How To Repair Scratched Alloy Wheels

Got a gear up of scratched up blend wheels? You came to the correct identify. We're going to prove you how to do away with the corrective damage that's putting a serious damper on your auto'southward advent.

Repairing your scratched alloy wheels isn't the only pick. There are a few more solutions y'all tin can consider:

Replacing Your Wheels

If you accept some extra money burning a hole in your pocket, you tin can merely supercede your wheels and call information technology a day. However, there's all the same the gamble of your new wheels suffering the same fate as your old ones, simply you can take preventative steps, which we're going to cover later.

Refinishing Wheels

Wheel damage looks like

Can you spot the impairment on this wheel? Photo credit: Magnus Back

John Adams put information technology eloquently when he said, "Every trouble is an opportunity in disguise." When you've got scratched up wheels, you've got an opportunity to refinish the wheels in their entirety instead of repairing only the damaged parts. You tin can either rent a professional person to do it, which will cost you lot up to $150 per wheel, or you tin can go the DIY route.

Hiding The Harm

This is the easiest and cheapest choice. Simply catch some wheel protectors (like RimBlades or RimSavers) and install them over your scratched alloy wheels. Problem solved! This solution comes with a bonus, too, which is long-term protection against future impairment.

Hiding wheel damage with RimBlades

Black RimBlades were applied to this Morgan Aero 8, nigh completely hiding substantial wheel harm.

If you withal have your heart fix on repairing your alloy wheels, we've got you covered.

iii Means To Repair Scratched Blend Wheels

one. Using An Alloy Wheel Repair Kit

The advantage in using a kit is that:

  • It's inexpensive (most kits price less than $fifty
  • It's piece of cake enough to exist a DIY projection

The disadvantage in these kits:

  • The process is lengthy. Y'all'll exist doing a thorough cleaning, sanding, cleaning once again, applying putty, sanding, cleaning in one case more, priming, and painting. Information technology'south a lot of steps.
  • The event doesn't always look bully. Most kits come with silver paint, black pigment, and a shade in between. Yous can blend these colors to try and friction match your bike, merely it'south not ever a expert match.

While anyone with a footling fleck of experience can consummate a repair using 1 of these kits, it's simply for people who are seriously motivated.

ii. Doing A Complete Wheel Refinish

This type of chore requires removing all the existing paint (usually, you do this with a media blast), filing and sanding down any gouges or scratches, and so priming and painting. The downside to this process is the time and the toll. The upside is that, unlike a lot of repair kits, the bike comes out looking perfect.

If you've got a set of wheels that need refinished anyways – and if replacement wheels aren't easy to purchase – this is a great selection (a lot of classic motorcar owners practise this). Just be aware that it volition unremarkably cost more to refinish wheels than it volition to buy new ones.

3. Hire A Pro

If you really value the appearance of your wheels – and the idea of spending a Saturday refinishing wheels doesn't do much for you – hiring a professional is the fashion to go. They have the materials, tools, and experience to pull off a great repair job.

Typically, professional wheel repairs will cost $75 to $150 per wheel. The result volition await great, however, and the people that offering this service tin unremarkably come to your home or business concern to consummate the repair. Very convenient.

Prevention Is Fundamental

Whether you lot've refinished your wheels, completed a repair job, or bought a new prepare of alloy wheels, it's a practiced thought to protect your investment by preventing whatsoever future damage. The best mode to practise this is to install a gear up of bicycle protectors like RimBlades or RimSavers. These products are designed to take the brunt of any accidental adjourn scrapes and scratches, and they're much cheaper than a professional cycle repair.

Red rim blades

A RimBlades wheel protector over an alloy wheel

Remember: You don't accept to accept scraped or scratched bike rims. Set yourself upwardly with a ready of RimBlades or RimSavers today!