Alloy rim refurbishment is the full treatment, not a spot repair. The wheel is taken back to bare metal, every bit of damage is dealt with, and it is refinished from primer to lacquer, so the whole set looks new and matches. It makes sense when the finish is peeling, corroded or chipped all round, when you want a colour change, or when a dealer or seller wants a car to present well. This page explains the process, choosing a finish, and how to compare refurbishment quotes.
When a full refurbishment beats a repair
- The lacquer is peeling or the paint is bubbling on several wheels.
- There is corrosion around the lip, the valve hole or between the spokes, common at the coast.
- All four wheels have scuffs, so spot repairs would add up to about the same.
- You want a new colour or finish.
- You are selling the car, or a dealer is preparing stock, and tired wheels drag down the first impression.
The refurbishment process step by step
The tyres and valves come off. TPMS sensors need care here, so tell the shop if you have them; see TPMS sensors. The old finish is removed, either by chemical stripping, which reaches into every corner, or by blasting. The bare wheel is checked: bends are straightened, cracks are welded where safe, and corrosion pits are cleaned out and filled. Then it is primed, painted or powder coated, and given a clear lacquer. Finally the tyres go back on with new valves and each wheel is balanced. A set usually takes a few days, longer for a colour change or a diamond cut finish.
Choosing a finish and a colour
The two main options are wet paint and powder coating. Wet paint matches factory silvers and greys closely and allows metallic and two-tone looks. Powder coat is usually tougher and more chip resistant, which suits 4x4s and gravel roads. Popular colour changes include gloss and satin black, gunmetal and bronze. If the car will be sold, a factory-looking silver or grey is the safest choice, since buyers can be put off by a bold colour. A diamond cut face can be recreated on a lathe if you want to keep the two-tone look.
Refurbishment for dealers and fleets
Dealers, used car lots and fleet managers often send several sets at once, or ask a shop to collect and return wheels on the car. Ask about a rate for regular volumes, whether they swap wheels onto a set of loan rims so the car can still move, and what the turnaround is per car. Agree a standard colour for each common factory finish so repeat jobs match.
What to put in your request
- How many wheels and the size
- Current finish and condition
- Colour and finish you want
- Any bends, cracks or corrosion to fix
- Whether the car has TPMS sensors
Rim Refurbishment for drivers, fleets and workshops
- Private car owners: a set of peeling or corroded mags brought back before a long trip or sale
- Enthusiasts, 4x4 and performance drivers: a colour change or a classic car's wheels restored to original
- Company and rental fleets: end-of-lease or rental cars with tired wheels refurbished in batches
- Dealers, panel shops and insurers: used stock with scuffed and faded wheels made presentable before sale
- Tyre shops and wheel workshops: panel shops and dealers sending sets to a refurbishment specialist
- Truck, bus and taxi operators: shuttle and bus fleets with steel and alloy wheels refinished
- Farms: bakkie and trailer steel rims stripped of rust and repainted
- Mines and construction sites: site vehicle wheels refurbished after dust and gravel wear
Frequently asked questions
How long does a refurbished finish last?
Should I strip or blast my wheels?
Can you refurbish steel rims?
Do you refurbish wheels yourselves?
Rim Refurbishment by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg