First Signs of Alloy Wheel Damage

Alloy wheels are most car enthusiasts’ pride and joy. After all, these quality rims provide vehicles with a superior look as well as improved performance. As such, it is increasingly important that owners take care of their alloy rims and wheels in order to promote longevity and minimize the potential costs of having to make major repairs with a wheel repair specialist. While these expert repair people are able to get one’s rims and wheels in brand new condition for affordable prices, self-maintenance of wheels through regular inspections is essential if you wish to avoid problems compounding on one another. For this reason, it would be wise to get clued up on the first signs of alloy wheel damage so that you can make repairs before they become too costly. Let’s take a look at the importance of healthy alloys, what causes damages, significant signs of alloy wheel damage, and the process of repairing one’s damaged rims and wheels. 

Why Maintain Healthy Alloys?

Beyond providing head-turning visual appeal, alloy rims and wheels have a direct impact on the quality of a vehicle’s drive and overall car performance. From promoting smoother steering to boosting turning performance, healthy alloys can benefit drivers in several ways. That said, damages are bound to occur with regular driving resulting in scratches, bends, and scrapes. 

For these reasons, maintaining healthy alloys is critical in order to promote the longevity of one’s rims and wheels. Furthermore, regular maintenance can avoid compound problems leading to more excessive damage and subsequently costing a fortune to repair or replace. With a better understanding of the importance of healthy alloy maintenance, let’s take a look at how damages are caused so that you can be better prepared to avoid incidents on the road.

What Causes Alloy Rim Damage?

High-impact collisions such as hitting potholes at a high speed are one of the most common contributors to serious alloy rim damage. From cracks to bends, many of these incidents can lead to problems that are more tricky to repair. You will certainly notice damages caused by these incidents as they affect performance by causing vibrations and shakiness as well as are prominent visually.

There are a few less severe causes of damages that will generally lead to the formation of scratches and scrapes. These will not impact performance drastically in the short term but could lead to more severe issues further down the line. Hitting or dismounting curbs and baked-on brake dust are the most common appearance-impacting damages to alloy rims that can be easily repaired with a diamond cutting lathe by a wheel repair specialist. 

What are the Signs of Alloy Wheel Damage?

So you are now aware of the importance of alloy wheel health as well as the causes of appearance and performance impacting damages, but how does one go about spotting these issues and determining the severity of damages. Here are some of the significant signs of alloy wheel damage you should keep an eye and ear out for:

• Scratches and scrapes appearing on your rims 
• Quick deflation of tires over short periods of time
• Vibration in the steering chamber or beneath one’s seat
• Poor or reduced handling performance
• More effort required to turn the wheel to get around corners
• Poor or reduced fuel economy
• Rattling sounds prominent while driving

How to Repair Alloy Wheel Damage

In all cases, it is best practice to send in your alloys for repairs as soon as any of these showup. Your dedicated specialist will be able to accurately pinpoint the type of damage as well as showcase how extreme it is. They will then be able to apply cost-effective repairs that forego the potential domino-effect costs of leaving small problems unchecked for long periods. In some cases, appearance damages can be wiped out with the help of some specialist car-care products, however, this needs to be done as soon as possible to avoid the need for repairs.

With an understanding of the importance of alloy wheel health, the causes of damages, the signs of damages, and how to repair alloy wheels, you can keep your rims and wheels in tip-top shape for longer and boost your vehicle’s performance.