Is it worth repairing damaged rims?

A crowded supermarket parking lot or a narrow parking space outside your house – a sudden swerve and you feel the curb against your wheel. Who hasn't experienced a similar situation? It's impossible to avoid them. Scratching a tall wall or the aforementioned curb doesn't necessarily mean damage to your vehicle. It's worse if you scratch a shiny, pristine rim. Unfortunately, scratches, bends, and even cracks do happen. What should you do in such a situation? Do you need to look for new rims, or can you try to repair the damaged one?

Rims, including aluminum ones, can and are repaired . This is evidenced by the wide range of products available in automotive stores for restoring, for example, scratched rims. However, many people fear that a rim cannot be restored to its former condition and that a repaired rim will be more susceptible to damage. Is this really true? Yes and no. We'll try to explain when it's worth repairing a damaged rim, and when it's time to visit a shop and purchase a new one .

When can we repair a damaged rim?

As is often the case, the only correct answer to the question posed in the title should be: "It depends." It depends on the extent of the damage to the rim and the type of damage. Regarding the most common curb scrapes mentioned above, which result in scratches or minor dents, yes, there's nothing stopping you from restoring the rim to its pre-impact condition. There's no need to seek professional help. A visit to an automotive shop, purchasing the appropriate touch-up paint, and painting won't prevent you from worrying about any future issues . Even if the rim is severely damaged after a curb collision, you're not out of luck. Simply sandblast the rim, fill the gaps, and paint.

It's also possible for a rim to bend due to damage. This can cause noticeable runout, which not only impacts driving comfort but can also lead to dangerous situations on the road. In such cases, you don't have to buy a new rim. Unfortunately, this time, you won't be able to handle it yourself – a visit to a specialized tire repair shop will be necessary. Experts with advanced equipment will provide a quote before starting work, explain the risks involved, and make every effort to ensure the rim looks almost new after leaving their workshop. In many cases, the process will not affect future safety in any way, as the most common damage is to the rim flange, which only holds the tire in place but doesn't directly affect the rotation of the entire wheel (rim and tire). Unfortunately, straightening aluminum rims with more extensive damage is very difficult and requires not only good equipment but also a qualified specialist, which unfortunately can be problematic. The cost of straightening a single rim starts at several dozen zlotys.

However, there are situations where purchasing new rims is unavoidable. Repairs to crushed rims are strictly discouraged . In such cases, even the best specialist will not be able to restore the rim's original mechanical properties, as the impact has irreversibly altered the internal structure of the material.

How are damaged rims repaired?

Damaged rims are straightened, welded, or turned . Occasionally, an aluminum rim can crack during repair due to insufficient heating of the aluminum or the use of excessive force. In such cases, it simply needs to be welded properly.

After completing the appropriate steps, the next step will be filling the gaps with filler and sandblasting to remove the damaged paint. After protecting the product against corrosion, the rims are then painted – either wet or powder-coated . The first method will yield better results, but is much more labor-intensive and therefore more expensive. Sometimes, painting is unnecessary, but these are rare cases.

Repair or buy new?

There's no clear answer to the question of whether it's worth repairing damaged rims. If they're only scratched or have minor dents, you can do the restoration yourself. If the rim is more severely damaged, you'll need to visit a specialized repair shop. Then, specialists, treating each case individually, will provide a quote, assess the risks, and advise whether the procedure is worthwhile.