To get us all on the same page; let’s explain what we mean by a car rim and the type of damage that we might encounter with it. In this current context; what we are looking at are the wheels on your motor car and, in particular, the flared outer part of the wheel where the tire is fitted. This is known as the wheel’s rim. The center of the wheel where it is attached to the vehicle is called the hub and, since wheels are invariably in one piece, the hub has to connect with the rim.
Tires
Tires come in different grades, materials and sizes depending upon the type of driving they will be undertaking. Generally speaking the size is determined by the wheels that the owner (or auto manufacturer) has placed on the vehicle. The tire’s main function is to both provide grip and traction on the surface being driven over and to absorb some of the shocks from driving over rough or uneven surfaces. By and large; modern tires (correctly selected) perform a pretty good job of this. To a certain extent, the tires will also protect the wheels from damage that could be caused by driving over a major hump or into a deep pothole.
Wheels
There are several different types of wheel in use on today’s automobiles. At the low end of the market; the standard is a pressed steel wheel which is usually supplied with some sort of (plastic) cover to make it appear more attractive. Note; this cover is not, strictly speaking, a hub cap since hub caps only cover the center hub of a wheel.
Then; there are wheels that have a more attractive appearing design to connect the hub to the rim – often these designs are based on the thinking used for racing cars where weight reduction is important. Strong spokes can be used; but, more often these days, designers will opt for wheels made of aluminum or magnesium alloys where the hub connects to the rim through at least three elegantly shaped arms.
Rim Damage
Should a car hit a curb or other low lying obstacle at even a reasonable speed; the tire may not be able to absorb all of the impact forces and the wheel rim can become dented. Even worse, with alloy wheels; the alloy itself can crack or break; in these cases; repair is a serious matter best left to the professionals.
However, if all that has happened is that the driver has lightly scuffed nearside wheels against the curb while parking; you should be able to affect Car Rim Repairs for yourself. Rubbing down and repainting is time consuming but not difficult; or, you could choose to hide the damage beneath a polymeric strip placed around the wheel rim. Not only will this hide existing damage; it will protect the rim against future damage.
Know more about Car Rim Repairs
