An apparatus (10, 100, 200, 300) for processing a tire and a wheel for forming a tire-wheel assembly, comprising: at least one linear mounter sub-station (10c / 10d, 110c / 110d, 210c / 210d, 310c / 310d) that couples the tire with the wheel for forming the tire-wheel assembly; a transporting device (30, 130, 230, 330) that transports the wheel and the tire along a respective linear path (LPw, LP T) that traverses the at least one linear mounter sub-station (10c / 10d, 110c / 110d, 210c / 210d, 310c / 310d), wherein a component (40 / 50, 140 / 150, 240 / 250, 340 / 350) of the at least one linear mounter sub-station (10c / 10d, 110c / 110d, 210c / 210d, 310c / 310d) resists, but does not prevent, movement of one of the tire and the wheel relative the other of the tire and the wheel along the linear path (LPw, LP T) in order to spatially manipulate the tire relative the wheel in order to at least partially couple the tire with the wheel for forming the tire-wheel assembly a tire lubricating sub-station (10a, 110a, 210a, 310a) that lubricates the tire prior to the at least one linear mounter sub-station (10c / 10d, 110c / 110d, 210c / 210d, 310c / 310d) coupling the tire with the wheel for forming the tire-wheel assembly; a wheel lubricating sub-station (10b, 110b, 210b, 310b) that lubricates the wheel, prior to the at least one linear mounter sub-station (10c / 10d, 110c/ 110d, 210c / 210d, 310c / 310d) coupling the tire with the wheel for forming the tire-wheel assembly; wherein the movement of the tire relative the wheel along the linear path (LPw, LP T) is conducted without the assistance of spatially manipulatable mounting equipment that would otherwise engage and conduct work upon the tire for spatially manipulating the tire relative to the wheel; characterised in that a joint (32, 132, 232, 323) connecting the tire lubricating sub-station (10a, 110a, 210a, 310a) to a first linear mounter sub-station (10c, 110c, 210c, 310c) of the at least one linear mounter sub-station (10c / 10d, 110c / 110d, 210c / 210d, 310c / 310d), and in that the linear path (LP T) is initially above the linear path (LPw), and the joint (32, 132, 232, 323) is operable to cause the linear path (LP T) to intersect and merge with the linear path (LPw) for mounting of the tire on the wheel. at least one linear mounter sub-station (10c / 10d, 110c / 110d, 210c / 210d, 310c / 310d) that couples the tire with the wheel for forming the tire-wheel assembly; a transporting device (30, 130, 230, 330) that transports the wheel and the tire along a respective linear path (LPw, LP T) that traverses the at least one linear mounter sub-station (10c / 10d, 110c / 110d, 210c / 210d, 310c / 310d), wherein a component (40 / 50, 140 / 150, 240 / 250, 340 / 350) of the at least one linear mounter sub-station (10c / 10d, 110c / 110d, 210c / 210d, 310c / 310d) resists, but does not prevent, movement of one of the tire and the wheel relative the other of the tire and the wheel along the linear path (LPw, LP T) in order to spatially manipulate the tire relative the wheel in order to at least partially couple the tire with the wheel for forming the tire-wheel assembly a tire lubricating sub-station (10a, 110a, 210a, 310a) that lubricates the tire prior to the at least one linear mounter sub-station (10c / 10d, 110c / 110d, 210c / 210d, 310c / 310d) coupling the tire with the wheel for forming the tire-wheel assembly; a wheel lubricating sub-station (10b, 110b, 210b, 310b) that lubricates the wheel, prior to the at least one linear mounter sub-station (10c / 10d, 110c/ 110d, 210c / 210d, 310c / 310d) coupling the tire with the wheel for forming the tire-wheel assembly; wherein the movement of the tire relative the wheel along the linear path (LPw, LP T) is conducted without the assistance of spatially manipulatable mounting equipment that would otherwise engage and conduct work upon the tire for spatially manipulating the tire relative to the wheel; characterised in that a joint (32, 132, 232, 323) connecting the tire lubricating sub-station (10a, 110a, 210a, 310a) to a first linear mounter sub-station (10c, 110c, 210c, 310c) of the at least one linear mounter sub-station (10c / 10d, 110c / 110d, 210c / 210d, 310c / 310d), and in that the linear path (LP T) is initially above the linear path (LPw), and the joint (32, 132, 232, 323) is operable to cause the linear path (LP T) to intersect and merge with the linear path (LPw) for mounting of the tire on the wheel.