When to Refurbish Alloy Wheels
Customizing your car usually starts from the outside. Great looking wheels get the car a deserved second-look from people. Magnesium alloy wheels are the common replacement for factory wheels to enhance looks. The problem with alloy wheels is that they don’t get bent and warped like steel wheel rims; instead, they suffer from chipping, scratches and loss of sheen. When this happens, there are only two options: Buy a new set or refurbish your alloy wheels.
Take a look at the reasons when to try alloy wheel refurbishment:
1. A new set and redesign of alloy wheels is expensive and unless you have the money, you will not even consider it. It will be a lot cheaper to have your alloy wheels refurbished. There are specialized mobile shops that can do the job right in your home should the repair job be considered minimal.
2. When you buy a new set of alloy wheels, it will be difficult to sell an old set of alloy wheels and people will bid low should you decide to sell, as is. However, this could be a reason to refurbish them to command a higher price. A good job done on an old set of wheels will sometimes result in seling at more than fifty percent the cost of brand new!
3. High quality and famous brand name alloy wheels are almost collector’s items, especially with older models or designs. The design could no longer be in production. If there is really a need to buy a new set then go ahead. Your old set should be kept well preserved and you could have it refurbished when things are better.
4. If the alloy wheels are an original part of your car and if you intend to keep its originality, then by all means have them refurbished. The car could be one of well preserved original classics in the future!
When having alloy wheels refurbished that have several or large pieces chipped-off from them, it might require a good welding job with the same type of metal alloy. Cases like these will require wheel balancing again once tires are fitted back on them. The filling material used will not have the same density and weight with the original alloy. Grinding, buffing and plating could also make a wheel unbalanced. Anyway, it is always good practice to have wheels balanced at regular intervals. It helps preserve the life of tires.
Before finally deciding to have your alloy wheels, make sure to have it inspected thoroughly for possible small cracks. Those small cracks can be put under stress in the process that could deem the wheel unsafe for use. They often give way under high speed and can be the cause of a terrible accident. Specialized alloy wheel shops can do a complete job at a fraction of the cost of brand new ones.
