Rim Repair Aftercare

After bringing new life to old rims, you’ve got to treat them right. The first 24 hours are the most crucial.

Few things in life look or feel better than freshly reconditioned rims. Our vehicle’s rims are one of the most vulnerable parts of our cars for cosmetic damage because they are so close to the ground. Incidental curb contact, highway stone chips, gouges from road debris, and scrapes from taking the wheel off and on all leave your wheels looking worse for wear. New rims are expensive, and usually not necessary. We can repair rims with amazing results and have you back on the road for a fraction of the price of a new set of wheels. Check out the before and after in this post from a while back.

What Is Involved in Rim Repair?

Rim repair is a surprisingly simple procedure, provided you have the right tools. First, we remove the wheels from the car and use masking tape to protect the rubber. We begin work on the rims by grinding down all the curb rash and scratches and filling gouges that would affect the finish. The entire rim is then primed and painted with a bright silver metallic paint and clear coated to produce a high gloss shine.

The repair is far less expensive than most people think and we can have you back on the road the very next morning with 4 beautiful rims – or sooner if you are only looking to have one or two taken care of.

How to Care for Freshly Reconditioned Rims

• Do not wash newly conditioned wheels for at least 24 hours. Light rain or splash is no problem, but if it’s really coming down, it might be best to use an alternative mode of transportation for that first day after a repair.
• Once that initial 24 hours period has passed, wash the wheels by hand a couple of times during the next month.
• Let wheels cool before washing with soap. If your wheels are hot, just spray them down with cold water until their temperature has dropped. This will help prevent scratching the clear coat while washing.
• Avoid acidic cleaners, as they can damage the clear coat on your wheels (and the rest of your vehicle).
• Never use polish or any other abrasive cleaning products on your wheels, as they all damage the clear coat. If the clear coat is damaged, bring it in so we can repair it.
• Avoid automatic car washes. The vast majority of car washes were designed and set up for an old style of tire. Modern low-profile tires allow the rim to pass below the car wash’s alignment rail, which could result in damage to the rim. If an automatic car wash can’t be avoided, try to find one that is “touchless” and avoid any system that still uses alignment rails.

Your wheels are important, so it’s important that you bring them to the experts. We’ve been repairing and refinishing rims for decades so you can be confident that we have the tools and experience necessary to do a top-notch job. Just get in touch to set up an appointment at your earliest convenience.