How to prevent and protect car rim damage and curb rash?
When alloy meets cement, the results are usually disastrous. The worst part about car rim damage is the sound the car makes just when it is about to get hit. It is every car owner’s nightmare. You hear the noise, wince in response, and you just know that the damage is as bad as it sounds. But the thing that is even worse is how the rim ends up looking after the damage.
Nothing hurts a car owner more than his car’s appearance getting distorted. The rim is a wheel’s protruding edge. It is especially vulnerable to damage when parking or making tight turns in confined spaces.
Damage is bound to occur when the car accidentally hits a curb when making a narrow turn when it attempts to avoid a collision by swerving out of the way and sideswiping a curb when parallel parking. It is necessary that you avoid such damage as it can be expensive to repair and you do not want to spend so much money on getting that nasty damage repaired.
Many people who are not used to parallel parking will hit the curb when backing into a space. If you have not mastered the art of parallel parking, practice in an empty parking lot with wide-open spaces until you feel confident.
It is more likely your tire took the first impact of the accident and your rim was damaged after the tire was deformed and pressed out of the way. The sidewall of your tire is the weakest part, without the same steel-belt support security the tread gets curb damage.
It includes a layer of rubber, the adhesive compound keeping completions of the steel belts in place, and the ends of the steel belts themselves, which are way weaker than the steel that conceals under the tread.
We have compiled some life-saving tips for you to avoid undesirable curb rashes and other associated damages. Try incorporating these tips and see the results for yourself. Read on.
Tips to prevent and protect car rim damage and curb rash:
- Winter-proof your wheels: Winter is usually pretty tough on wheels. Slippery roads can cause your car to slide into a curb. Winter tires have a better grip and can prevent that unwanted slide smoothly. Steel rims are more ideal for winter. They are usually cheaper and heavier than ordinary alloy wheels, but they do not look as attractive as the latter.
Another factor that contributes to rim damage during the winter months is road salt. Chrome-plated wheels are, particularly at risk. It is necessary to wash your cars regularly during the winter months.
- Consider installing wheel rim protectors: Have you ever hit a nasty pit and then saw a bubble in the sidewall of the tire? This implies that the steel cords have separated and the inner protective layer of the tire is compromised.
The only thing holding air in the tire is that external layer of rubber. One of the most efficient ways to keep your vehicle’s rims protected from curb rash is to install wheel rim protectors. Rim protectors are a great product to safeguard your rim from damage while also complementing your car’s overall look.
These products are easy DIY projects and take little time to install. They are also available in numerous different colors to match the look of your vehicle and can appear as more of a superficial accessory instead of a simple protective measure.
An additional benefit of wheel rim protectors is the fact that car owners can easily detach them whenever they need to, whether to clean the protector or the wheel or to change the wheel and tire. Car owners can then reattach them as easily when they want to use them again.
- Master the skill of parallel parking: Parallel parking is the most imperative cause of curb rash and rim damage.
It is more of a problem for drivers in bigger cities, but just about everyone needs to parallel park at some point. We have a few tips to make the process of parallel parking easier:
- Tilt the passenger side mirror down at the curb to better gauge distance.
- Back into the spot slowly at a 45-degree angle.
- If you are uncertain of where the curb is, you will at least tap it with the more vital part of your tire, the back.
- Then you can pull forward and straighten it out.
- Park further away from the curb than you think, but not too far.
A severely decapitated rim can be knocked out of round, making it impossible to balance the tire, and compromising the bead’s seal on the rim.
A tire and rim that are not completely round will present sound and vibrations that will impact flight convenience and handling. Ultimately, your rim will trigger irregular tire wear, minimizing the life of the tire and accelerating your timeline for replacement.
The best way to get rim damage fixed is by taking your car to an auto detailer. Ultrakool is the best choice out there.
With our excellent services, we will return your vehicle to you in the most pristine condition.