Wheel reconditioning and refinishing services restore the wheel’s original shine and luster by removing damage to its surface and structure. This keeps your truck looking polished and professional, maintaining your brand’s image. Understanding the difference between refinishing, reconditioning, and polishing can help you determine which service meets your needs and why each one benefits your fleet. Here’s what you need to know.
Wheel Refinishing and Polishing
Wheel refinishing is primarily used to address cosmetic issues like curb rash, dirt, and weather damage of aluminum wheels. The wheels are cleaned and polished to enhance the vehicle’s appearance and potentially extends the wheel’s lifespan by protecting it from further corrosion. This process includes several steps to bring the wheels back to a new and improved look:
- Cleaning and Preparation: Removing built-up dirt, grease, and old paint from the wheels.
- Grinding: Using steel grinder to remove excess dirt and grime.
- Inspection: Checking for potential safety issues such as cracks or structural damage.
- Polishing: Using an approved wheel polish and polishing tool to buff the wheel surface, gradually increasing speed for a smooth finish. STTC utilizes an automated system without having to remove the wheels.
Wheel Reconditioning
Wheel reconditioning is a more comprehensive process to recoat steel wheels. Semi-trucks endure significant wear and tear on the road. Reconditioning helps ensure the safety and performance of their wheels by extending service life, improving tire health, and keeping your truck well-maintained. Reconditioning protects against further corrosion and debris. Professional-looking tires are easier to maintain and change.
Key steps in wheel reconditioning include:
- Burn off Oven: Bakes old paint and grease, making removal much easier in the blaster.
- Blasting: Cleaning the wheel surface to expose any underlying structural issues.
- Inspection: Conducting a thorough inspection to identify and address safety concerns such as cracks, rust, and other structural defects.
- Painting and Coating: Applying primer and powder coat to protect the wheel and improve its appearance.
- Cure Oven: The powdered paint is cured in specialized ovens
When Should You Recondition, Refinish, or Polish Commercial Wheels?
You can look for some key signs of damage to the wheels, such as:
- Rust covering more than 20% of the wheel’s surface.
- Rust around the bolt area.
- Build-up of debris over 3 mils thick.
- Dirt or rust in the bead seat.
STTC Offers Wheel Refinishing, Reconditioning and Polishing
Take pride in your commercial fleet trucks with wheel refinishing and reconditioning. STTC has a wide range of services that keep your trucks running smoothly and looking great while managing your cost-per-mile.
Give us a call now at 610-954-8473 or contact us online to discuss wheel refinishing and reconditioning to keep your fleet’s trucks in peak operating condition.
