Alloy wheel refurbishment
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Bent Wheel Rims

How to tell if you are driving on a bent rim?

A bent wheel rim may seem like a small issue, but if you ignore it for too long it can be dangerous and expensive down the road. Sometimes it will be obvious what the problem is.

If it doesn’t seem obvious, do a quick mental check of your driving history. Have you hit any curbs, major potholes or been in an accident recently? If you’ve answered yes to any of those then it’s worth getting your alloys checked out.

Below are three signs that you could be driving on a bent wheel:

1. The Vibration Symptom

Feel for vibration. If your steering wheel rattles, then chances are you have an issue with your tyre at the front of your car, however, if you sense vibration in your seat then check the rear.

This one is a subtle sign, there are other problems that can cause vibration, but it is important to watch out for after you’ve driven into a pothole or bumped a curb.

2. Car doesn’t handle like it used to

A bent alloy often affects the pressure on your tyres as well as your ability to handle your vehicle, the longer you ignore the issue the more dangerous or costly your tyre issues become.

If you are having more trouble controlling your vehicle, or you may find you’re taking corners slower, or if your steering isn’t quite like it used to be, then it’s a sign to get your alloys checked.

3. Something doesn’t look quite right

A bent alloy can be obvious to the trained eye. The rim rests on the outer edge of your tyre and maintains the air seal between your tyre and your wheel, as a result, the affected part of the wheel is visibly bent away from the tyre, breaking the seal.

If you have alloy wheels, you will see this right away, however, if you have a steel wheel you would need to remove the hubcap before you could see anything.

If your alloys are showing any of these signs, then it is best to get it checked out by a trained technician. At best, an untreated bent alloy can cause tyres to leak air over time, at worst, you would be looking at a flat tyre or a blowout.

These are dangerous and have costly consequences, and these are ones that can be avoided.