Had my steering wheel restored, review

Quote:

---

Excellent work Doug Again..
Still Loving My Rimblow..

---

Thanks everyone! Hey Al, I hope you're putting lots of miles on that saweeeeet Cuda! Man, how many years ago did I do that rimblow for you? It's definitely been a while eh?

Here's an article I wrote for Canadian Hot Rods magazine that goes through my repair/refinishing process.


Doug Lepak
The Steering Wheel Guy
stwheels@shaw.ca
www.stwheelz.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Steering-Wheel-Guy/200617011737

Quote:

---

How do you keep the original plastic of the wheel from continuing to shrink......I repaired a wheel and 3/4 years later the cracks had reappeared as wheel kept shrinking.....

---

Great question Rick!

Because the resin I use flows under the material the wheel is molded from, it fills in any gaps along the steel core under the plastic so there's nowhere for the plastic to shrink to anymore. Next the wheel is wrapped in random weave carbon fibre cloth and more resin, forming a carbon fibre shell around the outside of the wheel eliminating any expansion and stabilizing the plastic.

I'm guessing you filled the cracks with an epoxy putty that expands and contracts at a different rate than the plastic, bakelte or hard rubber the wheel is molded from... all the epoxy does is fill a gap... I'm actually filling the crack and then building a complete shell around the wheel.

About 25% of the wheels I repair are wheels that have been previously repaired by other shops or the customer using epoxy putty.

Lots of work but the results speak for themselves

Here's a 58 Desoto wheel as it came in from a customer in Florida... he started to repair it himself .... YIKES!

Doug Lepak
The Steering Wheel Guy
stwheels@shaw.ca
www.stwheelz.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Steering-Wheel-Guy/200617011737

Quote:

---

I think a good restoration involves actually replacing the original plastic.

---

Ha Ha Ha ... There are lots of ways to do a good job ... recasting is only one way and requires tons of room to store molds that you may only use once in a lifetime, but that's the only way to restore wheels with the clear plastic sections in them...

I work on lots of that style wheel but the clear sections get painted an opaque secondary or contrasting colour.

Here's what was a wood grain wheel finished in gloss Black with the stainless spokes...

Doug Lepak
The Steering Wheel Guy
stwheels@shaw.ca
www.stwheelz.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Steering-Wheel-Guy/200617011737

Quote:

---

cake mix

---

Quote:

---

I know, I know, if you have to ask you probably can't afford it but I will anyway. What is the 'typical' cost to refurbish a Mopar woodgrain wheel without rimblow.

---

No, that's a fair question and the answer is, there is no typical cost ... every wheel is different.

I would need to see some pictures of the wheel in question and get more information.

If you could answer the following questions and e-mail them to me at : stwheels@shaw.ca I'll be able to give you a detailed quote and turn around time.

Hi , Thanks for your questions and interest in my services.

Listed below are the questions I request potential customers to answer so I can give a quote and turnaround time for their wheel. The answers to these questions and a few pictures of your wheel will give me all the information required to provide a quote.

1-Please describe any cracks, damage or other problems that will need to be repaired. Was this particular wheel ever repaired/refinished before, that you know of?

( )

2-What color/colors is your wheel? Is it Wood grained, does it have chrome stripes, metal clips etc ...

( )

3-What year, make and model vehicle does the wheel belong to?

( )

4-Where do you live (shipping address)?

( )

5-Please attach a few clear, in focus pictures of the wheel showing any cracks damage or other problems

(Front and rear)


I look forward to hearing back from you with the rest of the information I've requested and I hope I'll be able to help you with your restoration project.


Thanks, Doug Lepak
The Steering Wheel Guy
e-mail: stwheels@shaw.ca

Quote:

---

Here's what was a wood grain wheel finished in gloss Black with the stainless spokes

---

Looks just like the one I restored.

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

Here's what was a wood grain wheel finished in gloss Black with the stainless spokes

---

Looks just like the one I restored.

---

YUP! Looks good Mark.

The 65 Imperial wheel Mike sent me just arrived... Time to make it purty!

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152760643106738.1073741851.200617011737&type=1