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How To Earn More Profit with Used Wheels

keltgen wheel
October 7, 2022
5
min read

Ag tire shops and equipment dealers tend to accumulate used wheels. With an effective strategy to sell these wheels, you don’t have to worry about them piling up on your back lot or remaining permanent fixtures leaning against the walls of your shop. Since “wheel” is in our name, we're going to take you through the steps necessary to turn your used wheel inventory into a profit center for your business and earn more money from every used wheel sale.

Rusty Wheel

Strategy 1: Sell Only What You Would Buy

First, if you’re trying to turn used wheels into cash, it pays to maximize the profit you receive from each wheel. Condition is key. Do you like to buy beat-up junk online? Sure, there are bargain hunters out there who will snatch up a rusted-out wheel, but most buyers are looking for wheels that are in at least ‘good’ condition. A wheel that looks like (or is) junk will only fetch junk prices. A wheel that looks brand-new can fetch like-new prices.

Strategy 2: Have Keltgen Wheel Recondition Used Ag Wheels for More Profit

At Keltgen Wheel, we repair and refurbish used wheels and rims to restore them to like-new or even better than new condition. How can we recondition wheels? Here are a few popular repairs Keltgen Wheel Performs:

Repair Cracked Wheels and Rims

This will bring new life to cracked tractor, combine, or sprayer rims. If a wheel is too far gone, we’ll let you know right away so you don’t waste your time and money fixing a wheel that will fail when the buyer rolls it through the field.

Replace and Strengthen Cracked Centers

Keltgen can cut out an old, cracked center and replace it with a larger diameter, sturdier center for better durability. One of the most common causes of wheel failure is a crack that begins at a bolt hole and eventually causes a failure as it spiderwebs toward the bead. Have a customer with this wheel issue or have one sitting on your lot waiting for a trip to the salvage yard? Keltgen may be able to salvage the wheel. 

Shot-Blast and Powdercoat for a Brand New Appearance

First impressions are critical. Wheels that look brand-new will fetch much higher prices than ones that look like they belong in a grove with weeds growing up through their centers. Keltgen can eliminate peeling paint and rust by shot-blasting your used ag wheels down to bare metal. Kelten will then apply powder coat paint to restore them to like-new condition.

Strategy 3: Create Accurate Online Listings

To consistently earn top-dollar for your used ag wheels (and other equipment, for that matter) you need to create accurate online listings. What is an accurate listing? A complete one. The more people have to hunt for information, the less likely they are to buy. If someone has to “call for more information,” there’s a good chance they might just skip over the listing and look elsewhere. Incomplete information may also cause a buyer to assume certain things—that a certain wheel will fit a particular machine, for example. A complete listing answers these questions: 

  • Size and fitment information (what equipment make/series/models does the wheel fit)?
  • OE factory wheel or aftermarket design?
  • Condition (used, new, take-off . . . like-new, good, fair, poor)?
  • Detailed description of any damage?
  • Lots of pictures (see below)?

Strategy 4: Include Plenty of Pictures

You will increase trust with your potential buyers when you include pictures. And the more, the better.  This step requires that you invest some time, but the payoff can be considerable. A picture can convey information easily that a long-winded description will struggle to get across. And when a potential buyer can gauge the condition of a wheel from all angles—and see any damage or repairs up close—he’s more likely to buy. Here are a few tips for taking quality pictures: 

  • Fill the frame: The subject should take up as much space in the frame as practical. 
  • Take several pictures: Show the wheel from all angles, including the sides and ends. 
  • Don’t add filters: Shooting in HDR or adding other effects can detract from someone’s ability to see the true condition of a wheel. 
  • Use good lighting: Artificial light is helpful for taking detailed pictures of items for sale. Designate a bright place in your shop or invest in some lighting. Sunlight is OK, but see below.
  • Watch the background: A white wheel can easily blend into your white shop wall. Shooting into a low-hanging mid-day winter sun can blot out the wheel you’re trying to capture. Make sure the background isn’t distracting from or obscuring the wheel.
  • Watch the angles: Don’t snap pictures at weird angles. Either hold the camera (or your phone or tablet) straight up and down or flip it sideways.
  • Provide up-close shots of damage or repairs: Take up-close shots of any damage, wear, or repairs. This shows potential buyers that you’re not trying to hide anything.
Tire Checking

What if there’s a Tire Mounted?

If you’re selling a wheel with a tire on it, the same steps apply. There are few tire-specific points to keep in mind:

Include an Accurate Tread Depth Percentage

Take more than one measurement—three is great—and use the average depth. Compare your depth to the original tread depth for that tire model and size to get an accurate percentage tread remaining for your listing. 

Review the Tire’s Condition Carefully

Things you should look for (and note): Stubble damage, weathering, casing cracks—anything that could cause the tire to fail. Even a bargain-hunting buyer doesn’t appreciate it when his “deal” goes flat shortly after he buys it. If the tire has signs of significant weather rot, won’t hold air, or is otherwise in rough conditions, it’s probably better for your business not to sell it. 

Note Uneven Wear

Odd tread wear isn’t a deal breaker if a tire is going to be mounted on a chore tractor or secondary machine. Just be sure to capture the wear with plenty of pictures so the buyer understands exactly what he’s getting. Customers shouldn’t mount oddly worn tires on high-horse 4WD or MFWD tractors, though, because the traction loss will only increase their fuel bills and slow them down.

Ideally: Dismount the Tire and Do a Complete Inspection

Tire damage doesn’t just affect the outside of a tire. Bead and interior casing damage is difficult or impossible to see with the tire mounted. If you want the assurance that you’re not going to sell your customer a big round headache, it pays to dismount the tire and give it a thorough once-over.

With an effective strategy for selling used wheels, you can turn them into a profit center for your business.

Call Keltgen for Wheel Repair and Refurbishing

Keltgen Wheel can repair and refurbish wheels to return them to like-new condition. And it’s these wheels that will bring in the most money for your company. Or maybe a customer has called about an old tractor that he’d like to restore. Keltgen can help! Give Keltgen a call and we’ll discuss your project and help move your business forward.