All drivers are vulnerable to car damage from either the roads or from collisions with other vehicles on the road. One of the most common damages that occur is damage to the wheel rim of a car. Depending on the impact and situation that damaged the wheel rim, you may be able to repair it. To understand the level of damage, we first need to look at the common causes of damage to the rims and their impact.
Can a Damaged Wheel Rim be Repaired?
Driving With a Flat Tire
One of the most common causes of tire damage is driving on a flat tire. When a tire is filled at the correct pressure, it absorbs the impact from bumps that can be experienced while driving. However, if the tire is too flat it can bend, causing irregular shaping of the rim. A change in tire pressure usually occurs with the inflation of the pressure in heat and the deflation of pressure when it is cold. That is why it is important to keep an eye on your tire pressure, especially in extreme changes of temperature in the weather.
Hitting a Curb
An obvious reason that there may be damage to the rim is from hitting a curb on the side of the road. No small bump should be taken lightly as it can cause cracks in the rim, as well as damage to the tire.
Learn more: Is curb rash a big deal?
Corrosion of the Rims
The chemicals and corrosives that are in the air are a silent cause of damage to the rims of a car. Depending on the rim material, these chemicals and corrosives will slowly eat away at the metal and can cause the seal of the tires to crack or break. If you still drive the vehicle after this has happened, it can cause further damage.
Cracks in the Roads
Even if you manage your tire pressure and avoid curbs, sometimes we just can’t avoid the cracks in the road. Cracks can go unseen and when hit, the impact can cause damage to the rims. The cracks can also come in large patches that a driver will have to go through making the impact unavoidable.
Potholes!
The last most common cause of rim damage is potholes. The damage that occurs is similar to that caused by cracks in the road. However, potholes can cause a lot more damage from the impact the car experiences. Some potholes can even bring a car to a full stop depending on the size. Obviously, this type of impact can cause major damage to any car’s rims.
Can a Damaged Rim be Repaired?
Yes, most of the different types of damage to a rim can be repaired. However, this is also highly dependent on the amount of time that the rim has been damaged. If the rim has been driven on for some time after it has been damaged, it is most likely that the damage has worsened and the option of replacing it may need to be considered.
Damage to the rim can also cause the wheel to be off-balance. Therefore, when the experts are attending to the wheels, they will also need to realign them. It is also important to weigh out the costs of repairing a rim as opposed to replacing it. If it is more expensive to repair, you may as well replace the wheel and rim completely.
Additional Information: Should You Repair or Replace Wheel Rims?
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