June 27, 2022

Alloy Wheel Straightening: How it Works

You’ve hit a kerb or a pothole and scratched your alloy - that's not a problem, alloy wheel repair is a relatively straightforward process that will bring your alloys back to prime condition in no time. But what if the damage is extensive and you’ve bent the metal?

In this case, you’ll need an expert to straighten your alloy wheels to maintain a clean look, structural integrity and most importantly, safety.

What is alloy wheel straightening?

Alloy wheel straightening is a complex process, handled by a professional, that requires the use of precise machinery to straighten a bent alloy wheel back to its original shape.

As alloy wheels are made up from a mixture of soft metals, they are easily buckled, damaged and dented through hitting kerbs, potholes or driving over uneven surfaces.

Driving on a bent alloy wheel can be extremely dangerous, so it’s important that you have these issues rectified as soon as you notice them - we’ll talk more about how you can spot the signs of a bent alloy later on.

How long does alloy wheel straightening take?

It’s usually a pretty speedy process and often completed same-day. If you get booked in for a repair as soon as you notice the issue, you won’t be off the road for long.

Get in touch with your local Alloy Wheel repair expert below

How do alloy wheels bend and become damaged?

Alloy wheels are easily bent due to the metal being fairly malleable, so any form of impact can cause them to need straightening. High kerbs, deep potholes, rough road surfaces and even speedbumps can cause your alloys to buckle.

Alloy wheels are less durable than steel wheels, so minor impacts can cause you a real headache; particularly if you are a fan of maintaining a certain, pristine vehicle aesthetic. 

You can learn more about what to do if your alloy wheels are damaged in our dedicated blog post.

How do I tell if my alloy wheel is bent or buckled?

Aside from the obvious - checking your alloys for clear bends and dents - you’ll need to tune into your vehicle and monitor how it handles when driving. Any shaking, vibrating, unevenly worn tyres or noticeably poor steering performance, you may have a bent alloy.

Our experts can assist you with this - we’ll check your alloys for any signs of damage or dents that’ll need rectifying.

The alloy wheel straightening process

Our process typically goes as follows:

We’ll assess the severity of damage and check for any other issues that could affect the repair process, such as cracks or deep scuffs.

We will remove the affected tyre in order to complete the straightening process. 

The tyre will be then mounted onto specialist alloy wheel straightening equipment. Our straightening machine locates the angle of the bend and uses heat to help form the correct shape.

The alloy will be heated slowly and bent with great precision and care, ensuring that the right shape is formed.

We will then do the usual safety checks on the wheel - this includes monitoring the pressure and structural integrity of the alloy and alignment of the wheel on the vehicle.

Is it safe to repair a buckled alloy wheel?

Yes, it is far safer to have buckled alloy wheels repaired than to continue driving on them. Some people may wish to replace the wheel all together, but this is much more costly and with the help of our experts, we can sort your alloys out in no time.

Where can I get alloy wheel straightening?

We have local experts available throughout the UK to provide alloy wheel straightening services as soon as you need it. 

Just look for your area in the search bar below and we can get you booked in as soon as you need it (we recommend getting bent alloys fixed asap to maintain safe driving practices!).

Find your nearest alloy wheel refurbishment expert using our search bar below

FAQs about alloy wheel straightening

Is it safe to drive with a bent alloy wheel?

Absolutely not! Driving with a bent alloy wheel can be extremely dangerous and cause further, costly issues with your car, wheels and steering.

Extensively bent alloy wheels will likely fail your MOT as well, which will lead to more costs. We are priced competitively, so save money and time by booking in for a repair with our experts today!

Do I need to buy a replacement wheel if my alloy is buckled?

Most likely no, you won’t have to replace your wheel if your alloys are bent. We can straighten most alloys with our specialist machines and equipment - just let us assess the extent of the damage and we can communicate times and costs with you. 

Will the strength of the wheel be affected by the repair?

This doesn't typically happen, as maintaining a straightened alloy will help the overall structural integrity of the wheel.

Continuous damage may affect the strength of your wheel however, so it’s important that you monitor your wheel and be mindful of driving over poor road surfaces where possible.

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