An apparatus is provided for positioning a tired wheel 14 onto an upright rotary wheel holder unit 1 of a tire changer machine. A first frame 3 is driven by a first actuator 8 to move the wheel 14 between a lower position and an upper position from which the wheel 14 is brought onto the rotary wheel holder unit 1. A second frame 2 is connected with a second actuator 9 to be driven between a lower position to an end position above the upper position to remove the wheel 14 from the first frame 3, and to support the wheel 14 with the wheel axis 15 in alignment with a rotation axis 16 of the rotary wheel holder unit 1. The second frame 2 is lowered by the action of the second actuator 9 for positioning the tired wheel 14 onto the rotary wheel holder unit 1.