Reconditioning Alloy Wheels....Worth it?

4Q Basket Case · Jul 18, 2016

I have some aluminum alloy wheels with curb rash. Plus one gash that is small in terms of surface area, but 2-3 millimeters deep.

I'm considering re-conditioning. But it seems that doing it right requires a lot of highly technical labor. So I'm concerned that the reconditioner a will cut corners, and they'll still look like fecal matter, even after several hundred dollars expenditure.

The alternative is buying new ones, which will look great, but are even more expensive, and remain subject to Birmingham potholes.

I don't mind spending money for quality. But I also don't want to @@&)

it away.

Any experience out there?

TIDE-HSV · Jul 18, 2016

4Q Basket Case said:
I have some aluminum alloy wheels with curb rash. Plus one gash that is small in terms of surface area, but 2-3 millimeters deep.

I'm considering re-conditioning. But it seems that doing it right requires a lot of highly technical labor. So I'm concerned that the reconditioner a will cut corners, and they'll still look like fecal matter, even after several hundred dollars expenditure.

The alternative is buying new ones, which will look great, but are even more expensive, and remain subject to Birmingham potholes.

I don't mind spending money for quality. But I also don't want to @@&) it away.

Any experience out there?

I don't think I'd try with anything other than shallow surface scratches. 2-3 millimeters is so deep they'd have to take off a bunch of material and I don't know how that can be made to look decent...

crimsonaudio · Jul 18, 2016

If you're willing to spend the cash, a good wheel shop can make them like new.

The said, you can likely find exact OEM replacements that are new (or like new) on eBay or craigslist for less than the cost of reconditioning (which is typically ~$200/wheel for a good shop).

Bama Reb · Jul 18, 2016

The vehicle is the deciding factor. You don't want to run trashy wheels on a nice ride, but you don't want to throw too much money at a hoopty.

cbi1972 · Jul 19, 2016

4Q Basket Case said:
I have some aluminum alloy wheels with curb rash. Plus one gash that is small in terms of surface area, but 2-3 millimeters deep.

I'm considering re-conditioning. But it seems that doing it right requires a lot of highly technical labor. So I'm concerned that the reconditioner a will cut corners, and they'll still look like fecal matter, even after several hundred dollars expenditure.

The alternative is buying new ones, which will look great, but are even more expensive, and remain subject to Birmingham potholes.

I don't mind spending money for quality. But I also don't want to @@&) it away.

Any experience out there?

I swear my next vehicle will be an SUV.
These low profile tires and large wheels are fun in the twisties but the absolute worst for a daily driver around this town. Homewood streets have become the stuff of nightmares, with their cable laying all over the place with only temporary soft patches.

And the "speed bumps" going from Rosedale to 280....argh...

BamaSC · Jul 19, 2016

Mrs BamaSC curbed my right front wheel pretty bad last year. I followed that up by curbing the left front about a week later. Got both refinished and you can't tell anything was ever done. Cheapest I found used was on eBay for $250 each. I paid $150 to have both refinished, so for me it was well worth it. YMMV.

TIDE-HSV · Jul 19, 2016

Some of the people in the Miata Club locally have tried it with less than satisfactory results. May just be a matter of the local craftsmanship...

TheAccountant · Jul 19, 2016

cbi1972 said:
I swear my next vehicle will be an SUV.
These low profile tires and large wheels are fun in the twisties but the absolute worst for a daily driver around this town. Homewood streets have become the stuff of nightmares, with their cable laying all over the place with only temporary soft patches.

And the "speed bumps" going from Rosedale to 280....argh...

Our potholes are like mere divots to what you find on the side streets in NOLA.

http://www.bestofneworleans.com/gambit/PimpmyPotHole/Page

cbi1972 · Jul 19, 2016

TheAccountant said:
Our potholes are like mere divots to what you find on the side streets in NOLA.

http://www.bestofneworleans.com/gambit/PimpmyPotHole/Page

"streets"

jabcmb · Jul 19, 2016

cbi1972 said:
I swear my next vehicle will be an SUV.
These low profile tires and large wheels are fun in the twisties but the absolute worst for a daily driver around this town. Homewood streets have become the stuff of nightmares, with their cable laying all over the place with only temporary soft patches.

And the "speed bumps" going from Rosedale to 280....argh...

Just experienced those Homewood street joys today. Good grief.

BamaSC · Jul 20, 2016

TIDE-HSV said:
Some of the people in the Miata Club locally have tried it with less than satisfactory results. May just be a matter of the local craftsmanship...

The guy that did mine is in Columbia, SC, so probably not much help to the OP. The rim my wife curbed was pretty messed up. I can't believe he was able to save it. If you run your hand over it, you can feel some imperfections, but nothing visual unless you look really close. I didn't even have to get it re-balanced.

cbi1972 said:
I swear my next vehicle will be an SUV.
These low profile tires and large wheels are fun in the twisties but the absolute worst for a daily driver around this town.

