Types of Wheel Damages and Repairs

Many drivers may have faced the issue of damaged wheels, once or several times. This is one of the most common problems motorists encounter and it’s no surprise. There are numerous causes of car wheel damage from striking potholes when driving at speed, taking sharp turns and hitting the curb to road debris, to name a few. Consequently, car wheels get dents, cracks or scratches. 

Regardless of the cause, it’s better to get the wheels checked by a professional technician and repair wheel damage. However, if the damage is severe, you will need to replace them at the earliest. You can even opt to buy used wheels in the UAE that are not more than five years old (post-manufacturing date). 

Let’s find out about different types of wheel damage and what you can do to fix or repair them. 

TYPES OF WHEEL DAMAGE AND REPAIRS 

Detailed below are ways you can do car wheel repair, depending on the type of damage your tyre has, classified as cosmetic and structural damage. 

Cosmetic damages are repairable, whereas structural wheel damages are not repairable and tyres need to be replaced.  

LIGHT CORROSION 

If your car has aluminum or alloy wheels, they are prone to corrosion. Light corrosion can be easily dealt with metal polish. All you have to do is wash the tyre, apply metal polish in small amounts and use an applicator or a microfiber towel to fix this type of damage. 

In case, this car wheel repair technique doesn’t work, consult a professional or head to an auto service centre. All cosmetic wheel damages can be fixed easily.

BENT WHEELS 

Bent wheels are one of the most dangerous types of wheel damage. This is structural damage to the outer and inner lip of a tyre caused by the severe impact of accidents or when the tyres hit the potholes and curbs. 

Driving with a bent wheel may lead to risky situations. For example, air leakage in the wheel due to failed seals may blow out the tyre, suddenly. In case of tyre blows out at high speed, follow tips to handle car tyre burst.The car may roll over or spin out or get stranded in the middle of a road. Bent wheels are not in perfect shape and driving around in a vehicle with such tyres is highly dangerous, therefore always repair wheel damage at the earliest as soon as you identify the problem. The contact with the road becomes uneven which leads to car vibration and increased speed, damaged suspension and steering system. 

For this type of car wheel repair, motorists should seek assistance from a professional technician. They can better evaluate the severity of damage and fix the issue. Since bent wheels fall under structural damage, they are not repairable in most cases. 

CRACKED WHEELS 

When a car hits stationary objects or debris, the wheel rim, which is one of the important car wheel parts, takes the force and result in a crack. The tyres are though strong but are lightweight and the alloy in the wheels are prone to cracking. Check with a professional technician if cracked wheel repair is possible or not. They can inspect and determine the intensity and suggest a better solution.

LIGHT SURFACE CURB RASH AND WHEEL SCRATCHES 

Curb rash happens when a tyre is scraped on a concrete curb. This rash also occurs when you drive on a flat tyre or when trying to park parallel. The metal on the wheel is rashed and thus, affects the protective coating. This results in scratches and scrapes on the bare metal. 

This type of car wheel repair requires a professional technician ‘s assistance, given its considered cosmetic. Only they have the right equipment and skill to repair a wheel with light surface curb rash. Though this car wheel scratch repair does not requires urgent repair, but its best to get it done on priority to save the tyre from decay. 

WHEEL DAMAGE REPAIR

Here’s one of the ways you can repair wheel damage:

TOOLS REQUIRED FOR WHEEL DAMAGE REPAIR 

Before you proceed, make sure you buy the automotive tools listed below to repair wheel damage:

• Chrome polish 
• Microfiber towels
• Auto tape
• Buckets
• Microfiber wash mitt
• Wheel brush
• Soap for car wash 
• Dry towels
• Wheel cleaner
• Applicator pad
• Cordless drill
• Sanding disc drill attachment
• Different grits of sandpaper, 180 grit 
• Finer

Use wheel polish to buff the damage area on the tyre. In case the damage remains, then sand it and paint the area. When you paint on the tyre make sure to wear a respirator, because regular masks don’t work. Here is how you can do it: 

1. Take the tyre out or tape it off. 
2. Start to sand down the entire tyre using medium to fine grit sandpaper and remove the first coating. 
3. Clean the tyre and repeat the sanding process and every time use a finer or finer sandpaper. 
4. Make sure you cover the damaged area every time you do and ensure to smooth it out. 
5. Apply a primer coat using filler primer
6. Sand down the tyre and paint 
7. You can repeat the steps if you think coats are not applied properly. 
8. Sand down the tyre and then apply the clear coat.
9. Buff the tyre and then apply wax.

If you don’t hold specific skills related to wheel damage repair, then its probably difficult to do the job at home. Moreover, you should not only have the right skill set for repairing the tyre metal, but should also know how to take the tyre off from a rim and replace it. For all this work, one should have specialised tools, training and skills to ensure that the tyre may not blow out or fail. 

Besides, when you are buying a used car in the UAE don’t forget to check its tyres. Make sure that they don’t have any of the damages discussed above. 

Stay tuned to UAE’s top auto blog for more information about different auto part repair and maintenance guide.