Why Structural Wheel Repairs Can Damage the Finish — and What to Expect at Hub Cap Annie

Mike Sanders
Jul 18
2 min read

At Annie’s Custom Coatings, we take pride in delivering both structural integrity and visual appeal. But when it comes to bend or crack repairs, it's important to understand that cosmetic perfection isn’t always possible without a full refinish.

Why the Finish Gets Damaged

Fixing a structurally bent wheel involves heat and hydraulic force to reshape the metal. This process is necessary to restore the wheel’s strength—but it can damage the powder-coated finish in the repair zone. That’s just the nature of working with metal under stress.

Matching Custom Coatings Is Tricky

Unique finishes like bubblegum pink with shattered glass clear, candies, or metallic flake can’t be matched perfectly with touch-up paint or spray. In one recent case, we even made a special trip to a local paint supplier to get as close match to a customer’s color—at no extra charge—just to make the wheel more presentable after a bend repair. We also always cover any exposed metal to protect it from corrosion after structural repairs.

A Recent Miscommunication Taught Us Something

We recently had a miscommunication with a customer regarding the expected results of a structural wheel repair. This has given us an opportunity to reflect and improve how we communicate what certain repair processes involve—and the realities of their outcomes.

In this case, the wheel had a custom hot pink powder coat with a unique clear—something no off-the-shelf touch-up paint can truly match. Unfortunately, the customer misunderstood the process and believed we attempted to "cover up" the damage. That wasn’t the case.

The truth is: structural bend repairs require intense heat and mechanical force, which almost always damage the coating in the repair area. Because a full cosmetic refinish wasn’t requested, we applied a light touch-up using the closest paint tone we could source locally—purely as a courtesy to make the area more presentable and help the customer avoid the added cost of a full redo.

Moving forward, we’re implementing clearer upfront communication—both in person and in writing—so every customer fully understands what to expect. We’ve been doing this work for over 50 years, and while we’re proud of that legacy, we know there’s always room to improve.

What You Can Expect

If you're coming in for structural repair only, minor finish imperfections are possible. If you want the wheel to look as good as new, a full cosmetic restoration (including stripping and recoating) is the way to go—and we’re always happy to quote that ahead of time.

We're here to help you make the best decision for your wheels—and your wallet.

For more information, check out hubcapannieandwheel.com or anniescoatings.com.

Pictures: Michael Sanders

Shop: Annie's Custom Coatings // Hub Cap Annie and Wheel

Location: Garden City, Idaho