Sometimes I get tired of the hard ride and full-tilt madness and hard-core nature of my car and would like to relax and just get where I'm going. Then I drive something that does just that and I miss my car. I think I have a weird car sickness.

4Q Basket Case · Jul 20, 2016

I sincerely appreciate the experiences of the TF crew. One more example of why this is he best board anywhere.

The car is definitely worth getting the wheels right. Went to the best tire shop and best body shop in Birmingham, and both recommended the same place -- Alloy Wheel Repair Specialists in Pelham, near the main entrance to Oak Mountain State Park.

It's a franchise operation, so as several have posted, quality is highly dependent on the individuals doing the work. Could be better, could be worse than other AWRS locations. I do know they remove the wheel and put it on a lathe, so at least it's not a putty-and-paint job.

Quote is $175 a wheel, which is about what I expected. I'm going to gamble one wheel. If that's good, I'll do the others. If not, I've got some choices to make. Best used I've found online are $350. But they're reconditioned, with all the questions that raises. Best new price is bumping $600.

I'll follow up with results next week.

Apparently BamaSC and I share the same car sickness.

cbi1972 · Jul 20, 2016

4Q Basket Case said:
I sincerely appreciate the experiences of the TF crew. One more example of why this is he best board anywhere.

The car is definitely worth getting the wheels right. Went to the best tire shop and best body shop in Birmingham, and both recommended the same place -- Alloy Wheel Repair Specialists in Pelham, near the main entrance to Oak Mountain State Park.

It's a franchise operation, so as several have posted, quality is highly dependent on the individuals doing the work. Could be better, could be worse than other AWRS locations. I do know they remove the wheel and put it on a lathe, so at least it's not a putty-and-paint job.

Quote is $175 a wheel, which is about what I expected. I'm going to gamble one wheel. If that's good, I'll do the others. If not, I've got some choices to make. Best used I've found online are $350. But they're reconditioned, with all the questions that raises. Best new price is bumping $600.

I'll follow up with results next week.

Apparently BamaSC and I share the same car sickness.

I had Tire Engineers send them a cracked rim to repair and it continued to leak air. $175 was the cost, and I still had to replace the wheel. I have seriously considered keeping extra wheels around for when they break.

I got mine from All Factory Wheels for $217 marked down from over $700 but they are not always in stock.

Catfish · Jul 20, 2016

cbi1972 said:
I swear my next vehicle will be an SUV.
These low profile tires and large wheels are fun in the twisties but the absolute worst for a daily driver around this town. Homewood streets have become the stuff of nightmares, with their cable laying all over the place with only temporary soft patches.

And the "speed bumps" going from Rosedale to 280....argh...

The ones on Berry Road between Columbiana Road and Alford Avenue also suck.

cbi1972 · Jul 20, 2016

Catfish said:
The ones on Berry Road between Columbiana Road and Alford Avenue also suck.

And beware the center lane eastbound on 280 in front of Brookwood Mall after the bridge by the onramp.
It was just a *rumble* for a while, but it has developed a *BANG*

4Q Basket Case · Jul 20, 2016

cbi1972 said:
I had Tire Engineers send them a cracked rim to repair and it continued to leak air. $175 was the cost, and I still had to replace the wheel. I have seriously considered keeping extra wheels around for when they break.

I got mine from All Factory Wheels for $217 marked down from over $700 but they are not always in stock.

Good info. Went to the site, and all the wheels I saw were marketed as refurbished. Any irregularities on the ones you bought?

JTH · Jul 21, 2016

4Q Basket Case · Jul 26, 2016

UPDATE:

Decided to gamble on one wheel. If it didn't look good afterward, I was out for only the one, and would have some decisions to make. Dropped the car off at 7AM today. Picked it up at about 4PM. Just finished a close-up inspection.

This was the wheel in the worst overall condition. No dents, not mis-shapen at all, but several spots of curb rash. It now looks new, and I'm going to have the other three done.

They took the wheel off the car and the tire off the wheel. Put the wheel on a lathe and smoothed everything out. Then powder-coated it, baked and cured it, and put it back on without messing up the pressure sensor. So I'm satisfied that it was a thorough job.

Cost was $175. Not cheap, but given the fact that a reconditioned wheel would have cost $350 or more, and a new one right at $600, $175 begins to look a lot better.

Alloy Wheel Repair Specicalists in Pelham, not far from the main entrance to Oak Mountain State Park.

crimsonaudio · Jul 26, 2016

4Q Basket Case said:
They took the wheel off the car and the tire off the wheel. Put the wheel on a lathe and smoothed everything out. Then powder-coated it, baked and cured it, and put it back on without messing up the pressure sensor. So I'm satisfied that it was a thorough job.

Cost was $175.

For that amount of work - combined with your satisfaction - I'd consider that a bargain.

Reconditioning Alloy Wheels....Worth it?

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