Scratched alloys can ruin the appearance of your vehicle, especially if your wheels are customised or painted in bright colours.
Although rare, scratched alloys can also sometimes cause danger through structural issues and poor steering/handling. But when can you fix this issue yourself, and when do you need to involve the experts?
What causes scratched alloys?
The most common causes for scratched alloys are potholes and kerb scrapes, which can both cause extensive scratching in some cases. More minor scratches can also be caused by general driving, through general road debris such as grit or loose asphalt.
Some scratches are even caused by cleaning chemicals, brake dust, and general corrosion.
Basically, it is virtually impossible to avoid getting at least some minor scratches on your alloy wheels. It is important to understand the severity of each issue and the best course of action to get them fixed or refurbished.
How to fix scratched alloys
Fixing scratched alloys can take a few different forms, especially depending on the nature of the damage and whether you decide to fix yourself or use a professional.
A professional job will usually include a few steps.
- The process begins with a full wheel clean. Any dust or debris will be removed, before using a solvent wipe or cloth to clear away any stubborn bits.
- The wheel is then coarsely sanded around the scratch area to make the site more rough, and filled with a metal filler or putty which evens out the scratch.
- Any excess filler is sanded off, and the area is sanded thoroughly to smoothen and match the rest of the wheel.
- Finally, the wheel is resprayed/painted to hide the restoration entirely, leaving your wheel as good as new!
The process is similar but possibly slightly less thorough if done at home. Using the equipment available to you, you should try to follow the above professional steps as closely as possible. After cleaning and/or sanding the wheel, you can use a spot putty which often comes as part of an alloy repair kit.
Once this is done, you can repaint the wheel again, but to achieve a professional finish it is recommended to have the alloys professionally recoloured. In which case, it usually makes more sense to have the whole process professionally done anyway.
Fixing Yourself vs Professional Fix
There are advantages and disadvantages between fixing alloy damage yourself, or employing a professional to fix them. Try to consider these points when making your decision.
Fixing yourself:
- Will most likely result in a less thorough job, perhaps with an unprofessional finish. This could reduce the value of your vehicle as well as generally ruining the look of the car.
- A cheaper option, fixing small scratches and scrapes yourself will cost you less money and, if simple, may be less overall hassle and bother for you. This option is only recommended if the damage is minimal, or if your sole priority is to get your car back up and running, with little regard to the visual impact it may have on your alloy wheels.
Professional fix:
- For intricate, significant damage, or if you aren’t absolutely confident in your ability to fix, professional repairs are the preferable option. Professional repairs remove the risk of costly errors during fixing, which could end up costing you much more money in the long run.
- A professional job is usually going to be less stressful for you. All that you need to do is take your vehicle to one of the garages partnered with Alloy Wheel Repair Services, and wait for your problem to be solved. Given the relatively simple nature of repairing scratched alloy wheels, this will be a same-day fix in most cases.
Should I fix alloy wheels myself or call an expert?
We would recommend calling an expert to repair your alloy wheels in most cases. Expert work through Alloy Wheel Repair Services guarantees you a quick turnaround, fair pricing, and no hassle. However, hopefully this blog post has helped you to understand the circumstances in which it might be viable to repair minor alloy wheel problems yourself.
Alloy Wheel Repair Near Me
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