Essential Tips to Avoid Major Rim Repair
Wheels, tires, and rims take a real hammering out on the open road. They are subject to daily wear and tear than any other part of a car. Some common causes of wheel and rim damage include the build-up of brake dust as well as accidental scuffs and scrapes. Rims and wheels can be expensive to replace, so it’s a wise idea to take care of them throughout the year so you can avoid high auto maintenance costs later. Here are some essential tips to extend the life of your wheels and rims and to avoid expensive rim repair.
Clean with the right cleaning materials
You can reduce your visits to auto repair shops if you clean your rims yourself. However, you’ll run the risk of cleaning them with poor quality or damaging materials and harsh chemicals. For example, steel wool can wreck certain alloys. While acid cleaners can get rid of dust, they also get rid of the valuable clear coat that protects the metal from corrosion. If you’re using a cleaner that needs to be washed off within five minutes or less, it’s probably acidic. To keep your rims clean and shiny, using gentle soap and water combined with vigorous scrubbing is the best way to go.
Avoid bumps
Your rims can get bent or its finish can get scraped if you drive too close to a curb or bump one while parallel parking. Most modern rims convex past the tire’s edge and they take the brunt of the impact if you have to swerve to avoid another driver. You can’t do anything about bad drivers. However, you can practice parallel parking so try using some cones or other non-damaging items so you don’t scrape up your rims when practicing. Getting the right technique for parallel parking could save you hundreds in maintenance costs.
Avoid expensive rim repair by following these tips. If your car’s wheels and rims are damaged and need to be repaired, get in touch with a repair specialist like New Liberty Tires and Wash LLC. You can reach us at (786) 936-0996. Our auto shop is based in Miami, FL.