sheet or spare parts list. The AME 24456 is the exception: its listing gives features and an overall size only, with no spec table. Where a figure is not published - a pressure rating on the AME, ESCO and Ranger cages, or anything beyond the overall size on the AME 24456 - ask us and we will get it from the manufacturer first. These are freight items weighing hundreds of pounds, and a return costs far more than a phone call.