We often look only at the final product, without giving much thought as to how wheels are made, how the finish is applied or what makes one type of wheel more or less expensive than another. But product knowledge will help you improve your sales when talking to your customer.

This month continues a series of articles that has looked at the technical side of the wheel industry. Specifically, we’ve been looking at wheel construction and finishing.

If you’re looking for ways to increase sales and profits, and tap into new markets, powder coated wheels may be a profitable investment – in many ways.

To begin with, what is powder coating and why is it different from wet paint? Most every painted wheel that is available on the market is powder coated. Take a look at the image of a powder-coating booth, below:

Notice the racks that run through the middle on a conveyor system. This is a high-volume booth at a wheel manufacturer. Notice the hooks on the racks. The wheels are placed on the hooks, and negative current is drawn through the wheel using an electrostatic process. Powder coat paint, which is positively charged using special guns and nozzles, is sprayed at the wheel from several angles while it travels through the booth.

Because the paint is attracted to the wheel, coverage is complete and uniform. Once the paint is applied, a clear coat is sprayed onto the wheel, then it is cured. Some powders require curing to get a glossy finish before the clear coat is applied.

To cure the finish, the wheels are placed into an oven and baked at 350F to 400F for anywhere between 20 minutes to an hour, depending on the specific properties of the type of powder coat material used. One major environmental positive to powder coating is that any overspray can be reclaimed through a filtering system.

Powder coating is different than traditional wet paint in a number of ways. If you need a custom color in paint, you can acquire a single gallon, but powder coat paint is sold by the pound and is usually shipped in 45- to 60- pound boxes.

If you need a custom color in powder coat, the typical order size is 500 pounds. Powder coat paint manufacturers have stock products and colors that are readily available in quantities beginning with one box. But, as you can tell, a single special powder coat paint is very expensive.

Coating on a Shoestring
Large scale powder coating equipment is way too expensive and bulky to be practical for a retail dealer. To od it yourself, you’d need a system that is portable and cost effective. Enter Eastwood Co. Known for its wide assortment of automotive finishing supplies, Eastwood offers the HoatCoat powder coat system that is affordable enough for almost any shop and simple enough that anyone can use it. There are several kits to choose from. A beginner kit is $100 if you want to try your hand at it before making a larger investment. Or, you can jump right in with Eastwood’s Pro Deluxe kit.

For less than $1,000, you’ll have enough equipment and supplies to generate substantial income. John Sloan, Eastwood product specialist, says, “An average set of 5-spoke wheels will use about half a pound of powder to completely cover the wheel. Depending on the powder used, a half-pound ranges from $9 to the most expensive, at $30. Bulk quantities save substantially on this cost.”

You can charge an average of $50 or more per wheel. Think about how many tuner-style wheels there are in the market. Many of them look the same, but tuners crave individuality. They don’t want to be – or look – like everyone else. Most of these wheels are inexpensive, so a few extra bucks to make a set unique is an easy sell.

One word of caution, though, says Sloan. “Some wheel manufacturers may not allow their wheels to be exposed to temperatures above 275F. It takes 340F to 400F to cure a powder coat finish. Call the wheel manufacturer before you start to verify that the wheel will withstand the heat without causing any problems. Steel wheels don’t have any problem with the heat needed to cure the finish.”

Hot Hues
Is there one really hot color? Many young people like the bronze color that they see on rally cars, but most wheel manufacturers don’t offer bronze, like the wheel below, as an option.

You can take a common spoke wheel that was originally silver and make it bronze. If the bronze color isn’t to your customer’s taste, how about trying some of the more unique colors that Eastwood offers? Black showed up big at last year’s SEMA Show.

In addition to the standard colors, Eastwood has specialty colors like stamped steel and black tint and argent silver. High-tech colors like anodized red, chrome smoke or reflective chrome similar to the new styles of wheels being introduced are available. The iridescent colors even have a prism additive for the “color shift” effect that many tuners and restylers love. Textured colors include gold and silver vein, which look great with a “splatter paint” interior.

If your customer’s wheels are steel and have rust building up, Eastwood offers a wheel prep that removes the rust and provides a good surface to powder coat.

Some of the colors offered will match OE colors, as well. How many OE wheels do you handle each day? Why not offer to refinish those that have been neglected or scratched?

If you are uncomfortable trying wheel repair yourself, check out TransWheel. They offer not only refinishing, but wheel repair, as well. TransWheel can handle almost any material, from steel to aluminum. To help distinguish one wheel from another, pick up a Hollander Reference guide. It lists each OE wheel, provides a picture and some tech data. You will need to reference the unique number assigned to each wheel design in order to identify the wheel that you need to have repaired.

Take advantage of this slow time of year to go through the learning curve and promote this new service. A small, dedicated oven, compressor and perhaps a bead blast cabinet are the only other pieces of equipment that you need. Wheel refinishing is a great way to pick up December and January sales, and you could even offer holiday gift certificates for powder coating.

Don’t forget about maintenance. Powder coated wheels should be washed with mild soap and water while cool. Hot temperatures can cause cleaning agents to become stronger and eat the finish off of the wheel. I suggest waxing these wheels after installation to prevent brake dust and road salts from settling on the finish.