Having scratched and battered wheel rims might not affect the way your vehicle handles, but having imbalanced wheels, or rims that pull away from the tire, could do a number on your mileage and overall safety. Also, nothing else is as dead a giveaway of poor driving skills as a wheel rim that looks like it was attacked by a cheese grater. So you need rim repair, but do you really know what kind will get you the right results?
Rim Painting
Rim painting is a primarily cosmetic treatment, and many people choose to opt for a shade of gray, or a black finish. There are rime painting kits available for the adventurous, but in the interest of saving time, money, and the finish on your car, it may be better to leave the painting to professionals.
Rim Straightening
You might have a bent rim from a particularly vicious pothole, or from a run-in with a curb. Rim straightening is a particular brand of rim repair that should not be put off. Having a bent rim can jeopardize the integrity of your tires, increasing the risk of a blowout. This is another type of repair that some people attempt to do at home, but it often requires the use of a very sturdy mounting apparatus, and a blowtorch. Again, this type of repair is best left to professionals.
Rim Mounting and Balancing
If you’re driving along and you feel a vibration from your tires, then it may be that they have become unbalanced. This problem is solved with the addition of weights to the inside of the tire, but it’s a complicated process, and it needs to be done just right. Left unattended, an unbalanced wheel can not only do damage to itself, but to the rest of your car.
Rim Refinishing
When your rims have serious curb rash, then you need expert rim repair to return them to a clean state. The wheels have to be thoroughly cleaned, primed, and bonded with a special material, then sanded back down.
If you think that your wheel rims are beyond hope, then a specialist will be just the person that you need. Whether your wheel repair needs involve a fresh coat of paint, a little tidying up, straightening, or mounting and balancing, someone out there has the tools and the skills necessary to get your wheel rims back in shape.