How to fix a cast wheel yourself

Restoring alloy wheels: how effective is it?

Every car owner at least once in his life is faced with the need to buy rims. Such a need may arise from a breakdown, a desire to change the design of your car, or the need to replace a set of tires. At the same time, one question always arises: what is so good about alloy wheels, and how they can be repaired if necessary.

The appearance of alloy wheels is an order of magnitude better than that of competitors.

Why do car owners most often choose alloy wheels?

Today you can find a huge number of types of products on the car market. It is worth noting that the durability, reliability and other properties of disks depend primarily on the material from which they are made. One name - alloy wheels - can say a lot about this product.

If funds allow, then it is recommended to buy alloy wheels. The manufacturing technology of this wonderful product is as follows: an easily flowing material is poured into the finished mold using the classical casting method. Thanks to this manufacturing technology, the boundary between the disc and the rim is practically absent - this fact significantly increases the durability and reliability of cast wheels.

Surprisingly, such wheels are rarely damaged, since their deformation limit is much higher than that of other types of wheels. It will take at least five direct hits to the wheel for it to be damaged, but you must admit that, as a rule, no one has encountered such a situation.

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If you are interested in knowing what the advantage of such wheels is, pay attention to these points:

Small mass.
Suspension durability.
With such discs, the ride becomes very comfortable, and the car runs smoothly.
Economical.
Alloy wheels are not subject to corrosion.
The advantage of such wheels is also the precision of manufacturing. This, by the way, is very important, since the quality of driving directly depends on this indicator.

For what reason can alloy wheels deteriorate?

Unforeseen situations on the roads can arise for any car enthusiast, regardless of the type of wheels.

Cast wheels, like others, can deteriorate. This is primarily due to bad roads or, for example, an unscheduled drive onto the curb. In this case, you will have to repair alloy wheels yourself or with the help of the company’s service station. This is the only way to return the disks to their original appearance,

Here are the most common defects of alloy wheels: a dent, a chipped rim, a break in the edge of the circle.

Repair and painting of alloy wheels

Currently, you can fix alloy wheels using several options, which we will describe in turn.

Wheel repairs must always end with painting. If indelible stains are identified, the only way to return the disc to its original appearance is by painting. The painting procedure itself can be done independently in your own garage. All you need is a few cans of paint, masking tape, degreaser and gloves. First, the discs are removed from the car, cleaned well and wiped dry. After which the paint is distributed in several layers around the entire perimeter.

If the discs have already been painted, then first you need to remove the previous layer with a special solution.

Apply the composition with a brush to the entire surface of the disc and leave for twenty minutes, after which the paint should begin to swell. Now the old layer will be very easy to remove with a thin spatula.

After removing the first layer of paint, an almost clean disk will appear in front of you. If the wheels have rubber, then you need to seal them around the entire perimeter with tape. Attention! Do not forget to degrease the surface before painting; this can be done at home with ordinary alcohol.

The most important point is coloring, which is divided into points:

Primer. Apply by spraying, you can apply either two or three layers, but not greasy. After the first application, you must wait fifteen minutes. I would like to note that in order for you to like the result, after final application you need to wait several hours.
Painting. The paint must be applied in several layers and wait fifteen minutes for the layer to harden.
Varnish. After the paint has completely dried, a finishing layer of varnish is applied; it is different for each manufacturer, so you may need two layers of varnish.

That's all the little instructions. Ultimately, painting with a disc, all three layers, will cost approximately 1000 to 1200 rubles. But if you decide to contact a service station to have alloy wheels repaired, the price will fabulously surprise you - from 10,000 to 12,000 thousand rubles, depending on your area of residence.

You can find detailed painting instructions here:

Summarize

Repair work on alloy wheels at home is possible; you don’t need any special skills, just watch a detailed video of painting wheels and follow our instructions clearly. The only thing that cannot be done in this case is independent heat treatment; it is very dangerous at home and can lead to irreparable consequences. To protect yourself, your family and your car, it is recommended not to skimp on buying new wheels. But if the discs only have minor chips, you can fix these minor defects yourself or come to a service station for repairs.

About editing alloy wheels with your own hands

Reading time: 4 minutes

Alloy wheels are not only a stylish accessory for a car, but also significantly affect the ease of driving it. This is because they are made of lightweight material, which promotes rapid acceleration and braking of the car. But sooner or later the time comes when an alloy wheel becomes deformable. This happens when you fall into a hole at high speed or have a minor accident. And in such a situation, the car enthusiast asks the question: buy a new one or repair the damaged one?

As a result of deformation of the rim, not only its appearance, but also its geometry can be disrupted. And this is very serious, since with such a problem both the car and the person can suffer. A stamped disc is easier to repair, since the steel from which it is made is very malleable. Rolling a damaged rim on a special machine is not difficult. But with cast it is more complicated - ordinary rolling will not work here. For this procedure, only editing is used.

