Catera V6-3.0L VIN R (1997)
Wheels: Service and Repair
Wheel Refinishing
A protective clearcoat and/or base color is applied to the surface of the original equipment cast aluminum wheels. Surface degradation can begin to
develop if the wrong balance weights are used, or if frequent, repeated automatic car wash cleaning wears off the factory applied protective clearcoat and
base color. This can happen at some automatic car wash facilities that use aggressive silicone carbide tipped tire brushes to clean the whitewalls and the
tires. Exposure to caustic cleaners and/or to road salt causes further surface degradation once the protective clearcoat is damaged.
The refinishing of aluminum wheels requires that the wheel surface be plastic media blasted to remove old clearcoat or paint. The remachining or the use
of chemical strippers is not recommended due to the concerns for repair durability. The service procedure details how to strip, how to clean, and how to
recoat the aluminum wheel rims that are affected by the above condition.