Scratched or Scuffed Rims: The Ultimate Guide Introduction Here is the low down, you do everything in your power to maintain and improve on the performance of your vehicle yet still end up with scratched rims here and there. The good news is, common types of damage are often easy and inexpensive to DIY. We look a little more closely at handling rim repairs with care here.
Understanding Rim Damage
This is the kind of damage that can happen to your rims primarily due to:
Curb Rash: frequentlywhen parking or turning a little close to the curb.
University Alabama—is no stranger to potholes and debris that can dent and scratch your ride over time.
Changing Tire Improper: Tool touch the rim surface cause scratching of it.
Repairing Scratched Rims
Scratched or Scuffed Rims
Wash Rim: Wipe the dirt and brake dust off with a mild soap solution. This results in excellent adhesion of any repairs12
Step 2: Check the Damage Take a look at your metal and see if it is lightly scratched or deeply gouged.rim repair (ad) Smaller scratches can be fixed with sandpaper and a paint pen3, deeper gouges may require professional repair.
Step 3: Sanding (use fine-grit paper, typically around 800-1000 grit) to sand the scratched area lightly This smoothens it over and readies the surface for painting25.
To fill deeper scratches and level the surface apply a polyester filler (if necessary) before sanding again once it dries2.
Every Painting Preps after that, you will need to sand the cut in.This is followed by a priming coat and then your color-matching paint. Each layer must be well-dried before applying another35.
Buffing and Final Clean: When the paint is completely dry, buff the rim with a rubbing compound to give it some shine. Remove any debris from the repairing process.12
Plastic-Clad Wheel Rims
Plastic-clad rimsIt makes repairing much more complicated if your rim is plastic – clad.
It Must Be Replaced: Plastic cladding that has been damaged is generally not something for which you can successfully fashion a repair.
Look at Replacements: In some instances, if you need a replacement or the plastic cladding can be taken off and replaced elsewhere12.
To summarize, though small scratches on alloy rims can typically be filled at home with other basic tools and materials larger damage — particularly when it pertains to plastic-clad tires -may call for professional or total replacement.