Alloy wheels

Editing car disks

For such a procedure, a special hydraulic press is used, which is available in car services. If the damage is not severe, then the disc will not need to be heated. And if they are significant, then you will need to preheat the deformed area, and then straighten it.

These recommendations are explained by the fact that when heated to high temperatures, the structure of the metal is damaged. It is not recommended to use such a disk, since with significant restoration it will not last long. Hitting a large pothole at speed can completely break it. And besides, such a rim is unsafe for further use.

The editing technology is as follows:

The technician visually assesses the damage to the rim.
For small dents, it is straightened without heating using a hydraulic press.
When significant, heat, then adjust.
The autodisk is fixed on the steppe and a hydraulic press is connected to it.
The geometry is restored under the necessary force.

Microcracks may not appear immediately after deformation; they may become noticeable only after straightening. They are also fixed by welding.

Argon arc welding

Is it possible to edit car rims?

If we are talking about stamped models, then they can be corrected and restored, but only if the rim has not been severely damaged. But it is not recommended to repair cast ones, especially if they are severely deformed or cracked. Therefore, in some auto repair shops, masters ask the client to sign a consent to their repair.

This means that the person, knowing about all the possible consequences, still deliberately hands over the car disc for restoration. This procedure is not cheap, especially when it comes to cast models. If, despite all the warnings, the rim still needs to be straightened, then you should choose only specialized workshops with good equipment.

Do-it-yourself editing of alloy wheels

Minor damage can be repaired yourself. You can remove:

chips;
scratches;
minor integrity violations;

Then a thorough inspection is carried out. If cracks are found on the surface, it will have to be boiled. To do this, you will need to take it to a car repair shop or process it yourself if you have argon-arc welding. But a welding machine is not the only thing you need; you will also need the ability to work with it and an understanding of the entire process of welding a disk. Otherwise, you should not do it yourself.

If there are no cracks, then restoration can continue. Using sandpaper, you need to level the surface and remove all resulting dust from it. Then you will need to apply a two-component epoxy paste. After it has dried, you need to sand the surface again with fine-grain sandpaper. Next, the car disc should be coated with a primer in several layers, each drying for about 20 minutes. Professionals recommend letting the primer dry for at least 24 hours. This way it will dry completely and the disc will be ready for further restoration. And the next stage is painting it and opening it with varnish.

Do-it-yourself rim restoration

The most economical is spray paint; it is easy to apply. It is enough to spray it at a distance of 25 cm from the surface and let it dry. You will need to paint in several layers, since one will not cover the primer. Each layer should dry for about half an hour. After the latter has dried, varnish is applied to the surface. The discs should remain at rest for 5-6 days. If they are not dried well, you can scratch the paint when installing the rubber.

This coating will last for several years and the rim will not fade. All materials are cheap, so disk restoration will not cost much. But if you take it to a car dealership, then editing along with painting can be a big hit on your pocket. But high-quality processing is carried out there and expensive materials are used.

Wheels should be straightened only for minor damage and deformation. It’s not for nothing that manufacturers do not recommend repairing alloy wheels. First of all, you need to think about your own safety, and not about saving.

Wheel rims: repair or replace?

Wheel rims are not the only ones that suffer from unexpected encounters with potholes or potholes on the road. They are easily damaged by pressing against, for example, a high curb. And the reagents used to water the capital’s roads do not spare the paintwork. But cosmetic flaws are not a big deal. Yes, it’s unpleasant and ugly, but you can drive with it. As a last resort, the disc is sent for repainting. But if you fly into a pit with sharp edges at speed, the consequences can be much more tragic. You will not only “sentence” the tire, but also write off the disk. Especially if it's cast. After all, such a disk has a solid metal structure, and if damaged, it is completely impossible to restore it. But first things first.

Let's start with the least of the evils - the loss of the attractive appearance of the disks. Powder painting can restore it to its original state. Before the procedure, the discs are washed with an abrasive cleaner and dried. Then the previous coating is removed with sandpaper. The surface is degreased with a special solution. The paint is applied with a gun with an electrostatic effect: paint particles stick to the disc due to a static charge. The disc is then placed in a special oven, where it is kept at temperatures up to 200 °C to achieve polymerization of the paint. The process takes about 15 minutes.

The discs can also be painted with acrylic paint. Unlike powder, which is based on a dry concentrate, acrylic is liquid. And this greatly simplifies the process. Plus, if the entire discs are covered with powder paint, then with acrylic you can paint part of the surface, apply a certain design, for example. You don't have to turn to professionals for this. The paints are sold in aerosol cans, which allows you to work in garage conditions.

