Wheel & Rim Restoration in Cornelius, NC

Wheel and rim restoration is the process of removing brake dust buildup, curb rash, oxidation, and clear coat failure from your wheels to restore them to like-new condition. We're polishing out scratches, repairing minor damage, cleaning embedded contaminants, and sealing the surface so brake dust doesn't bond as aggressively (which is a constant problem in North Carolina humidity and road salt).

Scratch Removal Certified

Paint Correction Certified

Fully Licensed & Insured

All Lake Norman Marina's Certified

What to Expect With Wheel & Rim Restoration
  • Timeline depends on wheel condition and how many you need restored. A set of four wheels with light curb rash and brake dust takes 2-3 hours at your driveway in Cornelius, Mooresville, or Huntersville. Heavily damaged wheels with deep scratches, oxidation, or clear coat peeling take 4-6 hours because we're sanding, polishing, and sometimes refinishing sections that are too far gone.
  • We're removing wheels, cleaning them completely, sanding or polishing out damage, and sealing the surface. You'll see us working on curb rash (scrapes from parking too close), brake dust bonded into porous finishes (common on luxury vehicles), oxidation on chrome or polished aluminum, and clear coat failure on factory wheels. Some damage is cosmetic and fixable, some requires full refinishing.
  • Brake dust in the Lake Norman area bonds to wheels faster because of humidity and heat cycles. If you're driving through Charlotte traffic daily or parking outside in Cornelius, Huntersville, or Mooresville summers, brake dust bakes onto your wheels and creates permanent staining if you ignore it for months. Spring pollen mixed with brake dust creates an acidic paste that etches finishes.
Wheel & Rim Restoration
Why Wheel & Rim Restoration Matters
  • Ignoring curb rash and brake dust leads to corrosion and clear coat failure. Curb rash exposes bare metal underneath the finish, which corrodes when exposed to road salt and moisture. Brake dust contains metal particles that bond to wheel surfaces and cause pitting if you let it sit for weeks (we see this constantly on luxury cars in Myers Park and Ballantyne).
  • Damaged wheels hurt resale value more than most people realize. Buyers in Cornelius, Mooresville, and Charlotte notice curb rash and oxidation immediately because they're at eye level when looking at your car. They'll knock $500-$1,500 off their offer for a set of four damaged wheels, or walk away entirely if they think you didn't maintain basic things.
  • Most mobile car washes and automatic washes make wheel damage worse. Harsh chemicals strip protective coatings, high-pressure sprayers force contaminants into finishes, and rotating brushes scratch soft aluminum or chrome. Then you're paying for wheel restoration to fix damage that improper washing created.
Why Wheel & Rim Restoration Matters
How AJW Detailing Handles Wheel & Rim Restoration
  • We remove wheels completely to access the inner barrel and areas most detailers skip. Most mobile detailers spray cleaner on wheels while they're still on the car and call it done (brake dust stays bonded in hard-to-reach areas). We're pulling wheels off, cleaning every surface including the back side and lug nut areas, and treating embedded contaminants properly.
  • We've restored wheels on thousands of cars in 10 years serving Lake Norman and Charlotte areas. That's everything from daily driver sedans to luxury vehicles in Myers Park, Ballantyne, and SouthPark with custom wheels. We know which finishes require gentle polishing (soft aluminum, chrome) versus aggressive correction (powder-coated steel, factory clear coat).
  • We're fully mobile to your driveway in Cornelius, Mooresville, Huntersville, Davidson, and Charlotte. No shop drop-off, no waiting days for wheel restoration, no driving on damaged wheels to get service. We bring all equipment to your home and knock it out in one visit.
How AJW Detailing Handles Wheel & Rim Restoration
Common Questions About Wheel & Rim Restoration
How long does wheel restoration take in the Lake Norman area?
2-6 hours depending on damage and how many wheels need work. Light curb rash and brake dust on four wheels takes 2-3 hours. Heavy oxidation, deep scratches, or clear coat failure takes 4-6 hours because we're sanding, polishing multiple stages, and possibly spot-refinishing damaged areas.
Do I need to be home while you work?
Nope. Most customers in Cornelius, Mooresville, Huntersville, and Charlotte leave keys and let us work in the driveway. We text when we arrive and when we're done. You're welcome to watch if you want to see the process, but it's not required.
Nope. Most customers in Cornelius, Mooresville, Huntersville, and Charlotte leave keys and let us work in the driveway. We text when we arrive and when we're done. You're welcome to watch if you want to see the process, but it's not required.
Depends on how you drive and maintain them. Wheels that get regular washing (every 2-4 weeks) and no curb damage might go 2-3 years between restorations. Wheels with heavy brake dust buildup or curb rash need restoration every 12-18 months to prevent permanent damage. Luxury vehicles with soft finishes need more frequent attention.
Can you restore wheels that have deep curb rash or peeling clear coat?
Yes, but there are limits. Minor curb rash (surface scratches) can be polished out. Deep gouges that expose bare metal require sanding and refinishing (more time and cost). Clear coat peeling usually means the entire wheel needs refinishing, which we can do but takes longer than simple restoration.
What if my wheels are chrome or custom finishes?
We can restore chrome, polished aluminum, painted, powder-coated, and most custom finishes. Chrome and polished aluminum require different techniques than painted wheels (polishing compounds versus gentle cleaners). We assess your wheel type when we arrive and adjust our process accordingly.

Our Simple Step by Step Process

  1. Basic Information 👤

  1. Detail Information 🧽

Country

3. Vehicle Details 🚗

3. Boat Details: 🚤

3. Other (Motorcycle / RV / Trailer) Details 🛻

4. Car Detail Goals 🎯

4. Boat Detail Goals 🎯

5. Car Condition 🚨

  1. Boat Condition 🚨

  1. Water & Power Access ⚡

To perform our services on-site, we require access to a standard garden hose (water) and a grounded electrical outlet.

