Accuride Corporation announced the introduction of its ProFinish steel wheel refinishing service for the North American commercial vehicle aftermarket.
“Accuride launched ProFinish in response to the concerns fleet and aftermarket customers had with the coating quality and durability of their refinished wheels,” Accuride Wheels president Scott Hazlett said. “ProFinish gives them the advanced corrosion protection of Steel Armor coating on their refinished steel wheels. Our ProFinish refinished wheels will stand up to the toughest road environments in North America and deliver a level of quality and performance other wheel refinishers simply can't match."
The company noted that its ProFinish process achieves consistent coating thickness under the 3.5 mils required by OEM standards. Accuride’s new wheel refinishing service operates at the company’s Henderson, Kentucky, steel wheel production facility using the same coating line that applies the Steel Armor powder coating to its original-equipment wheels.
The ProFinish refinishing process begins with an inspection to exempt wheels containing cracks and other flaws that compromise structural integrity. Next, the wheels undergo a shot-media blast that removes 100 percent of the paint, regardless of coating type. The clean wheels then undergo Accuride’s three-phase Steel Armor coating process:
• Zinc Phosphate – The process begins with the application of tri-metal zinc phosphate to prepare the metal for maximum adhesion.
• Epoxy E-coat – Next, Accuride applies its formula cathodic epoxy electrocoat (e-coat), optimized for sharp-edge and overall corrosion protection.
• Powder Coat – The final step is an exacting application of premium powder coat, formulated exclusively for Accuride to meet the tough demands of the heavy truck environment.
Most wheels of the following sizes are eligible for ProFinish refinishing: 19.5 x 7.50, 22.5 x 7.50, 22.5 x 8.25, 22.5 x 9.00 and 24.5 x 8.25. Customers should contact their Accuride sales representative for program and ordering process details.
