Have you ever misjudged your vehicle’s position when parallel parking? Has your wheel come into contact with the curb (aka curb rash)? Or perhaps you’ve run over a rock or other obstacle and bent a rim? Well, of course, YOU haven’t, but maybe someone else has. How can this kind of damage be fixed?
To find out, over 25 club members gathered at Sierra Wheel Repair in Sparks on Saturday, October 21st, to hear owner Roger Dombrowske explain the various repair processes. Using some Fuchs wheels as an example,
Roger talked about how wheels can be refinished. He emphasized the importance of completely removing the existing finish and then applying the new finish requested by the customer.
Powder coating is the most popular wheel finish. The powder coating “paint” is sprayed onto the wheel and then placed in a 400-plus degree oven where the coating is cured. The result is a durable finish that is harder than regular paint. Roger demonstrated the process by powder coating one wheel during the presentation.
Next, Roger showed how curb rash can be repaired. The affected areas are ground down to a smooth finish and then repainted and clear coat applied as necessary. Cracks are more challenging and require welding.
Finally, Roger walked us through the wheel straightening process. The wheel is placed on a truing stand and rotated. This process exposes where the wheel is out of round. The area is heated and a jack inside the wheel pushes the area out. After the wheel cools, the trueness of the wheel is rechecked and the process is repeated until the wheel meets spec.
Also at the tech session was Steve Nesbitt of Reno Paint Mart. While he supplies Roger with automotive paints, he was on hand to discuss the full line of car care products carried by his shop. Steve explained the use of various products as well as discussing how different manufacturers stand behind their products.
The club very much appreciates the time and effort by Roger and Steve to hold this tech session! Everyone I spoke to found it interesting and informative. If you have any ideas for future tech sessions or perhaps would like to hold one yourself, please contact Deven Hickingbotham at activities@snr-pca.org.