  1. Timing & Contact 🕒

Reliable Mobile Detailing handled start to finish.

DISCOVER WHAT Cornelius, NC CUSTOMERS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT AJW Detailing

OUR REVIEWS

REVIEW US

ON GOOGLE

Where We Provide

Wheel & Rim Restoration

  • Cornelius, NC

  • Huntersville, NC

  • Mayhew, NC

  • Bells Cross Roads, NC

  • Denver, NC

  • Davidson, NC

  • Mooresville, NC

  • Terrell, NC

  • Sherrills Ford, NC

  • Westport, NC

https://maps.app.goo.gl/AW6HFS8QR9swy7yA7

Other Services We Provide

Need something else? Check out the

other services we offer for Mobile Detailing.

What We Can Help You With.

Our Services

Boat Detailing

Boat detailing is a deep clean of your boat's interior and exterior (not just a quick wash). We're scrubbing mold out of upholstery and carpets, cleaning vinyl and gelcoat, treating all the plastic and rubber, and finishing with wax or sealant on the hull. Think of it as a full reset before the season or after a summer of Lake Norman use.

Learn More →
Car Detailing

Car detailing is a deep clean of your vehicle's interior and exterior (not just a quick car wash). We're extracting carpet and upholstery stains, cleaning leather or vinyl, scrubbing door jambs and vents, washing and claying the exterior paint, and finishing with wax or sealant. Think of it as a full reset that removes months or years of buildup that regular washing doesn't touch.

Learn More →
Boat Ceramic Coating

Boat ceramic coating is a permanent protective layer applied to your boat's gelcoat that shields it from Lake Norman's UV damage, oxidation, and water spotting for years. We use Glidecoat Pro ceramic coating with a laser gloss meter to measure your boat's surface (aiming for 90-100+ gloss readings, higher than the 70 gloss your boat came with from the factory).

Learn More →
Car Ceramic Coating

Car ceramic coating is a permanent protective layer applied to your car's paint that shields it from UV damage, swirl marks, water spotting, and road contaminants for years. We use Glidecoat Pro ceramic coating with a laser gloss meter to measure your paint's surface (aiming for 90-100+ gloss readings, higher than most factory paint which sits around 75-85 gloss when new).

Learn More →
RV/Camper Detailing

RV and camper detailing is a deep clean of your motorhome or travel trailer's exterior and interior (not just a quick rinse at the RV wash station). We're removing black streaks, oxidation, and road grime from fiberglass or aluminum sidewalls, treating the rubber roof, cleaning awning fabric, scrubbing the interior, and sealing surfaces to protect against North Carolina UV damage and humidity.

Learn More →
Fleet Washing

Fleet washing is scheduled maintenance cleaning for businesses with multiple vehicles (work trucks, vans, trailers, boats, service vehicles). We come to your location in the Lake Norman area on a recurring schedule (weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly) and wash your entire fleet so your vehicles stay presentable without your team spending time on it.

Learn More →
Oxidation Removal

Oxidation removal is the process of eliminating the chalky, hazy layer that forms on your boat's gelcoat or car's paint when UV exposure breaks down the surface over time. We use a laser gloss meter to measure how severe the oxidation is (most oxidized boats on Lake Norman measure 20-40 gloss when they should be 70+ from the factory), then we wet sand or compound in stages to remove the damaged layer and restore the high-gloss finish underneath.

Learn More →
Paint Correction

Paint correction is the multi-stage process of removing defects from your car's clear coat (swirl marks, scratches, oxidation, water spots, holograms) using progressively finer compounds and polishes until the paint is mirror-finish. We use a laser gloss meter to measure your paint at each correction stage (targeting 90-100+ gloss readings, compared to most factory paint which sits around 75-85 gloss when new).

Learn More →
Scratch Removal

Scratch removal is the process of eliminating surface scratches from your boat's gelcoat or car's paint by leveling the surrounding material down to the depth of the scratch using wet sanding, compound, and polish. We use a laser gloss meter to measure the area before and after correction (targeting 85+ gloss minimum after we're done), and we can only remove scratches that haven't penetrated completely through the gelcoat or clear coat layer.

Learn More →
Interior Stain Removal

Interior stain removal is the process of extracting deep-set stains from carpet, upholstery, vinyl, and fabric in your boat or car using commercial-grade equipment and specialty cleaners. We're treating everything from mold and mildew stains (common in Lake Norman boats that sit closed up) to food and drink spills, sunscreen residue, fuel stains, and mystery marks that have been sitting for months or years.

Learn More →
Wheel & Rim Restoration

Wheel and rim restoration is the process of removing brake dust buildup, curb rash, oxidation, and clear coat failure from your wheels to restore them to like-new condition. We're polishing out scratches, repairing minor damage, cleaning embedded contaminants, and sealing the surface so brake dust doesn't bond as aggressively (which is a constant problem in North Carolina humidity and road salt).

Learn More →
Water Spot Removal

Water spot removal is the process of eliminating mineral deposits etched into your boat's gelcoat or car's paint from hard water evaporation. Lake Norman's hard water leaves calcium and magnesium deposits that bond to surfaces when water dries (those white circles and spots you see everywhere), and we use acid-based cleaners, compounds, and polish to remove them before they etch permanently into the clear coat or gelcoat.

Learn More →

Not sure what you need?

Call us at +1 (704) 594-3948 and we'll help you figure it out.

Ready to Move Forward?

If you need Wheel & Rim Restoration

or unsure and have questions let's talk.

We'll answer your questions, provide a clear estimate, and schedule a time that works for you.

Unable to find form