Wheel Refurbishing in Loveland, CO

Wheel work gets discussed in terms of the rim, and there is a smaller component on it that causes a disproportionate share of slow leaks.

A valve stem is a consumable. Rubber ones perish and crack with age and exposure, and metal ones corrode where they pass through the wheel, particularly after years of winter roads. Either way the result is the same: a position that loses air slowly, a new tire fitted, and the leak continuing exactly as before.

The reason it gets missed is that nobody looks at a valve on a tire that is holding air today. It is worth looking at every time a tire is off, which is the same moment the rest of the wheel should be inspected, and replacing one is a trivial job compared with chasing the leak it will cause.

The larger surface, and the one that explains most leaks on an older wheel.

A tubeless tire has no inner tube. The air sits between the tire bead and a narrow band of metal on the wheel, and corrosion there prevents a seal whatever tire is fitted. Winters are hard on that surface, and the damage is invisible with a tire mounted.

The national wheel refurbishing page covers the process. On a wheel that has done winters here, the inspection is the part that earns its keep, because it looks at the surfaces a mounted tire hides.

Not everything passes. A crack ends a wheel, as does damage affecting the structure, and that is established before work starts rather than afterwards.

Refurbishing costs a fraction of replacement, and on equipment sizes the gap is wide.

The way to avoid paying downtime for it is to send wheels when their tires are already off: with a casing going to the Denver plant for retreading, or at a seasonal change.

The Loveland store runs sixteen services, opens at 7:00 AM, is managed by Joe Servin, and also runs OTR services for equipment wheels. Denver, Colorado Springs and Craig offer the same service.

See the national wheel refurbishing page for all 42 locations.