Topic: Wheel marking while taking rear wheels off to check brakes is this factory ?

[Norcal87]

While checking my rear brakes I found a marking on my wheel. is this factory Jeff?

[J_Speegle]

Never seen one like that before. More likely a marking from some sort of servicing in the cars past I think at this time but wil lkeep an eye open for another similar mark.

[Norcal87]

Thank you. Any areas you recommend to look for other markings on the car

[67gtasanjose]

While checking my rear brakes I found a marking on my wheel. is this factory Jeff?

Most likely a junkyard stock number. Every part from a salvaged car is supposed to get a stock number written onto it, usually in an ink-marker or grease crayon. Later years may or may not also include a computer-generated inventory tag as well. These inventory stock numbers (written and/or tagged) are used not only to identify it's origin in a pile or rack of parts, but also to credit the sale to the particular vehicle (profit/loss). Items such as "wheels & tires" are one of the first things removed and seperated from the "car"-cus.

NOTE: Every salvage yard uses a code system to identify parts, usually including the vehicle's make coded into the number. Some yards just use a numerical system without a vehicle make coded into the system. The system can be very basic or rather elaborate, including a vehicle's source of purchase. As I said, every yard designs their OWN coding system.

Example of a BASIC coding system:
A-731 might represent A=Chevrolet, 7=Year obtained (say 2017), 31=Consecutive number
TRANSLATION: 31st Chevrolet obtained in 2017

I shop at times on car-part.com for USED items needed to repair cars rather regularly (it avoids multiple phone calls to each and every local yard and the WAIT for a reply). Since I have my filters set to find the "closest" items to my zip-code, I see the same local yards first and have pretty much deciphered many of these yard's stock number coding.  At times, I can read their stock number codes and actually leverage a price because I see how long it has been on the shelf and how readily available it may or may not be 

[J_Speegle]

Most likely a junkyard stock number. Every part from a salvaged car is supposed to get a stock number written onto it, usually in an ink-marker or grease crayon. Later years may or may not also include a computer-generated inventory tag as well. These inventory stock numbers (written and/or tagged) are used not only to identify it's origin in a pile or rack of parts, but also to credit the sale to the particular vehicle (profit/loss). Items such as "wheels & tires" are one of the first things removed and seperated from the "car"-cus.

You must have grown up near one of those fancy modern types of yards. LOL  Do agree that the idea of it being a yard marking did cross my mind but only some yards in my experience ever marked parts but places like Pick N Pulls did for warranty reasons.

Thank you. Any areas you recommend to look for other markings on the car

Good question and I just posted an article in the Library section of the site on the Paint Marks - Basics. Check it out.

[Norcal87]

I talked to the original owners son they said those are the original wheels so they couldn't be from picknpull or a wrecking yard. So idk what there from. Iam waiting for all the service records.

[J_Speegle]

Thought they might be an reminder for someone mounting or rotating tire but the writing doesn't seen to match that

Would offer that its not unusual for a owner not to remember all of the events that transpired with their cars after so long of time or sometimes the car is being serviced - something takes place and the shop takes care of the issue and the owner is none the wiser.

Have found repaints and touch ups that the owner didn't recall until we brought it to their attention for example

[Norcal87]

Yea it's my wife's grandfathers car. My father inlaw said the paint on the car and the engine and all the chrome and other stuff are original. The front seats they had redone in 1982.he said the he looked through the service records last night in 1979 it says the spare tire wheel was placed on the car because the front left wheel had issues balancing.

[67gtasanjose]

Yea it's my wife's grandfathers car. My father inlaw said the paint on the car and the engine and all the chrome and other stuff are original. The front seats they had redone in 1982.he said the he looked through the service records last night in 1979 it says the spare tire wheel was placed on the car because the front left wheel had issues balancing.

A person could try and spot date coding stamped in the wheel to see if it is consistent to the other 4 wheels. 

[Norcal87]

Yea that be interesting. I hopeing Jeff can come by and check the car out . I can bbq pretty good Jeff  working as a fire fighter I learned good cooking skills 😎

[J_Speegle]

Yea that be interesting. I hopeing Jeff can come by and check the car out . I can bbq pretty good Jeff  working as a fire fighter I learned good cooking skills 😎

We'll see what we can arrange.

Not sure about the firehouse cooking skills    My experience showed it depended on the house and shift.   You didn't/don't work the B shift did/do you??

[jwc66k]

Not sure about the firehouse cooking skills    My experience showed it depended on the house and shift.   You didn't/don't work the B shift did/do you??

That's all we need - more "firehouse chili". 
Jim

[Norcal87]

Lol. I work c shift I work at calfire Napa county but I live in linden ca. Cherry town.

My specialty is spaghetti 😜