Owning a car can be great until you start having issues every now and then. One of the many issues you could face is with the wheels.
If you are driving and you suddenly start hearing thumping sounds, there is a good chance that the rim is bent.
However, it is important that you know what causes a bent rim and how to fix it correctly.
How to Tell if Your Rim is Bent?
Before you get started on fixing, let’s check out the signs of a bent rim. Knowing these signs would help you pay more attention and diagnose your vehicle while driving down the road.
Shaky Steering and Vibrations
A common sign of a bent rim is shakiness and vibrations in the steering. This is caused by the effect of the wheels on the road surface.
If the front rim is bent, the front steering column becomes shaky; on the other hand, vibrations in the back steering column mean a bent rear rim.
Poor Handling
Another sign to tell you that your rim is damaged is if you are having problems with handling the wheels. Tire pressure and steering performance are automatically altered, such that you are unable to move in a proper way.
Constant Tire Deflating
A bent rim will always affect the quality of tires that it comes across with – regardless of whether it is the best brand or not in the market.
This is because the wheels will constantly move away from the tires, causing damage to them, unless the rims are replaced.
So, you will most likely experience deflated tires very often.
Wheel Damage
If a rim gets bad, one more way to tell is the visible damage done to the wheels. If you examine closely, you would find irregularities.
Common Causes of Bent Rims
While you are aware of what happens when your rims get damaged, it is also essential that you know what causes it. This vital piece of information will help you know what to avoid against future damage.
- Low-Profile Tires
- Potholes
- Corrosion
- Encounter with a Curb
Is a Bent Rim Dangerous?
Yes, it is. A bent rim reduces the air pressure in your car tires making them difficult to move and automatically resulting in flat tires.
Driving at a high speed with a rim tire like this, you could have a blowout, which could ultimately cause a road accident. Therefore, it is important to learn how to fix a bent rim because it is dangerous to you and your vehicle.
Repairing Your Bent Rim – Step by Step
Now that you know how important it is not to have bent rims, below is a step-by-step guide on how to get it fixed.
Step 1: Discover Rim Type
Identifying the type of rim your car uses is very important. This factor determines whether you can get the rims fixed or risk damaging them. Steel and Alloy are the two popular types available.
Steel rims are easy to fix with little or no after-effect; however, Alloy rims can get your wheels further destroyed after repair.
Step 2: Gather the Right Equipment
Once you figure out what rim you use, you can proceed with the next step – getting the right equipment. You don’t need many tools – we listed some important tools needed below:
Step 3: Use a Blow Torch
With the tools ready, you can start working. First, you need to heat up the bend with your torch. You may need to be very careful so that you don’t overheat and destroy the wheels.
Step 4: Place Wood over the Bend
Next, place a piece of wood over the heated bed, so that you can carve it back to its original position.
Step 5: Hammer the Bend
Finally, use the dead blow hammer over the wood to straighten it properly back to shape. Ensure you don’t hit the rims too hard to avoid cracking.
Can You Hammer Out a Bent Rim?
Yes, you can use a dead blow hammer to fix the bent rim of your car. However, you need to get it heated up first before you can. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to do that.
Step 1: Heat the Surface
With a torch, heat up the bent rims to an optimal level.
Step 2: Use Dead Blow Hammer Directly
There are situations where a block of wood won’t work in bending the rim, and the only thing you have to do is to hammer out.
Hence, the next step is for you to try hammering directly but not with too much force, so you don’t crack your rim.
Can You Drive with a Bent Rim?
Driving your car is great until you are faced with certain situations that may risk your safety. Driving with a bent rim is one. This bend in the rim will reduce air pressure in your car tire, making it flat and dangerous.
Therefore, if you drive with a bad rim, you could be involved in an accident or end up spending more on repair costs.
How Much Do New Rims Cost?
Are you looking to upgrade or replace your car tire and rim with a better one? You might need to check out the list of prices for the different types of rims available.
Some of the best types are Basic Steel, Aluminium Alloy, Bronze Coated, Chrome-Plated, Graphite Coated, and others.
New rims for your car tire aren’t so expensive – they range from $90 to $470, depending on the type and car model.
Final Thoughts
Vehicle maintenance is one of the many things you should be interested in because it determines your road driving experience – the tire is a significant part of that. Thus, you need to always look out for every part of the wheel, including the rim.
Having a bent rim can be disappointing and dangerous. However, learning how to fix a bent rim would help you in tremendous ways.
Follow the steps above, and you shouldn’t have a problem at all moving on the road.
Tire Forge