Editing alloy wheels: is it worth doing, pros and cons

Motorists (and especially car owners) often suffer from various problems with their cars. For example, if something goes wrong with alloy wheels, logically you need to fix it, but is it worth carrying out this procedure? Car owners cannot always find the correct answer to this question.

What is straightening alloy wheels and how is it done?

If you decide to straighten alloy wheels, you should definitely contact only good specialists who know exactly how to do their job correctly. Often, motorists remain dissatisfied with straightening alloy wheels and subsequently complain about this procedure only because they encountered an unqualified specialist who could not cope with his task.

How to straighten alloy wheels:

First of all, specialists carry out the necessary diagnostics . Do not forget that each case is individual, and workers must understand in detail the problem that your car is facing. Also, if you are present during the inspection of your car, please note that the wheels must be “stripped”, that is, the tires must be removed from them, otherwise it is unlikely that it will be possible to find out the cause of the problem.
Next, specialists determine the nature of the damage and begin to draw conclusions about how they will work with it.
Alloy wheels are often difficult to repair , so they are more expensive to repair. However, do not forget to pay attention to the equipment that the employees of the repair shop or center have. It is alloy wheels that require special care and handling.
Before starting repair work, specialists thoroughly wash the discs and then begin work.

Please note that straightening alloy wheels is not a cheap service, especially if the repair center or salon uses special equipment (and this equipment is necessary for a good repair).

What's good about straightening alloy wheels?

Of course, before you understand whether your car needs this or that procedure, you first need to determine all the pros and cons of this process. Of course, you can not edit alloy wheels, but simply buy a new disk (or disks) and make a replacement. However, this will cost much more, so it’s better to see what good and useful repairs to your car’s wheels will give you.

Positive aspects of straightening alloy wheels:

This procedure will be cheaper than buying a new alloy wheel (which are the most expensive). Car owners often have to spend money on their car, so it won’t hurt anyone to save money sometimes.
Of course, damage to alloy wheels varies . There are also problems that make it pointless to go to a repair shop or salon. But if, for example, your wheel simply no longer looks beautiful and attractive due to driving on not very high-quality roads, then the wheel can simply be painted. And, what is very convenient, this can be done at home! Why buy a new drive when you can fix the old one right in your garage?
If your disc is damaged a little more, then you can contact a repair shop or center for the next procedure - rolling . Rolling plays one very important role and provides one very important service - it rids the wheel of excess unnecessary weights and gives it a round shape. What does it mean? This means that your car's movement will now become smoother and more balanced. This way, you will ride more comfortably and feel safer.
Sometimes car owners who don't know much about cars start to panic and exaggerate the problems their car is facing, so they rashly decide that they absolutely need to understand their alloy wheel. But if you go to a repair shop or auto detailing center, you may find that your problem isn't as big as you think. Diagnostics is undoubtedly an important thing.
Your wheels will be washed . What's not a plus? Car owners often don’t have enough time to finally get their wheels in order after a long drive on dirty roads.

Of course, all the positive aspects of straightening alloy wheels will mainly depend on what problem your car is facing and what specific procedure it requires.

Disadvantages of straightening alloy wheels

If you come across reviews from motorists who have already adjusted alloy wheels, then most likely you will be surprised how many people speak extremely negatively about this procedure. However, there are objective disadvantages that are definitely worth paying attention to.

Why you can’t straighten alloy wheels:

It is not safe . Indeed, no one can give you a guarantee that the disk will serve you for a long time and will work absolutely as it should. Also, no one guarantees you that problems cannot arise with the disk that will lead to an accident right on the road.
The discs still take their original form . Of course, you can be happy that your alloy wheel has finally been patched up and now looks decent (almost exactly the same as before). However, no matter what they do with your discs in the salon, after some time they will still take their original shape (the shape in which you brought your disc to a repair shop or car service center).
In the end, you will spend a lot more . Of course, the procedure itself will cost you less than buying a new alloy wheel (and they are very expensive), but the repair will most likely not last long, and the wheel will bring new problems to the car owner. Then you will either have to go to a repair shop or service again, or buy a new wheel.
After heating, the cast disk will be much more susceptible to various kinds of dangers . Any bump or hole, any collision with various kinds of obstacles can lead to a wheel split. Who knows what consequences this may have?
The threat of getting to a bad master . If you end up with a bad mechanic who doesn’t have the slightest idea how to properly handle alloy wheels, then you may end up in some kind of trouble on the road in the future.

These are the main disadvantages of straightening alloy wheels that should not be ignored.

Is it worth adjusting alloy wheels?

Of course, the final decision will still be yours, but it’s still worth looking at all the positive and negative sides of this procedure.

However, it is best to try to take care of your safety and try not to resort to straightening alloy wheels , as this can actually lead to some kind of danger. Of course, buying a new wheel is expensive, but your life is more valuable.