Are Unqualified Sellers Contaminating Second Hand Wheel Market?

Quality assurance managers for commercial vehicle fleets are being urged to check their supply lines as a leading wheel distributor warns that a rise in unqualified wheel sellers threatens to “contaminate the market with substandard products.” Motor Wheel Services (MWS) estimates that over 10,000 second hand and take-off wheels entered the market in 2009, of which the large majority were sold by companies who do not possess the technical abilities or examination procedures to ascertain the history and fatigue of a wheel. In a few very serious cases, the company’s field sales team have been made aware of old, repainted wheels being sold as new. And, as MWS reports, the serious implications of purchasing a faulty wheel include warranty, liability and safety issues.

Ray Taylor, head of UK sales, said: “We recognise that wholesalers are diversifying into wheel supply from their core tyre business, and this threatens to bring to market an uncontrolled range of wheel products of varying standards, of which some may be dangerous…It is the role of the quality assurance manager to ensure they thoroughly check the companies they deal with, and to ensure the product they buy is fit for purpose.” Taylor’s view is that while it may seem tempting to buy at the cheapest options, it is imperative that these wheels have gone through “a rigorous checking procedure and can be guaranteed by professionals who know exactly what to look for.”

Motor Wheels Services is one of the leading independent distributors of truck and trailer wheels throughout Europe.  The company reports that it can prove traceability, certification and undertake approvals in-house by test, examination and batch-sampling.