Even though alloy wheels can cost quite a lot of money, many view them as a desirable feature for a car. Not only do they look good but they also come with a number of other benefits, and if looked after well, they can be a very worthwhile investment.
Alloy wheels can also add strength to your car, which will give you additional help when cornering, and they can also help to reduce ‘brake fade’ as they cool your brakes faster. They’re also lightweight, which makes them more precise when you’re steering your car, more efficient, more responsive when braking, and they can increase acceleration.
What to consider
If you’ve had alloy wheels in the past, you’ll probably be aware of the types of damage that they’re susceptible to. If you kerb the car when you’re manoeuvering or parking it, you can leave unsightly scrapes on your alloys, and this can be a minor or major problem when it comes to repairing them. Some specialists, like Peterborough diamond cutting for alloy wheels may be able to help to repair the alloys through welding and machining.
Equally, if you clip the kerb whilst you are driving down the road, you can cause cracks or chips to your alloys. Chips are often easier to repair, as are small cracks, but larger cracks may mean that you need a full wheel replacement.
Corrosion is another fault to watch out for on your alloy wheels and will appear like a white dust. This is normally due to road salt reacting with your alloy wheels, and it may just have damaged the surface of your alloys. However, it’s important that specialists such as Peterborough diamond cutting for alloy wheels inspect these to make sure the corrosion hasn’t caused any damage to the structure of the wheel. If it is only minor, the corrosion can be rectified with some minor refurbishment, which will involve removing the paint before refinishing it.
Methods of repair
There are a lot of different ways your alloys can be repaired if they become damaged. Cosmetic repairs can be carried out with sanding and repainting, whilst cracks and chips may require some welding. If this is carried out properly, your alloy wheels can look as good as new again, but if done badly, the weight of the car can cause stress cracks.