How To Repair Coated Wheels

How To Repair Scratched Alloy Wheels

Got a gear up of scratched up alloy wheels? You came to the right place. We're going to show y'all how to do abroad with the cosmetic damage that's putting a serious damper on your automobile's appearance.

Repairing your scratched alloy wheels isn't the simply option. There are a few more solutions you can consider:

Replacing Your Wheels

If you have some extra money burning a hole in your pocket, y'all tin only supersede your wheels and telephone call information technology a solar day. Nevertheless, in that location'due south nevertheless the take chances of your new wheels suffering the same fate equally your old ones, but yous tin can accept preventative steps, which nosotros're going to embrace afterward.

Refinishing Wheels

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

John Adams put it 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 can either hire a professional to practise it, which will cost you upwards to $150 per wheel, or yous tin can go the DIY route.

Hiding The Damage

This is the easiest and cheapest option. Just grab 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 damage.

Black RimBlades were practical to this Morgan Aero 8, near completely hiding substantial wheel damage.

If you lot withal have your eye set on repairing your alloy wheels, we've got yous covered.

3 Means To Repair Scratched Blend Wheels

1. Using An Alloy Wheel Repair Kit

The advantage in using a kit is that:

Information technology's cheap (most kits toll less than $50
It's like shooting fish in a barrel enough to exist a DIY project

The disadvantage in these kits:

The process is lengthy. You'll be doing a thorough cleaning, sanding, cleaning again, applying putty, sanding, cleaning in one case more, priming, and painting. It's a lot of steps.
The result doesn't always look cracking. Most kits come with silverish paint, blackness paint, and a shade in between. You lot can blend these colors to effort and match your bicycle, but it'south not e'er a good friction match.

While anyone with a little flake of feel tin complete a repair using one of these kits, it'southward only for people who are seriously motivated.

2. Doing A Complete Wheel Refinish

This type of job requires removing all the existing paint (unremarkably, you practice this with a media blast), filing and sanding downwards any gouges or scratches, and so priming and painting. The downside to this process is the time and the cost. The upside is that, unlike a lot of repair kits, the bicycle comes out looking perfect.

If y'all've got a set of wheels that need refinished anyways – and if replacement wheels aren't like shooting fish in a barrel to buy – this is a great option (a lot of archetype car owners exercise this). Just exist aware that it will ordinarily cost more than to refinish wheels than information technology will to buy new ones.

three. 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 way to go. They take the materials, tools, and experience to pull off a not bad repair chore.

Typically, professional wheel repairs will toll $75 to $150 per wheel. The result will look swell, however, and the people that offering this service can usually come up to your abode or business to complete the repair. Very convenient.

Prevention Is Key

Whether y'all've refinished your wheels, completed a repair job, or bought a new prepare of alloy wheels, it's a practiced idea to protect your investment by preventing any future damage. The best way to practise this is to install a set of wheel protectors similar RimBlades or RimSavers. These products are designed to take the burden of whatever accidental curb scrapes and scratches, and they're much cheaper than a professional wheel repair.

A RimBlades wheel protector over an blend wheel

Remember: You don't have to accept scraped or scratched bicycle rims. Set yourself upwards with a prepare of RimBlades or RimSavers today!